How to raid your baby's diaper bag.
For whatever reason both Vito and I were convinced that we were having a girl when I was pregnant with Mo. During my 20th week echo we asked the nurse to 'zoom' in so we can know the sex. She zoomed in, we saw, but we were in denial. "What is it, what is it?" We asked. She simply smiled and typed on the monitor: "Hurrah it's a boy!" Because I was so convinced that it'll be a girl, I immediately had to let go of the frilly dresses dancing in my head, the cutesy plastic play pearls and the shimmery organic glosses me and my girl would share. Later, the story repeated itself on the 16th week echo with Vin. (Poor Vito had to let go of the vision of his daughter winning the Miss Universe pageant, which our daughter would have inevitably won.)
After getting over the initial surprise, I started constructing a brand new vision in my mind consisting of adorable overalls, raised collar polos and tiny little bow ties. This however still left the dilemma of cosmetics sharing that I envisioned... But to come to terms with that I have a bit more time, for now I've discovered it is absolute FUN to raid my baby's diaper bag!
And of course in true globe loving fashion, it's really a trip around the world in one diaper bag...
• • •
Here is what I'm getting grabby with:
1 - Pitta Patta Calm & Content Moisturizing Lotion from Australia (Worldwide)
Uses for baby: This is deliciously scented (with lavender essential oil) light and smooth lotion. Perfect for baby massages after a bath.
Uses for mommy: Guess who sneaks this out of the nursery in the morning? Moi! I find this makes a wonderful face and neck moisturizer for the colder windier weather. It's super light and possibly because of the essential oils leaves your face with a dewy glow.
2 - Bjobji Lenitive Diaper Cream from Italy (Worldwide)
Uses for baby: Diaper area. It's unscented and once again really light and smooth. I don't like diaper creams that are thick and sticky. Most creams (and Vaseline) protect the skin from wetness but also seal off the pores not allowing the skin to breathe normally. This natural cream protects but does not block pores. I love it for Vin!
Uses for mommy: Ok, this might be a bit funny, but this is great as a blemish spot treatment... I don't know why, but it works. I guess because it contains zinc oxide to help keep diaper area dry, so it helps to dry the blemish. Just wash your hands after you apply it to your baby's bum ;) (I'm not a doctor, just letting you know it works for me. And btw... still waiting for that day when blemishes don't appear anymore.)
3 - Weleda Baby Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash from Switzerland (Worldwide)
Uses for baby: This is a divinely scented cream wash. Because this does not have chemicals it doesn't make crazy sudds and is super gentle and easy to rinse your baby with. I used it on Mo as a baby, and still do! And now I was baby Vin with this also. Little bit goes a long way.
Uses for mommy: I love this as face wash! Just a tiny dab of it washes the face perfectly without giving you that horrible 'squeaky clean' feel. It is super gentle and let's your face keep its moisture.
4 - Gwdihw Cheeky Cherub Baby Balm from North Wales, UK (Worldwide)
Uses for baby: I use this for Vin's cheeks (face cheeks that is). We don't use the little hand gloves to protect him from scratching himself because he just sucks on them. So for the occasional inevitable scratch I use this balm and within 20 minutes the scratch magically disappears! I also use it for any dry skin patch.
Uses for mommy: Besides this product coming in a cute little tin, it's a bit of a miracle worker on many levels! This makes a PHENOMENAL cuticle treatment. After using this I threw my expensive fancy vitamin E one out the window (well, figuratively). I'm constantly touching the baby and he is grabbing my fingers and then sucking his hands so I can't have anything yucky on my fingers. I also use this around the eye area. It instantly perks up the skin around the eyes. This also makes a wonderful primer. I put some around my nose and cheeks and the make-up glides on beautifully and helps the color to really blend into the skin. Love, love, love stealing (I mean BORROWING) this!
5 - Purelan by Medela Nipple Cream (100% Lanolin) from Switzerland. (You should be able to find this, or another brand of 100% lanolin in a baby supplies store in your country.)
This is pure lanolin without any additives, which is pretty much fat secreted by sheep to protect their coat from the environment. It's a 100% natural product and safe to ingest, so you don't have to remove it from your nipple before breastfeeding. Yet at the same time it's an incredibly strong balm! A small 40g tube will literally last forever. Even when you're done breastfeeding keep it for the winter. It'll make perfect hand cream! This I would compare to gardener's balm. It literally repairs cracked skin, but why wait, just use it to prevent cracking. Also great on feet after a good scrub.
6 - Naty by Nature Babycare Eco-Sensitive Fragrance-Free Wipes from Sweden.
(Check listing for your country)
Uses for baby: THESE are the most amazing wipes ever! I've used these on Mo and now on Vin neither of them have ever had a diaper rash/redness.
Uses for mommy (or I should say, the house): I wipe everything with them. Kitchen counter, little spills, hands. ETC. I keep a pack in my kitchen drawer for when I need a small damp cloth for... anything. Yes, they sell special packets of wipes in the kitchen cleaning department, but I find those have too many chemicals and are overly perfumed for the kitchen counter where I clean fruit, or lay a piece of bread.
I'm so glad I've discovered these! It's understandable that brands need to choose how they market their products and sticking with messaging to the target market, but it's too bad more people don't come into contact with these great, gentle products unless they've had a baby themselves. So! Don't ignore the baby section next time you're shopping for beauty products!
• • • LESSONS LEARNED #60 • • •
If your intention is to learn,
you can learn something new even from a baby.
Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is to post a comment, like below or pin on Pinterest! ~ For More ways to Live Like You're Traveling, follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook.
READ NEXT:
