4 Safer Products: Organic Baby Powder to Holistic Moms Network Cookbook

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4 Safer Products: Organic Baby Powder to Holistic Moms Network Cookbook

Jennifer Lance, EcoChildsPlay.com

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

1. Naturity Organic Baby Massage Oil and Baby Powder

I’ve never discovered organic baby powder before, and although I didn’t use talc on my babies, I do use baby powder in stinky kids’ shoes sometimes. Actually, Naturity’s organic baby powder is not made from talc, but its main ingredient is arrowroot powder. In addition, Naturity’s organic baby massage oil is nut and wheat-free, and it is “designed to mirror baby’s natural sebum”.

At Naturity, we pride ourselves on the organic integrity of our products, which are comprised of 99-100% certified organic ingredients. The organic ingredient percentages for all products are listed on the front of all labels. Product ingredients are clearly listed on all containers as well as beside each product description on our website. We do not use any synthetic preservatives, emulsifiers, additives, or fillers. But we do use certified organic ingredients from sustainable providers.

Best of all, every single Naturity product has received a score of zero on the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetic database Skin Deep.

Would I buy these products? Yes. This is a company you can really trust, and I don’t think the products are too overpriced at $12 a piece. Cruetly-free, organic, zero toxicity, vegan, etc…you can’t go wrong!

2. EO Beauty Products

These products were actually sent to me for Breast Cancer Awareness month, but oh, sometimes it takes me awhile to get product reviews complete. EO is one of my favorite brands that I discovered when searching for SLS-free hand soap for my son’s sensitive skin.

One thing that I think strongly speaks to the integrity of EO is their deliberate decision not to label their products as “organic”, even though they use many organically-grown ingredients.

We choose not to label our company as organic even though we manufacture products that are certified organic as approved by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) http://ccof.org/. We make this choice because there are no guidelines for organic personal care, like the ones that exist for food. So we take the higher road and only label those products organic that meet the USDA Food Grade Standard of what defines organic. To do otherwise would be confusing and deceiving to our customers regarding the organic nature of the products bearing our name.

“Organic” in personal care is frequently used as a marketing term to capture sales in the ever-greening marketplace. We feel that this is misleading and we encourage our competitors to stop. The word “organic” does not belong on the front panel of a label, even if it’s incorporated into the brand name, unless its ingredients and manufacturing process are certified organic by a certifying agency recognized by the USDA…

We believe in organic. This standard is an integrated part of our company, lifestyle and philosophy. This is why we have chosen to manufacture our own products onsite and become a certified organic manufacturer, unlike many of our competitors. It also enables us to ensure that our ingredients and end-products are authentic and competitively priced.

Today it simply isn’t possible that all personal care products be 100% organic, given the available ingredients. At present all of our products contain certified organic ingredients. Some of our products do meet the USDA Food Grade Organic Standard to bear the USDA of organic. These products proudly bear the USDA certified organic seal. You will find this seal on our bath salts, lip treatments and hand sanitizer sprays. Our commitment is to continue our quest to make organic products that meet the highest global requirements of what can bear the Organic seal.

Would I buy these products? Yes. EO is a brand I have trusted for many years, and I always buy it for my home and workplace.

3. Belle Baby Organic Carrier

Every baby should be worn! I’ve said it many times before, I could not have survived the infant period of my children’s lives without baby wearing! The Belle Baby Organic Carrier is a front-support style device that is handcrafted in Colorado and easily adjustable.

More comfortable than a baby sling, the Belle Baby Carrier distributes your baby’s weight to your hips, instead of your back and shoulders, and places your baby in a proper, ergonomic position that supports your baby’s developing spine.

Some of readers have cautioned before about this style of baby carrier being bad for children’s hips, but neither of my children had any negative effects from our Baby Bjorn.

Would I buy this product? No. I loved our Baby Bjorn, which seems a little bit more secure to me, plus, if I were to buy a new baby wearing device, I would have to try the Ergo Organic Carrier. All of my friends raved about it, and I like its versatility in being both a front and back carrier. I am also not swayed by the fact that celebrity moms, such as Angelina Jolie, use the Belle.

4. Many Paths, One Journey to Health: In the Kitchen with Holistic Moms

I love the Holistic Moms Network (HMN)!

The Holistic Moms Network is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization connecting parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. We encourage moms to trust their instincts, parent from the heart, use their innate sense of what is best for their children, live in balance with the Earth, and learn about the pros and cons of all healthcare and parenting options.

Of course, HMN has published an awesome cookbook filled with yummy recipes. From Almond Loaf to Algerian Wedding Stew, these recipes come from moms all across the country from different HMN chapters. It reminds me of the cookbooks schools used to put together for fundraisers, but these are healthy recipes you want to eat. There’s even a whole chapter on gluten-free, egg-free, dairy/casein-free!

Would I buy this product? Absolutely yes! I love the recipes, and I love supporting Holistic Moms Network!

*Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of
Healthy Child Healthy World.

Posted by ayurvedah1 on 12/06/2010 at 07:52 AM

WOW, a holistic mum’s cookbook! How fun and what a great idea. I clicked on but was not able to see a “sample” recipe. That would have been fun, has anyone tried the book out? Would love to know if it’s a good read and worth getting. Of course, just the cause is worth it probably.
Thanks!

Posted by Dianne on 10/15/2010 at 01:05 AM

Just wondering if you have seen the baby range on http://www.organic4u.com.au
They are also certified organic, including baby powder made with a different formula. They baby bottom mist is great, as you dont have to touch babies bottom when its sore.

Posted by Marie on 10/14/2010 at 01:35 PM

I have not used the Belle Baby Organic Carrier, but I just want to note that there are plenty of other soft-structured, organic carriers on the market that are much better ergonomically than the Belle.

To name a few, Ergo, Beco, and Boba make organic carriers. Unlike the Belle, these carriers support the baby in a proper ergonomic position with the knees either level or higher than baby’s bottom. These carriers are also very comfortable for the babywearer.

The Belle, however, does not and leaves baby’s legs hanging straight down. This is not good for baby’s hip joints. Moreover, the outward facing position of the Belle places great stress on baby’s hip joints. Baby should always be facing towards the babywearer.

Good carriers are not much more expensive than the Belle, and they are designed to allow you to wear baby well into the toddler years. Many good carriers are designed to support toddlers around 30-40 pounds. All in all, these other carriers are far superior options than the Belle.

Posted by x on 10/14/2010 at 12:20 PM

I’m surprised to see baby powder on the list. Sure, it has some special plant additives and all, but plain cornstarch (organic if you desire it so) is *much* cheaper, has far less less packaging (usually recycled cardboard which takes far less resources to produce than aluminum or stainless steel does), and works just as well…

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