Little Miss Pees A Lot

I love cloth diapers. I love not filling a garbage bin full of diapers or having to run to the store at the last minute (and that store is a 30 minute drive away too!) and fork out a ridiculous amount of cash for diapers. What I don't love is our current struggle with keeping Ellie dry overnight. We've stopped changing her diaper at night because she's just too sleepy and a diaper change results in blood-curdling screams from a child who just doesn't want to be woken up quite that much. Sadly though, we still have to sometimes as we are still figuring out the perfect night time cloth diaper. We have a few options. We have two DryBees fleece night diapers that seem to hold everything in, depending on how many inserts we put in them. The downside is that they are super bulky and for the last half of the night her bum feels ever so slightly damp, since they don't have any plastic lining (PUL I think it's called?). We also have two BumGenius 4.0's that we stuff with both inserts they came with (one long one that folds down and snaps to be a shorter length and one short one that's fairly thin). The downside to these is that we never seem to get the perfect fit around both legs and she ends up leaky about half way through the night. Finally, we have our cheapie CozyKids pocket diapers that we stuff with two regular inserts. This usually works to avoid leaks, but we sometimes have fit issues. The upside is that they aren't bulky, even with two inserts (neither are the BumGenius). Is there a perfect overnight cloth diaper out there? Can anyone recommend one? Something that's not too bulky, fits lots of different sizes, and can hold a whole lotta pee???

Skin Deep Cosmetics Database: My Results

I decided to do an inventory of the bath products currently filling my bathroom and makeup stand to see how they stacked up in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. I'm not terribly surprised by the results, as I've always known I could be a lot more diligent about checking labels when I buy these products. So, in the interest of 'coming clean' so that I can truly clean up my cosmetics, here are my results:

**Note that the Skin Deep database does a lot more than just assign a number and hazard rating - so for more details, follow the links!**

Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade:
I swear by this stuff for keeping my carefully straightened hair straight on rainy days. It smooths my frizzies and prevents my hair from going back to it's natural wave/frizz when it gets rained on. That being said, any product that performs such 'miracles' is probably something I should have been skeptical of. So what did the database say?
This product scored a 4 (out of 10) which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Arm & Hammer Extra Whitening Triple Power Toothpaste:
I am pretty picky about the taste of my toothpaste. I think I've become even fussier since being pregnant and having many months where brushing my teeth often resulted in a whole lot of fighting with my gag reflex. So, I'm not sure if I'll change my toothpaste buying habits, even after I see the results for this product. However, I could try something once and let Adam finish the tube if I don't like it, and just keep doing that until we come up with something I can handle!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard. (I used the closest match I could get, which was Arm & Hammer Complete Care Toothpaste Extra Whitening Fresh Mint).

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse:
This product wasn't listed, so I'm just going with a random other mousse made by the same brand. As for the type I use, I am not surprised it doesn't rate very well, but I feel like it might be a long and expensive journey to find a suitable replacement. I like how well this mousse holds my curl and I've tried a handful of others and never been too happy with the results. I guess I just have to keep trying!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

Aveda Brilliant Damage Control with Camomile:
This product was not listed and no comparable alternatives exist in the database at the present time.

Dove Sensitive Skin Day Lotion:
I can easily trash my Jergen's moisturizer (see below) and use this instead. I'm usually pretty happy with the results and the one I have happens to be fragrance free and dye free. It's never irritated my skin or clogged my pores, so it's probably okay to stick with using it. Also, I like supporting Dove because of their campaigns that show 'real women' rather than stick thin models. Using the closest match I could find, this was the rating:
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Degree Ultra Clear Pure Rain Anti-Perspirant:
I usually have Dove anti-perspirant, but at the moment, the one in my bathroom is Degree. I'm not really attached to any particular anti-perspirant, so this might be the easiest product for me to replace with a less toxic option.
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

TRESemme Tres Two Extra Hold Hairspray:
I don't usually buy aerosol hair spray, but this is left over from our wedding when I quickly grabbed a few travel size toiletries that could be easily transported to our ceremony and reception venues in case they were needed. Well, I will happily be replacing this product! I hate the smell of it and I literally have to hold my breath, spray it, run out of the bathroom, then take a deep breath - that's how bad it is!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser with Orange Oil:
I LOVE the smell of this cleanser. It makes my skin feel amazingly clean, however, I find that it can also dry out my skin if I use it too often. I mainly chose this cleanser because the brand has a good name and is assumed to be fairly eco-friendly. Thankfully, the results reassured me that I can feel comfortable continuing to use this product!
This product scored a 2 which rates it as a low hazard.

