As an early years teacher I’ve seen my share of head lice, but when my own child’s preschool had a warning note posted earlier this year it still freaked me out. Have it in your classroom is one thing. Having it in your home is quite another entirely, so I was quite thankful for the timely opportunity to review the “Rosemary Repel” line of lice prevention products from Fairy Tales Hair Care.

There’s shampoo, conditioner, gel, leave in conditioner, and a spray & shield which are all made with natural rosemary extract as a repellant. During a lice outbreak, they recommend using at least 3-4 products to provide maximum protection, and to not shampoo everyday as lice like clean hair not dirty because it’s easier to attach to a squeaky clean hair shaft. For maintenance, they recommend shampooing every few days with the Rosemary Repel Shampoo and using the Rosemary Repel Leave-in Conditioning Spray each morning before school. Layering on the fragrant herbs are what help to keep the bugs away so these products do no smell sweet, but they don’t smell bad either. The products are not tear free, but the shampoo is very thick and doesn’t drip. Because they use herbs rather than harsh chemicals, they are safe to use on children but their eyes should be shielded. My daughter will attest to the fact that they sting nicely if they get in the eyes, but as a natural mama I wasn’t worried about what was leaching into her bloodstream at the same time. We’ve been using them now for a few weeks and haven’t brought any little bugs home, thank goodness. (…but I am scratching my head just typing about it!)

If we do, we’ll be using Fairy Tales all-natural, nontoxic, pesticide free, enzyme based Lice Be Gone -a great alternative to the cancer-in-a-bottle available at the local drug store that used to be our only commercial option.

There’s also a bed bug spray that I thankfully haven’t had the chance to use but I’m certainly keeping it handy and taking it when I travel!

Win it! We’ve got three separate Rosemary Repel packages to give away to three T.O.P. readers. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on December 17, 2010.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

You may have heard of Perricone MD and the Dr. Perricone Products – when I received their pitch I knew the name sounded familiar but wasn’t sure where from. Turns out it was probably Oprah. Founder Dr. Nicholas Perricone is a board certified clinical and research dermatologist, and his line of “cosmeceuticals” are big with the big wigs.

I received some Advanced Eye Area Therapy to review.

Some information on the product and it’s ingredients, according to the Perricone MD website:
Advanced Eye Area Therapy is formulated with DMAE and Alpha Lipoic Acid to help prevent and correct the early signs of aging that appear around the delicate eye area, making us look older than we really are. It minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness, while diminishing dark circles and discoloration with Vitamin C Ester. Paraben-free.

Alpha Lipoic Acid – Patented
- The ultimate antioxidant protects the cell
- Diminishes fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration
- Refines skin texture
- Reduces pore size, puffiness, imperfections and uneven skin tone

DMAE – Patented
- Provides ultimate contouring benefits to skin beginning to lose elasticity
- Delivers lifted, tightened and toned appearance to the skin
- Diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Vitamin C Ester – Patented
- A powerful antioxidant that improves firmness and elasticity
- Diminishes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration
- Imparts a radiant, smooth and luminous appearance

INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Water), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C Ester), Aminobutyric Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phosphatidylcholine, Thioctic Acid (Alpha-Lipoic Acid), Caffeine, Niacinamide, Ceteareth-20, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Squalane, Folic Acid, Tocophersolan, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethyl MEA (DMAE), Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Phytonadione, Phenoxyethanol, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C Ester), Tocotrienols, Hexylene Glycol, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Astaxanthin.

My first thoughts pre-application? Dr. Perricone appears to have hired an overzealous Photoshop artist. Why do people insist on plastering their face on things they want people to buy? A fancy logo would have been a better choice, in my ever so humble opinion. Not that that has anything to do with the actual product. It’s just what popped into my head. Also, a hundred buckaroos for a teensy little eye cream that lasts 6 weeks? Yeesh. No wonder Oprah likes it. That’s pocket change to a celeb, but would feed my children for a week. See that bottle over there? Yep, you read that right. Half an ounce. Half of a shot glass. Mmm hmmm.

However, I must say that while my “fine lines” aren’t even close to being gone and don’t look much different when I’m critiquing my face while an inch from the mirror, I felt that there was a definite difference in the way the skin around my eyes looked after a month of using Advanced Eye Area Therapy morning and night. A little…tighter maybe? Or less puffy? I am chronically sleep deprived (aren’t we all?) and I’m pretty sure this stuff reduced my dark circles so that deprivation wasn’t quite so evident. I can’t really decide what it did, but it did do something that my regular cream doesn’t do. For the first few days there was a little bit of stinging after application (reminiscent of the retin-A of my teenage years) but it wasn’t bad – not even bad enough to be annoying, but just…there – and didn’t persist after those first days.

