Hazardous Beauty Products?

Ever since being pregnant with Christian I have been more attuned to the food I eat, items I own, amount of garbage accumulated from packaging, use of chemicals, and even the products I use plus more. I'm still not perfect, not even close, but I've been on a mission to start becoming more of global citizen by being more natural and Earth friendly conscious. We cloth diaper Christian, we have always recycled, we use known and proven natural remedies before jumping straight to medicines, I have stuck to using no bottled water this year to cut back on waste (with an except of vacationing in Mexico for 5 days), and the list goes on.

Cut to the products we use every day. How safe are they really? What kind of ingredients are in the every day products we use like toothpaste, deodorant and even food? (hint: chemicals, pesticides and GMOs!) How do those ingredients affect our future bodies and health? Children and population? Animals? Earth? Many studies have proven that ingredients and chemicals found in the products we use and eat are loaded with carcinogenics (cancer causing agents) such as parabens (found in lotions, shampoos etc.), formaldehyde (found in cosmetics), parfum (fragrances), petrolatum (found in moisturizers, lip balms etc.), and phthalates (found in lotions, deodorants etc.). Not to mention that toxins from GMOs (like pesticides) have been found in our blood and even fetuses, causes gluten disorders, and can alter our bodies chemistry. SIGN ME OUT!

Don't get me wrong, medicines in particular, are great especially when they are necessary, like after a surgery. But if I have a headache, minor aches and pains, fever etc. I'd rather take (or even give to my child) a natural remedy first. It is the healthiest option for our bodies. For example, relieve a headache or fever by using a few drops of peppermint oil, or use Neem cream (an herb that's antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and immune enhancing properties) for a diaper rash.

I have never been one to use a lot of products, especially beauty products. But the ones I do use I have been pretty much set on since they have been tried and true for me. I'm sure I've got some hazardous products that I'm not even aware of. There are items (lip balm, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste etc.) that I use on a regular basis, that I wanted to check out. I'm already into tons of other natural stuff, why not check out natural beauty products?

After subscribing to a new YouTube channel, Beauty Nature's Way, (her other channel, Naturally Thrifty Mom, is my favorite mom channel) I found out about a website that rates products' toxicity based on their ingredients. 

Enter the Environment Working Group.

Needless to say, after I found out how easy it was to rate your products, I went straight to my bathroom, grabbed some items and plugged them in to see what they would rate. 

EWG Ratings
0-2/green= low hazard
3-6/yellow= moderate hazard
7-10/red= high hazard
*They show an exploded view of all the ingredients in the products and what each of them rates, then give an overall rating for the product.
  
Here's what some of my products rated:
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion- 2
Blistex Lip Balm, SPF 15- 5, yikes
Dove soap- 2
MAC eye shadows & lipstick- not rated :o(
Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser- 5, ugggh
Tarte Smooth Operator Foundation (tinted moisturizer)- Agent 04- 3

Like I thought, there were a few items I use that were considered moderately hazardous. Ekk! I'm going to start diving into natural products and see where it takes me! I'm also thinking this will be added to my 30 while 30 list.

Natural Products I'd like to try:
-Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Waterproof Inner Rim Liner
-Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-Hour Lipstick in Fierce 
-Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin CC Curl + Care Mascara 
-Physicians Formula Organic Wear CC Cream in Light/ Medium
-Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir
-100 %s Pure Fruit Pigmented Brightening Concealer
-Anti-Bacteria Wood Pulp Blotting Papers
-Physicans Formula Natural Wear Bronzer
-100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Shadow
-100% Pure Organic Mint Lip balm


How do your products rate? Anything really surprising?

BONUS
Another fellow advocate for natural beauty products and way of living is actress Shailene Woodley! I have so enjoyed reading and watching her interviews, due to her new movies Divergent and The Fault in our Stars. She has a lot of knowledge in this area since studying many indigenous cultures and herbalism. But not only that, she's also a rewilder in the sense that she collects her own spring water and forgers for food. A little more extreme than me, but oh so interesting to listen to and learn about!  

What's in my {cloth diaper} bag?

Before I started cloth diapering, I was curious as to what one had to carry around to make cloth diapering really work. I couldn't fathom the gadgets and gizmos that went into helping a mama work with cloth.

So I decided to put together a mini post, if you will, on what's in my cloth diaper bag, plus a few other cloth diapering mama's share what they like to carry with them in their diaper bag.

