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BALM! Baby Skin Care Review

April 1, 2019 by Anne Marie 30 Comments

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)

Filed Under: Cloth Diaper Reviews, Home and Family Reviews Tagged With: BALM Baby, body butter, cruelty free skincare, eczema cream, eczema ointment, made in the USA, natural baby products, natural eczama remedies, organic skincare, vegan skincare

Affordable, Made in America Cloth Diapers

June 29, 2018 by Anne Marie 8 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Want to save money by using cloth diapers AND buy American-made products? It can be tricky, because most of the cheaper options that people recommend are imported from overseas. This includes flat diapers, prefolds and pockets.

So which cloth diapers are made in the USA but still budget-friendly? I found a selection of covers and pockets for under $12.00, plus a lot of inserts and accessories for under $5.00. Here’s my list:

Diaper Covers

Econobum diaper covers are $11.95. They are sold by Cotton Babies, and right now you can find “seconds” with slight imperfections on sale for just $9.95.

Thirsties covers (pictured below) start at $11.50. You can choose from the sized version or Duo Wrap. You can find Thirsties with free shipping at Nicki’s.

Pocket Diapers

Elemental Joy by Cotton Babies (pictured below) is an economical pocket diaper that includes one foldable flat cotton diaper to stuff inside. It retails for the great price of $8.55! The shell is made in the USA; the flat insert is manufactured in Pakistan. You can buy Elemental Joy at Nicki’s, and at Cotton Babies.

Tiny Tush Elite is a USA made pocket diaper. They are on clearance now for $11.19. As with Elemental Joy, however, the inserts are synthetic and imported.

Fitted Diapers

Osocozy cotton fitteds start at $9.50 and can be purchased at Nicki’s.

Prefolds, Flats and Inserts

Geffen Baby inserts, (pictured below) are made of a soft hemp/cotton blend, and can be purchased at Nicki’s and Diaper Junction.
Green Mountain hemp inserts are made in the USA and cost $3.75.
Thirsties Organic Cotton Doublers are sold in packs of 3 for $7.75. You can find them at Nicki’s.

TIP: Buy the American-made pocket diapers mentioned above and stuff them with these American-made inserts!

Accessories

BALM Baby and CJ’s products (ointments, wipes solutions, etc.) are both made in the USA. Find the line-up at Amazon or Nicki’s.
Geffen cloth wipes, made of a soft hemp/cotton blend, are sold at Nicki’s
Thirsties organic cloth wipes are sold in packs of 6 for $12.00. You can find them at Nicki’s
Dritz diaper pins are sold on Amazon or at Nicki’s for 75 cents each.

More Made in the USA Buying Tips

  • Choose just one item (i.e. only your covers or only the inserts) to buy American-made. You can still make a difference in a small way.
  • Support a WAHM business. You can find handmade cloth wipes, doublers and diaper balm at very affordable prices. Or, you can choose to splurge on one handmade cloth diaper, perhaps for your baby’s birthday or first Christmas.
  • Look for made in the USA products second-hand. Check Cloth Diaper Trader or Facebook B/S/T groups. You can find these popular American-made brands up to 50% off or more when buying used: Best Bottom, Blueberry, Flip, Bottombumpers, Softbums (pictured below) and bumGenius.

Any other USA brands I forgot that are budget-friendly?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Cloth Diapers Tagged With: affordable cloth diapers, cheap cloth diapers, cloth diapers made in the USA, made in america cloth diapers, made in the USA

Nature-Inspired Centerpieces for Summer

July 6, 2017 by Anne Marie 1 Comment

Thanks to UncommonGoods for sponsoring this post!

If you are looking for decor to brighten your home this summer, take some cues from nature for centerpieces and decorative accents.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to do this is with fresh fruit and an imaginative container. Instead of bowls and baskets, experiment with chargers, wooden boxes, urns and clear glass vases. The brighter the fruit, the greater the impact.

 

Consider some fresh and original vases. Double bud vases and handmade glass look so pretty on dressers and accent tables.

 

Bring nature into your home,  and grow something lush and beautiful right on your dining room table with an indoor flower garden or terrarium.

I found many of my summer decorating inspirations at UncommonGoods, where you will discover unique decor and handcrafted gifts created responsibly and ethically. UncommonGoods is a platform for artisans, with many items being crafted right here in the USA.

UncommonGoods has been consistently recognized for stellar customer service since 2007; they received the BizRate Platinum Circle of Excellence award in 2015.

Browse the eclectic selection of decor, candles, light, mats and rugs, and imaginative gifts at Uncommon Goods and tell me what you like best!

 

Filed Under: Faith and Family Tagged With: centerpiece ideas, easy centerpieces, fair trade, made in the USA, summer decor, summer decorating

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