While it’s not something I’d ever have the luxury of purchasing, it certainly is something I’d consider should I ever win the lottery. After surgery, of course. (But with this link you can get a half-size (0.25 oz) and a small size of another facial product for $30. If you want to try it, that’s the route I’d suggest if you’re not rolling in cash but want to see how celeb faces live.)

Check out the Perricone MD blog for lots of information and customer reviews. There are definitely lots of honest ones there.

Win it! Enter to win some advanced eye area therapy just by commenting below before noon mst on February 2, 2010. Why do you want it? Any bad experiences with products in the past? Winner, as always, will be randomly drawn from all comments – whether you answer those questions or not.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

My daughter, until two weeks ago, had never had her nails painted. There just wasn’t a safe enough option for those porous little nails. Sure, there’s toluene & formaldehyde free polishes everywhere now, but the other ingredients are enough to send you screaming & running in the other direction.

We recently discovered Piggy Paint and are now thrilled to be able to paint her nails any time she’s feeling the need for a little extra pink.

It’s got no harsh, nasty chemicals in it – it’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, Bisphenol A, ethyl acetate and acetone. Check out the difference between Piggy Paint and other children’s nail polish on a styrofoam plate. It’s rather astounding. Piggy Paint is non-toxic, low odour, water based, hypoallergenic, and the fun colours all dry to a hard & durable finish. My daughter absolutely loves having pink nails to match her pink clothing, pink boots, pink coat, pink toys…you get my drift.

We also have some Piggy Paint remover but actually haven’t used it yet because the Piggy Paint wore off fairly quickly. It looked great for about 3-4 days and then came off over the next day or three. Perfect for a little girl who would hate for me to use remover on her. We didn’t cure it with a blow dryer as they recommend, and just put on two coats. I honestly wouldn’t want polish on my child that lasted for much longer, so she and I absolutely loved it. It’s going to make it much easier to change colours regularly as well. When we do need to use the remover, I’ll use it without reservation because it also is made from natural ingredients, is low odour, acetone-free, hypoallergenic & biodegradable.

Piggy Paint was founded by mom of two Melanie Hurley and is made in the USA. Natural & safe products for kids that are still sparkly & fun? Piggy Paint is just the kind of product and company that Opinionated Parents love to recommend and support with our own hard-earned cash.

Save 15% on your Piggy Paint (including sale items) with the code OPINIONATED15L until January 31, 2010.

Win it! Comment below before noon mst on December 24/09 with your favourite Piggy Paint shade to win a $15 gift certificate!

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

Just last month I saw Australian company Thursday Plantation‘s line of tea tree oil products at my local grocer for the first time. Where have they been all my life?

I don’t have brutal acne or anything, but I have a zit or two most of the time since having kids. Stupid hormones.

Anyway.

I bought this Facial Wash and LOVE it. I use straight up tea tree oil on the reg but it’s nice to have a daily in-the-shower cleanser that works fabulously, doesn’t make my skin oily or dry and keeps the pimples at bay.

I wish I’d found it earlier when I had raging new mom hormones. If you’re a new mom or just a zitty kind of person, give it a shot. I think you’ll dig it.

About Thursday Plantation:

In the 1970’s Eric White became the latter-day pioneer of the Australian tea tree industry. Convinced of its applications in modern society, Eric chose the alternately floodwashed and drought-baked Bungawalbyn Swamp, near Coraki in northern NSW, for his first crops. After four years of painstaking research and lobbying, a crown lease was granted. It arrived on a Thursday in 1976….this is the day Thursday Plantation was born.

A a now-verified natural kid-product collector, I often wonder what my peeps will think – particularly my girls – when their friends are buying cool looking & chemical filled drugstore crap and I make them use the brown & boring safe stuff. After discovering Sparklehearts, I’m no longer worried.

The line currently consists of five yuck-free ‘skinemy’-free products, each of which sell for $12.49. (It’s a flash site. Grrr. Sorry, but I can’t link to individual products. Great products – poor site design.)

My children are using the Shine Shampoo which “repairs and protects hair, leaving it remarkably radiant. Pansy extract protects hair from sun damage, violet extract and aloe soothes and softens hair, rosemary rejuvenates dull hair and natural coconut and sugar make fabulous foam for super shiny, clean results” and the Rainbow Soft Conditioner which “repairs damage and restores shine, bounce and beauty” and contains “vitamin b5, Shea butter, jojoba and wheat protein combine to give hair a healthy, shiny bounce.” We love them both. The smell is deliciously (and not at all grossly) sweet, and the shampoo bubbles last forever in the tub. (We use it as bubble bath on the non-shampooing days.)

Also available are Peace Out No Knots Hair Detangler, Bubbling Blooms Body Wash, and Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Lotion.

You can also visit Sparklehearts on Facebook.

