If you haven’t heard of Mrs. Meyers products, this would be an excellent time to familiarize and treat yourself!

Their new limited-edition rhubarb fragrance has just come out, and is offered as yet another one of their incredibly convenient Spring Cleaning Kits. (I’m still using my Honeysuckle kit from last year!)

We’re big fans of Mrs. Meyers for many reasons, but most importantly because her company is dedicated to making natural products that are safe for use around children, pets, and expectant mommies - with no harsh fumes, no solvents, no petroleum distillates, no bleach, and no phosphates. If you’ve ever thought about how much time your baby spends on the floors of your home, you’ve realized that little ones come into contact with our multitude of cleaning products far more than we ever do.
Along with the health benefits, Mrs. Meyers products are earth-friendly, cruelty-free, reasonably priced, long lasting, and smell heavenly to boot.

You may also want to check out the Baby Blossom scent, in is a line of gentle products formulated specifically for baby care with organic essential oils, ranging from laundry detergent to room freshening spray.

I’m also excited to try the new Basil scent… (Can you tell I like this stuff or what!?)

Product info and ingredient lists at MrsMeyers.com

Technorati Tags: Mrs. Meyers, green cleaning, baby safe cleaning products, natural cleaning products, cruelty-free cleaning, rhubarb cleaning kit, spring cleaning kit, eco-friendly cleaners

Aren’t these yoyo bunnies just adorable?

According to Kinderware, a great fair-trade company that works with Bolivian artisans, their assortment of yoyo dolls are “an update of the classic quilter’s doll made from scrap fabrics”. Additionally, they’re all tested for safety and okay for kids under 3.

This bunny yoyo doll is supercute and just in time for Easter, and would make a great handmade gift for inclusion in a little one’s Easter basket.

So what could be even cooler than this? Kinderware also sells simple DIY kits for the same dolls so anyone can make their own, no sewing necessary. Sounds like a great Easter Sunday activity to spend time with an older child.

Small handmade yoyo doll (8-10 inches) - $26.00
Large handmade yoyo doll (16-18 inches) - $50.00
Yoyo doll DIY kit - $23.00

While you’re at Kinderware’s site, check out the photos of the Bolivian women who sew the dolls.

(Quick Note: It seems a few of the dolls and kits are temporarily unavailable from Kinderware, due to high demand and difficulty getting some products out of Bolivia. Until their stock is replenished, you can purchase some of the items at Delight.com).

Having a baby changes everything, including our awareness of our makeup choices, skin and hair care products, and even everyday products we use for hygiene. Women today are much more aware of the benefits that come with organic products as well as the dangers - and lack of government regulation - of many beauty and skin care products we used to take for granted.

Skin care is especially important because it is usually the first and last thing we do each day (until the baby comes, that is, and then you’ll be lucky to indulge in skin care at all). If we’re not careful about the products we chose, we’re allowing chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and even mercury or lead to absorb through the skin, into our blood stream and therefore, right to our unborn child. Despite the increasing number of studies that demonstrate the adverse effects of these chemicals, the cosmetic industry (and U.S. government) is slow to respond, although progress is being made. In the meantime, it’s up to us mommies to educate ourselves and learn to read labels.

Here are some of our favorite (mommy and baby safe!) skin care products to get you started:

Cleansers: One of the most reputable safe cleansers on the market today is Aubrey Organics’ Vegetol Facial Cleansing Lotion. Made for sensitive mommy skin, it consistently gets rave reviews and is reasonably priced too. Another highly regarded company that creates a chemical-free cleanser is Jasco Organics. In addition to several facial cleansers, Jasco also makes a completely natural Makeup Remover. All of their products are made to EU standards…the highest in the world.

If you travel or like the convenience of cleansing pads, you’ll fall in love with Arcona’s Triad Pads . They serve as a makeup remover, cleanser and toner. One whiff of these and you’ll be smitten…the smell is just heavenly. Beware of sticker shock with Arcona’s products though…they don’t come cheap.

Exfoliators: If you love exfoliators and don’t care to go 100% natural by just using granulated sugar, Jasco Organics makes Renew Exfoliating Cleanser. Be cautious with exfoliators, though. As Jasco responsibly warns, they are not to be used on broken skin nor everyday on sensitive skin.

