Skin MD Review and Giveaway

I was so thrilled when Skin MD Natural contacted me and asked me to do a review of their skin care items. You'd be hard pressed to find a negative review of this stuff! I had never had a problem with eczema before last winter and it hit hard. It was all over my hands and forearms, so itchy and irritating. Nothing I tried was working to make it better, until I found Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. This stuff truly is amazing!!

[From the manufacturers website]
A shielding lotion does the real work to prevent dry skin in two ways.

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

 www.skinmdnatural.com has hundreds of dermatologist and user reviews including many addressing severe dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. People with sensitive skin -- and those of us who like to live as naturally as possible -- will appreciate that Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list.

I'm not having as much of a problem with eczema this year (my midwife swears it's due to the fish oil supplement that I'm taking), but HOLY COW, do I have dry skin!!! I'm sure most of you mothers can relate to washing your hands a million times/day as I do. I really love that Skin MD is a natural product that works by strengthening your skin's own defenses and not just coating you with greasy film. It's super soft and silky. And, the best part is, it works!

I did notice a weird little red patch on the back of my daughter's knee and thought I would try the Skin MD on it. I think it might be psoriasis, but I'm not sure, anyway, here are the results:

before

after

You can see that it's much less red, splotchy and angry looking. And this is only after a couple applications of Skin MD. I'm confident that with regular use, it'll totally clear up. I'm picky about the type of skincare products that I use on my daughter and I love that there are no artificial or weird chemical ingredients in Skin MD, I wouldn't even think twice about putting it on my daughter! Oh, one more thing to LOVE: Skin MD Natural is made in the US, using 100% solar power, without animal ingredients and it is not tested on animals. How many skincare products can claim that?

You can buy Skin MD natural from their website or select retailers.

OR

Skin MD Natural is generously offering one of my readers a full size bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding lotion!

How to enter:
Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.

**Mandatory Entry**
Visit the Skin MD website and tell me something else about their amazing products not mentioned here. There is lots of information!

Extra Entries:
*like Skin MD on Facebook
*like Skin MD on Twitter
*sign up for the Skin MD mailing list
*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.
*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!
*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted
*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog
*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!!

The fine print:
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end April 26, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.
Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.
I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided samples of the product mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Smartipants review and giveaway **Extended until 3/16!**

When I got the Smartipants newborn diaper in the mail, I couldn't help but smile, it's just the cutest thing ever! I was blessed to be sent a "little smarti" newborn diaper from Smartipants for review. I've loved Smartipants diapers ever since I first heard of them and bought my first 3 pack of pocket diapers. They fit my daughter well (still do), are super simple to wash and have the perfect amount of absorbancy. They also come in cute colors.

I cannot wait for baby to arrive so I can put this diaper on him. I didn't start cloth diapering Emma until she was about 6 months old, and I'm really excited to do it from day one this time around! I just can't resist the cuteness of newborn cloth diapers, they really are the most precious things ever. I've taken really good care of my stash (which is mostly onesize diapers) and plan to use them for the next baby.  I don't think I'll need newborn diapers for too long because of all the onesizes we already have, but I do want to have some because I've heard that onesize diapers don't really start fitting until about 10 pounds.

The Little Smarti newborn diaper is an all in one, so you don't need a cover, has a velcro closure, which I prefer, especially for a tiny baby. It has an extra thick layer of absorbant microfiber down the middle and a stay dry top layer of soft suedecloth. It comes in three cute colors. Since my newborn isn't here yet, I solicted Elmo to help me out :) The diaper fit him great.

Here is the Little Smarti compared to two other newborn diapers I have (left to right), a Fuzzibunz size small and a Bum Genius all in one size small.



  As you can see, it's pretty comprable to the BG, but quite a bit smaller than the FB. Now I'm wishing I'd bought xs Fuzzibunz, oh well. I don't plan to use newborn diapers for too longMy thought in even buying newborn diapers was this: I've heard from so many moms that onesize diapers don't start fitting well until around 10 pounds. For my daughter, that would've been about 2 months. Who knows how big this baby will be, but I'm not expecting a tiny one, since my first was 8lbs. 14oz.

