Adventures in Sunscreens

Do you have trouble finding a sunscreen?

Do you or your children break out from them?

I have had this problem with my boys.

Mommy passed on her very sensitive Irish skin so I have trouble finding lotions

 that don't make them break out in a eczema rash.

Which makes finding sunscreens  tricky.

 

I want a sunscreen that is as natural, nontoxic and won't irritate their fair skin, plus it needs to work!

Our skin is one of our largest organs and it does absorb what you put on it so I don't want lotions or sunscreens that have toxic chemicals going on it, especially for my kids.

 

Last year we used California baby and it worked for us.

This year the new bottle made both of them break out in an eczema rash.

(Not sure if they changed the formula.)

 

Back to the drawing board!!!

 

After a lot of research and reading tons of reviews I ordered two sunscreens to test out.
They both have a rating of 1 on the EWGs website.

They both worked, but one I like better than the other.

 

First one is the Honest Company Sunscreen.

It was great on their sensitive skin- no irritation,

but it was difficult to rub it and then they were very sticky even hours later.

 

The second one I liked a lot. It was Badger brand sunscreen. I bought the baby formula.

This stuff worked great, no irritation, smells great and rubs in easily and leaves no sticky residue.

Also no toxic chemicals- its all natural.

So if you are in the market for a new sunscreen I suggest you give it a try.



Is your Nail Polish Toxic?

Yes you should now also be checking the labeling on your nail polish! Many traditional brands carry dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde -- commonly called the ''toxic trio."

Toluene is a toxin that may cause birth defects and developmental problems in children of pregnant women who have had extended exposure. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which has been linked to birth defects in studies involving lab animals, and formaldehyde, a carcinogen are all ingredients you want to make sure are NOT in your polish.

Unfortunately, there are no certifications or labeling in the United States that indicate a ‘safe’ or ‘better’ nail polish or polish remover. The best you can do is look for advertising that publicly claims they are free of these specific chemicals, so look for "DBP-free" "formaldehyde-free" and "toluene-free" messages.



Here is a list of brands that are
free of these toxins:

Acquarella

Butter London

Honeybee Gardens

Nars

No-Miss

Nuance

Priti NYC

Suncoat

Scotch Naturals

Zoya Naturals


For little ladies- try these fun non-toxic
brands made in more kid-friendly colors:

Hopscotch

Piggy Paint

Priti in Pink Princess




So now it also stands to reason that if most nail polishes are toxic, then the stuff you use to remove them is also toxic. They’re usually full of acetone, fragrances, methyl ethyl ketone, phthalates and toluene. Most of these cause significant damage to the human body.

So now that you have chosen a toxin-free brand and painted those fingers and toes how do you get the color off safely when you want to change colors? Fortunately some of the brands mentioned above are already ahead of you and have safer polish removers.

Acquarella Polish Remover

Butter London Nail Polish Scrubbers

Hopscotch for kids Polish Remover

No-Miss Nail Polish Remover

Piggy Paint Polish Remover

Priti NYC Soy Polish Remover

Suncoat Polish Remover

Scotch Naturals Polish Remover

Zoya Naturals Polish Remover

And not to leave out our furry friends that might be polish divas- I could not help but share Puppy Paint. A non-toxic brand of polish for posh pups that even covers dark colored nails and dries quickly.

 

Happy painting!



Simple Sugars

I recently ordered and received this wonderful product called Simple Sugars. Simple Sugars are all natural body scrubs made for people with sensitive skin that smell fantastic and make your skin feel great! It works by exfoliating and removing the dead skin while moisturizing the new skin. Use it at often as you like, it is safe enough for everyday use. They use only the highest quality ingredients, some of which are organic, with NO artificial preservatives. They offer facial scrubs, body scrubs and foot scrubs. I was sooo impressed with the results- it even cleared up my eczema on my hands!!! I ordered the strawberry and vanilla flavors, but there are plenty others to choose from. So if you are in the market for a new, all natural skin care product, check them out! (I have NOT been paid for this- just really like the product and thought I'd share).  :)

CeraVe Cream for skin issues

This winter both my son and I were plagued with dry skin issues. Mine started and was caused by washing my hands too much and getting my skin dried out. I tried tons of creams, but my usual stand-bys were not cutting it- my hands were so dried out they were at the point they were cracking and bleeding!!!

