Author: mkokopelli

mkokopelli https://mkokopelli.wordpress.com With a BA in Creative Writing, I have always had a passion for telling a story. When I graduated from UNCW, the job market was scarce so I pursued my other love, photography. I managed a photography studio for 3 years before starting my own company, M&M Photography. As luck would have it, one of my clients worked for the Charlotte Observer and asked me to join her team in launching their new mom website, MomsCharlotte.com. During this time, I had a baby and after learning some disturbing things about big name baby shampoo, I started researching children’s products and eventually family products. I began a blog, Mkokopelli, as a side project to document all of the things I was learning and to share my knowledge with other concerned parents. Mkokopelli led me down many exciting roads as I got to work with amazing companies and organizations. I began freelancing for several big named eco-friendly businesses including Inhabitots, Stonyfield, Franklin Goose, Earth Mama Angel Baby, The Baby Grocery Store, Juice Beauty, rocklovepeace, and Sacred Pregnancy. After having my second child, I decided to focus my talents on social media content as well as video editing. My current clients are a multi-billion dollar real estate company based out of Dallas, TX and a NC therapist who specializes in Transformative Insight Imagery. When not writing, I enjoy hiking, traveling, photo journalism, poetry, reading, nature, politics, activism, and painting.

Lullaby Organics GIVEAWAY

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This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered. Congrats to Kim!

Instead of doing Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or even Cyber (green) Monday, Lullaby Organics is doing 12 Days of Holi-daily Deals! I thought this was extremely cute and clever. Each day there will be a category on sale- like today is PJ’s!! Every day a blogger will reveal the deal with a review and giveaway (so be sure to check the Lullaby Organics Facebook Page to see the posts) and you can just visit Lullaby Organics to shop the deals so you can save big!

Lullaby Organics sells organic clothing, toys, bath, bedding, mattresses, furniture, air purifiers, diapers, baby gear, feeding supplies and more!

Every Christmas Eve I let E open 1 present, which happens to be pj’s. I wash them before wrapping so she can wear them to bed and have pics taken of them in the a.m. when she’s opening presents. Some years I do holiday themed and sometimes I just go for fun. Lullaby Organics has tons of adorable organic pj’s (holiday themed and fun themed) from newborn all the way up to a youth 8! It’s so hard to find older kid organic clothing so I was thrilled to see the awesome selection!

Lullaby Organics was awesome enough to send E the Organic Cotton Kitty Toddler Pajamas by Frugi. They got here super fast and I love the thank you card along with organic carrots and organic gourmet lettuce blend seeds that were tucked in the package!!

I LOVE the pj’s drawstring waist. I can’t explain why, but they look adorable! I have never tried any Frugi clothing before, so I was excited to feel their material- and I’m quite impressed. The pj’s are super soft and thick like warm winter pj’s should be. They are very sweet girly colors, and what little girl doesn’t love a picture of a kitty sleeping?  I’ve washed them twice and no shrinking or fading. E is in a true 5-6 and we got the 7. They are a little bit big in the pants, but look adorable! The Kitty PJ’s are her new fav (I couldn’t wait until Christmas to hand them over they are so cute!) so she had to decorate the tree and pose in them on Friday.

The Frugi PJ’s are GOTS organic textile certified, so no worries about any nasty chemicals. The CPSC requires all children’s sleepwear to be fire retardant or snug fitting. Majority of the pajamas on the market have been treated with some type of flame retardant and they could be treated with a type called PBDEs. Traces of PBDEs have been found in breast milk, blood, urine, household dust, fish, aquatic birds, and other wildlife. The dangers of PBDEs are liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, developmental toxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity. PBDEs do not break down in the body and accumulate in fatty tissues. Some scientists are linking PBDEs to autism, ADD/ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and permanent behavior changes. All of the Lullaby Organics pj’s are snug fitting and flame retardant free, with no PBDEs, pesticides, insecticides or other harmful chemicals that can effect your child’s health. 
HoliDailyDeals!

