There seems to be many sensitivities in the chemical ridden world in which we live. I have a friend who has had to make many life style changes because of being chemically sensitive. Many of us, as well as our children are suffering from eczema or allergic reactions to products we have always used. That is why Noodle & Boo is the go-to company for many personal care products.

Noodle & Boo products are hypoallergenic and clinically tested, they are dermatologist tested for sensitive skin and their children’s products are pediatrician tested. They even have a complete line for newborns, babies, and children with eczema and sensitive skin. Their products are not tested on animals and are “certified organic”. Even their packaging is recyclable making Noodle & Boo a socially responsible company. Not only that, but they give back to charity – their slogan is “Together we can make a difference.”

Noodle & Boo products are products that have been featured in many mothering and pregnancy magazines. Kourtney and Scott are just one celebrity couple who is known to use Noodle & Boo. Kourtney was given the Sugar Mama Honey ScrubSugar Honey Scrub for mom from the glowology collection. However, there is Honey ChildHoney Child for children as well.

Noodle & Boo has the following products to offer: glowology for sensitive skin, glowology maternity, creme douce, complete baby line, bath time, body care, hands & feet, as well as special gifts. There is just too many products to list individually or to even choose to feature! So be sure to take a look around their site because there seems to be something for everyone in the family, but especially babies and expectant mamas.

About

Inspired by her children’s need for products developed for ultra-sensitive skin, Christine Burger founded Noodle & Boo. Working with professionals who specialize in natural, holistic skin care each exclusive formula is developed to nourish, replenish and protect especially delicate and sensitive skin. The company is lovingly named after Christine’s two young children, Andrew and Matthew, also known as Noodle and Boo.

Featured in:
Fit Pregnancy February-March 2010

Mothering

Image Source: WebMD

Summer is here and many of us are spending a lot more time outside. For years we have heard about the harmful affects of being exposed to the UV rays of the sun. We’ve been told we must use sunscreen and limit our time in the sun during its hottest hours (10am-4pm) However, what about the importance of getting enough vitamin D, fresh air and pleasure from outdoor activities?

EWG

We’ve done a little research and wanted to share our findings with you. The Environmental Working Group website has a great article that I wanted to start with because not only do they share the best sunscreens, but also the safest sunscreens available. They also share non-mineral options, as well as sun safety tips, which includes what ingredients to avoid and which ones are safe.

EWG says that the BEST sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. Novel idea, eh? There are no harmful chemicals absorbed into the skin, unless of course you forgot to wash that new cotton shirt you bought! Both are safe and there is no question as to how effective they are.

They have quite a list of top sunscreens in their 0-2 safe range recommendations, but I only chose those with a rating of 1. The first three products all have a rating of 1, however, the last three do each have one product that has a 2 rating:

Loving Naturals Organic SPF 30 Sunscreen

Soleo Organics Sunscreen

think baby and think sport

UV Natural Baby Sunscreen SPF30+

Badger SPF 30 Sunscreen

Purple Prairie Botanicals

Another nice thing is EWG offers a search button to find the sunscreen you may be currently using or are interested in and want to check out how it rates before you buy it. Check it out here.

Sun Exposure and Skin Cancer

A recent study done by the EWG found that vitamin A and its derivatives, which are found in many sunscreens on the market, may actually be speeding up cancer. The other amazing thing is the FDA has known about this affect, yet, has done anything to warn or help consumers combat this problem.

But the most alarming disclosure in this year’s report is the finding that vitamin A and its derivatives, retinol and retinyl palmitate, may speed up the cancer that sunscreen is used to prevent.

~ Aol News Article based on recent study

Another reason that skin cancer could possibly be on the rise is tanning salons, as this yahoo article seems to indicate:

But those approaches only tackle the physical side of tanning without getting to the root problem that drives millions of Americans, young women in particular, to engage in a behavior they often know raises their risk of a deadly disease, Stein said. To fix the social pressures behind the rise in this largely preventable cancer, America might need to refine its idea of beauty.
“I’ve met people who said they couldn’t stop tanning. They wanted to stop, but couldn’t. They liked the way it felt and they felt pressure from their friends,” Stein said. “I think we really need to change that notion in this country that looking tan means looking healthy, because we know that tans are not healthy.”

Dr. Mercola states that sunscreens have been found to block our skin’s ability to absorb vitamin D, which in turn can cause severe vitamin D deficiency resulting in a myriad of health problems and even death. Approximately 1 million lives are taken every year due to the cancer and health problems vitamin D deficiency can cause.

