Tom's of Maine Natural Deodorant Review

Fair warning that this post talks about perspiration/smelly pits.  :-)

I'm going to be perfectly honest here; I really enjoy my "mainstream" personal care products.  They work, they smell good, and since I "CVS," I usually get them for free, "better than free," or pennies.  I know though, that the chemical filled products aren't good for me, especially anti-perspirants that contain aluminum.  So, I'm trying to take baby steps to switch things over to more natural choices.
 
CVS had a deal a while ago on Tom's of Maine products, where they were $3.99, with $3.00 Extra Care Bucks back, limit 2.  This deodorant cost me a net of 99 cents (haven't paid that much in years!), but since I paid with extra bucks, I figured it wasn't too bad.  I chose the fresh apricot scent, but it comes in several others as well.
 
Here are the ingredients (no aluminum):
 
Name/Purpose/Source

Propylene glycol/Consistency/Natural gas from the earth
Water/Consistency/Maine aquifer
Sodium stearate/Stabilizer/Vegetable oil
Aloe vera leaf juice (organic)/Soothing/Organic aloe (Aloe barbadensis) plant
Witch hazel water/Soothing/Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) plant
Zinc ricinoleate/Deodorancy/Zinc oxide and castor bean (Ricinus communis) plant
Glyceryl laurate/Deodorancy/Vegetable oils
Chamomile flower aqueous extract/Soothing/Organic chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers
Apricot fragrance (natural)/Pleasant smell/Natural plant essential oils
Hops [CO2] extract/Deodorancy/Hops (Humulus lupulus) cones
Caprylic/capric triglyceride/Consistency/Coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil and glycerin
Ascorbic acid/Antioxidant/Corn (Zea mays) or molasses
Silica shells/Fragrance duration/Sand



The deodorant went on really smoothly, almost like a gel solid.  It smelled really nice, but not too strong and not too "fruity," despite the apricot scent.

I do tend to perspire a good bit, especially when I'm nervous (which is like, always.)  Luckily, I don't really have a stinky B.O. smell.  Still, I don't really want to smell that natural, musky scent.  I know some people don't mind it, pheromones and all, blah blah...I'm not one of them, LOL.

So while testing this, I felt like Molly Shannon's SNL character, Mary Catherine Gallagher.  I felt like I was constantly sniffing myself.  Hee hee.  While it smelled great at first, it very quickly seemed to "wear off" and I could "smell myself" again.  I tried reapplying every few hours at home, and that seemed OK.  I wanted to give this a fair shake, so I used it for about a week or so.

The other morning, I applied my deodorant, and went for a walk about an hour later.  It wasn't terribly warm; around 45 when we started, and warmed up a bit as the sun came out.  By the time I finished a 45 minute walk, I felt like I smelled, and a sniff made me feel like I hadn't put anything on at all.

So, this deodorant is definitely not for me, I'm sticking with my usual for now, but I know lots of people swear by Tom's of Maine deodorant!

I really want to find a great natural deodorant before my daughter needs to wear it.  I know, she's only 6...but kids seem to need it earlier and earlier, and she will be a pre-teen before I know it!  I know there are differing opinions on the link between aluminum/parabens and breast cancer, but if I can find a product without them, why not use it?

FTC compliance: I paid normal retail price for this product.  I was not compensated in any way for this post, and all opinions are my own.

Natural (er) Kids' Personal Care Product Reviews - Burt's Bees, Rainbow, Jason, Kiss My Face, Aubrey Organics

Last month, I posted about my shopping trip for natural kid and baby products.  We've been using the products for about a month now, and I wanted to share my thoughts.  The reason I say natural (er) in the post title is that that several contain ingredients such as fragrance, alcohol, limonene and essential oils, giving them cosmetic safety database ratings not much different than Johnson's Buddies products.  I'm pretty OK with the ingredients for now.  Maybe next time I make a purchase, I will look for something even more natural.
 

A big reason why I chose the Jason Naturals Kids Only was that they had both a shampoo and conditioner available.  We use conditioner on my daughter's hair every time we wash it, to make combing easier.  At $7.69 each, they definitely weren't cheap however, a little goes a long way, and we will probably be using these for a long time!  I do wish the conditioner bottle was a bit bigger; sometimes we use more conditioner than we do shampoo!
 
The shampoo is actually very thick, and comes out more like a glob of hair gel than a liquid shampoo.  It does lather quite easily, and you don't need to use much.
 

 
The conditioner is also very thick, but spreads easily.
 



They both smell the same: fruity, almost like a ripe banana.  They rinsed out easily and left my daughter's hair soft and easy to comb.

I let my daughter use bubble bath sometimes as a treat.  I tried Method Baby brand bubble bath, and wasn't impressed with the bubbles (or lack thereof.)  She received Burt's Bees Baby Bee Bubble Bath as a gift, and we gave it a try.



Initially, I wasn't sure that it would really make a lot of bubbles, but I was pleasantly surprised when we tried it in the tub.

The instructions say to use 3-4 capfuls, but I just gave it a quick squirt, then swished it around with my hand.  I think it would make even more bubbles if you used 3-4 capfuls.  Maybe not huge Mr. Bubble bubbles, but still fun, and it smells wonderful!