Lullaby Organics Daily Deal for 11/26: All organics pajamas (size newborn thru adult) are on sale for 20% off all weekend long (11/25-11/28). Saturday only deal: use coupon code SMALLBIZSAT for an EXTRA 20% off pajamas (for a total discount of 36%!).

GIVEAWAY: You can win 1 pajama set of your choice of style and size!!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST December 12, 2011 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US 

How to Enter:  Tell me which Lullaby Organics PJ’s you’d pick if you won! Go Click on “Comments” to leave your post. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

EXTRA entries:  You must complete the “How To Enter” before making any extra entries. Make sure you leave a comment for each extra entry and tell me which one.
2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Follow Mkokopelli on Twitter, Follow my blog on GFC, Follow on tumblr, Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry for each one)
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified (3 entries)
4. Blog, Tweet, or send a message on FB and leave a link here (1 entry per day)

Enter to win your choice of organic pj’s (size 0-8T) from @lullabyorganics on @Mkokopelli! Ends 12/12 http://bit.ly/uliSPU


*disclaimer: I was given the item reviewed free of charge. This in no way alters my opinions. These are my thoughts, results, and feelings. 

Mkokopelli Eco Gift Guide 2011

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Since Blogger doesn’t allow PDF files I had to link to the products in text below the photo. 😦 Not the prettiest… I truly need my own website so I can do more fun things like this!!  *Note: I wasn’t given anything for review for the gift guide. These are all things we love!

Top Left Photo: Green Toys Tea Set with Sarah’s Silks playsilk, and Yellow Label Kids knit food, Middle Left Photo: Orka Ice Pop Molds (we make new ones every week!), Bottom Left: a bath combo of Boon toys, Green Toys, and Endangered Species. Top right: Sarah’s Silks and Inspired By Finn necklace, Bottom Right: PlanToys

Top left: Green Toys Blocks, Bottom left: miYim knit bunny, Top right miYim knit rattle, Middle rocklovepeace teether, Bottom right Wonderworld Stacker

Top left: Educo Switchback Racetrack, Top right PlanToys Cutting Fruit, Green Toys Racing cars, Bottom left: Uncle Goose Blocks, Middle: Under the Nile Fruit Tote, Bottom right: Grimm Rainbow

Top left: PlanToys Blocks, Top right: PlanToys Green Dollhouse, Bottom left: ImagiPLAY Lacingscapes, Middle: Planet Pixies, Bottom right: CitiBlocs

Top left: Toysmith Potato Clock, EarthOpoly, Bottom left: Crocodile Creek Travel Puzzle, Bottom middle: Round Wooden Knitting Loom, Bottom right: glob Collage Kit

Top left: Baby Soy, Middle: Kite Kids shirt (look for them on Zulily), Sama Baby jeans, Simple Shoes, Bottom left: Kiwi Industries, Top Right: Nohi Kids, Bottom right: Sama Baby

Top left: ManPans Stir Fry Wok, Middle left: Earth Mama Body Butter, Bottom left rocklovepeace bag, Top right: The Scarlet Robin, Middle right: Bamboosa Priya Skirt, Bottom right: Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair

Remember to support your local owned stores, small online businesses, or try to buy items made in the USA!

Toys Made Out of PVC- a reminder before the holidays

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Sometimes we need a gentle kick in the tushie to remind us of why we take the stance that we do when it comes to buying children products. I wrote a post 2 weeks ago about When Being Eco is Hard. Basically E went to her friend’s b-day party who got some My Little Pony’s and E said that is what she was going to ask Santa to get her for Christmas. Seeing her little face light up, I let my guard down and thought maybe, one pony would be ok? I thought about it for a few hours then decided to write Hasbro to find out more info.

During my week long wait for a reply, I started researching blogs and websites like Healthy Toys to see if they had any info. Most bloggers said Hasbro didn’t respond and Healthy Toys said My Little Pony’s were a moderate hazard in 2007-2009 since they tested positive for chlorine. But I was hoping that Hasbro changed their plastic formulation- because face it- PVC toys are so 2008. Or so I thought….