My son started with eczema this December with it on his face, behind his ear and on his wrists. I use the Exederm Baby brand on him and myself and this usually keeps our skin looking good. However all of a sudden this year it just wasn't keeping ahead of the dry skin. A trip to the pediatrician for a steroid cream and using aquaphor gave some relief and then it flared up some more. Then we made a trip to the pediatric dermatologist (yes, there is such a thing) for a steroid ointment that almost cleared it up, but we could only use for two weeks and then when the two weeks were up- it flared up again. Then we happened to be at our routine visit to our allergist when she saw his eczema and recommended we try CeraVe Cream. After a week of applying it once daily my hands are 90% healed and after not quite a week of applying at least twice daily to my sons eczema patches his is looking better too- not healed, but not red anymore...it has lightened to pink and I think we are starting to see it make a dent in the healing process.

So if you are struggling with dry skin or eczema give this cream a try. It is strictly a moisturizer cream, not a steroid, so it is safe to use and apply as often as needed.

We found ours at our local CVS or any drug store should carry it. You can check out more reviews at http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Cerave-Moisturizing-Cream?skuId=322573
It comes in a large container and is between $15-$20, but  a little goes a long way- it will last you a while. I put it on my hand before bed and for my son I put it on before bed and then in the morning before school.

Hope this helps!

Sensitive Skin Care- Exederm to the Rescue!!

My kids were blessed with my sensitive skin (poor things). About a year ago my eldest son started scratching his face constantly to the point that it was bleeding and I finally figured out it was the Johnson's bubble bath I was using was giving him eczema. A trip to the pediatrician confirmed that yes indeed the "supposedly pediatrician recommended" Johnson's is not that great for sensitive baby skin in fact it can be down right harsh as we found out the hard way. So she recommended something gentler like Aveeno baby products so I switched. Then came the info that Aveeno products as well as a lot of Johnson Products (Aveeno is owned by Johnson) have cancer-causing chemicals in them.
See link http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/johnson-johnson-baby-sham_n_1069123.html

So I went on the hunt for something safer that was for sensitive skin and one day I happened upon Exederm in the baby aisle at Stop & Shop. It had the National Eczema Association seal of approval, boasted that it contained NO HARSH chemicals and had an adorable baby on the packaging. I decided to take it home and try it out. It worked like a charm and cleared my son's eczema up in two days!!!

Children with Eczema require sensitive skin care that does not have harsh irritants in them. Exederm's line of baby cream, baby shampoo, baby bath wash, and baby lotion and baby oil boasts that they contain:

-NO Fragrance
-NO Parabens
-NO Lanolin
-NO Propylene Glycol
-NO colors or dyes
-NO SLS- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
-NO CAPB- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
-NO Phtalates

Check out there web page for comparison charts of Exederm vs leading baby products and their ingredients to see what your current baby products contain. www.exederm.com

Ever since I have changed to Exederm about a year ago my son has NOT HAD ANY flare ups. I even use the products on myself. They have an adults line, but I just use the same as the kids since I already have it in the house. I usually buy mine a Stop & Shop- they have the cheapest price. Bottle of the products are usually $9 and change, every so often they go on sale for $7 and change and I try to stock up then. You can check their website for stores that carry them www.exederm.com

Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Database to see how safe your cosmetics, shampoos, sunscreens, and baby products are. http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=308

 

Use Baking Soda as a Beauty Product

I have been on a mission lately to "greenify" my beauty products. With so many chemicals in cosmetic products that are harmful, toxic and cancer-causing I have been transitioning slowly to greener options as I research and test different products.

I have been using baking soda as a beauty product for about a year now and I love it!! Here are some ideas:

Baking Soda Hair Detox
All of the products you use in your hair build up on the hair shaft. Shampooing reguarly removes some, but not all of the products. To give your hair a great deep cleanse try pouring some baking soda into the palm of your hand in the shower. Stick your palm under the water and make a paste with the baking soda. Apply to roots and gently massage in. (This doesn't foam up like shampoo, so it will feel different.) Then rinse it out. Your hair will be shiny, smooth and full of body! Usually I have to use a detangler product when I get done washing my hair so I can comb it through. On days when I use baking soda I don't have to- the comb goes right through! Do this every few weeks to remove product build up. Best of all it is NON-TOXIC!!!

Baking Soda Facial Scrub
Pour some baking soda into your palm and stick your hand under the faucet to wet the baking soda enough to make a paste. Apply to face and GENTLY massage into your skin in a circular motion. Then rise or wipe off with damp sponge. Your face will be as smooth as a babies bottom. Do this every few weeks or whenever your skin needs a boost! Also works well as a foot scrub.

Do you use baking soda as a beauty product? How do you use it?