My son isn't quite washing his own hands yet, but I love foaming soaps for the kids.  It's easy for them to wash their hands, without having trouble rinsing the soap off, or using too much.  The Kiss My Face Kids Foaming Hand Soap is available in a few scents (I bought orange) and I paid $6.69 at my local organic store.  The next week I saw it at my grocery store for a dollar less!

It's easy to use, rinses easily, and smells like an orange creamsicle!  The scent isn't too strong, but it does stick around on your hands for a little while after washing.

I chose the Aubrey Organics Natural Baby & Kids Bath Soap because I like the way it smells, ok?  I admit it.  It is just heavenly.  Like a clean baby, with a bit of baby powder.  I am totally buying the lotion if it smells anything like the soap!

I really wanted to buy the shampoo as well, but it is not a no-tears formula.  I was told that "no-tears" products have numbing agents in them and should be avoided, but you know what?  I really prefer the no-tears formula.  All I need is to accidentally get a little bit in the kid's eyes and he'll never let me wash his hair again!  It's hard enough as it is! 

It lathers up well and rinses easily, but I'd love to see a moisturizing formula!  This was the priciest item I bought, at $8.99 for 8 ounces.  One squirt from the pump dispenser will wash my son from head to toe, so it will likely last us quite a while!

I chose Baby Oh Baby Organic Herbal Shampoo from Rainbow Research for my son.  The scent is derived from Lavender, Chamomile, and Orange, but it simply smells clean to me.  My husband said it smells like a cologne I might choose for him, and he's right.  The scent is soft, but pleasant.  I usually only bathe my kids every other day in the winter (unless they are really dirty) since their skin tends to be dry.  Even when my son is due for another bath, his hair still smells good!

While it is a moisturizing formula, I'd love to see an extra-moisturizing formula offered!  The 8 oz bottle has a pump dispenser (love this!) and I paid $5.39 at my local organic store.

I use a detangler on my daughter's hair on non-bath days, and to tame her hair/help with combing here and there.  I wasn't able to find many "natural" options, but I picked up the Rainbow Research Spray De-Tangler for Kids for $4.99.  It contains extracts of Chamomile, Red Clover, Comfrey and Balsam, and while it does a good job of detangling, I really don't care for the way it smells.  It's hard to describe, but all I can figure is that I am smelling those extracts (the last ingredient is fragrance, so there must be some fragrance added).  It smells earthy and herbal, not really my preferred hair product scent!  I'd love to see a clean scent offered.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with what we purchased, and I think it's a good baby step, even if they're not rated a "0" in the Cosmetic Safety Database!

FTC compliance: All items were purchased at normal retail prices.  I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

Baby Steps - Switching the kiddos' products to "greener" products

I've been wanting to switch all of our household and personal care products to more "natural" products, without all the added chemicals.  If I were a millionaire, I would do a massive purge and buy all new stuff to try.  Unfortunately, I'm not a millionaire, and I stretch our budget by shopping CVS (A.K.A. "CVS'ing.")  Since I started CVS'ing in 2007, I haven't paid more than a few pennies for toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, soap, face wash etc.  I only have 1 card, stick to all limits, and only use legitimate coupons, but I'm still blessed to be able to donate bags of products to the food bank, while still having a major product stockpile!
 
Unfortunately, all of those products are "mainstream" products full of chemicals.  I've been using Method Baby bath stuff on my son, but shamefully, my daughter has been using Johnson's Buddies and L'Oreal Kids products.  Anyone who has shopped for natural/organic personal care products knows they cost a heck of a lot more than "pennies!"  Note: on Monday, I received my CVS ad for next week in the mail (they mail it to me because my paper doesn't put it in for some reason.)  Tom's of Maine Deodorant, Toothpaste & Mouthwash will be on sale for $3.99 with $3.00 ECB, limit of 2.  Pretty sweet!

I finally decided that instead of dipping into my stockpile, I would replace items with a more natural product as we ran out.  I really don't know how I'll feel about that when I run out of shampoo though!  In any case, the kids' bath products were getting low, and I don't have much trouble handing over the cash for products that are better for them (things for me are a different story!) 

I checked our two local organic markets (think the size of one department in whole foods) and I'll admit, I let my nose do most of the choosing.  I'm a sucker for a scented product, though I can't handle very strong scents.  I especially adore a sweet baby smell for baby bath stuff.  I bought 6 products (the Burt's Bees bubble bath pictured was a gift we haven't used yet) and spent around $40 plus tax.  Zoinks.  I reminded myself that my kids are worth it, and that replacing the products as they're used up won't be so spendy.  I think I've used two bottles of body wash and one bottle of shampoo for my son, since he was born 19 months ago.  My daughter may have used two bars of soap, half a bottle of body wash and two bottles of shampoo and conditioner in that same time period.

While I did look at the ingredients lists at the store, I was surprised to pull up the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database and find that the "ratings" on the new products were about the same as the Johnson & Johnson's products.  I spent some time looking at the ingredients, and I felt OK with my purchases by the time I closed my browser.  While the J&J products are full of difficult to pronounce ingredients, my new stuff's highest "offending" ingredient was usually fragrance.  Oops.