-3-4 cloth diapers for short trips, and 6-8 for longer trips
-wet bag (for soiled diapers)
-flushable biodegradable liners (to catch solids. not pictured, oops) We like to use Bummis Bio-Soft
-CJ's diaper cream
-wipes (in a reusable pouch)
-change of clothes
-couple toys
-snack in snack cup
-sippy cup
-bib + spoon
-2 extra large ziplocs (for dirty clothes, if I forget the wet bag etc.)
-nursing cover
-burp cloth 
-tissues
-first aid kit
-wristlet purse (thanks Mary!)
-changing pad

This list includes most everything that I'd ever keep in my diaper bag. I don't have ALL of these items in our bag daily since some of these things are seasonal items, like tissues for the winter. Also some of these items change when moving from baby to toddler, such as the nursing cover, burp cloth and snacks.

What do other cloth mom's keep in their diaper bag?

California Baby Calendula Cream is a must for us, waterproof bags, extra changes of clothes, wipes, a blanket to use as a curtain for feeding or changing, a changing pad, travel toys and snacks. I like to carry a light diaper bag. - Sarah

Cloth Diapers, wipes, wet bag, snacks, changing mat, water/milk, bib/spoon. For long days away from home: a change of clothes, socks (since they get pulled off everywhere we go and we loose them), Desitin [not cd safe, so use a fleece liner], small toys, camera, and personal items. -Lauren

Way too many cloth diapers, changing pad, wipes and a case, wet bag, change of clothes, snacks, occasionally Zinc Oxide (for rashes), cloth wipes (to protect diapers from Zinc Oxide), and toys. -Jacki 

Cloth diapers, wipes, wet bag, changing pad, change of clothes, toys, snacks for baby and me, a bib, a plastic bag (in case I forget to pack a wet bag), and a small purse with my stuff in it, (so I can easily grab it and leave the diaper bag if I need to). -Mary

Now all of that wasn't so scary was it? We don't carry all that much more than disposable diaper mom's!

What do you keep in your diaper bag?

(Did you see my review of the Okkatots Travel Diaper Backpack?)

A Review: The Okkatots Travel Diaper Bag Backpack

Okkatots Travel Baby Depot Diaper Bag Backpack: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5
This is my personal review of the Okkatots Travel Diaper Backpack

(via Okkatots)

I love having a backpack as a diaper bag. Period. It's so much easier to have both hands free, especially when baby turns to a toddler! The first backpack diaper bag we had was a Fisher Price diaper backpack (see pictures at the bottom). It held up great, for the first year that is. After that the seams started coming undone, majorly undone, in the area where the backpack straps meet the bag, a pretty crucial area if you ask me, and around the outsides of the side pockets. The bag even cost a good deal of money! About $50 (and now it looks to be about $20 more)! Luckily it was a shower gift, but I didn't count on having to purchase ANOTHER baby item, and I hated knowing that friends and family spent their good money on an unreliable product.  

Sigh. What to do now? To up the ante, we also had a vacation coming up that involves Christian's first flight, so I needed something reliable, and fast. I didn't want to be in the mist of trying a new bag out while traveling.

Enter the Okkatots backpack diaper bag! I took the plunge and purchased this travel diaper bag. Yes, it was expensive ($109 on a small sale) but like I said, I needed something that would last and was reliable. I also read other reviews by traveling moms about how great this bag was, so I was pretty sure this was the bag for us.

I began researching traveling with baby's/toddlers and read up more on this bag, and came upon Okkatots detailed page for the diaper bag. All the pictures and descriptions had me sold! I loved seeing the detailed pictures and descriptions. They had so much info!

Pros:
-LOTS of pockets for organizing everything
-pockets are roomy and deep (including an insulated side pocket as well as a pocket that has little sewn in compartments for silverware!)
-side pockets can zip open traditionally or open like a standing book (shown here)
-comfy shoulder straps that adjust
-clip and pocket on the shoulders straps to hold a phone, ipod, keys, toys etc.
-nice handles on top to carry the bag or hang it (can also clip around and onto a stroller, hook etc.)
-can fold open like a standing book, or the front zips down on both sides and folds down like a flap.
-comes with a waterproof pouch (dirty clothes, cups etc.), pacifier pouch, wipes pouch and changing mat
-good size changing mat that has nice cushion  to it
-clip inside to hold keys
-DVD pocket and holder, great for travel and roadtrips
-good size for an airplane carry on (can't wait to test this out!)

