Create a Green Nursery for Your Baby with Organic Baby Products

By Anna Lynn Sibal

When you are expecting a baby, it is only natural for your parental instincts to kick in and make you want the best that you can afford for your baby’s needs. These days, more and more parents interpret the words “the best that they can afford” as organic baby products. They believe that organic baby products are the safest products they can use for their newborn.

This belief in organic baby products that parents are beginning to have is not unfounded. A baby, as we all know, is a very delicate creature with an as-yet undeveloped immune system. While exposing your baby to the environment will indeed strengthen her body and boost her immune system, too much toxins and chemicals in her environment can weaken your baby and make her sick. By using organic baby products, we get to lessen the possibility of your baby getting sick because of substances she is not prepared to deal with yet.

The best way that you can act to protect your body from harmful chemical exposure is by setting up a green nursery – with the word “green” meaning eco-friendly and using organic baby products. Here is a list of essential organic baby products that you need for your child.

1. A sustainable baby crib. A sustainable baby crib is something your baby can sleep in comfortably as long as its wooden parts are treated with non-toxic finish. You can also use this crib for a few more years yet if it can be converted to a toddler’s bed. Also, since the crib is made from renewable wood, you can rest easy in the fact that you did not contribute to the denudation of rainforests with your choice of crib.

2. Organic crib mattress. Your baby will be spending most of her first year or two in her crib. To assure her comfort during that time, you will need to get her a mattress that breathes, is resistant to bacteria and fungi, and is not treated with harsh chemicals that will harm your baby. A crib mattress and bedding made from organic cotton, organic wool and natural rubber latex is the perfect mattress for your little one.

3. Organic cotton clothes. Your baby’s bedding should not be the only one made of organic cotton or other organic fibers. Her clothes should be made of organic fabric too. Organic cotton clothes will allow her skin to breathe and prevent her from getting skin allergies.

4. Organic toys. Toys can help stimulate your baby’s mind and contribute to its development. But if the toys you choose are made with toxic dye, lead or any other harsh substances, you are putting your baby into harm’s way. Always choose toys that are free from toxic dye and other synthetic chemicals.

5. Organic baby food. The ideal food for your baby for the first year of her life is none other than milk from her mother’s breast. Eventually, though, she will need nourishment other than breast milk, so you will need to give her organic baby food. You can buy your organic baby food from the grocery store, but it would be better if you can make your own.

Your newborn baby will need all the protection that she can get during the first few years of her life. You can start giving her the protection she needs by creating a green nursery for her using organic baby products.

Also see: Organic cotton benefits

By Anna Lynn Sibal

Your skin is the largest and most hardworking organ of your body.  It is very important that you keep your skin healthy because it is your body’s first line of defense against diseases and infection.  Besides, as you know, dry and blemished skin is not really pleasant to look at, much less to feel.  You cannot deny that it feels really good to have soft and smooth skin.

However, commercially produced soaps are not really as safe for the skin as they are reputed to be.  Many of these commercial bath soaps are made from synthetic chemicals that make the skin dry and even cause allergies.  Have you ever come out of the shower with your skin feeling so dry and stretched out?  That is one sure sign that your commercially manufactured soap is not really doing good for your skin.

If you want to keep your skin healthy and beautiful, it would be better for you to switch to organic soap.  That is because organic soap is made from all-natural ingredients and do not contain any harsh or harmful substances.  The ingredients used in making organic soap are also grown organically, meaning that they were grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

What benefits can you get from using organic soap rather than commercially made soap?  Here are the five most important benefits that you can get from using organic soap.

1. Organic soap is good for sensitive skin.  As mentioned above, only natural ingredients are used in making organic soaps, and these ingredients themselves were grown organically.  Thus, they do not have chemicals that are harsh to the skin.  This means that you can use organic soap even if your skin is sensitive or allergic to certain substances.  In fact, your dermatologist will advise you to use only organic soap if your skin is easily irritated.
2.  Organic soap will give your skin a true silky feel.  The chemicals in commercially produced soap can make your skin feel dry and stretched out.  That is the effect of synthetic substances in soap.  They rob the skin of moisture and leave a layer of residue on the skin.  With organic soap, on the other hand, the natural ingredients in the soap act directly on your skin to make it soft and smooth.  More often than not, you do not have to apply lotion on your skin after washing it with organic soap. 
3. You can use organic soap in aromatherapy.  Aromatherapy is an alternative healing process where certain smells produce certain reactions in the body to stimulate self-healing.  For example, some scents help you relax while others energize you.  There are a lot of organic soaps made exactly for this purpose.  These organic soaps contain essential oils that were naturally extracted from the plant source.  These essential oils are safe and harmless, and they can help in inducing the body’s natural power to heal itself. 
4. You can make your own organic soaps.  If you know what your skin needs and you prefer certain scents in your soap, why not make your own?  You can easily make your very own organic soap right in your kitchen.  There are dozens upon dozens of places where you can download instructions on making organic soap on the Internet.  You can also buy soap-making kits, essential oils and other soap-making ingredients from craft stores and specialty stores.  Not only will you have the opportunity to make your very own soap, but you can also give them as gifts and even make money out of selling them. 
5. You help save the environment when you use organic soaps.  Organic soaps are made using organic ingredients.  The plants used in making organic soaps are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers that are harmful to the environment.  The process of making organic soap itself is safe and leaves very little impact on the environment.  So, when you use organic soaps, you can enjoy a clean conscience along with your clean skin. 