Here is the Little Smarti next to two onesize diapers on the smallest setting. Left to right: Smartipants pocket diaper and a Bum Genius pocket diaper. Admittedly, the Smartipants onesize on the left is about 18 months old, so the elastic is probably on it's last legs. The Bum Genius on the right is a 4.0 and quite a bit newer, so it's much more similar in size to the Little Smarti.

Have I convinced you yet? Wouldn't you like to have a Smartipants of your own? You can get them here.

OR

Win a great Smartipants prize package right here! One of my lucky readers will win a Smartipants diaper with insert in choice of color and a smartfit cover. I'm so jealous, wish I could win.

How to enter:

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.


**Mandatory Entry**

Visit the Smartipants website and let me know which of their products is your favorite.



Extra Entries

*like Smartipants on Facebook
*sign up for the Smartipants mailing list (enter your email address at the bottom of the website)

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog

*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!!






The fine print:
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end March 9, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the product mentioned (little smarti newborn diaper) for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Maternitique review and giveaway 2/9 **CLOSED**

 

While searching for maternity boutiques online, I came across Maternitique. This is a great store, offering everything from skincare safe for pregnancy to clothes, post partum supplies and nursery items. Most all the products are natural and/or organic so you can feel completely confident purchasing from Tara (the owner). This store is so unique and diverse, I love all the items she carries.

I consider myself pretty environmentally conscious and I'm on a quest to live a greener life. So, how is it that I haven't really thought about choosing greener choices for facial care? I'm super careful about all the products I use with my daughter, but I don't often stop and think about myself. I don't really know, but I'm glad that Tara sent me the products she did because I really needed them! And now I'm determined not to go back to drugstore products again.

I was sent the Novena Organic Citrus Blemish Lotion and the Belli Acne Clearing facial wash.

Let me tell you: these products could not have come at a better time! I didn't have acne or skin issues with my first pregnancy, but this time around it's different. I feel like I'm in high school again, darn hormones!! These products have been a Godsend, they pretty much cleared up my skin problems in a week. I know things can change, but I'm feeling really good about the way my skin looks right now.

The facial wash is a gel so it goes on smoothly and simply. It has a really mild lemon scent, which my sometimes queasy stomach really appreciates. You can use it as a regular facial wash or leave it on for 5 minutes as an intensive anti-acne facial mask. All of the ingredients are safe for use during pregnancy so you don't have to worry about any harmful effects on your baby.  And the best part, it REALLY works! I love this stuff!!

The citrus blemish lotion is a miracle worker! This stuff cleared up my nasty acne in a week. And it's ORGANIC, that's got to make you feel good. Like the facial wash, it has a really nice, light scent (grapfruit-berry). Just two pumps at night is all you need to turn your skin around. It rates very low on the Environmental Working Group's cosmetic database. I always check the EWG's database to find out the safety of skincare products before I use them.

I hope that you find Maternitique as special as I did and consider purchasing your maternity needs from her!


Buy it


Of course you can buy Smartmom products from their website, and select retail partners.

-or-

Win it!

One lucky reader will win a $25 gift certificate to Maternitique!
How to enter:

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.


**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Maternitique and let me know something you'd like to have!

Extra Entries

*like the Maternitique Facebook page (2 entries)

*sign up for the Maternitique newsletter

*follow Maternitique on Twitter
*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog

*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!!

The fine print
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end February 9, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the products mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

                                                                                   

Soda Stream review and giveaway! 2/9 **CLOSED**

I am a huge soda drinker and really would drink way too much of it if I didn't know what was good for me.  So, when I was given the chance to review a Soda Stream home soda machine I was thrilled!  This machine is so cool. It's eco friendly, helps you save money and is super easy to use.
From the Soda Stream website:

The advantages of SodaStream's Home Carbonation System include:

Convenience: No need to carry heavy bottles from the store. The SodaStream system is simple to use and requires no batteries or electricity.

Environmentally-Friendly: SodaStream is an "Active Green" solution that minimizes the huge eco-footprint caused by the manufacture, transport and waste of plastic bottles.

Variety: SodaStream offers over 100 flavors to suit everyone’s taste. Regular, diet, natural, fruity flavors, ice tea, energy drinks, sport drinks, tonic and many more.

