Beautiful Earth Body Products Review!

So we received a few products from Beautiful Earth to review. It's not our first time testing out their products and was super excited to try them again as we really enjoyed them the previous time.

We were sent the following:

We have used a lot of different natural products over the last 7 years in our attempt to be "greener" and chemical free. This hair and body wash from Beautiful Earth is one of my favourites.

• The smell of mandarin, lavender and calendula is so refreshing and I love that it lingers on their skin till the next morning
• It has just enough foam which obviously the children love but as a natural mamma I know the more the foam the more I don't want it on their skin! This product has a slight bit of foam which is great if you are planning on adding a natural product to a new mom's shower gift who isn't aware of the chemicals added to conventional baby bath care products.
• Miss Sunshine has very sensitive skin and this bodywash didn't irritate her skin at all.

                                     

• This bum cream is fantastic… for your mamma heels! Yip I just said that! We went away for a family break with friends and my heels got so bad from walking around the pools barefoot. This cream was all I had that was thick enough to make a difference and it worked like a charm.
• It's cloth diaper safe too
• The scent is amazing and because it's base is shea butter Ive actually used it on Sweetpea as a moisturizer after bath time and I love the smell of lavender as I lay next to her.

• Gentle enough for sensitive skin
• Doesn't have a very strong scent so great for young babies who would be stimulated with a very strong smell
• Our whole family used this bar and it lasted a family of 6 a month. Not bad for a natural soap.

• Goes on easily so this is great for my oldest 2 children who cream themselves as it goes on quick with no mess
• I love that it comes in a pump bottle and not a tub as it's easier for a mommy with a squirmy baby and for my kiddo's to use on their own, 1 pump tummy, 2 pumps legs, you get my drift?

• I've left my fav for last though! This chest rub has been great for me in a few ways.
• Miss Sunshine is sensory sensitive so strong smells really affect her. Luckily she isn't a sickly child but after our much needed family get away she came back under the weather and a tad chesty. She wouldn't want me to put any of the other natural chest ease rubs on her because of the strong scents but she was fine with this one. And it worked! She definitely slept easier after applying on her chest, back and feet.
• Again I love that it comes in a pump bottle. It was so easy for me to lock the pumps and pack in our vanity case to take with on our trip.
• This makes a great gift for a new mom as they often get the bubblies and bum creams but this gets forgotten and is always needed in the middle of the night.

This company prides itself on being the only company in South Africa that's products are certified Natural and they should be proud. Their products are of great quality and service is amazing. They have a larger range for the whole family.

Skin care range looks amazing!

Family Body Care range

Home and outdoor range

Their pricing is so reasonable and they have an extensive range which is really worth looking at. They offer trial sized box sets to buy for each range so you can test it out first or give as a gift.

Beautiful Earth

Nourish Soap Bars

NOURISH NATURAL SOAP

We've been using natural bodycare products for over 5 years now and I love it knowing that my family is getting cleaned but not stripped of natural oils or being filled with harsh chemicals. Having said that though, good soap bars are sometimes hard to find. They're either really squishy when they get wet, lose their smell after a few days in the shower, crumble to pieces, etc, etc. I was pretty excited to try NOURISH Natural Soaps when I heard we would be sent 2 to review. I was going to test these soapies out and that I did and they passed with flying colors!!!

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT NOURISH BARS:

• They are filled with totally natural ingredients
• They are beautiful to look at so look awesome in your bathroom but are coloured using natural dyes from carrots, spinach etc from the Alchemists own garden! How's that for a personal touch.
• They keep their fragrance till the very end, this can sometimes be hard to find in a natural bar of soap so it truly is my favourite feature.
• Pauline the Alchemist makes them with such passion and really fills them with all these stunning ingredients that I don't often see, like Kaolin Clay, Bentonite, Oats, Spirulina etc.
• They are really a generous size for the price you pay so 2 bars went really far for our family of 6.
• Nourish bars are made using 100% pure coconut oil base so it's not only moisturizing it's long lasting, anti-aging and nourishing.
• They are completely hand made, hand cut and packaged and have been personally tested by Pauline and her family.
• There are heaps of fragrant choices and each with their own properties and functions. I really want to try out the Breathe bar for Colds and Sinus that has Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oil and detoxing Bentonite clay as well as their Shampoo Bar.
• Did I mention she is a Homeschool Mamma so we love to support our fellow Homeschoolers!

