Dr. Bronner's for Baby- New HG for my kids

okay y'all, in my search for products that are better for my family and cost effective, I have rediscovered Dr. Bronner's Castile Soaps. I had read abot them from the raveson the HHWC forums and a few other blogs. However, at the time, with only one kid, the expense was just not right for my family at the time. now with the second kiddo almost here (typing this as i'm having contractions), now is abetter time to further reduce the family spending budget and use products that are better for my family.
I remember the pain for the Johnson's "Tear-free" shampoo causing me pain and tears. The same occurred to my daughter and i had to switch. Burt's Bees was no much help either though tipping my daughter's head back to lessen the amount of shampoo hitting her face improved things.

Okay, enter Dr.Bronner's into my mind. Castile soap that is mild and has rave reviews. Went to the Vitamin Shoppe and got the Organic Unscented Baby-Mild Pure Castile Soap.
Got the 8oz bottle for $5.49 and have diluted it with water into a travel shampoo bottle for my daughter. I know with Dr. Bronner's it's not tear free, but it's sulfate and harsh chemical free. My daughter has no incidents with me administered with the tilt back method and her curls have improved.

The ingredients fro Dr. Bronner's Baby-Mild formula are:
Water, saponified organic coconut & organic olive oils (w/ retained glycerin), organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, sea salt, citric acid, vitamin E.

All great stuff. In case you are wondering what saponified means, according to dictionary.com: "to convert (a fat) into soap by treating with an alkali."

I remember on Dirty Jobs a soap maker saying saponification is when the soapmaker adds something like lye to the fat, the chemical reaction results in soap.

Results so far are:
Skin is soft and no need for lotion. Hair, like i said curls are great and i don't have to use as much EV Coconut Oil to detangle. YAY!

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Caring for you beautiful Fashion Jewelry

We love our beautiful baubles and bling but how do we make it last and how do we keep pieces shiny and new looking?

When it comes to fashion jewelry care and some caution must be taken in order to ensure the longevity of our fabulous accessories. The one big thing that I noticed when wearing fashion jewelry is to make sure that your skin has not just been covered in lotion. I'm not saying that that one shouldn't moisturize to protect our hands and keep them looking nice, but give you skin some time to absorb and drink in the quench of lotion given before you wear your jewelry. Lotions can also cause a reaction with your skin and the metals if your skin has enough acidity. Try using a lotion that is dye free and perfume free, that way you can have moisturized limbs and still be able to comfortably wear your jewelry.

I can't say enough about removing jewelry when doing household chores. We all know that cleaning chemicals have a harsh effect on our hands ( i personally use rubber gloves now so i can avoid dry hands), but the chemicals can also effect the jewelry we wear and can cause permanent damage. I loved the Kim and Aggie on How Clean is Your House on BBC who wear these uber fancy dish gloves with bows and feathers on them to make cleaning seem less daunting. My gloves are pink and purple. The color does seem more perky then the traditional yellow or the green I've seen out there. So now that we have beautiful cleaning gloves don't forget to place you jewelry in your jewelry box so that it's safe and chemical free.

Here are some tips to help keep your jewelry sparkling:

1. Place some pieces of white chalk in your box to keep silver from tarnishing.

2. Purchase a cleaning cloth meant for the metal you wish to clean. Make sure they are lint free. These little cloths are wonders and make up-keep simple with no liquid chemicals or harsh smells.

3. Do NOT use those harsh liquid dips or cleansers, these can do more harm than good. The chemicals can also burn your skin. Ultra sonic cleaners can also loosen your stones or break them.

4. Use a soft brush or cotton swab to remove any dirt from rings where a cleaning cloth may not be able to reach.

Your jewelry Box is not only a place to keep your jewelry it is the first defense in protecting your treasured baubles. I found a good article to help you choose a jewelry box:
http://www.helium.com/items/514302-valuing-valuable-piecesif-jewelry

With the proper storage and cleaning of your jewelry, your collection can last for generations to come.