Space Saver: No need to store bottles of beverages or empty bottles for recycling in your home.

Personalization: Make drinks just the way you love them… more bubbles, less bubbles, sweeter or lighter, even create your own flavor!

Family Fun: The system is quick and easy to use. It's fun for everyone and kids just love it!

Value for Money: Great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages.

Satisfaction Guaranteed: SodaStream drinks makers are of extremely high quality and include a money-back satisfaction guarantee and Lifetime Warranty to our customers.

Like I said, I love, love, love soda, but we all know that many soda brands are filled with tons of artificial chemicals, sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. The Soda Stream flavors are a little healthier than traditional soda. There's even an all natural line of flavors that contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients and actually taste delicious. And, my favorite flavors of all are the Mywater Flavor Essence syrups, which are unsweetened and just give your water a little hint of flavor. I guess you could compare it to Talking Rain. It's so yummy and will really get you drinking your water.

I received the Fountain Jet home soda maker for review. I really like that there are no cords or batteries, so I can put the machine anywhere. It's slim, compact and fits right in. Although I received the black model, there are 3 different colors and a ton of different machine models. The Fountain Jet comes with 2 reusable 1-liter bottles and a carbonating cartridge that makes 60 liters of soda or carbonated water.

It's so super simple to use. Really, you just fill the bottle with water, put it on the machine, push the button three times and then add flavor (if you want). That's it! You have fresh, homemade, healthier soda. I even brought it over to my grandma's house for our family Christmas get-together so the whole family could have their own sodas. They loved it.

You can find the Soda Stream machine that's right for you here. You can also find all the accessories such as syrups, bottles and carbonating cartridges on the Soda Stream website or at select retailers.

Buy it


-or-

Win it!

One lucky reader will win a Soda Stream fountain jet home soda maker starter kit with 2 flavors of your choice, yay!
How to enter:

Each bullet counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.

**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Soda Stream and let me know something else you think is really cool about them.

Extra Entries

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog post

*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!!


The fine print
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end February 9, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail,  and then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the product mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Really cool fluffy giveaway event over at 29 Diapers! Hurry, last 2 days!!

Hopefully you've been following the awesome fluffy giveaway event over at 29 Diapers and this will just be a reminder for you. But, if not, then you better get over there and check it out! There are only 2 days left and the final giveaway, on Christmas eve is really quite unbelievable:

[an autographed copy of my book Ecofrugal Baby: How To Save 70% Off Baby’s First Year, a 3-pack of Happy Heinys pocket diapers, a pack of Bummas cloth wipes, an Itzy Ritzy wet bag, Zoe Organics diaper balm, a gallon of Allen’s Naturally detergent from The Little Seedling boutique, a Weleda baby toiletries starter kit, Episencial wash, soothing cream, and face balm to pamper both mom and baby, AND 2 Thirsties Duo Wrap diaper covers with 4 Duo Hemp Prefolds–that’s a $285 value!] *taken from the 29 Diapers website*

Wow, who wouldn't want to win that??? I know I sure do!!!! So, head on over and enter, or better yet, don't (more chances for me to win) :)

Nachomama tees review and giveaway (1/5)

Looking for a great, one-stop t-shirt shop to find the best funny, vintage and/or 80's t-shirts? Then you should definitely check out Nachomama Tees. It is a really neat online store featuring a huge selection of great t-shirts.
I love funny tees and found quite a few that were just hilarious. Just look at these:

These are a few of the funny, mild ones that I like. If you're a little more on the edgy or offensive side, they have shirts for that, too. The t-shirts are all very reasonably priced, most are around $15. They also feature a daily deal shirt for just $6.99.
For this review, I picked out this shirt for my husband:

It arrived quickly and was high quality. The customer service at Nachomama is great, they are responsive and timely.

How would you like to win a shirt of your own? Nachomama is offering one of my readers the opportunity to choose either a mystery tee or a $15 gift card!


How to enter:


Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.

**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Nachomama tees and let me know your favorite shirt.


Extra Entries

*Like the Nachomama Facebook page (note: Nacomama is owned by Crazy dog tees)

*Post a comment on the Facebook page telling Nachomama what your favorite tee is or ask them a question about the shirts

*"Like" or "Share" one of the products on their website.  The buttons for these are on all product detail pages, above the main image. Come back and let me know you did.