You can view these delicious bars here

or

FACEBOOK

Simply Bee! My facial routine

Ok so a lot of this blog is centered around babies and children, I am a mum after all but first I am a woman. Yip a true "girly girl"! I love make-up (we'll be doing some reviews on natural make up, yippee!) but I love skin care products, natural of course, even more!

So imagine my DELIGHT when Simply Bee sent me a huge hamper of their gorgeous products! So they have a really extensive range for all your skin needs as well as the yummiest honey... Mmmmm!

So my skin care routine with Simply Bee involves these lovely products:

Facial Cleanser 200ml - R65

Ingredients: Beeswax, Propolis, Sweet Almond Oil, Castor Oil, Lavender Essential Oil.

"This is a rich, sulfate-free facial cleanser  made with a gentle,  plant-based cleansing complex featuring rosewater. Luxuriously lathering away excess dirt, oil and make-up leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed. Castor Oil helps to remove make up and dirt easily and provides a touch of moisturiser for a naturally fresh healthy skin." Now I naturally have an oily skin so when I saw this has castor oil in I thought it would just make my face look really shiny ( the yucky, grimy kinda shiny not the supermodel glamourous shine!) BUT it didn't! Infact the opposite was true! My skin has been the best its been in years and I have Simply Bee to thank for it! Now I could go on and on about the cleanser but there is MUCH more to this facial range that I have to tell you about. Like their cream:

Daily Moisturiser 100ml - R75Ingredients: Beeswax, Propolis, Sweet Almond Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Water and Lavender Essential Oil.


"Enhance your skins natural glow! This light-weight natural moisturiser is specially formulated with beeswax and some of nature’s most nutritious substances, such as Sweet Almond and Grapeseed Carrier Oil and Lavender Essential Oil to help enhance skins natural radiance, and propolis to maintain essential moisture, calm and sooth the skin. Our daily moisturiser beeswax products are excellent for all skin types, for best results use in the morning after the cleanser."

Night Cream 100ml - R90

Ingredients: Beeswax, Propolis, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Water and Evening Primrose Oil.

Renew and replenish your skin with this super-saturated, emollient cream for skin that needs a rich formula. Full of shea and cocoa butter to moisturise and beeswax to lock in the moisture. This night cream can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while you sleep. Fantastic for extra dry skin. Use at night after applying Anti-Wrinkle cream.

Now my ultimate FAVOURITE product because of the silky feeling it leaves and the lovely scent (I'm a sucker for anything with neroli in!) is their serum. Every woman needs this serum in their routine!

                                                             Propolis Serum 30ml - R105

Ingredients: Propolis, Sweet Almond Oil and Neroli Essential Oil.

"This richly repairing micro-emulsified serum contains a high concentration Propolis from the Fynbos of the West Coast. Combined with Neroli, Propolis concentrate calms, heals, and truly enriches your skin. Anti-bacterial and decongesting, this formulation alleviates micro-circulation problems and strenghtens your fragile skin. Propolis has been proved to be beneficial to human skin and is considered as luxurious. There are over 50 different flavonoids in propolis. Flavonoid improves the circulation of blood and the decomposition of pigments. It also prevents skin aging and age spots. Propolis is also rich in vitamins especially vitamin P found in rutin. For all skin types, specially sensitive skin. Use a few drops, apply to face and neck area once or twice daily after after facial cleanser, before your favourite moisturiser."

I loove this stuff! It really absorbs quickly which might be surprising considering it looks like an oil. 

I have reviews coming about their facial scrub and anti-ageing cream, which really are as yummy as the rest of their products! This is a skin care routine I'm really sticking too, pity it's taken me a  few years to find a range I really trust and enjoy using...

I love what SIMPLY BEE stands for. Keeping natural ingredients natural and with no petroleum in too!

Go check this company out, you won't be sorry you did!

SIMPLY BEE

Tranquil Body Treats!

Mmmmm looks yummy right?! Well it is! For a change there is something on review for a natural mamma! Goodness knows I LOOOOOVE to have a long, warm, candlelight bath! Don't get them too often, its more like a quick shower but Mr Moviemaker does like to surprise me now and again with a bubbling candlelight bath when all the kiddo's are sleeping! He keeps an ear on them while I soak up the smells!

TRANQUIL BODY TREATS sent us two of their gorgeous products from their really extensive range!

I received their LIME bath sherbet... utter goodness!! All the fizziness does really work for relieving tired, aching muscles. They use essential oils to fragrance their products so no nasties here. Some bath salts I've used before don't really release a fragrance and always stay at the bottom of the bath. Not this one!