This is from Hasbro: “We believe based on scientific evidence that PVC in toys presents no health risk to children. Hasbro’s toys are designed to be compliant with all current laws around the world, including those relating to PVC. For more information on PVC, please visit http://www.cpsc.gov and to http://www.toy-tia.org. Please be advised My Little Pony figures do contain PVC.”

I find that very interesting since a week before I wrote Hasbro the American Public Health Association passed a resolution urging facilities such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes to reduce the amount of PVC used. “Despite its ubiquity in the marketplace, the public remains largely unaware of the public health and environmental risks posed by PVC at all stages of its lifecycle (from production to disposal). PVC used in consumer products is not a pure material. Chemicals are added, that can make up as much as 40 to 60% of a product, to change its properties to meet different consumer needs. But these additives have toxic characteristics and moreover are unintentionally released in indoor settings posing avoidable risks to infants, children and other vulnerable populations. In addition, school-age children behave in ways that will increase their exposure to PVC additives in products, including putting plastic products in their mouths and spending a lot of time on the floor and ground, where they can ingest chemical residues from toys, containers, dirt and dust on a regular basis,” said the APHA Resolution. The APHA is the oldest organization of health professionals working to improve overall health since 1872.

Some of the PVC additives listed on the APHA site are lead, cadmium, organotins, plasticizers like phthalates and fillers. Though phthalates have been banned from infant products and children (12 yrs and younger) toys since 2009, they are still in many PVC products. PVC also releases dioxins- an unwanted bi-product which is toxic- during production, disposal, and possibly when heated. Vinyl chloride, used to make PVC, is named a carcinogen by the EPA. It sounds like all of the above are health risks that I wouldn’t want to chance when it comes to my kiddo.

When I first asked Hasbro what type of plastic they used and could it be recycled they said that information wasn’t readily available and they’d have to dig around. That seemed very odd to me. Why wouldn’t you know what your toys are made out of? If you talk to a personal care company they can list all of the ingredients very easily- well unless you are asking about fragrances. But shouldn’t it be that way with toys and any other children’s products? I want the right to know what I’m buying and letting my child play with. (Be sure to check The Soft Landing’s Seal of Approval webpage for products tested and approved!)

The Hasbro representative wasn’t able to give me a recycle code but told me to ask my recycling center if they’d accept the pony’s. Then I responded, well if you don’t give me a code, how I can ask if they accept that type of plastic?  That’s when I go the reply, “I am sorry we are unable to assist you with recycle codes as that are not available for our My Little Pony products.” Great, so helpful!

So not only are My Little Pony’s made with PVC, a potentially harmful plastic for your child, they are non-recyclable, made with the highest single usage of chlorine gas in the world, and they also emit dioxins in production, disposal, and possibly when heated- like in a warm bath. Extremely horrible for the environment on so many levels!!

When holiday shopping this year, remember to avoid PVC plastic toys. If you can, avoid ALL plastic toys (Green Toys is ok in my book) and purchase wooden toys from sustainable companies.

I broke the news to E that she wouldn’t be able to get any My Little Pony’s for Christmas and she was ok with it. Her response, “can I get a My Little Pony coloring book instead?” See, saying no isn’t all that hard!

What toys are you buying this year?

Tiny Prints GIVEAWAY

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Before we went eco, we’d always send Shutterfly photo cards. Majority of my family doesn’t get to see E but once or twice a year, so they really enjoyed the photo cards. Time got the best of me last year and it was too late to do anything by the time I thought about ordering/sending… but this year, they are ordered and should be on the way shortly!

This is going to be a 2 part blog post since I know everyone else is anxious to get their cards ordered, printed, and mailed out. And who wouldn’t want the chance to win free Tiny Prints cards??

There are many eco-friendly options available for holiday cards. You can get 100% recycled paper cards, elephant poo cards, biodegradable seed cards, post consumer waste paper, and Forest Stewardship Certified cards. I’ve really enjoyed sending biodegradable cards with seeds in them as a small gift in the past, but they can get expensive when mailing mass amounts. Tiny Prints contacted me a while back to let me know about their 30% post consumer waste paper cards or FSC cards, and I couldn’t resist testing them out this year! 100% of their photo cards, products, and packaging are made with eco-friendly recycled paper. Who knew?