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog

*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!! Let me know the name you follow under.



The fine print
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end January 5, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

**Winners cannot have won a shirt from Nachomama or Crazydog tees or have been sent a shirt for promotional purposes in the last 90 days or own a blog of their own.**

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the product mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Smartmom Teething bling review and giveaway! 1/3

I heard about Smart mom teething bling a little too late for my daughter, she was beyond teething when I learned of the awesome line of innovative and functional jewelry. Even so, I knew this product would come in handy and I was sent a Moonstone donut pendant for review and I love it! It's simple enough to wear everyday, yet versatile and classy enough to pair with something more dressy.

Smart mom jewelry is such a cool company, staffed entirely by moms with a mission and purpose. All aspects of product development take place in the US and the moms make it a point to be easily accessible to customers. All of the Smartmom products are made with the same quality silicone that most baby teething toys are made of and contain no harmful chemicals. There is also a breakaway clasp for added safety and to avoid choking.  And, check out the newest addition to Smart mom, Babe Magnet Ties. Babies can even be entertained by dad's accessories!

Even though Emma is not really actively teething, she is slowly getting molars, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her, I told her she could bite the necklace and she just thought that was the best thing ever!

The Smartmom website does give this warning, though: "Children with fully developed teeth may be able to bite through Teething Bling ®. Therefore, parents must determine what is best for their own situation and child and as always, we remind everyone that children - of any age - should never be left unattended with jewelry of any kind."

I can't wait to wear this necklace around baby number two (due in June). If I'd had it when Emma was little, it may have saved a lot of hair pulling. You would never guess by looking at the pieces that they are tough and durable enough for a teething baby, or even toddler. They just look like regular, trendy jewelry that anyone would like to wear.

Buy it

Of course you can buy Smartmom products from their website, and select retail partners.

-or-

Win it!

One lucky reader will win a gift set (a pendant and 2 coordinating bangles) of his/her own choosing.


How to enter:
Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.


**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Smartmom teethingbling and let me know which set you'd choose if you won.

Extra Entries

*Go to the Teething bling website and tell me something else you learned about this awesome company that I didn't mention here.

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog

*NEW!!! Like my brand new Facebook page- counts as 5 entries!!!!


The fine print
This giveaway is open worldwide and will end January 3, 2011 at 9PM pacific time.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the product mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Eco Mom review and $15 gift code giveaway 12/31

I recently had the opportunity to work with Ecomom and have been very pleased. I love their site! They only carry high quality, eco friendly and safe baby, kid and mama products. The team at Ecomom partners with  well known and trusted agencies devoted to child safety such as Healthy Child Healthy World and Environmental Working Group to help make sure all the products they carry are safe and healthy for children.

We were sent the Hape Early Melodies Rhythm Set for review

This is a very high quality, wooden toy set. I LOVE wooden toys, I always opt for natural over synthetic and I cringe over all the nasty chemicals that can be in plastic. This musical set will definitely withstand the banging and shaking of more than one child. My husband is a big music lover and has always insisted that we instill the love of music in our daughter, so he was really excited about this toy!

Emma just loves shaking and banging and making "music" with this set. It's getting more and more difficult to get good pictures of Emma these days because she's really busy and always on the move and doesn't much want to perform for the camera. I was able to capture a couple pics of my daughter and my nephew making music. Check out the action in the second shot:

I just can't say enough good things about Ecomom. If you're trying to go green and still need holiday decorations, they have some unique and classy selections. And of course, search the green gifts guide to find the perfect present for anyone on your list.

Another really cool feature of the Ecomom website: The Ecopass. You can purchase a membership for $99 and get free shipping, as well as a %15 discount on every order. Pretty awesome deal, huh?! I'm definitely thinking of taking advantage.

Buy it


You can get the same musical toy set we received from the Ecomom website, along with about a million other eco-friendly products.
Ecomom is also offering a %15 discount off your first order, just enter code: SBBL704 until Dec. 31.


-or-


Win it!

One lucky reader is going to win a $15 gift code to buy whatever you want from Ecomom!