Next up Sweetpea got to try out their Baby body mousse.  When I first opened the tub I thought the LAVENDER was quite strong but because it was all natural I didn't mind giving it a go! I gave little miss a massage with it after bath time and it really absorbed well leaving no stickiness and the faint smell of lavender was really soothing. She slept beautifully (she always has) but this time she hardly bugged. I was worried it would be too strong when we received it but it really isn't and when she woke the next morning she still had this lovely baby/lavender wiff about her that any mamma will cherish.

They have a huge line available with a product line for everyone in the family:

• Accessories
• Bath Products
• Body Products
• Essential, Massage & Carrier Oils
• Facial & Anti-Age
• Gentleman
• Kids Range
• Manicure and Pedicure
• Mom2Be and Baby
• Soy wax candles
• Eczema and Anti Chafe

I know, right?! So much to choose from and try! Itching to try out their soy candles, so much healthier than burning the candles you buy at an average store.

Give them a peek, you won't be sorry! 

TRANQUIL BODY TREATS

Gem Gem Box! Wooohooo!

I LOOOOOOOVE surprises! Good one's of course! So I was really excited when GemGem Box let me know they were sending me one of their monthly boxes! Wooohooo!  The wait was pretty exciting as I had more or less an idea when their boxes went out so I just kept watching my post box! Yippee it finally arrived!

Oooooh what's in here?

I think it's an awesome concept! As a new mamma it can be quite mind blowing to see the amount of products available on the market for babies! Making a choice can sometimes be difficult so a monthly box with samples of new or existing products to test is a great idea!

With my GemGem beanie that came in my surprise box!

These boxes are crammed full of products, samples, discount vouchers, magazines and occasionally even a clothing item.

We received:

1. 2 Purity Gold 3rd stage foods
2. Babaderm samples
3. Johnson and Johnson sample
4. Vaseline handbag sized cream
5. Hipp Organic Porridge ( my fav of course!)
6. Your Family Magazine
7. GemGem beanie (Sweetpea's favourite I think!)
8. Discount vouchers

Yikes there's a lot of stuff in here!

This is a really special gift idea for a mom to be for her shower or even as a surprise to arrive a couple of weeks after the baby has arrived!

Their site is also so informative for mommies and creates a community of ladies surrounding each other in every aspect or stage of motherhood from pregnancy to toddlerhood!

http://www.gemgem.co.za/

I would love to see more natural products appear in these boxes or maybe even a GemGem Natural Box!

Keep your eyes peeled as there will be a competition running soon where you can win your very own surprise package from GemGem!

Did I mention that Princess our 7 year old has taken over the box as her little treasure chest of gems?!

Wishy Washy Wednesday! OH LIEF!

Sweetpea was sent two products from OH-LIEF! And OH-MY-WORD! These products are really high up on my "most wanted" list!

Every mamma just has to try their bum balm! We have pretty sensitive skin in this house and Sweetpea is no exception. She has a lovely smooth finish (sounds like a car,right?!) but her little bits are a tad sensitive. This balm has been awesome not only as a every day barrier but for any skin rashes, dry winter cheeks (on all the munchkins!), infant massage and Princess has even used it for her lips that normally dry out in the winter!

It works great with our cloth diapers and you will find a tub of this in our nappy bag, girl's room and Sweetpea's stash basket! The scent of lavender is heavenly and the pure goodness of this waxy balm is exactly that PURE!

No harsh chemicals in the Oh-lief range! Their range is 100% natural and organic raw ingredients sourced locally! It's an amazing company started by 2 sisters with a love for genuinely real natural products!

As I mentioned before, there are sensitive skins in this house and Miss Sunshine (and her daddy) are our biggest product testers, if it works on their skins it's a big PASS! Enter their aqueous cream.

This is what they had to say about it:  

The first product of its kind in South Africa, this aqueous cream contains no petroleum jellies, paraffin or mineral oils and is perfect for newborn babies.
Use as a wash-off cream or a lotion.

This is my first choice for cream on all the kiddo's in this house. It's super moisturizing but doesn't leave our skin clammy and sticky. It absorbs right in and leaves your skin silky soft, really it does! I love that it has Bentonite Clay in as it's known for it's awesome properties. It's just about cleared the tiny little bumps Miss Sunshine had on her upper arms!

OH-LIEFS bonus points is that it's free from:

• Paraffin
• Mineral oils
• Petroleum
• SLS's and SLES
• Perfume
• Fragrances
• Parabens
• Phenaxyethanol

Told you it's awesome! Want to check them out:

http://www.ohlief.com/

You can find them on  Facebook and Twitter too!