Importance of Vitamin D

One of the natural ways to help prevent sunburn is to make sure you are getting enough vitamin D and antioxidants, which are found in many summer berries. Vitamin C and A are also important in our natural defense of overexposure to the sun. So eating healthy is a very important factor in the health and protection of our skin. Another reason to eat all those yummy fruits and veggies that are available this summer at Farmers Markets!

For light skinned people, we need at least 20 minutes in the sun three times per week to get adequate amounts of vitamin D into our bodies. Those with darker skin may need up to 10 times that amount to produce the same amount of vitamin D as we lighter skinned folks do. (source: Mercola)

Here’s to our health and fun in the sun this summer!

More Articles:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/01/four-out-of-five-sunscreens-may-be-hazardous-to-your-health.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/3/15/vitamin-d-in-your-skin.aspx

The Mama Mio Congratulations! Kit is the mother of all pregnancy skin care kits and an absolute must-have for all moms to be!

Going from having a flat tummy to pampering a baby bump can be hard on you emotionally and of course, physically. These three fabulous products make the 40 week journey a lot more pleasant.

The kit contains:

• Tummy Rub Oil for award-winning stretch mark prevention 106ml/3.6 fl.oz
• OMega Super-rich Body Cream a gorgeously fragrant moisturizer 200ml/6.8 fl.oz
• OMega Shower Cream to cleanse and hydrate your skin. 300ml/10 fl.oz

I’ve been using all the products in the kit since the beginning of my second trimester and I’m now just entering the third trimester. I slather the Tummy Rub Stretch Mark Oil on my belly every single night before I go to bed and sometimes in the morning after I take a shower too. It’s performed excellently so far as I haven’t gotten a single stretch mark on my belly!

The Mama Mio OMega Super-rich Body Cream is fabulous for all the other areas that get stretched while you’re preggo like your love handles, thighs, butt and breasts. The scent is sensational and it’s rich and creamy without being heavy and greasy. It’s so heavenly that you’ll want to keep on using it long after you pop the baby out. I can’t imagine living without this one… Seriously.

I also love the OMega Moisturizing Shower Cream a LOT. It’s ideal for pregnancy because it was carefully created to maintain the moisture balance in your skin, unlike everyday products, which will strip away all of your moisturising efforts. It is oh-so-gentle and smells gorgeous. It has a low-lather formula using an extremely gentle cleanser (created for babies!) and is PH balanced suiting even the most sensitive skins. As you would expect from Mama Mio it is also Sodium Laureth Sulfate free. Gotta love that!

This is absolutely a must-have kit for ALL pregnant woman. If you are pregnant, do yourself a favor and get this ASAP. And if you know someone who is expecting, treat them to this amazing kit and they will surely appreciate it!

WHERE: Amazon.com and MamaMio.com

PRICE: $55

I also recommend getting the OMega Body Oil as well. It’s a gorgeously fragrant blend of sink-in-quick oils including a mix of Argan, Safflower, Sweet Almond and Jojoba oils to smooth your body all over.

It’s quick to apply, keeps your skin nourished, firm, elastic and glowing. 100% pure natural moisture for 100% fit skin. An un-oily oil that is just amazing! This is a totally addictive product that will become a year-round essential in your bathroom cabinet.

We mentioned Episencial a couple of days ago in our post Actively Healthy Skincare Tips from Episencial founder, Kim Walls, MS. Today we’ll tell you a bit more about the company and a couple of products from their Episencial Skincare line. Thanks goes to our PR contact for the information.

100% organic Episencial Skincare for babies and children and the Very Hungry Caterpillar Collection. Episencial is the first company to deliver clinically effective, newborn-safe products designed to support the essential immune functions of the skin. Made exclusively from all natural ingredients and loaded with organics, Episencial is leading the chemical-free charge in personal care products for kids. The Episencial skin care system offers parents a complete range of products based upon formulas relied on by leading spas and clinics for more than thirty years.

Premier all natural skincare brand Episencial is taking the skin care market by storm, offering an immune-boosting, newborn-safe skin care product that feature planet-friendly organics, solar-powered manufacturing and sustainable packaging at an affordable price. Episencial product is made exclusively from all natural ingredients , more than 50% of which are organic and chemical free. We are proud to offer a new layer to bath time, by educating and engaging the child on how to be healthy and to learn how to care for their skin. Currently, available at Whole Foods and leading retailers including Buy Buy Baby, online at drugstore.com and target.com, episencial products range from $5.99 to $14.99, well below the average prices of natural personal care products for children. Proceeds from the sale of the product benefit the company’s philanthropic partner Healthy Child, Healthy World and its mission to protect children from harmful chemicals.

