While I’m not much of a girly-girl, I confess to preferring my toenails polished over au naturale. My daughter, however, is far more fascinated by polished nails and asks me all the time to paint hers for her. There was a time when I would reluctantly give in and paint her nails with one coat of very light pink but after I found out how toxic nail polish actually is, I had to stop painting her fingernails and my toenails. Fortunately, there are now alternatives to conventional nail polish that are free of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene. According to the Breast Cancer Fund web site:

All three chemicals are on California’s Prop. 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Studies have linked DBP to underdeveloped genitals and other reproductive system problems in newborn boys. DBP is banned from cosmetics products in the European Union but the FDA has taken no such action in the United States.

In addition, the U.S. National Toxicology Program says formaldehyde is “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen. The EPA, meanwhile, restricts toluene in drinking water because it can cause nervous system disorders and damage the liver and kidneys. The FDA does not require that cosmetics products be tested for safety before they are sold.

After reading the above, I’m just damned glad I wasn’t painting my nails when I was pregnant with my son. I’m also glad somebody took the initiative to create Suncoat, an award-winning, quick-drying. water-based nail polish that doesn’t contain phthalates (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde, acetates or FD&C dyes. And? It’s manufactured right here in North America. When I get my next pedicure, you can bet I’ll be bringing my Suncoat with me.

Find It Here: Suncoat

By Izzy, June 12, 2008  
Filed under: Cosmetics, Mama

Moisturizing daily is important for skin health — or so says my very astute and trustworthy esthetician friend. However, I find it disconcerting that so many moisturizers have synthetic ingredients that are downright toxic. Ugh! Who wants to put chemicals on their face every day? If you’re looking for a safer facial moisturizer, then check out Grateful Body’s Daily Facial Therapy. Available for dry, oily and normal skin types, it’s my all-time favorite facial lotion. Produced locally in California, the moisturizer gets a very low hazard score (a good thing!) from the Environmental Workging Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database. They are also a signer of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and they do not test their products on animals. All of their products are vegetarian or vegan and they use recycled packaging and soy based inks. Oh and? Their moisturizer is really effective. I should know, I’ve been using it for over a year and I love it. At the risk of sounding a little un-green, I guess you could say, I’m sold.

Find It Here: Grateful Body

Congratulations to Meghan B., winner of a bottle of Grateful Body’s Daily Facial Therapy!

Deal: Receive 20% off your purchase at Grateful Body with code greenmom20. Valid through July 31, 2008.

By Cristina, June 5, 2008  
Filed under: Bodycare, Cosmetics, Mama, Organic, Sustainable, Vegan, Win

At almost every baby shower I’ve ever attended, the mom-to-be receives what seems like fifty zillion packages of newborn onesies. They’re nice to have, for sure, but original? Not so much. If you’re trying to find a unique gift idea for a baby shower, then check out these baby shower gift baskets by Love & Blessings. Started by mom of twins Victoria Loveland-Coen, Love & Blessings was founded with the philosophy of “nurturing the nurturer and caring for baby naturally, while lessening the toxic impact on our environment.” We love her philosophy and love her gift baskets even more! Individually crafted and assembled, each gift basket offers a unique selection of hip, earth-friendly products to nurture mama and baby. My personal favorite is The Ultimate Baby Bonding Gift Basket, which comes with a baby bonding book, baby bonding audiobook with guided relaxation, a nursing shawl, burp cloth, some Earth Mama Angel Baby products (all rated well on the Cosmetic Safety Database), and a little baby elephant rattle. You even customize your own gift basket if you want. Just choose the size basket you’d like, then shop their store for the perfect items to include. They will assemble the basket and ship it to you. It doesn’t get much any easier than that! And with plenty of natural, organic products to choose from, you’re only problem will be trying to figure out what not to put in your basket.

Find It Here: Love & Blessings

Congratulations to Kristinia, winner of a New Mama Nurture Basket by Love & Blessings worth more than $100! 

By Cristina, May 12, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Gift, Mama, Organic, Win

We’re taking the day off today and we hope you are, too!

Happy Mother’s Day!