How to enter:

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.


**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Ecomom and tell me what you would buy if you won.

Extra Entries

*Follow Ecomom on Twitter at EcoMomCEO

*Become a fan of EcoMom on Facebook

*Join the EcoMom newsletter

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner-counts as 3 entries!

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog


The fine print
This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and will end December 31, 2010 at 9PM pacific time.
Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.
I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the product mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

Merry Fluffy Christmas: Sponsor Spotlight **Babylegs** (extra entries)

If you're familiar with the cloth diaper world, you know how valuable BabyLegs are! They are perfect for keeping your baby's little legs warm and protected and make diaper changes quick and easy.A must-have for any cloth diapering mom or dad!
From the BabyLegs website:

The BabyLegs® brand has grown from one mom's diaper bag accessory - our signature leg warmer - to a popular children's brand with essential child and baby products.



In April of 2005, a young mom was confronted with a diaper rash that just wouldn't quit. The rash needed some fresh air to heal, but she was also concerned about keeping her daughter warm. In a moment of inspiration, she snipped the feet off of a pair of socks and fitted her daughter from hip to ankle with a cool set of leg warmers. These leg warmers not only kept her daughter warm, but also protected her from the elements, made diaper changing and potty training easier, and protected her soft knees while crawling. With some fun designs and some grassroots marketing support, the functional and fashionable leg warmers that began as a solution to keep little legs warm quickly became much more.

I just love that story! You know a children's product is good when it's born out of necessity and created by a mom. Tried and true! Cloth diaper plus BabyLegs plus t-shirt is all baby needs to be cute and fashionable. It's so much easier to change a baby's diaper when you don't have to fiddle with getting her pants on and off, especially when she reaches that really wiggly stage and doesn't like having her diaper changed.




BabyLegs were awesome when my daughter was just learning to crawl. We have hardwood floors and the leg warmers were great for protecting Emma's little knees. And she just looked so cute in them! Oh, and they're not just for girls either. There are plenty of cute patterns for boys too.


I was so excited to find out that BabyLegs expanded to socks and tights, they are just the cutest things ever! All of their products are super high quality, thick and long lasting. They are perfect for adding an extra layer of warmth underneath clothing when it's cold out.


We were sent this grab bag, containing legwarmers, tights, footless tights and socks. Cuteness overload!

Just look at how cute Emma looks in her light pink leg warmers:

There are so many cute choices, there's something for everyone:
I just love these adorable, girly leg warmers!

These would look awesome on any little guy

I can't wait to put these on my little girl this holiday season

There's even an organic line, how cool is that?!

For A Merry Fluffy Christmas, BabyLegs has generously offered to give a holiday themed grab bag ($50 value) to one of my lucky readers!

~Extra Entries~ 

So, extra entries will work like this: leave a comment on this post, saying what you've done and then place extra entries into whichever A Merry Fluffy Christmas giveaway you'd like, come December.



1. Like BabyLegs on Facebook

2. Make a purchase from BabyLegs



Episencial review and giveaway!

I was so thrilled when I contacted Episencial and they agreed to let me do a review. I'd been coveting their body wash and lotion every time I saw them at Target. The packing is what caught my eye first, so cute. Each of the products features a fruit from the Eric Carle book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The whole line of Episencial products are all natural (no synthetics, parabens, SLS or anything nasty that you wouldn't want touching your baby's precious skin) and formulated for the delicate skin of babies and kids. The packing is also completely recyclable and manufactured using solar power. I just love this company!
A little about the founder, Kim Walls, from the Episencial website:

Kim Walls, M.S., is the CEO of Episencial® and creator of the Epicuren® Baby and Episencial skin care products and philosophy. A second-generation skin care expert from the family that developed the world renowned Epicuren® anti-aging skin care products, she now combines her environmental activism with expertise in clinical skin care and nutritional science to develop green, effective skin care for pregnant women and children. For more than a decade, Walls has honed her perspective focusing on botanically-based skin care and transdermal nutrient absorption as a pathway to improved health and beauty for women and children. She shares her experience internationally with dermatologists and estheticians, as well as childbirth and postpartum professionals, underscoring the relationship between optimum health and skin care. Now through Episencial, she is dedicated to sharing that knowledge with new and growing families to support the enhanced health and immunity that effective, all natural products can provide.

