We all would purchase 100% organic if we could afford to, but sometimes it’s just not feasible. I found this downloadable Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet at My Paper Crane that you can print out and keep in your wallet to pull out when you’re at the grocery store. This should help you decide which items might be worth spending a little more money to ensure it’s organic and has low pesticides used when you’re roaming the aisles.
Using organic juice-based items for an Organic Solution, is the concept known as Juice Beauty. This company is paving the way for organic beauty products and has recently entered the make-up world. Juice Beauty is one of the first companies out there to become free of harsh parabens, petroleums, tars or pesticides. Their Green Apple peel has won numerous awards and is a Hollywood staple for celebrity make-up artists. Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Peel zaps both wrinkles and blemishes. Results are somewhat hard to see right away, but long term use yields dramatic results. All of Juice Beauty’s products are 85 – 98% organic and they work! I love that when I put on the Green Apple Peel that my face is instantly tingling. You can leave it on your face for up to 15 minutes to achieve the desired peel you’re looking for. If you’re curious to see how it works, but you’re nervous to spend a lot of money to try it out, they actually sell small sample sizes for $5, which is what I did.
I’m a moisturizer nut. I’m usually nervous to try new ones out because they make me break-out like a hormonal teenager. I jumped in with both feet anyways and tried out the Green Apple Antioxidant moisturizer and I’m so happy to say that I love it! It doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy or covered. It has the perfect amount of coverage so that my skin isn’t flaky or dry, and I didn’t break out at all! They have sample sizes for you to try out on their site to see how they work with your skin. The fact that it doesn’t have a strong fragrance is a big bonus to me. Scented lotions on my face tend to make me a little nauseous, so this was a refreshing find that’s effective to. I’ve added two new staples to my routine.
Want to try it out for yourself? Head over to Juice Beauty and check out their products and commitments to making eco-conscious components. Finally a company using ingredients that you’ll WANT to put on your face. Greener options with amazing results.
Little Lark was created in 2006 by Christy Nyboer, an internationally exhibited painter and sculptor. The company has incredibly creative and adorable designs, bringing them to you on tees, onesies, cards, and more. Little Lark uses letterpress, the oldest technique of printing, dating back to the 13th century. The designs are modern yet not trendy, natural, and have great color combinations. Each piece is printed by hand especially for you. I was excited to see how the tees would hold up after washing (great) and how soft they would be (super soft). My daughter fell in love with a new print of strawberries, how fun for the spring and summer seasons! Purchase your own at Little Lark today! Free Shipping on all orders of $75!
Erin: I fell in love with the Twig organic shirt the second I laid my eyes on it. I have to say that the color is such a creamy and vibrant lavender in person. In the past I’ve been a little disappointed with the colors that shops show online and then with what you receive, but I was giddy when I saw it! This may be the softest shirt my daughter owns, it’s like a newborn blanket. She even asked me if she could wear it to bed instead of wearing her jammies. Little Lark’s designs are fresh, modern and fun! She even has a matching Twig card that she’s decorating right now to send to her BFF pictured above in the strawberry shirt. I think I had the same shirt that inspired the strawberry design shirt as a kid. Love it!
Robeez new line of organic, eco-friendly shoes are super cute and super responsible. They are made of organic canvas and recycled leather and feature adorable nature designs. All inks used are water soluble. Coming in boys and girls designs and in several different styles, these are a must have for any wee walker. Grab a pair or two from the Robeez site and start them young with learning how to be kind to our Earth. Also pick up their new organic socks to match. Free Shipping on orders of 2 pairs or more!
I recently discovered Little Moon Essentials bath salts after their clever and attractive labels caught my eye. Looking through their upbeat online store, I was intrigued to see remedies through pampering, organic and natural aroma-therapeutic products.
Beach All You Want bath salts was my first escape. Who knew soaking in the tub could do so much for the mind, body and senses? Beach All You Want had me daydreaming of my honeymoon on the Caribbean floating in the crystal blue ocean. With organic coconut extract, tangerine and sandalwood essential oils mixed with a unique blend of salts, this bath will take you away, far, far away! It’s orange hue comes from a Hawaiian salt called Alaea, now if that isn’t beachy enough for you, I don’t know what is. I was excited to see that this scent also comes in a lotion, sugar scrub and a coconut-tangerine lip balm.
