Mineral Makeup 101: Whole Foods Mineral Fusion Kits

As a regular Whole Foods shopper, I often browse their Whole Body section, looking for more natural ways to replace some of the products I use on my face and body.  Earlier in the year I had seen their Mineral Fusion makeup kits and thought that it would be fun to try them.  Thanks to Mom Fuse, I just happened to get that opportunity!  I received the Innocent Peach Spring Blossom Color Kit to try out. The kit includes a blush, lip gloss, eye shadow, blotting paper, and a “Tips and Techniques” DVD.  What’s nice about the kit is that it contains the essentials…the basics.  I could easily wear these three staples on a normal day and look well put together.

TriDerma MD Baby

We’ve been dealing with diaper rashes since my son was born.  It’s been a frustrating endeavor trying to find out the cause for his chronic diaper rashes.  We’ve tried every brand of wipes and diapers on the market (except for cloth) and have used more creams than I can keep track of.  Apparently they weren’t effective enough to be memorable.    We’ve even gone so far as to try and identify potential food allergies or sensitivities, to no avail.  I’ve come to the conclusion that a combination of sensitive skin and the fact that his skin doesn’t like to be wet for any length of time results in frequent diaper rashes.

I’ve tried numerous creams, butters, pastes, and oils for my son’s diaper rashes.  Most of them either don’t work at all, or only work temporarily.  I recently had an opportunity to test out some products from TriDerma’s new baby care line.  Here is a little more information from the site:

Triderma MD Baby skin care features our unique AP4 Genuine Virgin Organic Aloe complex which naturally has over 200 healing properties, healing botanicals, and other specific ingredients to provide healing for the toughest skin problems.

The first product I tested out was the Severe Diaper Rash Fast Healing Cream.   The first thing I noticed about it was the texture and consistency.  It is definitely more of a cream versus a paste (which I prefer).  One of the things that bothers me about zinc oxide based creams is that they leave this pasty residue that becomes impossible to clean off skin.  The skin absorbs the diaper cream well (unlike “pasty,” zinc oxide based creams) and it does not contain any fragrance.  It leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized while working to provide a protective barrier against moisture.  I started using it after my son had a rash but I’ve continued to use it as a protective mechanism against future rashes.  With the initial use, it took about a week for the diaper rash to go away completely although I noticed an improvement after just a few uses.  To give you an idea of how bad my son’s rashes can get, his skin was bleeding when we first started using this.  I was a little concerned it would sting since his skin was so raw but I know it didn’t because he kept asking for more.  By the end of that first day, while it was still red, it had stopped bleeding.  The active ingredients are AP4 Aloe, Zinc, Beeswax, Dimethicone, Oat Protein, Shea Butter, and Allantonin, all of which are natural (I googled them all for you!).

The second product I tried was the All-Purpose Aloe Healing & Cleansing Gel.  I always keep Aloe Vera handy for our hot, Southern California summers since my husband burns even when he uses sunscreen. This gel, designed specifically for babies, is actually a waterless skin cleanser and protectant in one product.  It contains AP4 Genuine Virgin Organic Aloe and Allantoin and provides relief for irritated skin, cuts, scrapes, and burns.  It’s definitely a diaper bag must-have, particularly when children start to become exploratory and mobile.   I like to use it on my son’s cheeks which seem to get red and irritated with the wind, and under his chin where he drools when he’s teething.  It has the same cool feeling you’ll find in aloe vera and leaves skin feeling moisturized (and not sticky like some gels).  The gel is also fragrance-free.

TriDerma’s baby care line also includes the Extreme Itch & Dryness Fast Healing Cream, formulated for dry, irritated, itchy, chaffed skin.  If your child has a skin condition like Eczema, this is a great alternative to steroid creams.  I haven’t tried this product but I think if I had a child with a serious skin condition, I’d be willing to opt for a natural remedy first.

TriDerma’s baby care line is sold exclusively at Babies R Us and products retail for approximately $15.00.  This would make a perfect shower gift for an expectant mom!

Let Me Tell You ‘Bout Burt’s Bees….

Do you know what I absolutely love reviewing?  Beauty and skin care products!  As a mom, it’s not as easy to find the time or justify the expense of products for me.  When I married my husband, I vowed to continue to make myself look nice every day and not “slack off.”  Having a child makes this a little more difficult (one day I’ll give you some tips about how to do things like shower or shave your legs or put on your makeup with a toddler) but it’s still just as important to me.

I recently had the opportunity to try Burt’s Bees new Radiance Day Lotion and it’s absolutely divine!  I was initially introduced to Burt’s Bees when I was looking for a shampoo and soap/wash for my son.  I liked it so much that I started buying some products for myself.  By the way, the Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash is divine!

Burt’s Bees developed the Radiance line of natural skin care products with Royal Jelly (nature’s most nourishing substance) to boost your skin’s natural glow. Here is a little more information about the product from the site and press release:

This natural, efficacious day lotion is specially formulated with Royal Jelly, the key ingredient across the Radiance line of products, to enhance skin’s natural radiance.  Royal Jelly is one of nature’s most nourishing substances and, as the exclusive diet of the Queen bee, the reason the Queen bee lives 40 times longer than worker bees.

With Calendula to soften and smooth skin and Golden Seal to nourish and provide vitamins A, C, E and B Complex, I really feel like this lotion is a therapeutic remedy for my skin.  The Royal Jelly just adds an additional level of nourishment with 17 amino acids and vitamins.  The lotion has this really light floral fragrance and it goes on very sheer (I can even wear liquid or powder makeup on top of it).  Once you rub the lotion on your face, you’ll barely notice it’s there (except for the light scent).  My skin really just felt more moisturized, rather than oily or greasy like many day lotions I’ve tried in the past.  As I get older it’s becoming more important for me to moisturize my face to avoid the little lines and wrinkles that seem to be appearing on a regular basis.  I love the fact that the lotion has an SPF of 15.  Did you know that it is recommended that everyone where sunscreen on a daily basis, even in the winter?  Skin cancer is rampant in this country.  I live in Southern California where it’s practically summer-like all year round so wearing sunscreen is a necessity.  Burt’s Bees uses natural Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide rather than chemical sunscreens to provide a physical layer of protection from the sun’s UVA/UVB rays.

I use products from the Burt’s Bees line because they are free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and petrochemicals.  I also value a company who discloses their products entire list of ingredients.  The company even goes so far as to give each product a rating as to how natural it is (usually above 90% with half of the products 100% natural).

The Radiance Day Lotion retails for $18.00 and is available for purchase directly on the site.  I also find that Target carries a ton of products from the Burt’s Bees line!

Profuse thanks to Burt’s Bees and Mom Fuse for this review opportunity!