Wishy washy wednesday! Victorian Garden Baby Collection

Sorry for being MIA but it's been a busy week and have had issues with our internet! Let's get straight to it though!

VICTORIAN GARDEN BABY COLLECTION

We were sent a few products from the lovely people at Victorian Garden but will reveal them all in weeks to come but today I'll be introducing you to their Purple Coneflower and Aloe Face Moisturizer. I'm actually sorry I didn't take pics of it before I applied it but Sweetpea had this really dry patch on her neck and even though I was applying cream to it after every bath it was just never going away.

So when we received the Baby Purple Coneflower and Aloe Face Moisturizer I put it on after her nappy change and no kidding it was gone after 2 applications and it hasn't come back! This is how they describe their product:

"Babies often have little dry patches of skin on the face and during winter the skin can become dry, red and itchy. This gentle non aromatic cream with Shea Butter is ideal for use on the face and neck or wherever the skin is dry. With baby-safe Purple Coneflower (Echinacea) and Aloe Gel, both offering wonderful soothing and healing properties on baby skin. Ultra Sensitive Skin – 50ml Cosmetic Jar"

Miss Sunshine looooooves cream so when she noticed that for the last few days I've been applying face cream to Sweetpea she decided she'll take over that responsibility!

This company really believes in your baby's safety and health and this is what they stand for:

At The Victorian Garden we believe that Babies deserve safe, healthy
and gentle skincare products which are free from harsh unnatural ingredients
and are a delight to use. Products which nurture and soothe. Products which
comply with our strict “green” policy on ingredients , packaging and meet
international Health and Safety requirements. We believe that Baby Care
products marketed as “natural and organic” ought to comprise ingredients
which are genuinely natural and organic to as near 100% as possible.
Unusually for the 21st century, our products are handcrafted in our own lab
using the best quality organic and natural ingredients – not mass produced,
bottled and labelled in a factory. We personally source all our own containers,
design and print our own labels and recycle where possible. That way we can
offer you world class products at an affordable price. Great care, love and
attention goes into the making of every batch of our products. We support Fair
Trade suppliers where possible and use 99% Certified Organic, non Certified
Organic and Natural ingredients. For safety reasons, the amount of essential
oils used in our Baby Products equals about one tenth of that used in our adult
formulations. All products are mild and gentle – they are petrochemical,
paraben, SLES and animal ingredient free and are not tested on animals. You
can now include your baby in your choice of “go green / go organic” lifestyle.
Within The Victorian Garden Baby Collection you will find a choice of 18
unique and unusual, safe and non toxic baby products, many of which are
based on traditional Victorian baby care recipes combining different plant
extracts popular with Victorian mothers during the 19th century. The formulas
cater for babies from the moments straight after birth, through infancy and into
the toddler stage and have been formulated by an experienced cosmetic
chemist, aromatherapist and herbalist registered with the Allied Health
Professions Council and the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance ManufacturersAssociation (CTFA).

So great to see a company that is truly ALL NATURAL AND ORGANIC and their products are really of a high standard. We love them in our home and will be revealing many more of their gorgeous collections to you over the next few weeks!  

Do yourself a favour and check them out at:

www.thevictoriangarden.co.za

WISHY WASHY WEDNESDAY- be Beautiful Earth

So which munchkin doesn't like to bath? My 3 loooove it and it's made that time of the day extra special for them if there is bubbles and smells yummy and for me knowing there is only safe ingredients  being absorbed into their skin! That's were Beautiful Earth steps in! We were sent:

• The toddler Sweet Orange Bubble Fun
• Their toddler Breathe Easy Chest Rub
• Their Baby Calendula and Benzoin Barrier Cream

We will be reviewing the Toddler Sweet Orange Bubble Fun today and their other 2 products at a later date. So what we like about this product:

• Free of parabens
• SLS free
• No synthetic fragrances 
• No harsh bubbling agents that dry out the skin

It really smells good in the bathroom when we pour it in and lingers on their little bodies quite a while after their bath. A little goes a long way to which this mamma of 4 really appreciates!

Check them out at:

http://www.beautiful-earth.co.za

Their range includes products for:

• Body care
• Skin care
• Toddler
• Baby
• Pregnancy
• Hospitality

It's was a wonderful experience being in contact with Beautiful Earth. They really take pride in their products and so they should! 

You can find them on Facebook too!

Enchantrix review!

