Gentle Toxin-Free Baby Products

You already know how much I loved the Edible Bubba Range.

Sadly it has been discontinued for the moment. The kept the best selling Bottom Creme, through which you can now get under the Edible Beauty range here.
(Use Code Liv20 at checkout for 20% off)

I am really happy to have found other great, gentle and toxin-free products for Faye.
She loves playing in the mud these days and just water doesn't cut it anymore at bathtime.
Oh, you should see her little feet and toenails...
Generally, though, I am a firm believer in less is more and it's best to not use too many cosmetics on little ones. So: Always try water first and with young babies water & a natural oil like Coconut is enough in the bath. Read Faye's first bath and newborn bath setup here.

The Weleda Calendula Range is ace, especially the cream bath ist extra gentle and hydrating, so soap bubbles here, which means no drying, yay! This is our daily (or twice daily) bath go-to product. I also adore the smell. It's very aromatic but mild. Faye seems to really like it for her night time bath and the Calendula helps to heal all her little scratches from exploring.
It's hydrating enough, so I don't use a lotion afterwards.

Ever so often I give her head and feet a wash with the Shampoo & Wash, but she does not need this often. She is a toddler now though and walking and eating has allowed for a whole new level of messiness. Some days her breakfast ends up in her ears and hair and requires a bit of shampoo...but that's another story.

Faye does take 2 showers and 1 bath every day. There is no way around it.
They are rather short and we only use a small tub, so it's not a huge affair or use of water.
I am so grateful that it's warm here in Sydney and that she loves water, so I am not worried about keeping her warm afterwards. (Update: Now that it's Winter time and Faye has turned 1, she only takes daily night time baths. The occasional morning shower and only sponge baths/wipes in between. Her eating skills have advanced)

We also tested the Envirocare Bubble Bath Products. They are great fun, as they do make a few bubbles, but they are still don't have any harsh detergents. Perfect for bath time fun and also when Faye really needs a scrub down. We tried the regular and sensitive one. They are pretty much the same with the small difference of having essential Chamomile Oil in the regular one for a little calming aromatherapy benefit. Both don't have a strong smell and are perfect for the most sensitive noses. If you don't want your products to smell of anything, these are for you. The packaging is very practical and super cute with the kangaroos. The 500ml are also very generous and will last a long time. No drying, no sensitivities. A really great, clean and Australian brand!

 

Summer Skin Series: Sunburn & After Sun

Summer skin needs extra hydration & protection.
Soothing, cooling & replenishing natural products are where it's at!
Here are my faves:

Healing, Cooling & Soothing

For the face:
Soothe Me Balm
By Edible Beauty is in a cooling Aloe Vera & Cucumber base, more like a gel texture. It heals sunburn or stressed skin in record time. It also helps to prevent congestion & breakouts and keeps the skin hydrated and clear. ( I also use the baby version for Faye all the time on little scratches or rashes, highly recommended!!!) 
Soothe Me Balm is my Summer go-to face treatment.
Note: My skin gets a little oilier in Summer in the warm & humid weather.
Remember to use code "LIV15" at checkout for all Edible Beauty products. My readers are getting an exclusive 15% discount. (all vegan)


Antioxidant Hydrating Gel
One that husband Dave has been testing and really liked is USPA Antioxidant Hydrating Gel Aloe&Green Tea. Extra hydrating and lightweight, it's great for Summer skin and also really amazing on men. It's cooling and apparently really nice after shaving according to husband.
Vegan, cruelty-free and in cool unisex packaging this has been his favourite summer moisturiser.
It does contain phenoxyethanol as the preservative, which isn't my favourite, so it loses a point there, but otherwise a really great product.

For dry and troubled skin conditions:
Max&Me Sweet Serenity Rescue Balm
This one is another winner for summer, it can heal and treat almost all skin troubles, from bites, irritation to inflamed acne conditions, the little magical pot can cure them all.
It's designed to be used as a treatment only and should be used on its own and not in combination with any cosmetics. Best to be used daily until your skin is healed.
This product contains propolis and is therefore not vegan.