Win it! We’ve got a shampoo & conditioner to give away, a $25 value. To enter to win, leave a comment on this post before noon mst on June 2, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ve never been much of a cosmetic junkie. I’ve got my bare minimum basics that I use daily, and that’s all I want. Since having children, though, I’ve become somewhat of a natural-product junkie. If it’s natural or organic and it’s made for kids, I’ll buy it. I’ve found shelves and shelves full of products that I like just fine, but a few standout items or companies are fabulous enough to make it on to T.O.P. The Spa Sisters make approximately a gazillion of those standout products. And they make them by hand, with fairly traded ingredients. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

The mandarin bubble bath from their kids line is made with pure essential oils and smells positively scrumptious. Unlike many natural bubbling products, this one actually makes bubbles, and they last more than thirty seconds after the kids get in the tub.

The lotions, which aren’t actually part of the kids line, are some of the best I’ve ever tried. While I don’t like to use any scents on myself, my kids love guessing what they’re going to smell like on any given night and these scents are pure awesome. My personal fave is mango margarita, a scent that’s rather unique – a little sweet, yet natural. They make a body wash in the same scent that’s a great pairing for the unbelievably nourishing lotion.

If you’re looking for something even more nourishing, the body meringues are like a butter that’s been whipped until it’s almost frothy. It feels kind of like rubbing moist air into your skin. But better, of course. It’s a really nice change from the standard body butters.

My daughter loves their tubes of lip butter. I honestly haven’t tried it – because she won’t let me – but according to her it’s “Yum yum kissy!” Any bets on how long before she takes a bite?

All Spa Sisters products are SLS and SLES free and contain no parabens, synthetic colourings or petroleum. According to their site, they’re releasing a baby line and an organic line this spring, and I can hardly wait to try them!

Win it! We’re giving away four bottles of the fab Spa Sisters lotion, in the following scents: mango margarita, orange jasmine, green tea and lemongrass, and vanilla fudge. To enter, visit Spa Sisters to browse around and come back to comment with some other goodies you’d like to try. Or just let us know what you think in a general sense. Or tell us something you wish they made. Just pay them a visit – that’s all we ask. Honesty = good karma! Contest closes at noon mst on May 14, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a natural body product collector. Not so much for myself as for my kids. I can’t resist a non-toxic, scent-free or delicious smelling product if I come across it at a craft fair. It was at a Southern Alberta crafters marketplace that I discovered the wonderful A Family Affair. Owned by a mother & daughter team and supported by a dozen or so more family members, A Family Affair is truly a…um…family affair! Family matriarch Betty’s lifelong love of creating soaps and eldest daughter Jenn’s love of crafting have come together to build a successful growing business that we’re proud to support.

Leaving the market armed with a large selection of reasonably priced goodies, I set off to test them out with my own family to see if they were worthy of sharing with you here. Let me tell you, these are some perfectly amazing products!

Just for kids, A Family Affair offers an awesome foaming hand soap (just $8 and in three great scents) that is a great way to entice kids to wash their hands. My own kids love to pump their own soap and the bottle lasts a surprisingly long time. The SLS free powdered bubble bath ($15, and only five ingredients!) is gentle on the skin, delightfully fragrant and produces a tub full of bubbles!

For my own bath, I dig the bubble bars which are a super cool take on creating a bath full of bubbles…so fun to crack off a piece and smush it under the running water. I’d use one tonight if the kids hadn’t used them all up! In fact, each time I am able to take the time to soak in the tub, I discover another bath product that I love. Mmmm, chocolate! In the shower, the whipped sugar scrubs are truly amazing. I use the Creamsicle scent which is wonderfully refreshing, but it’s not the scent that’s the best thing about it. It’s the thickest, most…scrubby scrub I’ve ever used. If you’re like me and you get annoyed with the sparse scrubbies in many products available, you’ll love the fact that every finger full you pull from the jar is completely saturated with sugary exfoliating goodness. It leaves my skin moist and smelling absolutely amazing, but the smell isn’t overpowering and doesn’t last very long. That’s a good thing.

The products that A Family Affair has created for your feet are all awesome. Having tried them all on myself and on my family, I intend to continue to use them. However, I must give special mention to the Callous Balm. When my Dad became sick a couple of years ago, his feet began to crack and he was no longer able to bend over and take care of them. When I went home to visit, I’d often give him a mini-pedicure and tried everything I could find to massage his heels and soothe his tired feet. When I finally discovered Callous Balm, the first product from A Family Affair that I’d discovered, we both knew we’d found a winner. It’s at once cooling, soothing and healing, and now that I no longer have my dad’s feet to rub I continue to use it on my own and my husband’s. If you know anyone with diabetes or even just tired feet in need of a little love, Callous Balm is for them. It makes a great stocking stuffer or gift addition! (What? You haven’t started stuffing stockings yet?)

Gift baskets are available for any occasion, and be sure to become a fan of their new facebook page. Currently, A Family Affair only ships to Canadian addresses.

Save 10% with the code TOP10. A Family Affair is the newest addition to our TOP Shops where they’ve purchased one of our new permanent image based spaces that save you money. Check it out!