We were sent the Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath, Soothing Cream, and Protective Face Balm to review.

I can't say enough good things about these products. I had stopped using bubble bath for Emma because she was getting yeast rashes and I feared it was because of the nasty, synthetic products I was using, I won't mention any names, but it starts with a J. On the contrary, the Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath has nothing but natural, safe and pure ingredients and I didn't hesitate at all to add it to Emma's bath water. It smells fantastic and she loves it! The gel concentrate is super thick so you don't need a lot to make a luxuriously bubbly bath time experience.

As you can see, Emma was enthralled with the bubbles and had a blast!

The Soothing Cream comes at the perfect time, as my seasonal eczema has flared up again, uggg. It's so darn irritating, I get it pretty badly on my forearms and this cream has been a Godsend! I just put a small amount on and it immediately soothes and keeps my itchy skin under control. I so wish I had taken "before and after" pictures to prove the wonders of this cream, but you'll just have to take my word for it. And I love that it's all natural so I don't have to resort to my prescription steroid cream, which of course works, but is not a good choice for a pregnant woman, like me.

I'm sure the Protective Face Balm will come in handy later this winter after playing outside in the snow (hopefully we'll get lots!) and coming in with rosy cheeks and lips.

So, how can you try these products, too?!

Buy it

Of course you can buy Episencial products from their website, and other fine online retailers like Ecomom. You can use the search function on the website to look for local retailers. I'm so excited that Target stores are a carrier of Episencial, I'm always at Target.


-or-


Win it!

One lucky reader is going to win the same Episencial products that I received, plus a $5 Target gift card!!



How to enter:

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.



**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Episencial and let me know another of their products that you'd like to try.


Extra Entries

*Go to the Episencial website and tell me something else you learned about this awesome company that I didn't mention here.

*Make a purchase from Episencial or pick up some of their products at a local retailer, come back here and tell me what you bought-5 extra entries!

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog







The fine print

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will end November 24, 2010.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided the products mentioned for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

An Exciting Holiday Event

Do you love Christmas? Do you love fluff? Who doesn't, right! Well,this coming December 1-5 you'll have the chance to hop around a bunch of blogs, each of which will be giving away at least $25 worth of fluffy prizes per day. So, that's $125, at least, of wonderful fluffiness being given away by each blog! All prizes are cloth diaper related, oh my, you won't want to miss this one!! There are about 20 blogs participating, organized by Jess, of And then there were 4.

I'm so excited to be part of such an awesome event and can't wait to start bringing you guys sponsor spotlights. Keep an eye out for the spotlights, as they will have extra entry opportunities! But for now, grab the button and put it on your blog.

Stride Everyday Panties: Review and Giveaway!

I must admit I was intrigued by the premise of Stride everyday panties with light leak protection. So many women I know have this problem, especially after giving birth. The only real solution, I've heard, is to wear a pantyliner, all day, every day. That can get really expensive and create a lot of waste! You might think that a product offering leak protection would be bulky or ugly, but Stride is just the opposite. What a cool, revolutionary product Stride Everyday is.
Marathon runner and mom, Wendy Spencer, created Stride Everyday after becoming frustrated with the lack of quality products available to control light bladder leakage. As many as one in three women deal with the issue, so she figured there should be a product available to them that combines function and fashion.

Stride panties contain Oquos technology. I had never heard of this before, but it's pretty neat.
from the Stride Everyday website:
OQUOS™ Technology

The first layer of the OQUOS™ technology wicks away moisture 8 times more effectively than cotton for superior dryness. It is designed to maintain its shape to improve body contact during normal activity (such as walking, running or sneezing) and will continue to provide comfort and protection for up to 100 washes. Plus, it’s so discreet no one will know you’re wearing it!

The patented OQUOS™ sub-layers rapidly disperse light leaks, naturally deodorizing while the super-absorbent fibers contained in the liner absorb up to an ounce of moisture.

These panties are super fashionable, there are five different styles to choose from and prices range from $19.99 to $24.99 so there really is something for everyone!