I knew that Relax bath salts would be perfect for my rambunctious daughters before bed time; containing the 100% pure essential oils of bergamot, geranium and petals of rose, chamomile and lavender. As I plopped my three year old into her scented bath water she asked me “Mommy, is this a princess bath?!” She even asked to keep a rose bud, so later we put it out in the sun to dry. I also used a little of the Relax, Sugar! scrub on my daughters feet. She loved the sweet scent. This sugar scrub is so pure and natural, it’s actually edible! So I didn’t give a second thought to applying it on her. Their line of Relax scented products will surely help you unwind.
Their Ass Kisser body damage cream has been the perfect all natural remedy for my sore calves after my brutal stair climbing workouts. The silky texture and icy/hot sensation is perfect for any sore muscles. Quoting from the Little Moon Essentials website “With strong analgesic essential oils of wintergreen, camphor and rosemary plus the added therapeutic effects of arnica, ginger and cayenne Ass Kisser packs a powerful punch to knock out pain!” Beautiful Belly Butter is incredibly rich with organic moisturizers, it can be used to prevent or lessen those pesky stretch marks or use it to moisturize your babies! Another amazing product and must have.
Little Moon Essentials has beautiful gift sets for mothers, athletes and that busy jet setter who might need help slowing down. Head over to their online shop and check out all the other items they have to offer. Please enjoy 20% your online purchases with coupon code intheknow. When using this code, make sure to click the APPLY button for the discount to be applied to your purchase.
This incredible mattresses’ pebble texture, not only looks cool, but actually serves a purpose. The Pebble Mattress allows for airflow across the mattress and under your baby’s sleeping body. Increased oxygen will keep them comfortable and allow them to sleep longer and sounder. These mattresses are also eco-friendly, using materials like organic cotton, wool, recycled polyester, and eucalyptus in the core and cover. “Nook employs absolutely no harsh chemicals or toxins, not in materials, not in manufacturing, not even in packaging.” Unbeknown to me, standard infant crib mattresses are often composed of synthetic materials and fire retardant chemical sprays that can emit airborne toxins, commonly referred to as off-gasses. Those tiny airborne toxins can be harmful to your baby; Nook eliminates this worry.
If you’re looking to find the most comfortable, safest, and nicest looking mattress, this is the one for you. And just look at the beautiful colors the covers come in:
And here you can see the inner core (made of organic wool, natural latex, PETE) and the airflow layers:
To purchase one of these top of the line mattresses, head to Nook. Retail price $610.
Gummy fruit snacks are by far my daughters favorite snack. Requested daily, I’m constantly battling her with reasons why she can’t be eating this sugary treat so often. I was excited to discover that Tasty Baby Organic Fruit Snacks has less grams of sugar per serving than most popular brand of snack treats geared towards children. With only 10 grams of sugar per serving, Tasty Baby Fruit Snacks are definitely becoming a staple in our house. These snacks are certified organic, contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, made with real fruit juice, vegan, fat free and cholesterol free.
As soon as I popped open our first pack of Tasty Baby fruit snacks the fruity fragrance filled the air and we all dug in! Between me, my husband and my three year old daughter we polished off two packs of snacks right away. Each gummy is shaped as it’s fruit of flavor and with strawberry, raspberry, tangerine, peach and lemon flavored pieces we couldn’t decide which was the tastiest.
Tasty Baby also offers a scrumptious variety of baby foods including frozen organic purees and infant cereals. They don’t just stop there either. Tasty Baby uses biodegradable cardboard packaging, BPA free plastics and vegetable based inks. So important for the future of our planet. Check out their whole line of products here and search for a local retailer near you that carries them. Your local grocery store doesn’t carry Tasty Baby? Send them a letter asking them to carry this yummy organic food for your children. Follow Tasty Baby on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and their Blog.