Win it! We’ve got both of the fab baby gift baskets (valued at $30 each) to give away to two randomly selected winners. To enter, visit A Family Affair and take a look around. Come back to tell us some products or scents that you like that weren’t mentioned in this review, or give Betty & Jenn some suggestions for future products or scents you’d like to see them develop. Also be sure to let us know if you’d like to be entered for the blue or the pink basket. Worldwide entries are welcome! Contest closes at noon mst on April 22, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNERS EMAILED

I’m excited to introduce you to one of our new premium sponsors:

Small town Alberta based It’s A Family Affair creates all natural bath & body products that aren’t edible but some of them are certainly tempting. I used one of their new whipped sugar scrubs this morning and it was truthfully the nicest scrub I’ve ever used. Creamy & moisturizing, yet packed with enough sugar that it really does what it’s supposed to do.

I’m currently in the process of reviewing several of their products so watch for a review coming soon, but in the meantime I suggest you head over & check out some of their products. I can assure you that you won’t regret it.

Apparently over 20 per cent of Canadians suffer from dry skin. As a child, I never needed any lotion but as I grew I’ve developed an actual lotion addiction which demands that every single inch of my body must be covered immediately after exiting the shower. Since becoming a mother, my hands are washed more than ever and the skin gets so dry that it actually hurts. It’s just as lovely as it sounds. Welcome to the great white North.

I’ve been trying out IMPRŪV Cream from Stiefel Canada and am very pleasantly surprised at how much I like it. IMPRŪV uses naturally derived plant-based lipids to provide relief to dry, itchy winter skin. It’s hypoallergenic and is ideal for all ages including infants and children. It was developed by dermatology researchers in Europe and formulated specifically for dry or sensitive skin. Blah Blah Blah…the bottom line is that it’s safe and it works! It’s thick but absorbs almost immediately and it’s very moisturizing without ever feeling greasy. I keep a tube of it in my purse and it’s such a relief for my hands when I wash them in a public bathroom (ugh).

Win it! We’ve got EIGHT bottles to give to eight separate randomly selected winners. Leave a comment on this post before noon mst on February 27, 2009 to be entered.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We all know that babies need to be pampered – both in skin and in spirit. We mamas, though, are often a little neglected in the self-care arena and there’s no time we need it more than when we’re raising young children.

However, with the heightened concern about chemicals in body care products it can be tough to find pampering items that are sure to be safe. It’s hard to relax when you could be giving your child cancer or changing the structure of your own ovarian cells.

(I happen to know there are still a lot of people out there who think that products such as those that rhyme with Dohnson and Gahveeno are safe. No, my friends. Throw them away.)

The Belli Baby collection is the only brand in the world that teratology screens every product, ensuring that none of their products contain ingredients linked to birth defects. Even organic brands contain ingredients like aloe vera, which is a teratogen and should be avoided during pregnancy. Belli is the only baby collection free of ALL xenoestrogens (ingredients that mimic estrogen and can cause problems with reproductive development) and not just the highly publicized phthalates. The Belli Motherhood collection is LACTMED screened to ensure safety for nursing moms and their babies. Due to their unprecedented safety standards, they are the #1 OB/Gyn recommended brand in the US and Australia.

Now that I’ve found some strong reassurance in Belli Skin Care, I’m happy to report that both my children and myself are getting some much needed safe pampering. My baby girl is tickled pink with her massages using her Nourish Me enriched body lotion ($19). It’s lightly chamomile scented and, after the initial ticklish giggling subsides, is wonderfully relaxing.

Every new mom needs to check out the Belli eye brightening cream ($37). Even if it’s psychological (which I’m fairly confident it’s not) I love the way my eyes look when I remember to use this on a regular basis. The dark circle, while still puffy with lack of rest, are noticeably lighter and I’d swear the fine lines are less visible.

During & after pregnancy, we could all use the Stretch Mark Minimizing Cream ($52). This healing skin repair treatment is specifically formulated to decrease the appearance of existing stretchmarks. Applied to stretchmarks morning and night for 4 weeks postpartum and then once daily until desired results are achieved, it has been clinically shown to reduce stretchmark length and irregular surface area by up to 52% and stretchmark depth by up to 72%.

No matter what you’re looking for, the large selection of products for both mamas & babes in the Belli Skin Care line has likely got you all covered. And covered safely, which is really the most important thing.

Win it! We’re giving away full size bottles of each of the three above products with a total value of $108. To enter, you need to go browse the Belli Skin Care Line and comment here with at least one additional product the piques your interest before noon mst on December 24, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

As a green-ish primarily organic mama, it’s often hard for me to find exactly what I need locally. My next turn is always the internet but I refuse to pay shipping from another country unless I absolutely can’t find it here. (Also, there’s almost always a free shipping code somewhere. Check here.)