Cons:
-Price... $109 is steep, especially for a stay at home mama and her family! It's a good investment though, just like a good baby carrier.
-kinda bulky but doesn't really bother me
-since we cloth diaper, I haven't found a use yet for the flat "diaper dispenser" pocket. (I just keep my cloth diapers in the main compartment)

NOTE: Update to come once I can speak to how well this bag does while traveling!

Fisher Price                           Okkatots

  Fisher Price                           Okkatots

You can definitely notice that the Okkatots bag is larger than the Fisher Price. I love that this bag can hold everything I need it to and more. We never have a problem with no space. I also like the shape of this Okkatots bag A LOT more than the Fisher Price bag. The shape keeps it nice and sturdy and the bag holds its shape and doesn't bow off of your back like the Fisher Price bag.

Take a tour of my Okkatots bag below!

 

I would definitely recommend this bag to anyone who's looking for a diaper bag backpack! It's easy, quick and great for if you're wearing your baby when they're little, or chasing around a toddler.

Check out my review of the Boba G3 Baby to Toddler Carrier!

 

15 minute DIY Coconut Oil Stick + Tea Tree Oil

This is an easy way to apply coconut oil and have a convenient way to carry it around with you (plus it only takes 15 minutes)! People have been using coconut oil for thousands of years for many different reasons. It has antibacterial/antimicrobial properties, and also moisturizes so you can use it for lotion (great for Eczema), diaper rash cream, make up remover, you can cook with it etc. The list goes on! Give it a try! (Not sure which coconut oil to buy? Check out this article.)

I wanted to have some coconut oil for on the go, especially since we'll be traveling in a month or two. I use it with Christian's cloth diapers for diaper cream, and on his skin for his Eczema. It's quick, easy, natural, and you don't have to worry about getting it in anyone's eyes or mouth!

Supplies 
-travel size deodorant stick
-Coconut Oil
-Tea Tree Oil, optional
-spoon
-little bowl
-glove, optional

1. Get started by removing all deodorant from the case and cleaning it out with warm water and soap. Mine came apart in 4 sections: lid, inside cover, case and deodorant lift.

2. Have the rolling deodorant lift all the way up to start with so you can spoon in your solid-like-butter coconut oil. Pack it down into the little holes, preferably with a gloved hand. Put it in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to set up.

3. During this time, take a spoonful of coconut oil and mix it in a little bowl with a drop or two of Tea Tree oil. (It's a jack-of-all-trades oil that has many benefits: an antiseptic, antifungal, heals skin issues like acne and insect bites, treats lice and much more.)

3. Now that the bottom has set up and has made a solid base for the rest of the oil, start to roll the lift down all the way down, squishing the oil back into place as you go. Try to touch it as little as possible so it doesn't become runny! 

4. Then spoon in the oil mix! I left mine as a heap on top so that I could mold it with the inside cover that came with the stick. I can also get more "in" the stick that way too. (Keep your left overs in the fridge for next time!) Let it set back up in the fridge again for another 5 minutes.

5. I smoothed mine over with my finger and filled in any dents with more oil mix and refridgerated once more. Then I peeled off the labels, and it was ready to go!

The first time I used this stick, it glided on sooooo nice. No oily fingers, no chunks, no mess... I thought "where have you been all my life?" I'm definitely going to make a second one to keep at home (and the other in my diaper bag for diaper changes)!

Also, don't forget that this is OIL, so leaving it in a hot area, like a car, will most likely make it melt and drip. If you're cautious like me, carry this is a little bag during the warm months. :o)

MommyCon Chicago 2014!

MommyCon Chicago 2014 was so much fun! It was my first time every attending this event and I'm glad I did. I actually bought my ticket a few days before the event, which meant that I didn't get a goodie bag from the sponsors, but that was ok.

What actually is MommyCon? Their about section says it all:

MommyCon is a boutique style convention dedicated to bringing modern parents and mothers-to-be together. Our focus is on natural and organic parenting methods and timeless tidbits as we journey through parenthood together. Our seminars and workshops include; babywearing, birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, car seat safety, natural health and medicine, baby gear, childproofing and so much more! We end our day with amazing giveaways and each attendee gets a gift bag from our sponsors.