[Image via Adrienne]

By Cristina, May 11, 2008  
Filed under: Mama

It seems as if every time I read the news, there is some new report about BPA in our plastics, oxybenzone in sunscreens and a whole bucketful of various chemicals in our mattresses, not to mention the beauty industry’s slack guidelines concerning what they put in personal care products and cosmetics. I’m fed up with all of it but I’m not ready to give up taking care of myself just yet, especially when I can make my own personal care products. Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles contains over 175 different homemade herbal formulas for glowing skin and a vibrant self. In fact, there’s a recipe for just about everything you could ever need: natural bug repellent, facial steams (yes, you need facial steams), makeup remover, body butters (great for stretchmark prevention!) In addition to the recipes, the book gives primers on essential oils and how to use them; harvesting herbs; basic information on hair and skin and nail care as well as a basic ingredient dictionary. In fact, it’s very likely you’ll already have most of the ingredients right in your cupboard. And no, you don’t have to use your chocolate stash unless you really, really want to — we know some things are sacred.

Find It Here: Organic Body Care Recipes

By Kris, April 23, 2008  
Filed under: Bodycare, Indulge, Mama, Organic, Read

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream Stonyfield YoBaby Yogurt. Why? Because Stonyfield YoBaby Yogurt is totally yummy and lovable (even for the finickiest of children) and it’s also all natural, USDA certified organic and comes without the preservatives and artificial ingredients so commonly found in yogurts these days. The Stonyfield Company also makes extraordinary efforts to minimize their impact on the environment - whether it be through their choice of packaging, their use of solar panels, or their efforts to reduce Co2 emissions. They’ve even won several national environmental awards. So, yeah, they’re getting a big thumbs up from this green mama. And as if they read my mind, they’ve now come out with YoMommy Yogurt, the organic, low-fat variety just for moms that’s chock full of the good stuff expectant and new mothers need. Something tells me the dads are about to get jealous…

Find It Here: Click here to find a store near you.

Congratulations to Beth S. and Janet, who will each be receiving $25 in coupons for free YoBaby and YoMommy Yogurt Packs.

Editor’s Note: Prior to writing this post and arranging the giveaway, we consulted Stonyfield Farms’ website to make sure the plastic containers they were using for their yogurt cups were safe. Their site indicates that they exclusively use plastic #5. However, some of our readers have informed us that while the large containers of yogurt are packaged in #5, the small YoBaby yogurt cups are still packaged in #6 plastic. We contacted Stonyfield to question this and we received the following response:

Thanks for your inquiry about our packaging and specifically our use of polystyrene #6 for our YoBaby products. First, none of our packaging contains BPA, the chemical currently in the news and which is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. As for our use of polystyrene #6, you’ll be reassured to learn that #6 containers are considered safe for food use by the both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union (EU). The FDA requires the styrene content of the packaging be less than 5,000 parts per million (ppm). The styrene content in Stonyfield Farm’s polystyrene packaging does not exceed 400 ppm.We appreciate hearing from you. Because the use of any plastic can have an adverse effect on the environment, we continuously search for packaging materials with lower environmental impacts. For now, we believe the best option for our small cups is polystyrene since it allows us to reduce the overall amount of packaging material we use - less packaging means less consumption of resources, less pollution and less solid waste.

We are disappointed that Stonyfield has chosen to use plastic #6 containers. We have requested that they update their website to indicate that they use a range of plastics for their containers, including plastic #6 for their yogurt cups. We have further urged them to find a safer packaging for their yogurt cups. Despite the FDA assurances about the safety of the styrene content of their current packaging, we do not feel comfortable giving our children any amount of styrene, which is considered a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and which may also disrupt hormones or affect reproduction. Healthy Child Healthy World recommends avoiding foods packaged in polystyrene plastic, denoted by a #6. So, as much as we love Stonyfield’s YoBaby Yogurt cups, we are no longer comfortable recommending them. For now, purchasing the larger plastic #5 Stonyfield Yogurt containers seems to be a better option.

By Cristina, April 21, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Eat, Mama, Organic, Win

After running after my kids all day, the only thing I usually feel like doing when I finally get to bed is sleeping! However, I can often be persuaded to stay up just a bit longer for a nice back rub, especially when accompanied by a little Midnight Oil, my favorite new body oil. Developed by GratefulBody, a family-owned, green skin care company out of Berkeley, California, this oil is great for men and women, especially for those who need a little help de-stressing at the end of a long day. You might also like to know that Midnight Oil is a vegan product and gets a great safety rating from the Cosmetic Safety Database. Try it out and I can almost guarantee you that your body will be grateful.

(P.S. It works wonderfully as a baby massage oil as well!)

Find It Here: GratefulBody

Deal: Save 20% off your order from Grateful Body with code “GREENMOM20″. Expires 5/31/08.

Congratulations Stacey M., winner of a bottle of Midnight Oil!