All of the Tiny Prints products are labeled FSC or post consumer waste in their descriptions so yo know which you are choosing. Tiny Prints carries beautiful stationary, invites, announcements, thank you cards, holiday cards, gifts and more! You can get greeting cards, business products, wedding paper, and document every parenting occasion. I even had my baby shower invites made from them 5 years ago!! My have they grown since!

Shutterfly (my favorite photo website) acquired Tiny Prints this Spring, so I was really excited to see the two team up. I was thrilled 5 years ago with my Tiny Prints baby shower invites, and I’ve always been happy with my Shutterfly photo cards. I can only imagine how my new holiday cards will turn out!! I will be back with the full review as soon as they get here. But, I had a blast designing them yesterday.  There are so many amazing options!!

Until then, take a look around Tiny Prints and pick which cards you want to order!! I’m shortening this giveaway to give you time to order and get them in time to send. Have fun!


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This Moment

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Sooooo I’m a day behind… but I had to share this week’s moment(s). E has taken a fashion turn this week and I wanted to document her new style. And I have to say she has been dressing herself and picking her own clothes for 2 1/2 years…

I can’t help but be reminded of Punky Brewster

Health Science Labs- Endangered Species

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Not too long ago I did a review for Health Science Labs Endangered Species line and some of their bath toys, vitamins, eco-ID labels, and eco-doodle. A few months later I can say they are still a big hit with E and the eco-ID labels are still stuck to her cups that go in the dishwasher every day! She still loves playing with the foam animals for however long I allow her to stay in the tub. She would seriously stay in there all day if I let her. So when they asked if I wanted to review some of their new eco-bath pals, eco-bath mitts, and color me eco-pack I was thrilled!

Of course as soon as E opened the box she stole the mitts and pals and took off with them. They are now her babies which get to take a bath- unlike all of her other dolls. She has loved that she can play with a stuffed animal in the water. Since most dolls are made of PVC plastic (major no-no for bath time play!!), E only has a few cotton dolls. She has discovered imaginative play and likes to use stuff animals to role play- so this has been lots of fun for her. The eco-bath pals and eco-bath mitts are made with recycled polyester and the washcloths are made out of recycled cotton. All Endangered Species items support Defenders of Wildlife.

The eco-pals Harp Seal and Green Sea Turtle have a scrubbie belly to help get kids clean. I love that you can bathe your kiddo while talking about endangered animals. They are soft on the top and efficient on their bellies. You can get the eco-pals for $18.99.

I love the splish splash dolphin eco-mitts and how they can be used as puppets. E has loved putting them on her hand and have them jump in and out of the water. These would be great for water tables as well! You can get the mitts (2 dolphins) for $18.99.

After E took the pals and mitts, she decided to color her eco-pack on her own. My couch has a high back and E’s play area is on the other side… so I was surprised to turn around and see the eco-pack fully colored. 🙂

The eco-pack is made with recycled cotton and plastic. Each bag comes with 8 washable, water-based, non-toxic markers. So that means you can wash the bag and color it all over again! This is great for traveling- especially since you can pack the bag with goodies. It reminds me of the drawstring bags we made in home ec in middle school. 🙂 The eco-pack is $14.99 and comes in 3 different themes- under the water, safari, and jungle.

You can get the eco-pack, eco-mitts, and eco-pals at Endangered Species- Health Science Labs!

Today I’m Thankful

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Last night my little kiddo completely shocked me when she asked if she could say a prayer at dinner. She cupped her tiny hands together and said, “I am thankful for my great home, thankful for my nice good family, thankful for my friends I can play with,  thankful for all things good, I’m thankful for love, I’m thankful that I have a beautiful heart, and thankful I can love with all my heart.”Of course I was in tears by the end of her prayer…

I was awoken at 5 a.m. by my sweet little girl and was instantly a grouch. This mama needs a good night sleep and it didn’t help I was up working until 12 a.m. I then let the dogs outside and saw all of the leaves on the ground.

