My sweet boys have super sensitive skin. As newborns, both of them had eczema and will still get bumpy and rough sometimes. I first tried all of the most popular soaps and lotions out there and settled with a really heavy creamy thick lotion that just seemed like the only option. Then as my babies’ skin got tougher, I gravitated toward a lavender wash which we love. As they are now a little bit older, I wanted something fresh, light and fun. I stumbled across Epiencials and immediately fell in love. 

Episencial was created because the founder, Kim Walls– a skin care expert from the Epicuren family – couldn’t find products for her young sons that met her standards. So, she created the products she – and other green parents – wanted: 

• high quality skin care that is affordable
• for the most sensitive skin of young children ages 0 to five
• made exclusively with all natural ingredients; the majority of which are organic
• no unhealthy chemicals, ever
• manufactured under solar power
• beautifully packaged in recycled and sustainable materials featuring art that inspires
• smell terrific using juice extracts – not fragrances

The first thing that attracted me to this line of products was that the recycled packaging was adorned in Eric Carle artwork. Kade’s had a lifelong love affair with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Kellan seems to be following suit. The bright colors and friendly familiar images were such a plus when opening our package. The next thing that I loved as I began to read more about Episencials was that when using natural ingredients, it enhances immunity with doctor recommended, clinically effective formulas. With that research and how sensitive it promised to be, I just knew I had to try it.

Playful Foaming Wash/Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath: We popped open the body wash bottle and I loved the fresh, clean, light citrusy scent. I was so happy to realize that this was exactly the product I had been looking for. It foamed up and didn’t take FOREVER to wash out! Then as I used the bubble bath, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a half hour later when emptying the tub, the bubbles were still intact!  It had the calming lavander scent that I’ve always loved with a fruity twist, making my sweet boys smell sweet and fresh(I might have secretly day-dreamed into yester-year when Kade was a baby and I would just take in the sweet post-baby bath smells during our naptime routine:), but it wasn’t an overwhelming scent, which I loved!

Still bubbles! Even with my splashy splash boys:)

Fun Summer Skincare Value Kit: The Enviromental Working Group just released the 2010 Best Beach and Sport Sunscreen Guide and to my surprise, the sunscreens I was using for my boys were on the worst list! I was so happy to see that Episencial was one of the 39 best sunscreens! I received this in perfect timing right before the Fourth of July, as we spent the majority of the day outdoors. As we sat in the hot 100 degree sun for the parade, I slathered the boys up with the sunscreen and was excited to see that it was not greasy like EVERY other sunscreen I had used. Also, it didn’t have a gross sunscreen smell. Again, light and fresh. I figured, “Hey, it says ‘Ages 0-150′ on the bottle, I might as well use it on myself!” I am so bad about remembering to put sunscreen on myself and when I put this on, I was again, STOKED that is was so light, not greasy, not smelly, mositurizing, and protected my UBER fair and sensitive skin against the harsh sun. I also applied the Protective Face Balm to all of our faces to protect from the harsh sun and wind that seems to plague our region. When I think “balm” I think heavy and greasy and this was the opposite!

Giveaway: To enter to win the Foaming Wash, Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath, Nurturing Balm, Soothing Lotion, and Fun Summer Sun Care kit, leave us a comment telling us your little one’s favorite book!

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Contest ends July 21 , 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Episencial for providing samples for reviewing purposes.

The time is here. Well for me it never left since I live in Southern California, but that is not the point.  My point is that warm weather is not too far in the distance for the rest of you.  Start your dreaming of those long days at the beach, on the warm sand, under the blazing sun, and in front of the rise and fall of gorgeous blue waves.  The sand between your toes, the rustling of palm trees in the air, the sand sticking to your sweaty skin, the smell of salty sea, the sand sticking to your sweaty skin.  Wait! That’s not part of the dream.  Well we must make certain sacrifices when enjoying the beach, right? WRONG!  Mompreneur, Tiffany Smith, has concocted what all you beach bums have been dreaming of.  A way to get rid of that sand that doesn’t just fall off. No more tracking sand back to your beach house, condo, hotel room, or car this summer!  No more cranky, sandy babies and toddlers sitting in sand filled car seats. ouch.

My sandless child post-beach

Sand Gone is a dry powder that is soft to the touch, but removes that stubborn, rough sand.  It even comes with a handy cosmetic poof to rub gently on your (or your kid’s) skin.  It is non-toxic and non-talc and smells quite divine, a subtle coconut.  This is a must have for every beach tote, and an essential for any beach vacation.  The poof ensures smooth application of the powder and a soft removal of the sand.  No tears from my sensitive baby!!  Purchase your own family size jar for only $12 directly from the site.

Thank you to Sand Gone for supplying samples.

Have you ever woken up, gone to the mirror, and saw someone you didn’t recognize? I did about a month ago; not a good feeling.  After years of sun abuse, my skin has been left with the appearance of premature aging, and dare I say (without jumping into oncoming traffic) a lackluster existence that contradicts me as a human being.  I thought the more glow I had the better I would look, and my elixir of choice for this oblivious masochism was a blend of pure baby oil and iodine.  Yes, I get it.  It’s all my fault.  Smack my hand twice and scold me with shame. But it shouldn’t matter when you have your “EUREKA!” moment as long as you get it. So I enlisted my good friend Alison Duran, President and creator of Reset Skincare, to help me regain back the years I have lost due to my disregard for the future. This is war, and it’s on!