If you want to keep your skin healthy and beautiful, try to switch from your commercial soap brand to organic soap.  You will immediately see the difference in how your skin feels, and you will make a difference by helping to save the environment.

Organic Hair Products that You Can Make at Home

 By Anna Lynn Sibal

If your hair has specific needs or if you have problems regarding your hair, such as dryness or dandruff, you may be better off dealing with them by using organic hair products.  Synthetic shampoos, conditioners, gels and other commercially made hair care products may be more popular and less expensive, but they are made using chemicals derived from petroleum, and these chemicals are proven to be harmful to the body. 

You can even make your own organic hair products right from the comfort of your home.  The beauty of making your own organic hair products is that you can customize them according to your hair’s needs.  If you suffer from dandruff, for example, you can mix up a dandruff shampoo that is just right for your hair.  What is even more beautiful about this is that you yourself can ensure that the ingredients you have put in your hair products are truly safe and free from toxins. 

Here are just a few recipes that you can work on to make your own organic hair products.

Organic Dandruff Shampoo 

Dandruff is actually made up of dead skin cells that have built up on our scalp.  If our scalp is healthy, we normally shed dead skin cells around once a month.  However, some conditions accelerate the shedding of dead skin cells, and this often results to dandruff. 

You can make your own organic dandruff shampoo using rosemary oil and eucalyptus oil.  Rosemary oil helps increase blood flow to the scalp to accelerate healing.  Eucalyptus oil, on the other hand, is an antiseptic and it also stimulates blood circulation to the scalp. 

To make your roganic shampoo, just boil two cups of distilled water and melt four tablespoons of pure castile soap in it.  Once the soap has completely dissolved, add a teaspoon of potash and let the mixture cool.  When the mixture is at room temperature, you should mix in 14 drops of rosemary oil and 5 drops of eucalyptus oil. 

If you do not have rosemary oil and eucalyptus oil, you can substitute tea tree oil.  Tea tree oil is also an antiseptic and has antifungal properties.  Around 14 drops of tea tree oil will work with the mixture.  Pour the shampoo in a clean bottle and store it in a cool place. 

Organic Hot Oil Treatment for Dry Hair 

Temperature, overexposure to sunlight and overusing certain commercial hair care products can actually make the hair dry and brittle.  You can restore moisture to your hair by using an organic hot oil treatment that contains jojoba oil and sunflower oil. 

To create this homemade organic hot oil treatment, you only need to mix two teaspoons of jojoba oil and one teaspoon of sunflower oil.  Heat the mixture up over a low flame, but do not let it come to a boil.  Just mix it until it is at a temperature that you can tolerate against your skin. 

Apply the hot mixture to your hair and gently massage it onto your scalp.  Once your hair is fully covered with this hot oil mix, wrap your hair in a towel and let the oil sit there for 20 minutes.  Afterwards, wash it off with your organic shampoo and rinse it thoroughly. 

Organic Hairspray 

Most of us use hairspray to keep our hair in place and to maintain our hairdo.  However, commercial hairspray can damage our hair.  You can actually make your own organic hairspray at home using organically grown lemons and oranges.  All you need to do here is to chop half an orange and half a lemon into fine bits and boil it in two cups of water.  Boil it until the mixture is thick and then let it cool. 

Once it is cool, strain the mixture and put it in a spray bottle.  Mix in two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to keep the mixture fresh for two weeks if you want to keep that spray bottle on your dresser.  If you do not want alcohol in your hairspray, keep it in your refrigerator. 

These are just a few recipes for organic hair products that you can make at home.  If you want to have great-looking and healthy hair, you do not have to rely on commercially made hair care products.  You can make your own organic hair products and rest assured that these products are safe for your hair.