My Experience

These are seriously the most comfortable pair of panties that I own. I opted for the seamless style and I can't even feel them. I imagined wearing a pantyliner and how uncomfortable it gets when it twists and crumples and comes unstuck, uggg. Well, Stride is nothing like that at all, I love 'em.

Buy it

Of course you can buy Stride Everyday panties from their website, but you can also look for retailers who carry them. I'm so excited to see that Bartell Drugs (a Seattle area drug store) is now a carrier of Stride. There's a Bartell's just down the street from me.

Jesenny has generously offered my readers this discount code, valid until Nov. 30! Enter STRIDE 818 for 30% off orders over $35

-or-

Win it!

One lucky reader is going to win a pair of Stride panties in the style of her choice!

How to enter


Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.

**Mandatory Entry**

Visit Stride Everyday and let me know which pair you would choose if you won.


Extra Entries
*Go to the Stride website and tell me something else you learned that I didn't mention here.
*Make a purchase from Stride, come back here and tell me what you bought-5 extra entries!
*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.
*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner
*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted
*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog



The fine print
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will end October 18, 2010.

Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail, then must respond within 48 hours or else a new winner will be chosen.

I was not paid for this review, and received no compensation. I was provided a complimentary pair of Stride panties to review. All opinions expressed are my own and completely truthful.

The Nurtia Frog Kingdom book review and giveaway!! DEADLINE EXTENDED!!

This giveaway's deadline is now October 18!

I was given the chance to review a really neat children's book and musical CD recently. This was right up our alley! One of the most important values I use when parenting and want to instill in my child(ren) is a love and respect of the earth. "The Nutria Frog Kingdom" by Bayou Bennett is an awesome green children's book. Bayou is a film maker and professor of fine arts and cinema at New York Institute of Technology. Her goal in writing this book was to target future generations, the people who will be taking care of the earth for years to come. I just love that!

The story takes place in the magical swamps of Louisiana where the local wildlife has become threatened by pollution. Two young children stumble upon the mess and are taught how to make it right. The main character,  King Leo, is actually based on legendary musician Washboard Leo Thomas who is also Bayou's father. How cool is that?!

Emma just loves this book. The story is a bit above her head (she's only 19 months old) but the illustrations are really neat and extremely colorful. We look at the book together and feel sad about the pollution in the swamp and are happy when it's cleaned up. Emma's really cute about it, she makes a fake crying sound when we get to the page with all the garbage laying around the swamp and says "Emma be-uh" (Emma clean up). This is exactly the message I want conveyed to my daughter.

The story has a positive message about getting involved in and cleaning up your community. It encourages practices such as: turning off lights when not in use, recycling, carpooling and buying organic. There are activity pages in the back of the book for older kids to write down their ideas for helping the environment. This would be a really great book to use in a classroom!
Oh, and what is a nurtia frog, you ask? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.

The music CD contains fun, upbeat bluegrass and banjo songs. I put it on during lunch time and Emma was dancing around in her highchair. She just loved it.

Buy it
You can buy your own copy of The Nutria-Frog Kingdom here. A copy of the book is only $12.99 and a book with CD is $17.99

or

Win it

Bayou has generously offered one lucky reader a copy of her unique, eco-friendly book, The Nutria Frog Kingdom.

How to enter

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.




**Mandatory Entry**

This is going to be super simple, just leave me a comment letting me know what your family does to be a little more "green".



Extra Entries

*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.

*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner

*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted

*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog



****This giveaway will end Monday October, 18. Winner will be drawn by an online random number generator and will be notified by email. Winner must respond to my email within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn. This giveaway is open to US residents.


Good luck!!

**I was sent a copy of the book "The Nutria Frog Kingdom" by Bayou Bennett and musical CD for review purposes. Everything written in this review is truth and completely my own opinion.

Cozy Baby Boutique winner!!!

The winner of the $15 store credit to Cozy Baby Boutique is:

comment number 11, Njos Family said...


I would love to have a farm Puzzle Block Set.

Congratulations! You've been emailed and have 48 hours to respond before I have to choose another winner.

Have you heard about this????