Celebrity moms are raving about Episencial, celebrities like Courtney Cox, Larry Birkhead and baby DaniLynn (Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter) and Mary Louise Parker.

The product line includes: Playful Foaming Wash, Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath, Soothing Cream, Better Body Butter, Protective Face Balm (SPF 6), Nurturing Balm and Sunny Sunscreen (SPF 35).

Playful Foaming Wash

Ultra pure hydrating hair & body cleanser.

SRP: $8.99/Size: 8oz

* Won’t irritate eyes or sensitive places. Rinses off fast!
* Gentle and hydrating cleanser using thyme oil and plant-based surfactants. Sulfate free!
* Fragrance free. Organic orange extract is our mild and fresh scent.
* Organic ginko biloba and calendula extract to sooth the skin.
* Organic aloe and soothing oat extract to moisturize naturally.

Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath

Long-lasting bubbly gel concentrate.

Size: 8oz/SRP: $8.99

* Won’t irritate eyes or sensitive places.
* Enhanced bubbles from natural, sugar derived surfactants. Sulfate free!
* Organic avocado oil and soothing oat extract to hydrate skin.
* Organic ginko biloba, green tea extract, and mandarin orange.
* Organic lavender oil with plum and peach extracts help wind down for a peaceful nap or night’s rest.

Check out their ingredients page, gotta love it when a company actually reveal what their products are made of and give a definition of them! http://episencial.com/ingredients/

For complete product line and additional information, please visit http://episencial.com/

Actively Healthy Skincare Tips from Kim Walls, MS

As we are still in the grips of cold and flu season, frequent hand washing remains our best weapon against illness. But frequent hand washings – and popular antibacterial cleansers – have unintended results. Here are some of Kim’s insights for truly healthy hands using the power of probiotics:

• Yes, to keep germs at bay it is important to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
• However, the reality is, while reducing the germ load on your hands, harsh soaps and hard water can strip the skin of its natural protection.
• Combined with cold weather, dry air both indoors and out, and the skin on your hands becomes vulnerable to damage from chapping and cracking.
• This damaged skin (located on the most exposed parts of the body…your hands) can compromise the body’s barrier to germs – defeating the purpose of washing your hands in the first place!
• Applying a probiotic cream, such as Episencial Soothing Cream, ideally while hands are still damp from hand washing, not only moisturizes but supports the natural ecosystem of beneficial bacteria on your skin that help protect the body.

About the Kim:

Kimberly Walls, a second generation skincare clinician from the family that developed the world-renowned Epicuren(r) anti-aging skincare products, she now uses her expertise to develop specialized skincare for children under the age of 5. Armed with her knowledge and experience within the skincare world, Kim has been able to access an untapped market of mother’s who want to expose their child to an actively healthy lifestyle by introducing this product line for young children featuring the beloved artwork of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar . For more than a decade, Walls has shared her extensive experience with dermatologists and estheticians across the globe, underscoring the relationship between optimum health and responsible skincare. Now through Episencial, she hopes to share that knowledge with new and growing families to support the health and well being that effective, all natural products can provide.

I received a complimentary tube of Votre Vu Duette Luxe to review. This product is made in France, but manufactured Spring Grove, IL. I have to say that it is very nice. It would be a great gift idea or a great way to pamper yourself. It comes in a pretty nifty tube, as seen in the photo to the left. It is a two-in-one product. The top portion opens and holds the lip balm, which works effectively on dry chapped lips. It’s called Luxe Lips and feels soft and silky when I applied it to my lips. There is no applicator so your fingertip or an extra lip brush will have to do. At the bottom half of this “Duette” tube from Votre Vu is Almond Pie hand creme. It does smell like almond and it does leave your skin feeling smooth. However, there is a degree of greasiness until it wears off, as is the case for the majority of hand creams on the market. I even applied it to my dry cracked elbows and it has cleared that problem up nicely, but only as it is reapplied every day or two.

What makes this product unique is its Duette feature. I don’t know about you, but this is the first time I have seen lip balm and hand cream combined in separate packaging in the same tube. The tube wouldn’t fit in a very small purses, but is definitely still very portable. It is on the pricier side at $38.00 a tube. Their website has a listing for a 3-pack for $79.00.

Votre Vu offers ingredients, instructions and a summary on their site here. They also include a short informative video to the left of the screen below the product images.

Moms, do you need some holiday aromatherapy to ease the Christmas chaos?