Now that I’ve discovered the Canadian online shop Nayla Natural Care I can find almost anything I need in one place and support a Canadian family at the same time.

The TruKid products available at Nayla Natural Care are some of my new favourites and they’re all available at Nayla Natural Care for very reasonable prices. (And when you spend $150 they ship for free. You could fill your whole family’s stockings in one fell swoop!)

The Hero Stick is the newest permanent addition to my arsenal. It’s a soothing stick for bumps & boo boos packed with herbal remedies that have been used for centuries to nourish the skin & fix owies. I can officially sell my stock in Spiderman bandaids. Hero Stick to the rescue!

Happy Face & Body Lotion is a very lightly fruit scented lotion that’s perfect for toddlers. The scent is attractive enough to get them to sit still for an application but not strong enough to repel the parent that’s putting it on. It’s thick enough to be moisturizing but light enough to be used any time of the day or night.

The Spiffy Spearmint Lip Balm is a great before bed lip soother for these windy fall days. It’s enhanced with spearmint essential oil which is slightly cooling and also contains Stevia so it’s sweet enough to make the mint attractive to the little guys. As opposed to bubblegum – ew.

Win it! We’re giving away one of each of these great products to one randomly selected winner. To enter, visit the Nayla Natural Care site leave a comment on this post mentioning at least one other item you like before noon mst on November 5, 2008.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

When I was learning to breastfeed my first baby, I wasn’t all that shocked (well, maybe that’s a lie) at the cracking, scabbing and as-bad-as-labour searing pain that came with it for the first few weeks. I was, however, shocked that as an experienced exclusive breastfeeder the same thing happened when I began to nurse my second child. Granted, it didn’t last quite as long and it wasn’t quite as bad but holy bajeebus did it ever hurt. Without a lot of air drying, a little relief-pumping and some great natural products, there would have been a lot more screaming heard from my house.

You likely remember the recent headline news about the nipple cream for nursing moms that contained potentially harmful ingredients (chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol) that could cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. This product was taken off the market, thank goodness, and we’ve got a great alternative for you.

Nipple Nurture Butter and Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads from Bella B Natural Bodycare are 100% edible and are perfectly safe for newborns and moms.

Nipple Nurture Butter ($9.99 for 2 oz.) is a great lanolin-free alternative to other breastfeeding creams. Many people are unaware that lanolin comes from sheep’s wool. Nipple Nurture Butter is an excellent alternative for those that prefer a plant-based product. It contains only the very best natural ingredients including cocoa, shea and mango butter. All of the ingredients are food-grade and free of parabens (which, in case you didn’t know, are controversial but widely used artificial preservatives that are rapidly absorbed, have estrogenic activity and have been found in breast tumours).

Nipple Nurture Cleansing Pads ($9.99 for 80 pads) are a clean, natural solution to cleaning nipples before and after breastfeeding (which I had never done prior to discovering these pads and still don’t do reguarly, but it’s lovely and would be especially awesome in times of thrush.) They not only clean tender nipples but provide excellent soothing and healing properties. Fortified with aloe vera, the cleaning solution is healing and refreshing to sore, cracked nipples.

Win it! One randomly selected winner will win one of each of these great products, together valued at $19.98. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on July 25/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED – WINNER EMAILED – Congrats Heather!

It seems there’s always something out there that is going to hurt the health of our babies. All the additives in foods, BPA in bottles, pesticides in our veggies, and even formula or sweet liquids will cause damage. Baby tooth decay is a common problem that can be prevented, but as a parent I understand how difficult it is to always follow “what’s best.” By that I mean that I don’t always brush my baby’s gums or my son’s teeth after eating or drinking. Why? Well, they don’t particularly like me coming at them with the tooth brush.

Tooth Tissues may very well be the best idea since sliced bread. They’re simply little disposable tissues that you can use to wipe your young one’s teeth or gums to keep them healthy! The simplicity of it makes it easy to carry in your diaper bag, in the vehicle, picnic basket, over night bag, or really anywhere! All you do is wrap the wipe around your finger and rub your baby’s gums or teeth, and if they’ve fallen asleep with a bottle or boob in their mouth it makes it way easier to soak up the left over liquid. Good luck trying to brush in babies’ mouths while they’re sleeping, but with Tooth Tissues there is hope!

Aside from the initial intention for Tooth Tissues, I’m pretty sure they’d be great for adults too! I don’t carry a toothbrush around with me so I can brush after meals while on the go, but I would carry Tooth Tissues. Just wipe and toss. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Created by a couple that are dentists as well as parents, the priorities of both the medical world and the family world were addressed with the invention of Tooth Tissues. The tissues are 99% natural (check out their website to find out why they’re not 100%) and available in stores and online for a very reasonable price. What a great find. Buy yours online for just $6.99/pack or $4.00 for a dozen single packets.

Win it! We’re giving away a package of tooth tissues and a couple of single packets to one randomly selected reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 25/08.