I know that in a perfect world, I'd be using only products (on the kids and everywhere else) that were rated "0 toxins," but I have to take baby steps.  I'm just not ready to give up my lather-licious, yummy smelling products just yet.  If I tried, I'm pretty sure I would fail, return to my old products and just be out a lot of money!

So, for now, I am happy with my more "natural" kids' bath products (which I will be reviewing in the upcoming weeks) and I'm happy to be taking a big donation of mainstream children's products over to the food bank!  I feel a little funny donating them, like "here, this isn't good enough for my kids, you take them!"  On the other hand, I think the majority of people are perfectly satisfied with J&J type stuff, and hopefully some kids will be happy to get some fun new bath stuff!

Has cloth diapering made you more determined to go "green" in other ways?  What products do you want to switch over?

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway Open to the U.S. and Canada (CLOSED 1/5)

I had never heard of Skin MD Natural before this review.  I am so glad I know about it now!  It is made in the U.S. in a 100% solar facility, is never tested on animals, and does not contain any animal ingredients, parabens, petrochemicals, dyes or fragrances.

I received a 4 oz. (full size) bottle of the shielding lotion to try.  Initially, $18 seemed a little steep for a 4 oz. bottle, even though they estimate it will last 1-2 months with daily use.  I was wrong again!  The literature suggested a pea size amount for hands, but I needed even less than that.  I've been using it for a few weeks, and my bottle still seems full. 
 

 
The ingredients are 93% natural and the lotion hydrates and protects your hands.  The bottle says to apply it every 2-8 hours initially, then every 12-24 hours after your skin's moisture improves.  I've been using it pretty much any time I think about it.  Every time I wash my hands, any time my hands feel a little dry, any time I walk by the bottle...
 

I've mentioned before that I suffer from eczema on my hands, which is exacerbated by the constant hand washing that goes hand in hand (har har) with motherhood.
 

Here's why I really love this lotion: it truly soaks into your skin and does not feel greasy.  I am really weird about that.  I'm not afraid of getting dirty, but I am totally squicked out when I have anything on my hands, and I have to wash them right away.  I have gone so far as to squirt lotion on the backs of my hands and rub them together to avoid getting any on my palms.  With Skin MD, even when I used way too much, my hands just felt soft.  Not the slightest bit sticky or greasy.

It does not have added fragrance, but it has a very light, pleasant smell.  It smells very familiar, but I am terrible at putting my finger on scents.  I am going to guess that I'm smelling the aloe and chamomile!
 

With other lotions, even if it doesn't feel terribly gross on  my hands, it feels slimy rinsing off my hands the next time I wash them.  Not so with Skin MD!  Unfortunately, I can't tell you that Skin MD worked miracles and cured my eczema, but it is noticeably improved.  The skin between my fingers isn't flaking anymore, and my hands don't snag on diapers when I stuff them (ick!).
 


I also received some samples of the Skin MD lotion with SPF 15.
 

 
I was really surprised that it also had a great texture.  Usually if I apply sunscreen, or even a lotion with added sunscreen, I have to wash my hands 3-4 times to get the greasy feeling off.  I was able to put this on the palms of my hands with no such feeling!
 
If you want to try it yourself, you can request a sample by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope!
 
Giveaway: Skin MD is offering a reader her own 4 oz. bottle of Shielding Lotion.  (ARV $18)


Here's how to enter: All entries go in the form below.  I love comments, but comments don't count as entries.


Mandatory entries include your name and email address.  You may elect to receive a bonus entry if you are a new or current "liker" of Skin MD Natural on Facebook.  You may receive another bonus entry if you follow Skin MD Natural on Twitter.

I will accept entries until Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern. I will select a winner using random.org's true random number generator and notify him/her by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen. View my giveaway rules page for complete details. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

# of entries received as of January 5th at giveaway close:137




FTC compliance: I received the pictured products at no cost in order to write this review.  I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Weleda Children's Tooth Gel Review

I was looking for an alternative to the fluoride-free toddler toothpaste my son was using, since it's rated a "5" on the skin deep cosmetics database.  I checked our local organic store and found Weleda's Children's Tooth Gel.
 



The tooth gel is fluoride free, as well as free of detergents, artifical fragrances, colors and preservatives.  It's rated a 3 on the skin deep database with a 72% data gap.  Since the only ingredent that is "yellow" (moderate safety) is limonene, I'm pretty confident that it's safe for my son to use. 

While I didn't pay anywhere near the $7.00 MSRP, the $4.59 price tag was still a little gasp inducing for a 1.78 oz. tube!



The first little squirt out of the tube looked rather off white, but it's really a pretty bright yellow.  I tasted it, and it has a somewhat strong, natural mint flavor.  I wondered how my son would do, since most toddler products are fruity flavored.  He wasn't startled by the flavor and seemed to enjoy it.  My almost 6-year old likes it too!  Then again, she's weird, and has always liked minty "grownup" toothpaste!

Unless I find something with a "lower rating" in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, I will continue to buy this!

FTC compliance: I paid normal retail price for this product, I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.