I was excited when I took the leap, bought a ticket, and went to the event BY MYSELF. I drove myself to and from Rosemont (which is very near Chicago and about 45 minutes from my house), in a snow storm, to attend the event. 

I decided to leave Christian at home with hubby. Even though he was 16 months and would have had fun with all the other little kids and toys there, I decided to take a day (yes day) to myself and Michael was the one helping push me out the door. :o) It was sort of freeing to be at an event where all I had to worry about was myself. I could choose when I wanted to eat, what I wanted to look at or do etc. I didn't have to run after C, change him, feed him, keep him entertained etc. It was the first time, since C was born, that I had a day to myself, and it was great.

The first thing I did after purchasing my ticket was look through the speakers, workshops and seminars that they were offering through out the day. I wrote down everything that I wanted to see and the times on my MommyCon schedule that they provided.

I also asked questions to those that had been before through the MommyCon Chicago Discussion Group on Facebook. This was a great way for me to easily prepare for the event since others could answer questions like: do they sell food? Is it still fun to attend by yourself? etc.   

There were some great speakers and seminars to attend!

Essential Oils

The Badass Breastfeeder

Cloth Diapering 101

Wrapping 101

Skin to Skin: the benefits

Normalizing Breastfeeding: The Leaky Boob

The Honest Toddler

Pediatrician Panel

Car Seat Safety

The Baby Guy NYC 

and more!

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder

Jessica Martin-Weber, The Leaky Boob, actually nursing? What?! :o)

Baby wearing!

 And what's this?

They had a play area at the back of the main seminar room stocked with toys! 

When not attending the workshops and seminars they had a huge room full of awesome vendors who also share the love of forward thinking parenting.

Some that were included:

Bio Oil

4th Trimester Bodies  (check this out, just do it.)

The Bump

Cotton Babies

Doterra

Milkin' Cookies

Moby

Nancy Mohrbacher Solutions and Family

Nuroo

Project: Breastfeeding

Sustainablebabyish

and more!

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBLC, FILCA

I actually have met Nancy and have attended one of her Baby and Me group meetings in Mundelein, IL, closer to home! I highly recommend for breastfeeding moms, her book (Breastfeeding Made Simple). Check out my Breastfeeding Favorites too where I further describe this!

Sloomb ♥

At the end of the day at 5:00pm, they started the giveaways, and boy did they really give away awesome stuff!!! I'm talking about at least 15 Ergos, strollers, convertible car seats, infant car seats, highchairs, bottle sets, wraps, toys AND left over goodie bags..... :o) I ran, well walked quickly, to the counter they were handing them out and was the last one to receive one! (Thank goodness too! because there were some ladies cutting the line..... ahem.)

Some vendor give aways: coupons, stroller tags, honey stick, medicine dispenser, reusable snack bag from itzy ritzy (just for liking their facebook page!), lip balm and a neat wooden honey drizzler.

The Goodie Bag: a silky smooth Moby bag (with inside zipper pocket), Sage Spoonfuls snack cup, Mam bottle, Munchkins 2 pk swaddles, Weleda Nursing Tea (Spanish side showing, oops), Birds & Bees Calm Nights Tea, Blossom Organics lubricant (hahaha, just realized this), Diono travel wipes, Mam pacifier, Motherlove Nipple Cream (under paci, little hard to see), coupons (only G coupon showing), Weengreen glass snack container (soooo loving this!! it has such a satisfying snap and lock! ツ), Bio Oil (yesss), and Rocker Bye Baby Booger Basher. 


Overall, it was an amazing event. I did end up seeing a friend from my previous birthing class, but it wasn't bad going alone. I did feel a little left out because EVERYONE had their baby with them, but I'd still opt for going childless next time. It was definitely a day long event with workshops going from 9-5, and I was tired at the end, but waiting for the giveaways at the end was worth it!!

To see a little more, watch this neat What to Expect at MommyCon video!

Check out MommyCon to see if they are coming to a city near you!

*Pardon the phone camera photos! I wasn't originally planning on posting about this!*

Toddler Favorites: 12-15 months

These are our current Toddler Favorites! C is now 16 months old and we are still using many of these items, but I'm sure he'll be growing into some new things soon!

1. Duplo Legos

These are not the huge Mega bloks or the regular sized legos for older kids, but in between. Christian loves playing with all the different sets of these lego (firemen, gas station etc.) He is able to stack them and pull them apart. He first started playing with these by destructing them.