Additional entries available – up to four per person. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

We’re deep in the midst of a summer cold that’s ravaging it’s way through our house. It came seemingly out of nowhere and quickly spread to every member of our family. I thought we were out of the snotty woods with the end of winter, but I was wrong. I’m thanking my lucky stars I discovered Boogie Wipes before this latest infestation and had some at the ready.

With the snot that abounds, it doesn’t take long before little noses become red and raw and little people become crabby and run from the tissues. Thanks to Boogie Wipes, I’ve now got a two year old that simply shouts “Need a Boogie Wipe – got boogers!”

Perhaps the saddest part of this family cold is our almost-newborn who doesn’t understand why I’m constantly smothering her – or so it seems – in order to rid her precious face of the elevens (a teacher term for the double snots) or why she can’t breathe and breastfeed at the same time. While it doesn’t make it any less sad, I do feel a little less mean because with Boogie Wipes at least I know it doesn’t hurt (they’re alcohol free) and the leftover crusties are super easy to get off. Even in the morning after ten hours of boogeying in bed!

Boogie Wipes contain saline and moisturize while they clean with added chamomile, vitamin E and aloe.

Save 20% on your online order with the code “Boogie Time”

Win it! We’ve got a Boogie Mom’s gift basket to give away! You’ll get several full packs of Boogie Wipes, a ton of individual packets for your pockets and purses and a Boogie Mom tee. To enter, leave a comment on this post before noon MST on June 19/08.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

I’ll readily admit that I’m a skin care snob. It’s not the label – what I buy is generally not expensive. It’s the ingredients that count. I won’t put strange chemicals, colours and noxious fragrances on me or my children. I’ll use straight up organic grapeseed oil before I’ll put most of the common brands of baby skin care products on my babies.

With my discovery of Stuff For Sprouts, though, I can retire the grapeseed oil for everywhere but the diaper area. Developed by mom Kristen Bassick, Stuff For Sprouts currently offers luscious lotion for crunchy kids, fabulous cream for extra crunchy kids and my favourite lip stuff of all time. It comes in a wide tube so one swipe covers the lips and the area surrounding them – no more wrestling!

The scents are kid friendly while being totally inoffensive to adults. Unlike many other brands I’ve smelled, these actually smell exactly like the label says they will. Front lawn? Exactly like what you’d smell when lying on a freshly mowed and organically fertilized lawn. Blueberry muffin, chocolate, PB&J and frosting – just like the real thing! None of their products contain nut butters (yay allergy parents!) or mineral oil, soy, chemical, sparkles or any of the other nasties that creep into mainstream brands. (We dig the transparency of ingredients.)

Stuff For Sprouts offers a money-back guarantee, too. You won’t need it, though.

Use the code OPPARN15 for a 15% discount through April.

Those Aussies know what they’re talking about when it comes to skin care. If they didn’t, they’d all be wrinkled cancerous lumps instead of the unusually gorgeous sub-species that they are. So it makes sense to turn to them for baby skin care ideas, no? The well known Mei Mei line from Australia has now been brought to North America and we’re pleased to introduce you to Mei Mei Baby USA.

Sixty percent of what we put on our baby’s skin is absorbed into the body, and parents everywhere are becoming more conscious of what they put on their children’s skin. Mei Mei Baby (pronounced “May May” – just like the sound that sheep make) offers a range of head-to-toe baby products that is all natural, safe, and free of petrochemicals, parabens, and sodium lauryl sulfates. Their products are 100% made in Australia. That means no lead either!

We tried samples of their line and were very impressed with the quality. The samples were tiny, but in those quantities showed no sign of irritating either newborn baby or toddler skin.

Check out Mei Mei Baby USA for the complete line which should be available early 2008 – that’s right away!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I love the spa. It’s a definite addiction. However, I can only afford to go there in my dreams now that I’m a mother so I also love products that can recreate the spa at home. Pharmacopia products do just that – and in an ever so wonderful organic manner.

Their luxurious product line supports sustainable and organic agriculture through the use of organic and all-natural ingredients and the company also supports fair trade via their trademark grass baskets which are handmade by Philippina women. Anyone as opinionated as we are is bound to love this company, but what’s policy without product?

Even more important than these admirable business practices is the fact that these products are fabulous! Several of us tried out the citrus scent and love it. It’s light and refreshing and doesn’t irritate the senses in the least. The body & massage oil is amazing added to the bath, and we all were floored by the smoothness of the lotion – the perfect follow up to the aromatherapy bath. The shea butter hand cream was amazing after a long day working with paper and, though I’m sure it was my imagination I think it may have actually helped my nails grow without cracking!

Enter to win a “lavender soothe” gift set (pictured above) from Pharmacopia by sending an email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 10/20/07. Put “Pharmacopia” in the subject line and tell us what four scents are available from the website. Congratulations Lois!

