Ivey might no longer need to eat baby food but that doesn’t seem to stop her from eating her favorite items from Ella’s Kitchen.
For example, last night while we were hanging out with our neighbors, one of the kids happened to leave their sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apple, blueberries briefly unattended – next thing I knew Ivey was helping herself to it (see picture above).
Recently they added a few new favors to their assortment and they were kind enough to send us samples of the following:
There is just something about the quality of the ingredients and the convenience of the packaging that makes Ella’s Kitchen something both Ivey and I can agree on. They taste so great that I find myself eating them as well. They are the perfect dose of healthy organic fruits and veggies! The packaging is perfect for when you running out the door plus they are MUCH better for you than a nasty V8.

On a recent trip to Bolinas I stopped into Judith’s Herbals and purchased the following products:
- Jojoba Hair Conditioning Oil
- Organic Avocado Oil
- Morningdew Moisturizer
- Golden Seal & Myrrh Mouthwash
These products are great but what I fell in love with was the packaging. I am a total sucker for beautiful blue glass bottles and old school labels. Not only does colored glass block UV rays, which helps increase the product’s shelf life, but they can be redeemed at Judith’s when you are done with them. Organic ingredients, Glass containers and bottle deposits might seem right out of the 1920’s but these three things makes Judith’s Herbals an amazing eco-friendly find, even more so if you are willing to ride your bike from San Francisco to buy them.

I started writing about beauty products as a way to keep you, your baby and the environment safe, healthy and feeling your best – and in realizing how fulfilled I’ve felt from doing so, I’ve decided to start a new program! In weeding through the marketing scams and the over-hyped, over-priced products for my own family, I’ve become so unbelievably passionate about avoiding as many toxic ingredients in my skin care routine as possible, and I am excited to share this new-found knowledge with others (namely my readers, like you!)
Recently my friend Stacy, asked advice on her “cupcake” lotion. She paid too much for the scent and the brand name, especially considering the low quality and harmful substances that it’s made of. As she read me the ingredients I nearly fell to the floor! I found myself running to my repertoire of product research and prescribed an entire new moisturizing routine.
So this is where the new program comes in. I would LOVE for you to send me your routine (products you use and love, or use and hate). I will look beyond the label and do some research. I will see if you’re doing yourself help or harm and then, I will “prescribe” a personalized solution that is better for you and the environment than your current product.
For the second part of this idea, bring in OpenSky. I’ve always wanted my own boutique so I can be around the products I love – all day long. When I was approached by OpenSky to have my own shop online, I was floored! Now I can have my own personal space, to sell my own personal favorite things to my own personal favorite readers (that’s you.. again).
So here is the challenge:
Step 1: Go get your “favorite” product. Look at the full list of ingredient in your skin care product and see if it contains any of the following…
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde (often listed as 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1, 3-diol, diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantion, imidazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15)
- Phthalates (not listed on the label. Look for the word “fragrance” or if the product specific says “phthalate-free”)
- Diethanolamne (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA)
- Diazolidinya Urea and Imidazolidinyl Urea
- Sodium Lauryl/Laureth sulfate; Ammonium Laureth Sulphate
- Propylene Glycol
- PVP/VA copolymer
- Nanoparticles
- Synthetic Fragrance
Step 2: Now that you are aware of all the ingredients in your product make a conscience decision if you are willing to replace it with a healthier solution.
Step 3: In the comments of this post leave the following:
- Name of your current product
- A URL where I can find the product
- Describe what you like about the product (i.e. smell, feel, results, etc.)
Once you submit your product you will receive an email from me letting you know I am on the case. I will then post the solution to my blog and email you the link. It’ll be so fun for all of us!