The heat moves in, and out come the bugs. I can remember when I lived on the east coast, the humidity and bugs were almost unbearable in the summer. Bug repellent was an absolute necessity. Out here in the desert, we have special breeds of desert bugs that appear in spring/summer months. I’m already seeing them pop up. We also have “ant season” where once a year the ants go marching 100 by 100 into our house. There’s no stopping them, but you can get rid of them. The only problem is that those harsh chemicals are NOT kid or pet friendly. I feel like I have to lock my daughter and cat into a room to keep them away from just the fumes!
EcoSmart has come out with some amazing organic, plant based pest killer products that are safe to spray around your house, even the kitchen. And get this, they actually work! Believe me, I tried it out on the large flying desert bugs that have recently started coming in. I thought the best part about the products is that they smell so good! After your spray the pest killer, you’re left with a pleasant minty smell. Now that is amazing!! Check out their super interesting blog here on organic pesticides.
I tried out the Picnic Bundle and the products were just fantastic! The Home Pest Control is non-toxic yet kills and repels over 100 home invading pests. It is great for indoor and outdoor use on common pests such as ants, beetles, cockroaches, crickets, spiders, and other crawling pests. For those flying bugs, EcoSmart has a can spray that zaps them on the go. The Flying Insect Killer kills flies, gnats, mosquitoes, moths, wasps, and other flying insect pests on contact. Just spray in 2-3 second bursts and then wipe away any of the non-toxic residue. EcoSmart also makes an organic Insect Repellent that keeps away mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, and more. One application repels for hours and the product contains no DEET. The smell is soo pleasant as it contains lemongrass oil, cinnamon leaf oil, and rosemary oil.
Other products that EcoSmart sells include: Ant and Roach Killer, Weed and Grass Killer, Wasp and Hornet Killer, Lawn Insect Killer, Garden Fungicide, and Garden Insect Killer.
GIVEAWAY: To enter to win ANY VALUE BUNDLE OF PRODUCTS, leave a comment about which BUNDLE you most need. To see all the bundles, click here.
EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete
Contest ends March 28, 2010 at Midnight PST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed. If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.
Snug Organics creates adorable gender neutral pajamas made from organic cotton that can easily be passed down from one child to another. Using the same clothes between siblings is a great way to keep old clothing out of landfills, keeps consumption rates down and it saves you money in the long run. Snug Organic’s pajamas provide a welcome alternative to the many pj’s available with synthetic fabrics coated with flame resistant chemicals. Children’s pajamas that are made with natural fabrics such as cotton do not need to be treated with flame retardant chemicals. These natural fibers do not melt near heat, the way synthetic fabrics do. I’ve always known that organic clothing is a better choice since the cotton or bamboo grown to use as the fabrics are not treated with pesticides, but hadn’t considered how synthetic fibers were manufactured covering them in flame resistant chemicals. Honestly, I would see a label that said “Flame resistant” and think “safer.” Not anymore.
I could tell my little Test Baby loved wearing these pj’s because she walked around the house rubbing her belly with both hands enjoying the super soft fabric on her body, which she never does! I never knew one pair of pajamas could educate me so much and fuel my passion even further towards conservation of our Mother Earth. The more we buy organic, the more readily available it can become. Available in sizes 0 -3 months to 4T. Click here to browse Snug Organic’s line of pajamas for your little one or as a great shower gift for someone special. Support Snug Organics on their Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
Test Baby, enjoying some cozy time by the fireplace in her Snug Sleeper
When I found out I was pregnant with my first baby, I knew I needed to have the most chic and hip baby gear. I was so excited to discover Rockin’ Baby slings and pouches. Did you know that baby-wearing reduces crying and fussiness up to 43% during the day and 51% at night according to a report in Pediatrics Journal? Carrying your newborn and toddler in a sling, pouch or any type of carrier has been something mothers around the world have been doing for centuries. Rockin’ Baby pouches and slings are for the fashion forward moms and dads who don’t mind making a statement while carrying their babies. The natural breathable fabrics offered are colorful, funky and beautiful.
