Review and Giveaway: Earth Baby Organics CLOSED

Before I had a baby, I never really gave a second thought to baby wipes, diaper creams, lotions and bath products. I thought the hardest decision I'd have to make in regards to these products would be the fragrance: cucumber melon or lavender? I was shocked to discover the ingredients in brands that many consider to be staples. Endocrine-disrupting phthalates? Quaternium-15, a preservative that releases the probable carcinogen, formaldehyde? The byproduct 1,4-dioxane, which has been linked to cancer? Packaging that leaches Bisphenol-A? Is this really what I want to use to "clean" my baby? I think not. But it's a difficult task to weed through the clutter and find safe baby brands.

So, when I noticed an opportunity on The PR Place to review some organic baby care items from Earth Baby, I was eager to give them a try.

Inspired by the birth of her granddaughter, Alyssa, nationally renowned researcher and chemist, Florence Nacino, founded Earth Baby to offer a new generation of hypoallergenic baby care products to cleanse, protect and nourish baby’s delicate hair and sensitive skin. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience and expertise creating personal care and beauty products for prestigious companies worldwide, Florence Nacino redefined the baby skin and hair care category by introducing Earth Baby, a revolutionary organic product line applying award-winning technology to capture Mother Nature’s generosity. A member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, American Chemical Society, and Regulatory Affairs Society as well as the American Society of Quality, Florence Nacino is committed to using certified organic and natural fruit and vegetable based ingredients to provide the safest, purest and most effective hypoallergenic baby care products.

There are lots of "organic" and "natural" products entering the market but what separates Earth Baby from the rest is their award-winning OleoSpheres technology, a moisturizer, emollient, and emulsifier in one which allows for targeted delivery of natural nutrients in safflower oil in the skin.

Some other important highlights of Earth Baby products:

• 95% Natural Derived ingredients
• 90% Certified Organic ingredients
• Clinically tested by dermatologists and pediatricians
• Hypoallergenic
  
• Free of parabens and phthalates
• No animal by-products and no animal testing
• Manufactured in the U.S.A.
  

Earth Baby is not only dedicated to children's health but is also a friend to the environment. They have partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Rainforest Alliance to use a certifiable percentage of FSC-friendly paper that contains no bleaching chemicals and is produced with lower energy and less water. They are also very socially responsible, donating a portion of all profits to support charities such as Operation HOPE, Hospicio de San Jose, and the Tarsier Foundation, which protects the endangered Tarsier monkey.

Earth Baby products have been widely recognized. They were finalists in the 2008 JPMA Innovation Awards and the 2009 ICMD Cosmetic Innovators of the Year Award for Personal Care, Product Innovation, and Package Design.

I was sent the Playful Sudzz Bath Gel and Bottoms Up Baby Wipes for my review. I have to say I was a bit disappointed when I opened up the box to find what seemed like a hundred packing peanuts. I would have liked to see recycled paper or air packs from an environmentally-conscious company. But I was hoping the performance of the products would make up for this oversight.

And let me tell you - they made up for it in spades.

First, we tried the Bath Gel. I loved the green and white motif (what better for a brand called Earth Baby?!) and Nate liked the picture of the Tarsier monkey on the front. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't keep his paws off the bottle long enough for me to even take this picture.



Playful Sudzz has the most pleasant fragrance I've ever smelled for baby shampoo and body wash! It was a lovely, light vanilla chamomile scent that made me want to sniff Nate long after bathtime. And it lathered nicely, unlike some organic products I've sampled in the past. A dime-sized amount goes far. It left his hair feeling so light and fluffy that I couldn't resist running my fingers through it repeatedly.

I checked every single ingredient on Cosmetics Database and nothing was rated higher than a 4 so I felt totally at ease using this product. Here is Nate enjoying his bubble bath and sporting a dome full of Earth Baby Playful Sudzz (ignore the bubble beard!):



After bathtime, we tested the Bottoms Up Wipes. They too had a lovely scent, a bit more spicy than the bath gel. I found them to be a little thin compared to the quilted Huggies Natural Care wipes we typically use, but they were larger and covered more surface area. They were also more moist than the Huggies. For the uber messy poos, I think I still prefer the thicker Huggies but for most diapers, the Earth Baby wipes were more than enough. When a wipe makes you want to actually sniff your baby's rear, I'd say they're something special.



We've been using both products for three weeks now and we've had no reactions whatsoever. Nate is prone to dermatitis/excema on his legs and the baby gel has not irritated him at all.

The only disadvantage to the product line would be the price. The Bottoms Up Baby Wipes go for $30/54 count and the Playful Sudzz Bath Gel retails for $15/6 oz., which is slightly more than comparable brands like California Baby, Earth Mama Angel Baby or Erbaorganics.

Bottom line: I would recommend checking out Earth Baby Organics if you're looking for safe baby care products. It is a bit of a splurge but I think the peace of mind is worth it.

BUY IT: You can purchase Earth Baby Organics on their website or on Amazon. Prices range from $15-$30.

WIN IT: Earth Baby has generously offered one lucky reader their choice of two baby care products!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Visit Earth Baby and tell me which two products you would pick. Don't forget to leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile or if you are not a blogger!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!

1.) Follow my blog or subscribe via reader or email. Comment telling me which method you chose. If you already follow or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry)

2.) Follow me and Earth Baby Organics on Twitter and tweet about the contest. For this contest, you can do it daily! Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry max per day)

3.) Become a fan of Earth Baby Organics on Facebook. (1 entry)

4.) Add my button to your site and comment with a link where I can find it. (1 entry)

5.) Tell me why organic products are important to you or what organic baby products you currently use. (1 entry)

6.) Enter any of my other current giveaways and leave a comment telling me which one(s) you entered. (1 entry each)

Giveaway will end on November 1, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. U.S. residents only. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I was offered this opportunity due to my membership at the PR Place. I was sent a box of Bottoms Up wipes and full-size bottle of Playful Sudzz bath gel from Liza at Earth Baby to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other manner for this post.