A couple of local parents who are in the thick of diaper changes 24 hours a day and therefore nearly constant hand-washing have been reviewing Gloves In A Bottle for you. It’s a shielding lotion designed to “bond with the outer layer of your skin and protect it from irritants while locking in your natural oils and moisture.” Kind of like gloves. In a bottle. Hmm.

(Sound familiar? We’ve reviewed a higher end & therefore much more costly shielding lotion previously.)

The full disclosure of ingredients is very appealing – no hidden nasties in there – and there are some intriguing before & after pictures on their website. But how did the testers like it?

-”It’s thick enough to feel like you’re getting good coverage but doesn’t feel at all oily.”
-”I love how it soaks in immediately but then still feels like you’ve got a protective layer on your skin keeping it moist. Is that psychological?”
-”It really doesn’t wash off! I put it on a few times the first few days, and then tried putting it on only in the morning and my hands felt moisturized until well into the afternoon. Two applications in a work day are enough, even for someone who works with paper all day.”
-”The bottle lasts seemingly forever! It’s not large, but lasts well over two months with multiple daily uses because you don’t need much.”

Gloves In A Bottle costs only $12.95 for an 8 oz bottle and a bottle, as you read, goes a very long way. It’s available online and in retail stores.

We’ve got some to give away! If you want to be entered to give it a try, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with GLOVES in the subject line and tell us the first & main ingredient in Gloves In A Bottle. Contest closes Friday at midnight MST. Congratulations Shonda C!

As parents, it seems natural to put ourselves last. There are so many people, big and little, relying on us for their every need. It gets to a point, though, when you start to see signs of this self-neglect. Like last week? My skin started falling off. For real. Luckily, that was right around the time when we were given the opportunity to review Watersall products.

When par.entrepreneur Drew Aultman‘s husband dismissed her dreams of having a swimming pool by saying she could “can” that idea, that‘s exactly what she did. Using only purified & sterlized water & medical-grade nitrogen as a propellant, she has produced and marketed the Watersall & Splashcool lines of aerosol water.

No alcohol, no fragrances, no preservatives. Nothing but water. In a can. With a fun spray top.

Watersall has many uses. A deluge, in fact.

But you want to know why you, as a parent, should get yourself some, right?

• It gently washes away perspiration and pollutants, as well as random child-induced stickiness.
• Instant hydration for tired parent skin. (Note: my skin is no longer falling off.)
• Revitalizes your face quickly when the cute delivery guy is coming up the sidewalk
• So gentle it is great for expectant mothers and helps to relieve itchy pregnant skin
• Pure enough for newborn babies’ delicate skin
• Instant fix for a child‘s morning bed head
• Great for cleaning children‘s hands before lunch in the park
• During or after sports, it‘s a quick cool-off for athletes or spectators
• Convenient for clean ups while traveling
• Fascinating for toddlers to play with when you absolutely need them to be entertained
• Shocks a hysterically crying toddler back to reality in a “gentle misty shocking” way. (Yes, I tried this in desperation at 2 am. Anything to get the kid to breathe.)

I really like this stuff.

Check out the list of retailers to get your hands on some.

Several opinionated parents have been trying out the new shielding lotion from SkinMD.

How is this lotion different from the hundreds of other lotions on the market? Here’s what the company has to say:

“Conventional moisturizing lotions only attempt to replace a lack of natural moisture with artificial moisture but the problem is it comes off every time you wash or touch something. Until now, all one could do to alleviate a dry skin problem was to apply conventional moisturizing lotions. In order for any moisture to actually improve a dry skin condition it needs to get below the second major layer of skin. In reality the only moisture that is going to reach this level is your skin’s own natural moisture.

Have you ever stopped using artificial moisturizers only to experience an episode in which your skin actually became drier than it was before you started using them?

When you apply any artificial moisture to the skin’s surface you are often sending the wrong signal – that your skin is being adequately moisturized, when in fact it is actually dehydrated of natural moisture. This often results in reducing your skin’s production of the natural moisture needed to actually resolve a dry skin condition.

Unlike artificial moisturizers, Skin MD Natural bonds with the outer most layer of skin cells to turn it into what works like an invisible shield.

This “invisible shield” keeps moisture-robbing irritants out while helping to retain your skin’s own natural moisture, resulting in skin that is far better hydrated, over the long term, than what can be achieved by conventional lotions.”

And here are the results of our highly un-scientific study:

SkinMD Natural is not inexpensive as far as lotions go. It’s $25 for a small (4 oz) bottle.

It is surprisingly ‘liquidy’ and therefore a little goes a very long way. It soaks into your skin immediately and doesn’t leave any greasy or slimy coating. In fact, about 15 seconds after applying it I forgot I had already applied it. The moist feeling, however, lasts about 3-4 hours, even through hand washings. At 4 applications a day, the $25 bottle would likely last you a few months so it’s not as bad as it seems. And it works, so that’s always a bonus.