Do you like entering giveaways? A lot, like I do?! Or, maybe you have your own giveaway blog and have trouble finding places to list your giveaways. As a blogger new to the review and giveaway circuit, I know that exposure is super important and it can be difficult to get the exposure needed to make giveaways successful.
Giveaway scout is an awesome new search engine that scans hundreds of blog for the latest giveaways, contests and sweepstakes. You can search categories or use the search box to look for specific items and sign up for email alerts when new giveaways are posted. Giveaways are published in multiple forums (newsletter, twitter, facebook, widgets).

Or, if you have a giveaway blog, you can use this form to submit your blog to their database. Pretty cool, huh! I highly recommend you check it out.

Cozy Baby Boutique $15 store credit giveaway!

I absolutely love that most cloth diaper related companies have been started by real moms who are so passionate about what they do, and most of these moms remain actively and visibly involved in their companies. Being a one-income family means that I have to make every dollar count and I love investing in companies that share the same passion for cloth diapering and natural/green products that I do!

I had the pleasure of meeting Ann-Marie Speirs, owner of Cozy Baby Boutique. This awesome mama runs an online and real life baby boutique focused on cloth diapers, babywearing and a few other eco-friendly toys and other products. I love that her store has a specific focus and not 10 million different products. I get really overwhelmed when a site or store is difficult to navigate because there are so many different types of products. She has a great selection of cloth diapering and babywearing items and both Ann-Marie and her assistant, Amy, are so helpful and really know their stuff!

Anne-Marie is such a sweetheart and an absolute joy to work with and talk to. The Cozy Baby Boutique store is local (for me anyway), in Woodinville, Washington. It resides within Tot Spot Cafe, a really cool drop-in play place for kids and cafe/meet up for parents. If you're coming into the cafe just to shop, your kids can play for free!

Ann-Marie began using modern cloth diapers back when they were pretty new, so she's been around to see the fluffy evolution first hand! She was so psyched about cloth diapers that she began lending her daughter's diapers out to friends and new mamas at a local hospital. Her passion led her to selling cloth diapers and baby carriers, as well as offering "cloth 101" and babywearing workshops and private consultations. She also works to educate health care, labor and birth professionals on the benefits of cloth diapers. How cool is that?! I wish I had know about her when Emma was first born! Ann-Marie's dedication to cloth diapering and babywearing is inspiring. And get this, she's a founding member of the RDiA. What an amazing woman!

Ann-Marie was kind enough to give me a Planet Wise Wet/Dry bag for review purposes. I was super excited because I've been drooling over these since they first came on the scene. I love that I can use one bag to store both the clean and dirty diapers. It's big enough to hold a days worth of diapers and I can use it by itself or put it in the diaper bag. Perfect for play dates and short trips out, I just love it!  You can buy your own Wet/Dry bag from Cozy Baby Boutique here.

Ann-Marie is offering one of my readers a $15 store credit for you to use to buy anything you want, isn't that cool?! You could get this really cool, recycled plastic chef set. Or a set of reuseable sandwich and snack bags . Or put it towards your favorite cloth diaper or baby carrier!


How to enter

Each action counts as one entry unless otherwise stated. Leave a separate comment for each entry and please include your email address. You must complete the mandatory entry before you are eligible for any other entries.

**Mandatory Entry**

Go to Cozy Baby Boutique, look around, come back here and tell me another product (not mentioned here)that she carries that you would love to have. Of course, if you live locally, you can also go into the store and meet Ann-Marie for yourself. I would highly recommend doing that anyway! :)

Extra Entries


*Follow me publicly through google friend connect-counts as 3 entries! Leave 3 separate comments.
*Subscribe to my blog by email, through feedburner
*Grab my button and tell me where it is posted
*Blog about this giveaway, link back to my site and leave me the URL of your blog
*Like Cozy Baby Boutique on Facebook
*Rate Cozy Baby Boutique on Diaperpin
*Rate Cozy Baby Boutique on Thebabywearer.com
*Make a purchase at Cozy Baby Boutique anytime during this giveaway, come back here and tell me what you bought

****This giveaway will end Monday August 16. Winner will be drawn by an online random number generator and will be notified by email. Winner must respond to my email within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn. This giveaway is open to US residents.

 Good luck!!

I was provided a Planet Wise wet/dry bag for review purposes. All opinions written in this post are my own.