Toners: My personal favorite is Jasco Organics’ Refresh Green Tea & Citrus Toner. I noticed a huge difference in my skin after just two days of use. There is no residue left behind…just clean skin. Jasco also makes an anti-acne line that is completely safe for pregnant women. Skin changes a lot during pregnancy and you can easily find yourself battling acne breakouts in addition to all of the other “pregnancy plagues.” This would also be a good, safe choice for acne-prone teenagers. If it’s an astringent you are looking for, may we suggest Aubrey Organics’ Natural Herbal Facial Astringent. As with Jasco products, all ingredients are clearly listed on their website.

Moisturizers: One of the most luxurious moisturizers you’ll find is Jasco’s Silk Honey Rose Moisturizer. With honey and rose oil they’ve created a heavenly product with this moisturizer, which I’d recommend more for nighttime use. They’re not kidding when they say silky! If you’re looking for a good day moisturizer, I lean towards Aubrey Organics’ Blue Green Algae with Grapeseed Extract Moisturizer. This contains Aubrey’s famous chemical-free sun protection (SPF 15), eliminating the need for an additional sunscreen.

Sunscreens: This is a tough one because sunscreens, by their very nature, are chock-full of chemicals to block those UVA and UVB rays. And often it becomes a choice between the lesser of two evils because we are all well aware of how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. Currently there are two products on the market that come close to eliminating almost every harmful chemical from their sunscreens: Aubrey Organics and Mexitan.

Lip balms: Without a doubt you can’t go wrong with EcoLips. We’ve written about them before, extolling their virtues, but it bears repeating since their lip balms cured dry and cracked lips when mass-commercial products like Carmex, Blistex and Chapstick only made the problem worse. They come in a myriad of flavors and they offer free samples (all you pay is shipping), too. Jasco Organics also makes a good lip balm in peppermint and vanilla….yummy!

In the next week or so, we’ll take a closer look at some of the safe basic hygiene products on the market, including hair care, soaps, and dental care.

Further reading for you: Dangers of Parabens, Suncreens

Behold! The Fisher-Price Zen Collection, coming soon to a store near you.

I was a little confused upon seeing this, but after a while it kinda grew on me. I guess this collection is Fisher-Price's budget-conscious attempt at competing with the pricey, trendy furniture styles that are so in vogue and in demand.

They chose to name this design "Zen" because, well, the name in itself is an attempt to be trendy. Also the color scheme and fabric choice is meant to be soothing and gender-neutral. Look, even the set for this photo shoot was designed to exude zen-ness… I especially like the bowl of rocks on the floor, so zen and also convenient for your kid to choke on… Such a realistic representation of an infant's room, really.

Although reading the description (and watching their presentation) of the new line nearly made me gag, I can understand it's appeal. The design is modern and refreshing compared to most of the standard baby options (though it is made out of plastic, unlike their competitors in this "zen" genre), and the fabric choice does get a thumbs-up from me (although it's by no means organic and no doubt all mass-produced in China…but hey, how much more can we ask them for? Their parent company is Mattel, after all). There are some good perks, like the rotating and removable seat on the swing. However, the collection isn't quite as affordable as other Fisher-Price gear, or
possess the awesome power versatility of some of their other stuff (see their Power Plus Swings, one of my top favs). But go on, peruse their offering a little further, and see what you think.

Available now is the Zen Infant Seat (aka Bouncer) - $99.99 at Amazon.com
The rest of the collection will be out in March and April, and is all available for pre-order from Amazon too.

Technorati Tags: fisher-price zen collection, zen baby furniture, modern baby gear

I so could have used one of these for my son on our last cross-country flight!

Not your standard, run-of-the-mill sleep mask, this is actually a soft, organic (not to mention supercute) hat, which makes it functional even when baby is awake. When nap time rolls around, simply flip down the brim of the hat and voila! - instant (and safe) sleep mask. Obviously this is especially useful on airplanes, although I can think of many more places it would definitely come in handy…(car trips, restaurants, out and about in the stroller, pretty much any naps away from home).

It’s made of 100% organic pima cotton (=super soft) and comes in Natural, Magenta, or Blue in sizes up to 18 months. You can find instructions, safety info, and more details at Mom4Life.com

$22.00 at Mom4Life

Tags: baby+sleep+hat, infant+sleep+mask, baby+airplane+travel, safe+baby+sleep+mask