Opinionated Parents love fully disclosed ingredients. No secrets here!

Another great thing about Skin MD? The unconditional guarantee. It even includes shipping costs so you’ve really got nothing to lose. Except your dry skin, and that wouldn’t be so bad.

If you’re so inclined, you can try SkinMD Natural FREE (just pay $2 shipping or send a SASE).

Get $5.00 off your purchase with the code Garden.

Also, if you’re so inclined, you can enter to win one of the bottles we have to give away. (Like you wouldn’t be so inclined. You’re too smart to pass up a chance for free stuff, right?) Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with SkinMD in the subject header and the correct answer to the question “What’s the first ingredient in Skin MD Shielding Lotion?” Contest closes at midnight MST on 3/23/07. Congratulations Leah & Kris!

Tummy Honey by Mother’s Intuition is not just another stretch mark cream. If you head to your local drugstore and read the ingredients of your typical cream, you’d be hard pressed to pronounce at least half of the ingredients. Opinionated parents are not impressed by big words. There’s no way I’d put something with mystery ingredients on my belly when there’s a baby in there, or on my stretch mark covered boobs (sorry) when a baby is nourished by them. Tummy Honey is the new alternative for us. It’s completely natural, containing soothing ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, vitamins D and E, wheat germ oil, olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, almond oil, and aloe vera.

The Tummy Honey 3-Pack includes the Cream (fading), Butter (prevention) and Stick (easy to apply prevention). I tried them all and loved them all! I’m currently using the cream on my zebra stripes. I haven’t been using it long enough to know if they’ll fade or not ~ consistency is the key ~ but I do know that it’s extremely soothing, fast absorbing and has a delightfully light scent. My flabby tummy skin is still soft the next morning! The butter is much quicker to absorb than other butters I’ve tried, and the stick is true convenience. Neither of them leave that gooey, sticky feeling that many of these products do. I’m thinking I’ll keep one in my desk at work next time I’m pregnant so I don’t scratch myself new stretch marks before I can get home at the end of the day.

You can win your own Tummy Honey 3-Pack! Send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with TUMMY HONEY in the subject line and simply tell us why you’d like to try it! A winner will be selected randomly. Contest closes at midnight MST on Friday, February 16, 2007. Congratulations, Rashmi!

Want to get TOP updates in your email inbox?
Don’t miss another contest…

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

Mom of two, Jennifer Higgins, left life in the limelight to be at home with her children. As all mothers quickly learn, there are many annoyances and frustrations that go along with the amazing and fulfilling job of motherhood. Jen and her own mother (how cool is that?) developed the Miss Oops line of products to help with those little bumps in the road so that you can focus on the more enjoyable parts of your job.
The Miss Oops Critical Care Kits, each containing three of their top problem-solvers, would make a wonderful gift for both a mom-to-be or any woman, really. The mom-to-be kit(pictured at left) would make a great pre-baby shower gift or just a kind gesture to celebrate a woman’s pregnancy.

Popper Stoppers are a must have for the pregnant woman going out on the town. I happen to think the “done button” on a mother’s belly is beautiful but I know many women who beg to differ. The best way I can think of to describe it is like a really big specialty bandaid. I know several women who have used actual bandaids on their popped-up buttons and
Popper Stoppers would be much more comfortable!

The Pucker Protector, unfortunately, was not a hit. Being a lipstick person myself, I gave it to a glossy reviewer for her feedback. She said “It feels sticky on my lips; almost like syrup that I need to get off.” I tried it and I agree. It does have a nice minty scent, though, and may be appropriate for someone who likes a thicker gloss.

The Pedicure in a Bottle comes cleverly wrapped in sandpaper stamped “Can builders sand furniture with your feet?” The answer will be a solid “No” once you try it for a week! It’s an all-in-one foot treatment that exfoliates with mild salicylic acid, smoothes and hydrates while leaving a silky smooth (not greasy walking in a puddle) feeling. I really enjoyed the refreshing and not overwhelming minty smell.

My personal favourite Miss Oops product are the dry rescue sponges. These dense little red 3×3″ sponges pack a powerful punch. They’re designed specifically to remove deodorant, baby powder and makeup powder from clothing, and hot damn do they ever work! I wear a lot of black and these sponges take away my daily white streaks without leaving a wet blotch. Awesome!

The kind moms of Miss Oops have sent us 12 packs of 2 rescue sponges to give away to our readers. If you’d like to be entered in the random draw, send an email to theopinionatedparent [at] gmail [dot] com with MISS OOPS in the subject line and the answer to the question What’s the one other Miss Oops product not mentioned in this review? Contest closes at midnight MST on Friday, February 9, 2007. Congratulations to all 12 winners! They’re in the mail!

Want to get TOP updates in your email inbox?
Don’t miss another contest…

Enter your Email

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz