Fun Find- Calgon Bubble Bath

I was sent a big bottle of Calgon's Ocean Breeze Bubble Bath (30 oz.).  Described as a scent of crisp, cool ocean waves with notes of green lilac and viveter it is a crisp scent.  Moisturizing and cleansing this bubble bath is infused with Vitamin E and Aloe. It is super bubbly and long-lasting too.  My kids love using it for special bath times. 

You can find Calgon Ocean Breeze Bubble Bath at your local drugstore and online.  Calgon also makes lotions, body wash and bath salts. 

La Falaise French Organic Soap

Using th earth's finest ingredients La Falaise organic soap is genuinely French, therapeutic and luxurious.  Whether you are purchasing their bath salts, soaps or shower gels you can be sure that no harsh chemicals were used, no animals were harmed and no culture was exploited while creating and packaging these products.

The La Falaise Pink Clay and Cameline shower gel and bar soap were sent to me to test.  The minimal packaging is bright pink and recyclable.  Camiline is an essential oil used in both products and it is a great anti-inflammatory and Vitamin E source. Pink Clay is good for softening skin and gentle cleansing which makes it a wonderful soap or shower gel for relieving tired skin or protecting sensitive skin.  The soaps rinse well and don't dry your skin either.  I found both to be quite soothing and not overly perfumed. In fact, the soft rose and geranium scent is so light it simply floats in the steamy shower air momentarily and then dissipates without leaving a cloying scent behind.  So often rose-scented bath products end up smelling powdery and old as well as quite heavy but not La Falaise.  The only problem I encountered was that I had a hard time opening the shower gel bottle.  I would advise removing the plastic tab before entering the shower.  It took me quite a few tries while in the shower to remove it.  Both products are gentle and relaxing to use though and this makes them perfect for moms and babies.  As a gift set, which La Falaise offers, it is a good go-to gift item for a baby shower or for a new mother. 

La Falaise has an entire line of soaps, salts and shower gels in a variety of scents.  All of them are 100% natural and guaranteed to please.  There is a full gift set line and items that can be bundled together too.  La Falaise products can be purchased online or by catalog. 

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

Disclaimer:  I was not paid for this post. Opinions are based on my thoughts only.  Products were received and used for testing purposes only. 

Tiny Tillia Giveaway!

We love Tiny Tillia bath products at our house.  They smell great, work well and are people, animal and earth safe.  What could be better?  Why a giveaway, that's what!  Tiny Tillia products are high-quality children's products that are paraben-free and have a twist of fun in them.  They are luxurious and made up of gentle formulas with fresh, fun scents and colorful characters like a cow or giraffe that kids love. 

Enter to win one of two Tiny Tillia bath sets for kids!  The sets valued at $25 each contain one Tiny Tillia Foamy Wash, a Bath Book, refillable travel bottles and sponge housed in an adorable purple travel case.  All you have to do is comment and leave your email. Poof! You are done.  For additional entries follow me on Twitter (@veamason).  Two winners will be chosen at random on February 16, 2010. 

Tiny Tillia Bath Time Products

There is a whole new bath time crew (TT Cow, Duncan Dog, Ben Giraffe and Indy Sheep) for your kids to get to know and love. The Tiny Tillia collection created by designer Tiffany Lerman, daughter of novelist Jackie Collins, is paraben free and extremely gentle for your little ones. The whole collection is so much fun - from the bath book to the mini bath gels and character bath mitts.

The waterproof bath book ($2.99) was a big hit in our house. My daughter loves books and baths so combining the two was pure joy for her. The bath book is soft, non-toxic and filled with colorful pictures. When I added in the TT Cow Character Bath Mitt ($4.99) she squealed with excitement. This terry cloth bath mitt is soft and bright. It is gentle enough to use on babies and on older children. You can create your own puppet show in the bath making tub time even more fun.

The Tiny Tillia gang has quickly become a bath time staple in our house. I am happy that the bath book, character mitts, foamy wash, hand sanitizer and bath gels are all readily available at the website Shop Tillia too. Normally available at only specialty boutiques like Fred Segal, Kitson and Lisa Kline it is also nationwide at your local Target. The prices are incredible for the quality and all the bath gels, hand sanitizer and foamy wash are gentle and have a very mild fragrance. It is also all-natural and hydrating which will protect your child's skin while cleaning it too. Tiny Tillia bath products and toys make bath time easy for Moms and fun for kids.

MPR Rating: Four Stars

Soapier-Helping People Stay Clean!

When you read it like that you have no idea that Soapier is in fact not some Dial type line of soap or Simple Green range of products. It is in fact, a full line of bath and body products created to delight your senses with such scents as Bergamot & Coriander or Beach Breezes. I tested out three of the products from Soapier and came away with these thoughts.

Soapier's Lucious body lotion ($12 for 12 oz.) is thicker than it appeared in its long-necked bottle and a lot creamier too. It goes on smooth and doesn't leave behind a residue of any sorts. It is far more moisturizing than I thought. The scent of Bergmaot and Coriander was not overpowering either. For some reason, I sensed it might be rather strong but I was pleasantly surprised.

The same goes for Soapier's Lush body wash ($12 for 12 oz.) in the same light scent. It lathers amazingly! I actually had a soap bubble float through the air in my shower one day while using it. It is a bit grainy for exfoliating, which did not match what I thought of when I read the bottle but it works well and leaves a nice, soft lasting scent. My skin felt smoother too.

Next up is the Pink Grapefruit body scrub ($25 for 16 oz.). I adore body scrubs in salt or sugar format. Soapier has both, but I tried the sugar alternative only. It takes a bit of mixing when using it but I find that most scrubs worth using do need this step. Once mixed, this scrub exfoliates skin gently but effectively. The grapefruit scent takes a while to get going smelling only mildly sweet at first but by the time I was done using it my whole bathroom smelled like pink grapefruits which I loved!

Soapier products are easy to order and they arrive quickly. The packaging is a bit young and the products would appeal to most women but also to a younger group as well. They make a great gift for that tween to teen girl in your life as they would a friend. They sell kids products and great accesories like loofahs too.

Right now through August 1, 2008 Soapier is offering a 15% off coupon. Coupon code: BLOG1.

GIVEAWAY- I'm offering one body wash and body lotion to a lucky reader too! All you need to do is comment here on and I will draw a winner at random on June 22. Don't forget your information so I can contact you!

Fun Find- The No-Slip GatorGrip

Originally designed to use on jet skis the GatorGrip is an easy to clean, durable and safe bath mat for your toddler and tub. No longer do you have to worry about your child slipping in the tub when they take a step.

If you are like me, each time your child tries to walk in the tub you tense up a bit and grab a hold of them. The GatorGrip ($29.99) makes it possible for them to be safe in the tub and take a few steps without slipping or falling. The soft mat is easy to peel and stick. It adheres to your tub making it quick and simple to use. The GatorGrip comes in a variety of different colors, doesn't mildew and it fits most standard sized tubs. One of the things I love most about the patent pending GatorGrip is that it is Mom-invented. So check it out, give it as a gift to a new mom, or simply buy one for yourself and see. GatorGrip is really no slip!

I'm giving away FOUR GatorGrips in the following colors: blue/white, beige/white, pink/white and grey/white. All you have to do is visit the website then email me (veamason AT gmail DOT com) and tell me the name of the creator of the fabulous (wish I thought of it) GatorGrip.

Congratulations to the winners of this contest- Beth, C, Kim and Nanette.

Johnson's Toddler Wash & Sudzing Bar

If your toddler is like mine then you have one independent child on your hands. They want to do everything themselves including bathing. Now Johnson and Johnson has come out with a new line just for toddlers called, Bedtime Toddler Wash and the Bedtime Easy-Grip Sudzing Bar. I reviewed both these items recently and here is what I found.