The modus operandi behind Reset Skincare is to re-build the skin cells you already have, not starting from scratch by removing them. The ingredients in Reset are designed to replenish every skin cell and heal them on a molecular and cellular level. When you start removing the skin cells, they have no other choice but to make more through a division process called mitosis.  They duplicate themselves by splitting into two identical cells, those cells then split and form two more, and so on and so forth. Even though they are identical when they divide, these cells begin to lose properties as they descend towards the bottom of the chain. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the market for bobo flea-market-half-breed cells making up the skin on my face.  I only want the best!

I was excited to get started with my new Reset Skincare regiment and begin re-building the existing cells I have, so I began with the products below.  These are some of the basic necessities and treatments in Reset’s line—and a couple bonus products for fun!

1. Clarify- A mild cleanser, suitable for all skin types, is derived from rose hips, olive and kumquat oils, and seaweed extracts. Rose hips contain vitamins C, D, and E, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Combined they make a lovely cocktail to cleanse the skin. I am happy to report that not only did Clarify melt away all my makeup, but it did not strip my skin of all its natural oils in the process.

2. Restore- A toner, made from vitamin C, calendula, cucumber, and CoQ10. Restore cools and moisturizes while balancing out the PH levels in the skin. My favorite ingredient in this particular toner is the CoQ10. As we get into our thirties, levels of CoQ10 are below optimum, causing a reduction in the skin’s ability to produce elastin, collagen, and other important skin molecules. Also, skin lacking in CoQ10 can be more susceptible to damage by free radicals. So not only can CoQ10 boost skin repair and regeneration, it helps to reduce free radical damage.

3. Replenish- A red tea (Rooibos) serum. Talk about instant gratification with long-term results! This may be one of my favorite skin treatments in the line. You mean I can have my cake and eat it too?!? Red tea contains the antioxidant Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which helps reduce free radical damage to the skin. SODs are an important antioxidant defense in almost all cells exposed to oxygen. My skin was left smooth, supple, and visibly tighter after just one use.

4. Vivid- An eye serum containing an almighty combination of soy and rice peptides, yeast protein, hyaluronic acid and seaweed extract, Vivid encourages healthy circulation and collagen renewal. Because hyaluronic acid is crucial to the structural integrity of the dermal collagen grid, it is a very effective topical treatment. Those pesky puffs in the morning (or after a long night with my flu-ridden toddler) are no match for Vivid. Amazingly, it only takes one drop of this highly concentrated serum to do both upper and lower eye areas.

5. Brilliance- A daily moisturizer suitable for all skin types, Brilliance has a unique blend of jojoba, apricot kernel, and squalene compound derived from olives. Squalene compound can play a few roles in our skincare regimen. First and foremost, it absorbs into the skin to smooth and soften without a greasy feeling. But here’s a little something I stumbled upon during my 30 day trial with Reset when I ran out of my makeup primer (OH NO!)  I decided to mix Brilliance with my foundation and noticed impressive results, far better than any primer I have used underneath my makeup. While doing some research on squalene compound, I found that not only is it a beneficial ingredient in moisturizer, it also smoothes the skin for flawless make-up applications! She shoots, she scores, and now she cannot live without…. C’est la vie, non?

6. Essential- A lipid replacement therapy and another one of my favorite treatments from Reset’s line. It replenishes lipids lost to aging and environmental stress.  I was lucky enough -insert dripping sarcasm here- to be born with genetically dry skin and Essential is an excellent skin treatment for me.  I use Essential as part of my nightly routine after applying Replenish. I’ll be Frank here for a moment instead of Sas and tell you that I just want to bathe in Essential, wrap myself in Saran Wrap and cocoon in an electric blanket for a week. Someone will have to bring me my glass of vino with a straw every evening. Don’t judge…

7. Reclaim- A curative mask, Reclaim is the newest and not yet launched product in Reset’s incredible arsenal.  All I can say is WOW! This is one impressive weekly mask!  Only a quarter sized amount of Reclaim is needed for your face and neck. Reclaim contains a special blend of ingredients that pull moisture to your skin and seal it in. The word ‘curative’ just does not even begin to describe what you look and feel like after using this product. It is just what the doctor ordered and I dare you to try it.

So how do I feel about my skin after one full month with Reset Skincare? After one week of treatment my skin started to look smoother, younger, tighter, and more radiant. My pores started to disappear and the little bit of congestion that plagued my chin area diminished significantly. Every week after that my skin became clearer, fresher, and overall more even. Not only do I take my skin’s true wants and needs into better consideration, but now I look at my daily defense procedures with a better scientific approach. Oh, and if I didn’t mention earlier may I add that Reset Skincare products contain no fillers, no preservatives, and no catchy false promises. In my opinion, the product should speak for itself. So far, Reset Skincare does…

Want to try Reset for yourself? You can receive a free 7 day trial of products from Reset Skincare. Go to the site www.resetskincare.com and in the “Free Goodies” section enter your information along with the code ITKM in the comment box.

Reset is offering one lucky In The Know Mom a gift certificate in the amount of $100 for use towards Reset products of your choice! All you have to do is leave us a comment below telling us which product you’d love to try the most!

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Contest ends December 23, 2009 at Midnight PST