I was instantly thankful that my mom didn’t blow the leaves yesterday and I had one more day to enjoy their beauty. I felt peaceful just like I do when I see a fresh sheet of snow on the ground- just not so cold. I saw a tree with just a few leaves hanging on, and it reminded me how we all need to let go of our leaves (baggage) and prepare for the holidays and new year. The leaves in my backyard that are remaining have dimmed, yet on a cloudy day like this, they remind me of why I love Fall. I’m so  thankful we get all 4 seasons here in NC.

Then my sweet puppies came inside and laid down on the new EarthDog hemp blanket I won from The Ultimate Green Store (you are awesome! thank u!) and became even more thankful that we have our Sadie back.  She wasn’t living with us for 8 months, and now has returned. I am beyond thankful my mom allowed her into our home because she is an amazing presence. And I am thankful E’s grandparents raise such beautiful dogs and gave her to us.

 I am also thankful for the puddles my little jumping bean could play in today and that she had the gear to do so. Seeing her smile and giggle is something to be thankful for all in itself. E is one of the most special children I’ve ever met- and I don’t say that because she is my own. Everyone who meets her melts- and that goes for the 99% of strangers she goes up and talks to randomly.

I am incredibly thankful for my mom. I could make this list very long- but without her there is no way I could be the mom that I am today. Being a single parent is hard. She was one and now so am I. She has made it possible for me to stay at home with E for the past 4 years and I don’t know how I could ever repay her for doing this. I have no idea how I could take E to therapy twice a week while working full time from an office. I praise those parents with special needs children who do have to work and juggle therapy, school, and regular life. You amaze me! I get to work from home and can take my computer wherever we go- which without my mom being here for us- I don’t think could have happened. Speaking of therapy- I am beyond thankful that we the resources to go to the best doctors here that are helping E in amazing ways!
Of course I am thankful for all of you and everyone who has taught me so much in the eco world. There are so many of you out there that inspire me, support me, and keep me going. I wish I had more time to write and research!  I thank each of you for being so patient and sticking with me!! I promise- I will get my groove back 😉
Lastly, I am thankful for all of the companies and organizations that are fighting for non-toxic products, reform, and making this world a safe place for our children. Especially Healthy Child, Healthy World,  Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and Moms Clean Air Force to name a few… 
So what are you thankful for?
*I am a blogger for Healthy Child, Healthy World and this is part of our What Are you Thankful For posts… though, I truly had to urge to be thankful today. 🙂

When Being Eco is Hard

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I feel like a big meanie and I don’t like it! Being eco around the holidays is really hard now that E is getting older and has her own opinions. It was a challenge to get through Halloween without buying silly plastic toys/gifts, new costumes, and staying away from candy- especially with a really cute kiddo batting her thick eyelashes begging please. Thanksgiving will be difficult with our food limitations (low sugar, organic, and gluten-free). And now we are delving into holiday shopping and my baby wants to ask Santa for plastic junk. 😦

Now my kiddo will tell you when we pass by Chick-fil-a or McDonalds that we don’t eat there because they have chemicals in their food. She will tell you that we don’t eat lots of sweet stuff because too much sugar can make you sick. And she will tell you that soap has bad chemicals so we have to use the safe stuff. But how do I explain that My Little Pony (her favorite TV show which she has to earn each day to watch) characters & play sets are made with bad plastic when her friends have them?