The Bedtime Toddler Wash (8.4 ounces $3.49) is part of the NATURALCALM line. It have a very light scent which contains relaxing properties. Toddlers, just like babies, use bath time to unwind from their busy days. They use the bath to get out that last bit of energy and to calm down. The scent is soft, comforting and has a faintly floral note to it. I tried it out and found the ergnomic bottle has a nice feel to it and it lathers well. It is also part of Johnson's 'no tears' line which is a must have in our house. The wash moisturizes well and it lasts a long time. My daughter's ultra sensitive skin had no outbreaks after using it a few times and it didn't dry out either. This wash is mild and allergy-tested which earns it a gold star in my book.


The Bedtime Easy-Grip Sudzing Bar (3 2.45 ounce bars, $3.49) is not only a great value but it is loads of fun! From the moment I took the first bar out of the package my daughter wanted to use it. The bar is packaged in a light purple mesh bag that is easy for toddlers to hold onto and that appealed to her. She loves washing herself and seeing how the soap lathers and feels. The sudzing bar contains the same NATURALCALM essences as the wash and while I can't say it made my daughter sleep any better she does love using it. It is gentle, safe and cleans very well. The only drawback to this bar is that it does not contain the 'no more tears' formula.

While I normally like to recommend and encourage the use of smaller companies, product lines and items that are eco-friendly, I realize this way is not for everyone. That being said, I do think that the Johnson and Johnson Bedtime Toddler products are a great deal and value for the money. They are fun, smell great and kids do love them!

I'm giving away TWO sets too! Each comes with a bottle of the wash and a 3-pack of the sudzing bar. Email me (veamason AT gmail DOT com) with your sleep techniques and the first two people to respond win!

As an added bonus I'm including some tips and advice on toddler sleep. While routine is always the key it is important to mix things up and change the routine as your child grows. I can certainly attest to recent sleepless nights due to some of these very things-

Three Step Bedtime Routine-

For babies it’s bath, massage and quiet time but toddlers are a different story so consider tweaking the three step routine by making it a bit more interesting:

Bath: let toddlers try and bathe themselves
Lotion: massages may be out but let little hands apply lotion to their legs and arms.

Quiet time: take your toddler’s personality and choose activities that are right for them.

For the more relaxed toddler try reading, singing songs, review of day’s activities, reviewing what was great about the day.

Feistier toddlers might need something more engaging, so why not try letting them read to you, allow them to perform a song, talk about what’s exciting about tomorrow when they wake up, play some quiet games (like patty cake or board game), allow them to put their favorite stuffed animals to bed.


Developmental Triggers that Can Disrupt Sleep Behavior

Learning big girl/boy behavior
- Potty Training
- Climbing out of crib and/or Switching to a bed
- New sibling
Environmental
- Going to pre-school
- Moving
- New sibling
Developmental
- Expanded vocabulary
- Vivid imagination (there’s no monster coming to eat me right mommy?)
- Dreams
- Nighttime fears and/or Nightmares
- Sleep terrors
- Sleepwalking (believe it or not peak time is 3-5 years old)
- Sleep talking


*Tips, advice and more from Dr. Jodi Mindell, Professor of Psychology at Saint Joseph's University and Associate Director of the Sleep Center, at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Farmaesthetics- Sustainable Beauty for You!

Based out of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Farmaesthetics, aims to make you look and feel your best from head to toe naturally. Founder Brenda Brock would not have it any other way. Brock comes from a long line of family farmers. She decided to take this knowledge and create a 100% percent all-natural skincare line that is not just good for you but also for the environment. I love the stuff. The traditional herbal recipes take the best from organic herbs, grains and flowers to make highly effective products.

I was sent two gift sets, the Organic Baby and the New & Nursing Mothers. Both boxes were sent to me in Eco-friendly packaging, which illustrates the company’s continued commitment to the Earth. Each set is chocked full of products that come in beautiful glass bottles (the cobalt blue is very striking) or aluminum containers. It is all quite pleasing to look at. I could not wait to begin trying the items out. Here are some of my top picks from each set.


Organic Baby- This six-piece set ($48.50) is gentle enough for baby’s skin or adults. It is hypoallergenic, contains no dyes, parabens, fillers or talc. The High Cotton Body Dust is very soft and consists of sage, thyme, cornstarch and ground up lavender buds. I love that it not only works well on chafing and diaper rash but it is very safe to use. My daughter is so sensitive and this worked perfectly on her.