So we started the "WISHY WASHY WEEK" off with hair care that is safe for your children but what about body care?

Well here's a review on a brand that many of you might have seen in stores (most Dischems hold Enchantrix) but have never tried. I'm here to tell you that you're missing out!

There baby wash is super gentle even for the most sensitive skins! Contains ORGANIC geranium, lemongrass and lavender oil!

Baby lotion smells lovely and is all natural so use it up soon as it can start to smell funky!

Their bum cream is one of their best products in my opinion (for what it counts!) It has an olive oil base which really heals and moisturizes! Great for mommy too if she has dry heels and works beautifully for a baby massage session! It also goes very far, we use 1 tub on 2 children in 4 months. Its also in glass which is great as most of these natural bum balms are made warm to blend in ingredients and then poured into their jars. At least it's not plastic that is getting hot and then releasing chemicals into the balm which you then are applying onto your baby.

You can order and look at their extensive range here:

http://enchantrix.co.za

They cover:

• Baby care
• Body care
• Household cleaning
• Facial 
• Toothpastes
• Pets

Most Dischems also stock their products.

Baby wearing benefits for parents!

The Benefits of Babywearing - for Parents and Caregivers

• Babywearing is Healthy for You! -A good carrier offers parents hands-free freedom, allowing them to enjoy an active lifestyle indoors or outdoors. Parents' muscular strength also develops in relation to the baby's growing weight.
• Babywearing Reduces Risk of Post-Natal Depression -Babywearing helps parents balance their needs with those of their baby. Baby carriers help prevent life becoming completely dictated by baby. This sense of personal freedom and flexibility may well reduce the potential risk of post-natal depression which is often associated with being housebound and missing out on much-needed social interactions.

With Sweetpea when she was over a year old with a Rhubarb and Custard sling.
Will be reviewing it during the month.

Safety when baby wearing!

Ok so anyone who knows me knows that one of my favourite things in this world is to wear my babies! The advantages to baby wearing are endless:

The Benefits of Babywearing - for Babies

• Emotional Benefits
• Less Crying means a Healthier Baby - Babywearing tells children that they are loved, safe, secured and cared for. Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry.¹ One study found that allowing babies to cry unnecessarily alters the nervous system by flooding the developing brain with stress hormones and adrenalin.²
• Happy, Calm and Content - After birth, a baby held in a sling will feel reassured by the presence of their mother's body rhythms. The familiarity of her heartbeat, body temperature, body smell and breathing patterns will create a smooth transition from womb to world. A randomised controlled test reported in Pediatrics showed that carrying babies reduces crying and fussiness 43% during the day and 51% at night.
• Cognitive Benefits
• Babies in a Sling Learn Better - A happy baby is quiet and alert. In this state of mind, he is ready to interact with people and his environment. Babywearing offers babies the optimum position to experience the richness of the new world around them within the safety of a parent's arms.
• Baby is on Your Level - A carried baby shares equality with its caregiver as it is physically on the same level. A baby in a pram has less equality and experiences the parent looking down on it.
• Physiological Benefits
• Babywearing Stimulates a Baby's Physical Development - The act of touching a baby actually stimulates growth hormones.³ Babywearing also stimulates a baby's vestibular system, the parts of the inner ear that work like levels or sensors to control the body's sense of balance. The stimulation regulates a baby's physiology, increasing their cardiac output and circulation and promotes respiration.⁴
• Sling Babies are Stronger Babies - Developmental neurologists have discovered that the child of a mother who moves every day while pregnant shows clear developmental advantages. This is the same with a carried child who also develops greater physical and nerve strength.⁵
• Sling Babies Sleep Better - Holding a baby in a sling for the majority of the day encourages the development of a baby's sleep/wake cycles. Babies begin to distinguish external cues which help to develop a baby's circadian rhythms. Babywearing promotes deeper, longer and more peaceful sleep cycles, vital for brain maturation.
• Babywearing Makes Breastfeeding Easier - Babywearing offers constant and easy access to the infant's food source, the mother's breast. Such ease of access allows a mother to feed her baby on demand, thereby reducing the potential of breast infection.⁶ The increased skin to skin contact enjoyed by babywearers also stimulates breast milk supply.
• Babywearing Helps Digestion and Eases Colic - Baby slings offer a more upright position which promotes digestion. A baby's tummy is massaged through the act of babywearing which also promotes bowel elimination. The acupressure points against problems of digestion or sleep, which are located on the belly and on the lower insides of the thighs, are automatically massaged through babywearing.⁷