Now, for the record, I’m not 100% that My Little Pony’s are made with bad plastic. In 2008 & 2009 they were tested by HealthyToys.org and they were given a medium hazard since they were made with PVC. I emailed Hasbro to find out if they have changed the plastics, but am awaiting a reply. But they are still plastic…

I vowed to stop buying plastic toys- unless they are made with recycled plastics. I vowed to stay away from commercialism. Our rule is that if you see it on TV, we can’t/won’t buy it. I vowed to never get sucked back into the hole- like the princess one we fell in a couple of years ago.  And here we are again. When I told E that she probably won’t get My Little Pony’s for Christmas, she started crying and became really sad. How am I supposed to get past that if she asks Santa? This is when being eco is really hard…

What’s in your child’s shampoo? Earth Mama GIVEAWAY

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In March of 2009, Safe Cosmetics released No More Toxic Tub which enlightened many parents to the dangers in baby personal care. E was 2 at the time and had been suffering from eczema and rashes her whole life. Her doctors told me it was genetic and I could use this really harsh cream if I was concerned. I declined and never thought to research other causes. I had been given a huge gift basket at my baby shower that was filled with Johnson & Johnson products- enough to last me 2+ years. So when I read the report and learned I had been washing my baby with formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, I was beyond appalled. I then threw out all of our J&J and began learning about safe, non-toxic baby care.

Other double offenders that contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane from the report were:

  • American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out
  • Shower Gel – Apple Blossom (three samples)
  • Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Baby Lotion
  • Barbie Berry Sweet Bubble Bath
  • CVS Baby Shampoo
  • CVS Kids Body Wash – Blueberry Blast
  • Dora the Explorer Bubble Bath
  • Equate Tearless Baby Wash
  • Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash
  • Hot Wheels Berry Blast Bubble Bath
  • Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber and Green Tea Baby Wash
  • Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
  • L’Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Fast Dry
  • Shampoo – Burst of Cool Melon
  • Pampers Kandoo Foaming Handsoap – Magic Melon
  • Sesame Street Bubble Bath – Orange Mango Tango
  • Tinker Bell Scented Bubble Bath

*Note there were other brands listed with just having formaldehyde or 1,4 dioxane. You can read the full report here.

Now it has been over 2 1/2 years since the report and a call of action was issued November 1 from Campaign for Safe Cosmetics stating that Johnson & Johnson (including Aveeno) baby products have yet to be reformulated and it’s time to ask them to clean up baby shampoo all over the world. The real kicker is that they have a safER version in other countries! J&J is selling versions of the shampoo in Denmark, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the U.K. that don’t contain formaldehyde-releasing chemicals.

Even though formaldehyde was classified as a carcinogen (cancer causing substance) this year, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement saying: “The preservative technologies we use are safe and approved by authorities in the European Union and in the United States, as well as in China and India, and we have not seen any evidence of allergy in hundreds of millions of real life uses of these products.” They have also said they would phase out these chemicals (no time given) to undetectable levels.

Over the past week I’ve listened to numerous parents voice their concerns and I’m kind of in shock by some of the responses. I’ve heard a lot of parents say, “well it’s just trace amounts” of formaldehyde and people are “overreacting.” Another one commonly heard was, “my parents used it on me and I turned out alright.” The fact is that some cancers are caused from our environment and over time toxins can build up in our systems and cause harm. Since I’m a mother of a kiddo who breaks out in horrible rashes when exposed to harsh chemicals, who has battled eczema, and has had hives so bad she had to be rushed to the ER from a chemical reaction– I’ve seen the instant reactions from the harmful chemicals that are said to be safe. I know these parents love their kids, but I honestly don’t get why they would risk exposing them to nasty chemicals- even trace amounts. I wish I had people around 2 years ago telling me safe brands to buy- it would have saved me a whole bunch of trouble!

When I read the first No More Toxic Tub report, I made mistakes in buying personal care items from greenwashers. It wasn’t until 2 years ago when Earth Mama challenged me to look up our “natural” and “organic” products on the EWG’s Cosmetic Database. I was in shock at some of the things I found! Luckily, I was sent a bottle of Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash with ZERO toxins, and we’ve been hooked ever since. They kind of set the standard of safe baby care for us. If they can make excellent products with ZERO toxins, why can’t everyone else? Sure, I make exceptions for some things like bubble bath. But my rule is that it can’t rate higher than a 3 on the Cosmetic Database.

Earth Mama’s gentle castile soaps are great for the whole family. The castile soaps have a PH high enough to deter mold and bacteria growth. Synthetic surfactants (detergents) need to have preservatives added to prevent mold and bacteria from growing- that’s why J&J adds the Quaternium-15. You can read more about soaps vs. detergents here written by Mama Melinda.