I also loved the Nourishing Lavender Milk, which came in both sets. It goes on smooth with a distinctly natural and light lavender scent. There is nothing strong or cloying about this scented lotion. It glides on well and is absorbed quickly. It went nicely with the Herbal Cleanser. I used it on both my daughter and myself every day until we ran out. It worked wonders on her dry patches and my rough winter skin.

Shortly after I received this set, my friend’s son had a rather nasty case of cradle cap and I passed the kits Nettle Remedy Oil on to her. Her son has many allergies but this all-natural formula of steeped herbs and oils worked its magic and in just a few days his dermatitis cleared up better than it had with the prescribed and OTC products she had been using on him. She could not stop raving about it!

The New & Nursing Mothers- I cannot say enough about one product in particular that came in both these sets, the Hand & Heel Salve. My hands have been incredibly dry this winter. My heels are calloused from running and training. I put this salve on them and they just drink it in. It makes my skin glow and keeps them moisturized longer than any product I have tried in the last few months. Previously my fingertips were so dry they stuck to my clothing. The salve fixed this after one application. It lasts a long time too because a little goes a long way. This stuff is magic!


It snowed here one day and I could not resist a brisk walk in the white stuff. When I came indoors frozen and stiff I took a long, hot bath steeped in the Farmaesthetics Solar Salt Mineral Bath. The essential oils worked their aromatherapy wonders on me as the lavender scent soothed my senses. It aids in complexion and relaxation too. I found myself feeling calmer after using this product and I could not wait to use it again.

I tried many products in the Farmaesthetics line and loved each one of them. They really work. I am all for a product being sustainable and a company that tries to do best by the Earth but sometimes the results just are not there. Farmaesthetics is not that type of company. The products work and are so pleasing to use you just want to keep going back for more. Women’s Wear Daily put Farmaesthetics on its 2007“It List” for being “the Green Brands Defining Organic Skincare” and for good reason. For a the full range of products by Farmaesthetics click here.

BONUS: With a Farmaesthetics product order of $75 or more, you will receive FREE S&H, as well as, a complimentary 2 oz glass bottle of our yummy Midnight Honey Bath & Body Oil.

Gift box & greeting card available upon request, at no additional charge. Use the code: LOVE

Arbonne Sea Salt Scrubs

It comes in tub size (16 oz-$28) and for a limited holiday time a smaller stocking stuffer size (3, .05 oz sizes for $30) it's Arbonne's Aromassentials collection of Sea Salt body scrubs. I love them! They work beautifully on winter skin keeping moisture locked in and leaving behind a light scent and no oily residue.


Awaken is my favorite, it's light citrus scent gets me going in the morning and stays with me through the day. The aroma isn't cloying or overpowering in any way either. When I first opened the container of this exfoliating scrub I was a bit intimidated. It is part salt scrub sitting on the bottom of the container and the top layer is the essential scented oil. You have to mix it yourself. Did I really want to do this each time I used the product? At first no, I didn't. But when I realized this is due to the fact that like other Arbonne products this one is pure, safe and natural I realized that this little bit of pre-work is the price I must pay for something that isn't going to cover my body in chemicals. So I mixed and then I scrubbed. I slathered the Awaken scrub on and was quite pleased with the results. The avocado and almond oil work well together to keep my skin soft while the salt sloughs away the dead skin easily. The oils rinse off just enough. What is left behind truly moisturizes your skin and leaves you smelling wonderful. I wanted to eat this stuff!

The Sea Salt scrubs come in three scents, Awaken (citrus), Reactivate (ying ylang) and Unwind (lavender) and all have matching body lotions, body mists, bath salts, and more to accompany them and help you layer the scent. You can feel good about what you are putting on your body with Arbonne too. It's not too late to order any one of these as a gift for stocking stuffer either. I know. I checked with the consultant. Me.

For more information on Arbonne's Aromassentials and their other great products contact me at veamason AT gmail DOT com today! View the website here.