The pouch is a single loop of fabric that you put over your head. They are fully adjustable and reversible. They can be adjusted to four different sizes via hidden zippers before they are put on and usually reverse from a print pattern side to a very dad-friendly, solid color. The pouch is a good choice if you would like to put it at a setting, leave it, and go. Rockin’ Baby also offers the most gorgeous organic fabrics out there. Think organic means neutral, drab or brown? Think again! I am using one of their organic pouches, pictured on the left. Click here for more details on this exquisite pouch. I have been using a Rockin’ Baby pouch for the past three years now and I love it. The pouch stays in my diaper bag when I’m not toting a kid!
The sling is one long piece of fabric that you loop through rings at one end. You can adjust the sling while you are wearing it by pulling
on the tail or sides of the tail. After three years of only having experience with a pouch my husband and I were able to try out the sling, pictured right. There is a lot of fabric to work with so sizing can be adjusted greatly. Being 5’2 choosing a pouch size meant my husband who is 6’4 could not use it as well, this is not the case with the sling. There is enough fabric to fit either me or my husband. I was happily surprised to find that the rings are super easy to adjust and it creates a super snug fit. Slings are also available in organic fabric. Both the sling and pouch have convenient pockets to hold onto keys, sunglasses or whatever you need to stash away for the quick dash to the store.
Rockin’ Baby is offering one reader the chance to win their choice of sling or pouch in the fabric pictured on the right (click here to see more views of this fabric)! To enter check out their website and read even more reasons why baby carrying is so great, browse their wide selection of fabrics and leave a comment here on which one you like!
EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete
Contest ends February 15. 2010 at Midnight PST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed. If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.
Barley & Birch offers adorable yet responsible clothing. I was first attracted to their planet-saving ideas that they have put into full gear. All clothing is made with 100% organic clothing and water-based inks that won’t pollute our environment (or harm the workers). Also, 15% of Barley & Birch’s profits go to several carbon-reducing initiatives, in order to COMPLETELY offset any carbon emissions produced along with their clothing. Now that is green. Another 15% goes to organizations improving people’s lives around the world.
Let’s face it, kid’s have to wear clothes, but we can do it in an environmentally responsible way. Barley & Birch offer a helping hand. To check out their clothing go to their site here. We found the clothing to be super soft and well crafted. My daughter loves her “California Shirk”.
Tiny Testers: showing California pride
Painting the flowers purple
Barley & Birch is offering one lucky reader a garment of THEIR choice! Yes, pick anything you want from their current line found here. To enter, leave a comment here with which piece you would like to win. Remember to promote and leave extra comments; increase your chance to win greatly by promoting!!
EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete
Contest ends January 24 , 2009 at Midnight PST. Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org and emailed. Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
I was at Erin’s house when I was first introduced to Ella’s Kitchen baby foods. We both have picky eaters but are determined to cram as many nutrients into our children as possible. Ella’s Kitchen makes this task an easy one because the kids actually WANT to eat them. My daughter is already a big fan of this type of packaging. Her applesauce crushers come this way and she loves the independence of it. She also loves that she can shout out the flavor or just the color and pick on her own. They are almost always mess-free and super easy to travel with, super fantastic to throw in a diaper bag. Since she was already familiar with the packaging, she dug right in, trying the smoothies and even stage 1 baby food. She’s way past the baby puree stage (thank God) but I certainly wish I had these when she was younger! How much easier it would’ve been.
What’s unique about Ella’s Kitchen baby foods? Well their baby foods contain ONLY organic fruits and vegetables, no added anything, not even water! This means no fillers, no added sugar, and no added salt. If you pay attention, you’ll see that most baby foods are diluted with water, decreasing the valuable nutrient levels. Check out Ella’s Kitchen’s creative and tasty line! To find out retailers near you who carry the line, click here. Keep on the lookout because Ella’s Kitchen is also coming to more retailers like Diapers.com, Bristol Farms, Wegman’s, Whole Foods, etc.
Want to win a box of Ella’s Kitchen products? Leave a comment with which flavors you think sound the best. To see them all, click here. Promote this giveaway to greatly increase your chances of winning!
EXTRA ENTRIES: Please leave a comment for every extra entry you complete
Contest ends January 18, 2009 at Midnight PST. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed. If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.