My favorite Earth Mama soap is the Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash.

I LOVE the vanilla orange scent! E and I both use it as a body wash and E uses it as a shampoo. Castile soap is great for fine baby hair, but it can cause tangles for older kids and adults. E has ultra fine hair, so it is great for her! (For adults I recommend John Masters Organics Bare.) E’s eczema has definitely calmed down and she has less flare ups since we started using Earth Mama. The amazing thing about the soap is that it comes in a foaming container which pumps out over 300 pumps of soap!

We also have the Calm & Clean, Happy Mama, and Non-Scents at each bathroom faucet. So not only are they great shampoo and body washes, they are great every day hand soaps. All of the soaps are natural germ fighters! We also keep a mini bottle in my bag so E can wash her hands when using public bathrooms. (When I noticed my kiddo was using soap in public places that contained triclosan and not fully washing the soap off- I got grossed out.)

All of the Earth Mama soaps are USDA certified made with organic ingredients, vegan, cruelty free, anti-bacterial, are hospital recommended, and have ZERO toxins. Miami Valley Hospital just started using Earth Mama Angel Baby products in their NICU and nursery!! I am hoping more people start recommending their local hospital make the switch.

This is a great blurb from Earth Mama’s site:
“Regarding the most recent Toxic Tub news story (Baby’s Tub is Still Toxic ), Earth Mama Angel Baby thinks it’s simple; a mama should be able to know what she is putting on her baby, and her whole family, without having to have a degree in chemistry. “With all this news about formaldehyde-releasing Quaternium 15 and 1, 4 Dioxane in babies’ tubs, we want to make it clear that Earth Mama Angel Baby has never contained those ingredients, or ANY toxins ever.” says Olson. Every Earth Mama product rates a ZERO for toxins on the Skin Deep database, and Mama’s Promise® is to offer only safe, pure, natural products that work. If it doesn’t measure up to Mama’s standards, it doesn’t leave the building.”

What can you do?

Nobody thinks it’s a good idea to put toxins on babies (or big people for that matter), and when news like this hits, it spurs mamas to make changes. But how? Here are some ideas:

  • Make your voice heard – leave comments on articles you read to show the media that people care.
  • Get involved with companies like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics who work to bring these issues to consumers.
  • Read ingredients and know what’s in your products.
  • Support change by buying safer products.
  • Pressure companies to do the right thing. The consumers have the power, and if people don’t buy it, the companies won’t make it.

GIVEAWAY: One lucky winner will win their choice of any 1 of Earth Mama’s soaps!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST November 20, 2011 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US and Canada

How to Enter: Tell me which soap you want to try! Go Click on “Comments” to leave your post. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

EXTRA entries: You must complete the “How To Enter” before making any extra entries. Make sure you leave a comment for each extra entry and tell me which one.
2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Follow Mkokopelli on Twitter, Follow my blog on GFC, Follow on tumblr, Follow me on Networked Blogs (1 entry for each one)
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified (3 entries)
4. Blog, Tweet, or send a message on FB and leave a link here (1 entry per day)
What’s in your child’s shampoo/soap? @EarthMamaHQ #giveaway on @Mkokopelli Win any choice of castile soap Ends 11/20 http://nblo.gs/pxfwr
5. Sign up for the Earth Mama Angel Baby Newsletter
6. Become a Fan of Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook
7. Follow @EarthMamaHQ on Twitter
8. Tell me something you learned on the Earth Mama Angel Baby site
9. Tell me a rating of one of your personal care products
10. Tweet either things:
Looking for a safe baby shampoo? Check out @EarthMamaHQ with ZERO toxins!http://bit.ly/bXMHmg
Do you know what’s in your child’s soap? Learn more at @EarthMamaHQ http://bit.ly/tw7tYv


*This is a personal review. These are my thoughts, feelings, opinions, and results. I’ve been using Earth Mama products for over 2 years and no product was given for this review.