We love the smell of our thieves blend permeating through our home when we run our diffuser and we use other personal care products that contain essential oils, but no skincare products yet. DECLÉOR offers a collection of eight skincare products that use a combination of several essential oils.

DECLÉOR takes pride in its rich natural Aromatherapy heritage and unique distillation process that produces 100% pure and natural, preservative-free AromessenceTM. As the pioneers in the field, the DECLÉOR research scientists have combined several essential oils to obtain a myriad of beneficial all-natural treatments. In their pure form, essential oils posses an effectiveness of exceptional force and when combined, they have the astonishing power to stimulate the effectiveness of each other’s benefits. This is why each DECLÉOR AromessenceTM is formulated with a specific blend of at least eight essential oils at concentrations high enough to yield effective results for any skin concern.

The silky, non-greasy texture of the AromessenceTM Serums is specifically formulated for day time application and offers Aromatherapy benefits with its premium, natural essence uplifting fragrance. An AromessenceTM applied before other skincare products acts as a “beauty booster” to treat, purify and balance the skin.

For nighttime, an AromessenceTM Balm applied before bed becomes “beauty pajamas” for the skin and offers comforting properties to help skin regeneration. As you sleep, time released formulas packed with essential oils and waxes work to repair and nourish skin, while maximizing relaxing Aromatherapy benefits.

Description: A nightly treatment balm for all skin types.
• Softens, smoothes and soothes
• Brightens and rejuvenates
• Purifies and balances
• Deeply nourishes
• Supplies lasting moisture
Recommended Use: At night, warm a small amount of balm in the palms of your hands and apply to your cleansed face and neck, by massaging gently.
Active Ingredients: Essential Oils and Resinoïdes of Basil, Chamomile, Neroli and Tonka Bean, Plant Oils and Waxes of Avocado and Hazelnut

Suggested retail price: $69.00 (1 fl. oz)

All the DECLÉOR AROMESSENCETM Serums are $64 – $91 per 0.5 oz bottle and the BALMS are $67.00 – $89 per 1.00 oz jar. The collection is available at Nordstrom.com, decleordirect.com and spas and salons nationwide.

Vaginal dryness is a tremendous challenge that can make new mothers feel even more overwhelmed than they already do.

While many women experience a stage of vaginal dryness after they give birth, a long-lasting vaginal moisturizer like Replens Long-Lasting Vaginal Moisturizer is designed to help soothe and replenish vaginal moisture for up to three full days with a single application, helping women make the gradual transition from pregnancy back to normal daily comfort. Replens is estrogen free, hypo-allergenic, odorless and safe for nursing mothers who are especially susceptible to vaginal dryness, as they tend to experience more dramatic fluctuations in estrogen levels that can cause vaginal tissues to become thin, dry, and less elastic. Replens works immediately to provide relief so that you can worry about more important things, like being a brand-new mom.

Replens is available at most drug or discount stores as well as at Drugstore.com.

Visit www.replens.com

Wondering what to get your dad or the father of your beautiful children? We put together a few gift ideas that will pamper and soothe any man and make this Father’s Day a special one to remember!

This year, give Dad a stylish and practical gift for him to use for years to come. Barbers have sworn by brushes for over 200 years for a reason – their ability to soften and lift facial hair while mildly exfoliating the skin makes them the ultimate multi-tasking tool of the trade. This classic barbershop basic gets a twist with a NEW brush that boasts soft, man-made bristles, an anti-bacterial coating to prevent germs, a bristle head that allows for a richer, more emollient later and a high gloss black handle designed for durability, ease of handling and, of course, style. A must-have for Dads who often fall victim to shaving-induced irritation, the Whisker Lifter performs like a silver-tipped badger brush to prepare the beard for the closest and most comfortable shave.

Price: $80.00

Where: wwwSephora.com and www.anthony.com

Discounts: Get a FREE AmorePacific’s treatment enzyme peel with any online order at Sephora.com. Enter code AMORE at checkout.

Give Dad with The Perfect Shave Kit this Father’s Day so he has exactly what he needs for a full service shave at home, no appointment needed. Featuring a shave regimen hand-picked by the grooming gurus at Anthony Logistics, this collection banishes ingrown hairs, irritation, and stubble—leaving skin healthy and protected. Cleanse, buff, shave, and sooth your skin to its pinnacle of smoothness with Glycolic Facial Cleanser, Pre Shave Oil, Shave Cream and After Shave Balm. This ensemble has it all—down to the soft finishing touch of a premium, plush shaving towel that just might make shaving the best part of his day.