Jergens Natural GLOW Daily Moisturizer:
I'm actually cringing at the fact that I even bought this product. It does a nice job of moisturizing my skin and smells pleasant. However, I haven't ever noticed a change in my skin tone from using it, so it's likely ineffective. On top of that, why on earth did I think it would be safe to put something on my skin that is MEANT to alter my body?? This one is likely to be headed to the trash. (Can you believe I actually used it today? Yikes... this is precisely why I need to eliminate such products from my bathroom so that the temptation to use them isn't there to begin with!)
This product scored a 7 which rates it as a high hazard.

For some reason I have three sunscreens in my bathroom. I think I bought one for convenience (the Neutrogena spray), one because I thought it was better for me and the earth (the Burt's Bees) and then the third is leftover from a vacation (the Coppertone).

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen SPF 30:
This is yet another product I knew better than to buy in the first place. But the sheer convenience (and lack of oily hands) of spraying on sunscreen won out over my own health. How bizarre is that? I chose to use spray on sunscreen that's bad for my health so that I wouldn't get a sunburn, which is also bad for my health. Apparently I'd rather get cancer from my sunscreen than from the actual sun. Sadly, I think skin cancer is probably more likely to be treatable than the type of cancer I might get from using this product. This baby's going in the trash!
This product scored a 7 which rates it as not recommended.

Burt's Bees Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil SPF 30:
I bought this sunscreen in an attempt to wean myself off of the spray on stuff, which I knew deep down was bad for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to smell it before buying it in the store, and I kinda think it reeks. So, it got used once and has since remained on my bathroom counter. Anyone want some free sunscreen? You might like the smell - it's just not for me!
This product scored a 4 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Coppertone SPF 50:
For this one, I just used the closest match I could find, but it seemed like most of the Coppertone SPF 50s were rated the same, so it's likely to be fairly accurate. I think, at least for sunscreen, I might be okay with a rating of 5. It seems likely that it might protect me more than harm me. That said, it wouldn't hurt to continue to look for a better option. Also, if sunscreen expires (does it?) then probably all of mine are too old anyhow... or maybe they're fine, I don't know!
This product scored a 5 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Dual Action Toner:
This wasn't listed, but two other, fairly different, toners from Neutrogena were listed. I'm going to assume that this one would probably fall into the same range and be rated a 6 or a 7, which would rate it as a moderate or high hazard. I should probably invest in something safer. 

Johnson's Baby Powder with Aloe & Vitamin E, Pure Cornstarch:
This isn't something I would normally use, but it has been the answer to one of my most frustrating pregnancy woes: the wonderful experience of my chest chafing against my belly. Oh how I miss underwire bras with all their lovely support! Alas, I have become a regular user of this baby powder. Thankfully, it doesn't rate too badly.
This product scored a 3 which rates it as a moderate hazard.

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Well, that was definitely enlightening! This post took me the entire day to write (it was pretty depressing at times, so I took lots of breaks!). I think the end result is that I will immediately replace anything that received a high hazard rating (7-10), and then work my way down until all the products I use are in the low hazard rating (0-2).

I know not all of my readers keep blogs, but I would love to know if you looked up any of the products you have in your bathroom! Anything you've decided to trash? Anything you're happy to see rated as a low hazard? Leave me a comment here on the blog!

Product Review: Abeego Wraps

I was researching ways to sew my own reusable sandwich wraps about six months ago. The problem was, all the patterns or ideas I stumbled across required using a layer of plastic. I thought this was strange since I was trying to get away from using plastic wrap (mainly because it is a disposable product, but also because it's plastic!).

Finally, I got so frustrated in my search that I went to my favourite local shop: The Good Planet Company. The name says it all - they carry great products that are functional and good for the planet. To go one step further, they also carry locally hand-crafted products. That's how I found Abeego.

Abeego is a company local to Victoria, B.C. They create reusable Wraps (sandwich size, although can be used for anything), Snack size wraps and Flats. These products completely replace plastic wrap and plastic zippered bags. They are made of a hemp/cotton fabric and they use beeswax and plant extracts to make the fabric foldable (is that a word?) and washable.

They are fantastic! I was ecstatic. I immediately purchased two of the Wraps and put them into use. I have found that they work perfectly and can be easily shaped to fit whatever you need to put in them. I was worried about their longevity and how clean they would actually get being hand washed in cold water, but I haven't had any issues. Months later they are holding up perfectly to nearly daily use. The cold water wash has even conquered mustard stains! The only downside is how cold your fingers get while washing them. But it's a small price to pay for such a great product!

Three cheers for Abeego!