For the Body:
CV SKinlabs Rescue+Relief Spray
This is a miracle worker, which belongs into every bathroom cabinet. It's an advanced therapy for burned, wounded and irritated skin. Hypoallergenic, free of toxins it's the best treatment for truly inflamed skin conditions, even if they are too tender to touch. That's why it's so handy that it comes in a spray bottle. It's also recommended for cancer patients, radiation exposure, sunburn, laser treatments or burns caused by chemicals or household appliances.
Faye recently got a heat rash, as we had scorching temperatures here in Sydney and I used this also on her to soothe, cool and relieve the itch, it worked a treat.
It's also amazing to soothe skin after shaving.
It's a milk-like emulsion that instantly works and absorbs into the skin. It's fantastic as an after-sun treatment!  (vegan)

As usual, I use the gentle and hydrating Biologika Shower Gel, which prevents my skin from drying out!
If I feel fancy I use my Erin's Faces Monoii Body Wash & Lotion, which smells of Summer! It's also very hydrating and gentle. It's also nice to replace m pure coconut oil with Monoi Oil ever so often for the heavenly smell.
Isn't Monoi just the best smell ever? I have always loved it and it makes me feel like I am on a tropical island, just being a mermaid all day...you know what I mean?

THE super summer body hydrator has been P'ure Papayacare Papaya Renew Cream.
I was given one to review and completely underestimated this! The ingredients are great, it's vegan & cruelty-free but mostly it's SO lightweight, but so intensely hydrating & repairing.
It totally fixed my overly dry and cracked (sorry TMI) poor little summer feet.
They get terribly dry from sandal wearing, beach and the many very long walks I am doing but this really helped. And I tried a lot. It smells lovely and sinks in very quickly!

So there you have it my after-sun Summer skin remedies!

Summer Skin Series: Natural Sun Protection

The question of all beauty questions....
What is the best natural SPF?

Is definitely a tough one. There is no simple straightforward answer to this topic.
I will tell you what I am using personally and what works for me and why, as well as my take on all the confusing information about sunscreens. I hope this will be a helpful starting point for you.

There are two real types of sun protection a physical protection due to a mineral barrier (Zinc or Titanium Dioxide) or synthetic sun filters based on several different chemical compounds.
Then there are natural oils which can give a low level of protection.
I personally avoid any synthetic sun filters as they aren't toxin-free and contain many nasty ingredients that will be absorbed through your skin. The advantage, however, is that these filters are invisible. Therefore you can wear a light lotion and won't even see or feel that you are wearing sunscreen.
I rather protect my health and don't risk any of these being absorbed into my body.
That's why I am going with natural sun protection.
Another important reason is also the ocean & sealife as all the synthetic sunscreens are actually destroying the reefs and polluting the water & sea life each time you head into the water. We have no Planet B people!!!
So, get over yourselves if that sunscreen feels a little thicker then the toxic version, you are doing the right thing :)

What to look for:
Avoid nano zinc (nanoparticles are too small and can be harmful)
All nasty ingredients like fragrance etc, listed in my guide here.
Only buy products which do list ALL their ingredients.
Some sunscreen brands do not enclose all ingredients, step away from those.
.

Day To Day Protection

No.4 Vanilla Silk Hydrating Lotion
(or Vanilla Silk TINTED Hydrating Lotion)

These have natural sun protection due to Black Raspberry Seed Oil. This moisturiser goes on like a normal lotion, as it's not an actual sunscreen. It's super lightweight as well.
It also smells divine.
Combined with all the other clever Australian botanical ingredients, this protects your skin from the elements and keeps it young and healthy. Remember all my readers get a special discount, simply use "LIV15" at checkout!
Founder Anna Mitsios says
"A luxurious lightweight moisturiser with a natural SPF, rich in natural AHAs and antioxidants.Vanilla Silk Hydrating Lotion is a hydrating, firming cream with a luxurious satin consistency. This lotion has an abundance of wildcrafted Australian extracts which are potent antioxidants. The Australian Rosella Extract, one of the key botanicals in the skin care, is known as the "botox" plant - it is a natural source of AHAs which enhance the skin's natural cell turnover to encourage fresher and younger looking skin."I only wear a natural moisturiser for day to day wear, meaning walking the dog & bub in the park in the morning, mainly being in the shade, running small errands etc.
I have a medium skin tone that tans easily, so if you are extremely fair and sun sensitive this might not work for you. I love wearing hats & sunglasses and I cover up my shoulders on longer walks. This way I still get a healthy and important dose of Vitamin D, without overexposing my skin. If you head for a swim in the evening or early morning only then you can get away with this and won't have to worry about acutal SPF.

Beach/Outdoor Protection

If I am heading to the beach, for a very long walk or other any outdoor activities during the Summer months I do wear sun protection on my face & body. There is no way around it here in Australia. I still don't think there is a perfect product but here some great ones that work well for me.