Price: $50

Where: Beauty.com, Sephora.com, Nordstrom.com, and Anthony.com

Discounts: Get a FREE AmorePacific’s treatment enzyme peel with any online order at Sephora.com. Enter code AMORE at checkout.

The perfect Father’s Day gift for the golf-loving dad. MISSION Skincare™ co-founder and pro golfer, Sergio Garcia, created a Sunscreen Kit offering Dads three best-selling products in a travel friendly and reusable signature accessories pouch. Now Dad can play a round while keeping his skin safe with broad-spectrum SPF, while the pouch’s soft padding will protect his watch and other valuables. Additionally, the pouch is made to clip onto his golf bag so he can keep the skin protection he needs by his side for all 18 holes.

Price: $24.99 ($40 value)

Where: MissonSkincare.com

When Molton Brown first opened its doors in 1973, soaps were some of the favorite and most popular products amongst customers. Now, more than 30 years later and just in time for Father’s Day, beautifully wrapped soaps are available once again. Each box contains four, individually wrapped soaps that can be used on hands or body.

The exfoliating oatmeal & milk cleansebar is created from a fine blend of oatmeal and milk. The texture gently helps to smooth the hands and body, while a creamy lather helps to soften, soothe and rebalance as it cleans.

The ultrapure milk cleansebar provides gentle, skin-friendly cleansing. Milk provides natural skin conditioners and Vitamin A and D help to improve texture and give a glowing appearance.

Price: $22 per set

Where: MoltonBrown.com and at Molton Brown emporia in select cities

Give Dad the gift of grooming this Father’s Day with a selection of products that will keep him smelling and looking good. The set includes the best-selling re-charge black pepper bodywash, along with re-charge black pepper body lotion, cleanshine quillaja hairwash and bracing silverbirch bodywash.

Price: $58

Where: MoltonBrown.com and at Molton Brown emporia in select cities

The perfect gift for the busy man on the go, this is the essential seven-piece travel collection of cutting-edge professional treatments to deliver powerful results. This kit is filled with award-winning, clinically proven formulations that are all he needs for energized, hydrated skin.

Set contains: Deep Cleanse Facial Wash (1.69 oz.), Skin Soothe Shave Gel (1.01 oz.), Ice-Cool Foaming Shave Gel (6.76 oz.), Daily Moisture Boost (0.67 oz.), Time Defence Wrinkle Delay (0.1 oz.), Aching Muscle Super Soak (4.22 oz.) and Energizing Skin Scrub (0.67 oz.).

Price: $95.00

Where: www.nordstrom.com

As women age the first area to show the advanced signs of damage and time is the neck area. Skinn research shows that the neck area ages in one of two ways: Type A women experience thinning, collapsing brittle skin on the neck that becomes dry and sinks with diminished elasticity (“chicken neck”), or Type B women experience a heavier full neck (“double chin”). Both types of aging necks experience age spots and lines. Skinn responds with two custom formulas in serum strength creams for Type A or Type B aging.

I fall into the Type B category. For some reason, even though I am not overweight, I have a double chin. Out of all the things I wish I could change about my face, I would love to get rid of my double chin the most. While it’s not noticeable to everyone that walks by me, it’s always been something that has bothered me. I’ve had a double chin since I was like 10 years old… And like I said, I’ve never been a heavy girl. I used to be a professional dancer and weighed 98 pounds. So why I have a double chin is beyond me… I’ve never been able to figure it out.

In an effort to combat the unnecessary fullness under my chin, I decided to try Chin-Up Firm, Lift and Tone from Skinn.

I got Type B which is a streamlining cream for heavier necks and fuller jaw lines that was specifically created with Ovaliss™ complex, an advanced coconut extract shown to strengthen, tighten and help burn excess fat deposits that accumulate on the neck area. Renovage™ will help slow down the aging process on heavier necks by 33% and help to diminish age spots and lines. The result is a more streamlined, less full, firmer looking neck and jaw line.

I’ve been using it for about 10 days now and I loooove the fragrance. It smells incredibly natural… like a Spring meadow or something… It’s just lovely. And I love how quickly it soaks into my skin without leaving it greasy or oily. I have noticed that the skin on my neck looks better, but as of right now, I still have a double chin… Hmmm.

I think I’ve only used about 1/5 of the bottle so far though, so I’ll give you another update on my chin shrinkage when I finish the bottle.

Price: $45.00

Purchase Skinn Chin-Up Cream on Amazon.com. Or you can buy it on Skinn.com or ShopNBC.com.