Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

BALM! Baby Skin Care Review

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There are lots of natural products out there vying for our attention. So why choose BALM! Baby, available via Taylor’s Naturals? I’ve always felt like it’s the total package, so to speak. Malena, the creative force behind this small business is heavily invested in the cloth community. She’s not just providing products, but has consistently offered support and encouragement over the years. Her products work, come packaged in really cool containers, and many contain locally-sourced ingredients from the Big Island in Hawaii.

There are other perks, too, like customized formulations if someone’s allergic or sensitive. Malena prioritizes eco-friendly packaging, and shipping with recycled and/or plastic free supplies.

She sent us an assortment of complimentary products to try:

Herbal Dusting Powder (Talc Free)

Looking for an all-natural baby powder alternative? BALM! Baby delivers with a  skin-soothing, gentle talc-free formula. Containing just fours simple ingredients (arrowroot, organic corn starch, kaolin clay and an herbal blend), this dusting powder will deodorize and soothe any part of baby’s body (or yours!) that you can want to keep fresh and dry.

Choose unscented or lavender.

Butter Lotion

BALM’s Baby Butter contains nourishing oils from a Big Island organic farm. The consistency and fragrance are heavenly, and it goes on without a heavy or greasy feel. I like that it’s so versatile, too. With cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil infused calendula & chamomile, Hawaiian coconut oil, Hawaiian macadamia nut oil, corn starch, and vitamin e T-50, it’s loaded with natural skin-calming elements.

I’ve been using it like crazy for the chapped cheeks, lips and hands that nearly everyone in the family has been battling this winter. We’ve been hard hit in the Midwest with severe storms and dry, frigid days.

Lots of options are available in this one: Unscented, Calming Lavender, Vanilla Grapefruit, Little Vanilla Bean, Candy Mint and Sweet Little Orange.

Eczema Calmer

I’m thrilled to have discovered Malena’s Eczema Calmer; it’s going to be stocked in my medicine cabinet from now on. Erik (my 6-year-old) gets itchy, red patches on his hands, his arms, and the backs of his legs. Eczema Calmer takes care of the itching and the redness within 24 hours, every single time. It contains extra virgin olive oil, organic, raw cocoa butter, calendula, chamomile, comfrey & rosemary, candelula wax, chickweed, tocopherol ( vitamin e T-50) and is available in lavender or unscented.

 

Spray that Bottom!

This is a nifty cleaning spray that you can use on wipes or directly on the skin. No fillers or unnecessary ingredients here – only the things that work: witch hazel, extra virgin olive oil, neem oil, lavender, orange & tea tree essential oils & vitamin E. The light, pleasant-smelling formula is cloth safe, but certainly not limited to cleaning and moisturizing your baby’s skin. Try it for cracked feet, sunburns, dry lips, diaper rash, razor burn, eczema, bug bites, newborns peeling skin, itchy cradle cap, postpartum discomfort, scrapes, cuts, bruises, hemorrhoids, dry hands, armpits, burns, etc. Just spray and leave on.

You can wash out and re-use the can for whatever you like. I put water in mine and spray the cats who like to jump on our window screens. 😉

Where to Find BALM! Baby Products

Taylor’s (get free Priority shipping on orders over $50)

Wink Diapers, Covers and Trainers for 20% Off

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I’ve worked with Wink Diapers for many years, and we’ve tried all sorts of styles on our babies from pockets, to newborn to AIO’s. Today’s post is to remind you that whenever you shop at Wink you can get 20% off using code ZEPHYR20. That means you don’t have to wait for sales!

There’s also something new at Wink – training pants! Katie and I will be posting a review of those in February.

Curious about Wink Diapers? Here’s what I’ve reviewed so far:

Wink Organic Bamboo Pocket
Wink Diaper Covers (2 sizes)
Wink Newborn Cover and Bamboo AIO

You can also buy accessories like wet bags and diaper inserts at Wink.

 

Shop for Wink Diapers
and get 20% off with my exclusive coupon code!

 ZEPHYR20

Flip Diaper Cover Review & Giveaway

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This post contains affiliate links.

Flip adjustable diaper covers are made by Cotton Babies. They are lightweight and feature soft stretchy wings with double snaps. There are three rise settings to adjust as your baby grows, and a front and back flap that can be used to hold inserts in place. Flips are part of a hybrid or AI2 system that includes organic cotton and stay-dry insert options (plus a disposable insert I haven’t tried yet), but most families use them as diaper covers with prefolds and flats.

Basic features:

  • Made of 100% PUL with exposed laminate inner
  • Front and back flaps inside
  • Three size settings via the snap-down rise (8 to 35 pounds)
  • Stretchy wings with knitted waist tabs
  • Made in the USA
  • Retail price is $14.95 for solid colors (and $16.95 for prints)
  • Includes 12 month warranty

I first used Flip covers with baby Samuel (8 years ago), and they’ve stayed in our rotation since then. 

The first newborn I cloth diapered was Erik, but at just 7 pounds and change, he was pretty skinny. Out of curiosity, I tried Flips on him but they gaped open at the leg openings, allowing #2 to escape (photo below). This is not uncommon at all with one-size diapers. The rise was also very high, so I set them aside for later.

The plus side to Flip’s generous sizing is that it can easily last until potty training, and gives excellent coverage over even the bulkiest fitteds and prefolds.
Here’s my newborn, Camille, at 10 pounds. They just now started fitting snugly around her legs.

Here’s the fit on an older infant. Susanna was about 12 months in these pictures.