By Cristina, April 2, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Bodycare, Indulge, Mama, Organic, Vegan, Win

Featuring positive messages like “Choose Happiness,” “Live Mindfully,” and “Today Matters,” Tees for Change t-shirts are a wonderful way to inspire yourself and those around you to live with purpose and passion. These shirts are super soft, made from 100% organic cotton or organic bamboo, colored with low impact dyes and screen-printed with water-based inks. Cute, eco-friendly and inspirational — oh, and they’ll plant a tree when you buy a tee. What more could you possibly ask for in a tee shirt?

Find It Here: Tees For Change

Congratulations to Annette T., winner of a “Chase Dreams” Organic Cotton Jersey from Tees for Change!

By Amy, March 19, 2008  
Filed under: Mama, Organic, Style, Sustainable, Wear, Win

Okay, it isn’t organic. But it is local and they say that eating (and drinking?) locally and thus decreasing your carbon footprint is a big piece of the puzzle. So I’m giving myself a solid pat for having discovered a local wine that I could drink by the barrel — Andrew Rich Wines. I just opened (really easily, because bonus! A screw top!) a bottle of the winery’s Mesalliance, a decadent mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah.

Sure, I could have paid a little less for a decent bottle of red; this one was about $14 and looked comparable to an $11 bottle from Australia. However, in weighing the slightly higher cost vs. the egregious addition of greenhouse gases to our already challenged atmosphere? No contest.

The point is, I’m pleased as red-wine punch that I selected the one I did. Guilt-free drinking is not a thing easily come by. If you, however, are not so fortunate as to live in a wine-producing region where you can procure the local bounty, attending a local wine event might be the next best thing. Check out the amazingly comprehensive Local Wine Events site to see what’s happening near you; perhaps even within walking distance!

Cheers.

Find it Here: LocalWineEvents.com

By Debbie, March 15, 2008  
Filed under: Eat, Indulge, Mama

The Hotsling is the first and only pouch sling that I have ever purchased, and I love it. Not only does it do a great job of hiding my post-pregnancy belly, but it’s also super easy to use. Just slip it over your head, drop your baby inside, and off you go! Because it’s sized to fit, you don’t have to learn how to wrap it or adjust it so it’s a great beginner sling. Hotslings come in a lot of great prints, but I have to give it up for the undyed, unbleached hemp/organic cotton Hotsling. It’s machine washable, sweatshop-free, made in the U.S.A., fits easily in your diaper bag and hides your belly flab! If that’s not hot, I don’t know what is.

Find It Here: fawnandforest.com

Congratulations Kari, winner of a Hotsling in natural organic cotton!

Deal: fawnandforest.com is offering 15% off all slings + carriers through the end of February!

By Cristina, February 22, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Mama, Organic, Wear, Win

I think I got about five vases for my wedding. Actually, I got five vases too many. When I think back on all the things I registered for that I really didn’t need, it’s no wonder $19 billion is spent each year on gifts from wedding registries. That’s a lot of stuff. But if you’re looking for a new and different way of registering for your next special occasion such as a wedding, bridal shower, baby shower etc. then check out the Alternative Gift Registry. This free website will help you create a registry that includes non-material, second-hand, homemade, and environmentally friendly gifts. For example, instead of registering for 50 different types of newborn sleepers and onesies that will be outgrown in no time, consider registering for an evening of babysitting or a homemade dinner. As a recent second-time mom, I can tell you that receiving the gift of a home-cooked meal beats a 6-pack of onesies any day.

Find it Here: Alternative Gift Registry

By Cristina, February 20, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Mama, Resources

Nesting in with your wee one just got cozier thanks to the Organic Nesting Pillow from Blessed Nest. Made of 100% organic materials inside and out, this super-safe, super-soft nursing pillow blows my old Boppy out of the water. New York-based designers Isabelle and Heather have managed to make a pillow that is both practical (read: machine washable) and comfy (how could organic flannel and French Terry fabrics not be comfy?) and it fits a new mama’s body way better than than a Boppy. Best of all, they have gone the extra mile to make it safe for baby by using organic cotton that has not been treated with chemicals. Made in the U.S.A. using fair labor practices, the Organic Nesting Pillow is not only great for breastfeeding but has also been known to make sleeping easier for pregnant moms.

Find It Here: Blessed Nest

Congratulations to Chasity of OH, winner of a Blessed Nest Organic Nesting Pillow! 

By Cristina, February 18, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Mama, Organic, Sleep, Win