Natural Products (non-food)

I have many favorite products, and I thought I would put them all in one place!!

A rating on the Cosmetic Database is 0-10, 0 being the least toxic, and 10 being the most. My rule is to try to use products that are 5 or less. The majority of products that I use are 1-4.

Natural Baby/Toddler Products

• I use Dr. Bronners Organic Baby Mild Castile Soap as baby wash, and I love it. It actually suds up quite nicely (without having to use much), and rinses off quickly without leaving a residue. Dr. Bronners can be used for so many things: baby wash, adult body wash, face wash, in homemade cleaners, hand soap, etc. It is very versatile.
  
• We are currently using Boudreaux All Natural Diaper rash cream, but we are going to switch to using Coconut Oil when we run out. I have read through many resources that this is one of the best all natural ways to heal up bottoms (lanolin is another). In between bouts of diaper rash, I can use corn starch to keep the bottom dry.
  
• We recently started using Flushable Diaper Liners, and we love them. They keep the poop from transferring to the cloth diaper (which makes easier washing and clean up), and we are able to use the diaper rash cream which keeps his bottom from getting torn up. Next time I will use a different brand, though, because these aren't very soft. We originally went to Austin Baby to buy the softer ones, but they were out, so we settled for Eco-Wise's brand of liners. They do work well, so we aren't disappointed.
  
• We love our BumGenius One Size Pocket Diapers; the only complaint is that the Velcro is getting a little worn out. I think with our next baby, we will buy Fuzzi Bunz One Size Pocket Diapers because they have all snaps instead of Velcro. I have heard great things about these diapers.
  
• For Karis, we use Tom's of Maine Children's Toothpaste and Fuch's Natural Bristle Toothbrush. Soon, I will be buying Cloth Nighttime Training Pants instead of using disposable training pants. She doesn't use training pants anymore except for at night, and it would be nice to not have to buy training pants anymore. These are white, so we can use them for Ethan as well.
  

Natural Makeup

• Physicians Formula Organic Wear Makeup is my favorite. It is 100% natural- contains no parabens, harsh chemicals, or synthetic preservatives. It is in-expensive, and found in most stores. It looks natural and washes off easily. The rating on the database is low-moderate (2-4).
  

Personal Care Products

• J/A/S/O/N Lavender Body Wash and Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner are what I use. This brand contains no parabens, laurel/laureth sulfates, or animal by-products. They are certified organic and bio-degradable. Rated a 2-5 on the database. There are a few others that are rated even lower, but they are either more expensive, or they are not what I am looking for.
  
• Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash is very potent and works well. Vitacost has a wonderful price on this product, in a 32 oz size. Robert and I are both pleased with it. All of the ingredients are completely natural, consisting of castile soap, oils, etc. Rated a 1 on the database.
  
• We use Tom's of Main Whole Care Toothpaste, and it has been great. It isn't sweet, so it took a while to get used to, but now I love it. We buy it at Sam's Club, because we can get 3 tubes for $8.87. Rated a 2 on the database. We also use Tom's of Maine floss. It works well. When we need to buy a toothbrush again (which will be soon), we will buy a Fuch's Natural Bristle Brush.
  
• Antiperspirants are not that great for you because of the aluminum, but I sweat a lot, so I have to use it. I use Sure Invisible Solid Unscented because it is rated a 1 on the database. It also works REALLY well and is cheap. Another cheap and good one is Arm and Hammer Unscented. It is rated a 2. But, I can't find that anywhere but Wal-mart, and I don't go there all that often.
  
• I don't use moisturizers for my skin often because I don't like oily stuff on my skin. But, there are times when I really need it; those times, I use coconut oil J. It works well, and actually absorbs into the skin quick; therefore, it's actually not very oily. The other day, the backs of my hands were really dry and flaky. I rubbed a little coconut oil in, and they were immediately not dry and flaky anymore.