Here’s 2-year-old Mary Kate:

In the past, we had some issues with the elastic in our Flip covers loosening after just a few months. Cotton Babies replaced them promptly, thanks to the great bumGenius warranty. Since that time, we haven’t experienced any more problems with elastic. It might have had something to do with the fact that our older covers were made in Egypt, rather than the USA.

As a Cotton Babies product, Flips fall under the same warranty which covers snaps, lining, hook & loop closures, elastic and waterproofing for 1 year from date of purchase. The warranty is for the original buyer and you need a proof of purchase to claim. Leaking, odor and normal wear and tear are not covered.

Where to Buy Flip Diapers

Shop for Flip diaper covers with FREE shipping at Cotton Babies.
Always check their seconds sale for occasional Flip deals starting at $7.95!

OTHER RETAILERS
Diaper Junction (free shipping)
Dearest Diapers
Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique (free shipping)
Kelly’s Closet
Nicki’s Diapers (free shipping)
The Green Nursery

Giveaway: One lucky reader will receive an Albert Flip diaper cover and a package of 6 OsoCozy premium cotton prefolds (15 to 30 pounds). This giveaway is open to USA residents only. Good luck!

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Updated Newborn Cloth Diaper Reviews + a Giveaway!

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This post contains affiliate links

Camille made her arrival just one month ago, and after a somewhat rough recovery, I’m ready to post some updated newborn cloth diaper reviews. Most of these are styles we are trying for the first time; a few were previously reviewed but have a different closure option this time around.

Here’s what we’ve been reviewing. Oh, and be sure to scroll down and enter the giveaway below!

Diaper Covers: Luludew newborn cover, Cloth-EZ Size 1, and Imagine newborn cover. Click to see these and all my other newborn cover reviews.

Fitteds: Ecoposh OBV newborn fitted. Click to see this and all my other newborn fitted reviews.

All-in-One’s: bumGenius Littles 2.0, Lalabye Baby, Best Bottom Heavy Wetter (with newborn inserts), Smart Bottoms Born Smart 2.0, Imagine Stay-Dry AIO (snap version), Imagine Bamboo AIO (aplix version) and the Nicki’s Bamboo AIO (aplix version). Click to see these and all my other newborn AIO reviews.

Here’s where I shop for newborn diapers:

Kelly’s Closet
Nicki’s Diapers
Fluff & Familia
Diaper Junction

Giveaway: You could win a $20 gift card to Fluff & Familia! Use the entry form below. Open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18 and up. Good luck and have a Merry Christmas!

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Nicki’s Diapers Cotton Muslin Flats Review + Giveaway

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There’s a new product at Nicki’s Diapers and it’s simple, versatile and affordable – cotton muslin flats!

Nicki’s brand flats are made of a gauzy cotton muslin weave which is both lightweight and soft. Prices and sizes are as follows:

  • Small flats measure 28″x30″ and are $3.00 individually or $15.95 for six.
  • Large flats measure 31″x35″ and are $3.50 individually or $17.95 for six.

The small is bigger when padfolded than a Nicki’s standard cotton flat.

Performance: Estimating the absorbency of these muslin flats, I would say they are in between a flour sack towel and a standard 100% cotton flat (which has a denser weave). Size large padfolded with a hemp insert held Mary Kate (average wetter, age 18 months) all night.

The advantage you have with muslin is that it’s lighter, and allows for potentially more airflow. It would also be theoretically even easier to clean than a more dense cotton flat. For some families, I think it just comes down to aesthetics. You might really fall in love with the old-fashioned, springy, light-as-air look and feel of muslin.

The bright white is so fresh and pretty; they look like a dream blowing in the breeze on your clothesline. 🙂

And what’s really impressed me is the feel of these flats. They are very soft, even a little squishy, and don’t feel flimsy at all. And because they feel so wonderful, I’ve found they are an amazingly cheap alternative to pricey muslin blankets. You can get a 6-pack of the larges for close to the price of one Aden + Anais swaddle! Click here to shop at Nicki’s.

Care: Wash 2-3 times before using to remove natural oils and increase the absorbency. You do not have to dry them between wash cycles. They will shrink up to 15% in size after prepping, and this is normal. The look and feel will change as well, from a flat and smooth diaper right out of the package to a soft, quilty consistency.

I pull mine right out of the dryer and there are no wrinkles. They fold up beautifully.

Fit: Unless you are pinning the size small on a newborn or tiny infant, I think it works best padfolded. Size large is perfect for trying different folds. Either one can be tucked inside a pocket diaper in lieu of a synthetic microfiber pad. Size small when padfolded roughly corresponds to most diapers and covers on their small to medium settings; the same goes for large.

Muslin is easy to fasten (with Boingo’s or Snappi’s) or pin. The Origami Fold, shown here on Mary Kate, is one of my favorites because it’s narrow through the middle and gives you longer wings to work with on a bigger baby/toddler.

Other uses for Nicki’s cotton muslin flats:

  • Burp cloths
  • Spills
  • Lovey blanket
  • Baby shower gift – I think any new mother would adore these whether using cloth diapers or not!
  • Emergency nursing cover
  • Insert for pocket diapers
  • Booster for older babies and toddlers

Be sure to visit Nicki’s huge Fall Closeout Sale, with up to 50% off cloth diapers and accessories!

 

Where to Buy Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats:

Nicki’s Diapers – Sold exclusively at Nicki’s Diapers
with Free Shipping Over $10

Remember that for every Nicki’s brand flat or prefold
you buy, 1 is given to a child in need!

Giveaway: CLOSED My readers in the US and Canada can enter to win a 6-pack of Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats, in either size small or large! Use the entry form below to get started. Good luck!