With temperatures feeling distinctly summer-like in much of the country, I'm not surprised that many of you are asking about my top sunscreen recommendation, and what I put on my own children.Here's the truth: my kids don't wear sunscreen every day, even in the summer. Of course, if we are at the beach or even at the park for hours, I slather them up. But I'm convinced that some vitamin D is
Skincare & Haircare: Good, Bad, and Sneaky
Natural Eczema Treatment for Babies & Kids
I hear from a lot of desperate parents whose babies and kids suffer from eczema. An estimated 10-20% of infants and kids have eczema nowadays. Maybe there is more awareness about it now (when I was a kid, we probably often passed it off as a bad case of “dry skin”), or maybe it is occurring more frequently in the population. Regardless, eczema is driving many of you crazy, and the eczema
Get Your Skin Ready for Spring and Summer
This has been a long winter for us on the East Coast and finally it feels like spring (or even summer) the last few days. I love this time of year with the return of plants, flowers, sunshine, and warmer temperatures. But the whole truth is that I also get a little intimidated by the opportunity to shed winter layers and bare more skin! Thanks to winter conditions, my skin is pale, dry, and
Finally, a Non-Toxic, Paraben-Free Make-Up Brand!
I’m not big on makeup. I believe the cliché that true beauty comes from within. I also believe that beauty can be enhanced greatly by healthy eating, sleep, and movement. Also, I am rather lazy when it comes to beauty routines. I don’t use a lot of products and I don’t spend much time on my hair or makeup. My daughter, Maia, has followed my example, for better or for worse!Even though we are
Is Ava Anderson Sneaky Stuff?
Over the last few years, many of you have asked for my thoughts on Ava Anderson products, and I've always replied honestly that while I have a knee-jerk negative reaction to multi-level marketing ("pyramid scheme") companies, the ingredients in Ava's skincare and cleaning products are fine, and I've enjoyed the samples I'd been sent over the years.As it turns out, Ava Anderson products
UPDATED Nontoxic Deodorant Roundup
Deodorant is probably the very toughest product for me to source for my clients. If you're going to switch to safe, natural deodorant products, you're going to have to accept the fact that none of them will work as well as Secret. I am not a big sweat-er, so natural deodorants work fine for me--I use baby wipes to freshen up once or twice throughout the day, after which I reapply whatever natural
Spotlight on 1,4-dioxane
What is 1,4-dioxane? 1,4-dioxane is a stabilizing agent and is classified as an ether, as well as a probable human carcinogen. Where You’ll Find It You can be exposed to 1,4-dioxane contamination in the air, water, and cosmetic and cleaning products. 1,4-dioxane has been found in groundwater sites in the United States and can be inhaled through indoor contamination, particularly in the shower
Spotlight on Phenoxyethanol
What is Phenoxyethanol? Also known as Ethylene Glycol Monophenyl Ether, phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative used in consumer products and pharmaceutical drugs. Where You’ll Find Phenoxyethanol & Why It’s Sneaky You’ll find phenoxyethanol in personal care products including makeup (e.g. eye shadow, foundation, and mascara) and moisturizers as well as skin- and hair-care products for
Updated Bubble Bath/Baby Wash & Soap Guide
Summertime means no more skipping nightly baths here and there for my boys--they are covered in sand, playground grime, and sunscreen by midday. When your skin hits warm water, pores open and the ingredients in your bubble bath or body wash are more readily absorbed. Since kids will often hang in a bubble bath for an hour, it's important to choose only products with no chemicals of concern.Our
Introducing Paleo Skincare!
I don't eat red meat, so it's weird for me to be writing a post about beef fat in your skincare products. I've actually never even really tried red meat as a food, being grossed out by it even as a child.However, my personal and professional mission is to find the safest, purest, most nontoxic products (and the ones that have the least environmental impact), so I have gotten over the ick