For The Face
I use Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Cover BB Creme when I go the beach. This is a full coverage foundation! Yes, I would prefer not wearing makeup to the beach and especially not a full coverage... but this protects my skin SO well and is even water resistant. I always get a very sweaty nose too and this is the only stuff that actually stays put on hot summer days.
It's SPF25 PA++, but due to the physical barrier that mineral sunscreens create, I never burnt with this even on the beach in Australian Summer. Pretty Awesome! It doesn't block pores, goes on easily and has some amazing skin care benefits. This product is based on Titanium Dioxide, a natural mineral sunscreen. I believe that Zinc is the safest, but it's hard to find a good Zinc sunscreen for the face that doesn't have lot's of other rubbish in it and that isn't too thick and causes break-outs. It's also suitable for the most sensitive of all skins.
Make sure to double cleanse at night to remove this fully, as it really does stay on all day and takes extra care to wash off. My favourite oil-cleanser that washes this off instantly is Purity&Grace by Max&Me.

For The Body
UV Natural has become my go-to favourite mineral sunscreen for the body.
It's SPF 30 based on Zinc and enriched with lovely clean natural ingredients.
No funny smell, very moisturizing and suitable for babies as well.
We have been using this for the whole fam and have been super happy with it.
For a mineral sunscreen it goes on easily and it absorbs well. All Zinc sunscreen will leave a little white cast, especially if you are very tanned like me. On fair skin, you might not notice it and are more happy with it. I have tried them all. There is not such a thing than a natural sunscreen that isn't at least a little gluggy & white, as the Zinc which is needed in a certain concentration to protect from the sun is thick and white in itself.
I prefer vegan products and a lot of the natural ones do contain beeswax, but not this one, yay!
Another good one for babies but with beeswax is Moogoo SPF40 we got some given and used it on Faye and it's very good for babies. It's a little thicker than the UV Natural one. But again, I prefer no beeswax, if possible so UV natural comes out a winner. I also find it goes on more easily. This one is definitely great for dry skin and VERY moisturising, I heard people finding it too oily but I really like it. I have in an emergency used this on my face on a few occasions and was really surprised how it didn't make me breakout. Dave always uses this on his face when we go to the beach.
The Moogoo one is a little more "dry" if that makes sense so it won't leave the skin oily.

There are many great natural options out there, these are what works for us.
So there you have it! I hope this was helpful!

PATCH: Organic Bandages For All Kinds Of Boo-Boos

Have you seen PATCH? No?
It's a really great organic & toxin-free alternative to your good old band-aid.
I just got these cuties sent and had to share!
Faye just got to the age of bumps & boo-boos, trying to balance on her feet & crawling, scooting around. I remember quite clearly all the scraped knees of my own childhood and I know that these strips will come in handy for all the years to come.
But I am also happy that these are such a cool option for babies & kids, as they are suitable for those with the most sensitive skin. Made with a gentle pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), certified organic bamboo fibre and organic bamboo gauze. They are also
THIMEROSAL FREE  - MERTHIOLATE FREE   - LATEX FREE . Which makes them hypoallergenic and safe to use on little ones and adults alike.

And they really did a great job on the outside, too! The brown recycled paper tubes with sleek typography are just SO beautiful to look at! Packaging absolutely nailed. I will even keep them around for Faye to play with.

There is a kids version of the cutest Panda print, which to be honest, is totally what I would choose to wear myself. This one is enriched with Coconut Oil, which means no more red marks or nasty reactions from plasters. These are super soft and easy to remove, but they do stick very well at the same time. Created for the future eco warriors.
They further have a simple and plain version that is a nude colour and without any extra ingredients, perfect for the minimalist ;)
The black strip version with activated charcoal, which helps wound healing especially for bites, splinters & grazes and a Tan strip version, enriched with Aloe Vera, they speed up wound healing and are perfect for burns, blisters, grazes & scrapes. Cool, huh?

I am overall quite inspired how these guys took such a simple, yet boring product and really turned it around offering a safe, healthy, eco-friendly & very well designed product!

Thumbs up from this Mama and highly recommended!
Here is to all our adventures!
 

Postpartum Healing- My journey tips & tricks

I made a little video, trying to sum up the things that helped me postpartum...
I hope when you are watching this you might have some time on your hands, waiting for your bub to arrive. I failed to be brief... and even after this long video there were still things I forgot to mention, but I had to stop myself eventually!
I really hope this is helpful!

I have also copied the links of my pregnancy posts below:

3rd Trimester http://www.livlifemag.com/livwell/201...
2nd Trimester: http://www.livlifemag.com/livwell/201...
1st Trimester: http://www.livlifemag.com/livwell/201...