2. Hape Scoot Around Ride On

This little scooter was a gift for C's first birthday and it has worked out great! Our entire house is carpeted (except for the kitchen) and these larger thick wheels work amazingly in our little space. It is also the perfect size for C to sit on and have his feet still touch the floor.

3. Peter Rabbit Peekaboo!
We love reading the book because it has a nice, big flap on each page to open. A character hides behind each one and C loves to play peekaboo on each page.

4. NINO Egg Shaker and 5. Handled Caged Bell
Christian loves to play with these when we go to our Funsies with Onesies class at the local library. He loves anything musical and these are great for little hands to make noise!!

6. Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes
Christian loves to dance and listen to music, so what better than a toy that he can manipulate himself? We do not own this specific toy, but one very much like it. Christian likes to be able to push the buttons himself to select the different tunes.

7. Baltic Amber Baby Teething Necklace
This necklace was great when C's molars started to come in. He was fussy when he was teething, since he'd have a few come in about the same time, and this little necklace was great for helping ease the pain. Babies DO NOT chew on these beads, they simply wear the necklace, that's it! The anti-inflammatory properties of the amber are absorbed in through the skin. I have been able to notice a positive difference in C's fussiness after using this necklace.
*Note: the lighter amber necklaces are said to work better than the darker, and also be careful of where you purchase your amber necklaces! Some people try to rip you off by selling you plastic beads, glass beads etc. Do a simple test to make sure the beads are authentic amber! 

8. Green Toys Dump Truck
We love the brand Green Toys because their toys are made with 100% recycled plastic! Not only does Christian love loading this guy up with other toys and pushing it around, but I love to support companies that are helping our planet recycle its waste.

9. Toddler Smoothie Cup
See my post about these awesome cups here!

10. Summer Infant Dr. Mom Health & Grooming Kit 
We have used this kit SO much during Christian's first year, and into his second! This kit has so many good things all in one package: hairbrush & comb, baby nail clipper and emery boards, thermometer etc.

11. Safety 1st Infant to Toddler Oral Care Kit
I love most things convertible (car seats, high chairs etc.) and even oral care kits. This little baby comes with an infant toothbrush that fits on your finger along with 2 toddler toothbrushes (plus a teether and stickers). We loved using the infant toothbrush when he was really little, only a few months old. It got him use the stimulation on his gums and little teeth buds. I also loved that we already had toddler toothbrushes ready and available to us in our home when we needed to transfer to them. C loves to try to brush his own teeth and it's not a battle but a fun activity since he's been brushing his teeth from the beginning.

12. Space Saver High Chair
Speaking of convertible items from infants to toddlers, I love this high chair. I talked about it in my Baby Favorites: 3-6 months, and it's back! We haven't needed to keep this chair reclined for awhile now since he sits by himself, but it's a great little chair that still fits him. He eats every day in it at our table, and its sturdy for a toddler!

13. Okkatots Baby Depot Travel Diaper Bag Backpack
This is still a new diaper bag for us, but we've been using it for about a month and love it! After our last diaper bag backpack gave out I decided to splurge a little and get something that would last a looooong time. I'll be doing a review on it very soon! If you want to see some details about it, check out the Okkatots site.

14. Robeez Classic Booties
These booties are great for the winter! Even though Christian is 16 months and has been walking for about 5 months now, I still don't like him to walk outside by himself (in the winter). These are great little soft sole leather booties that are perfect for toddlers that are just beginning to walk. The elastic in the boots makes them easily stretchable to fit around Christians chubby little feet and ankles. They are very high quality (which means they are a little pricy) but he wears these every day in the winter, and they haven't worn down at all! The fuzzy on the boots doesn't look brand new, but they have held up incredibly well! We also purchased a second pair at our local kids resale store, and those are still in great condition too!

15. Chicka Chicka ABC
Christian loves this book because we sing the rhyming alphabet song and he loves predicting when the "boom, boom" happens in the story (the letters fall out of the tree). It's much like the original Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book, but shorter, which is great for his attention span.

16. Pandora
We like to listen to the toddler station on Pandora and dance. You don't need an account, you can just type in what you'd like to listen to and it'll play other related songs/artists in that category. We also love to listen to KLove online, which is a Christian radio station.

*Another favorite item Christian loves for night time and naps, is his tie knot fleece blanket that I made!

What are you toddler's favorites? If you have something spectacular, share! I'd love to hear about new toddler items!