My new line, Baby Swank Naturals, is finally here! It's been postponed a bit, but that's life with a family of small children. Things don't always click along like you plan. I'm sure many of you can understand!
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| Lavender Chamomile Baby Wash & Shampoo |
Anyway, I want to share a bit about my new line with you all today. I'm gonna start out by telling you how my products came about & why they're so great! I'm gonna let you in on where I get my herbs & how I do the infusion process in case you're wondering. And I'll let you know what's up my sleeve for the future of Baby Swank Naturals!
About Baby Swank Naturals
Ever since I had my first baby, 3 years ago, I've been very much aware of what I put on his body. The more I read & learn about synthetics & chemicals used in skin care products, the more I realize why it's so important to be careful & to use good, quality products.
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? That's right! Your skin is actually an organ & it not only protects us from all kinds of harmful things, but it's used to absorb things into our bodies as well. So that means not only will your skin absorb healthy vitamins & minerals, but it can also absorb harmful substances that are on your body. So be aware of what you're putting on your skin. I know you may not think it's much, buy toxic substances build up inside of your body & then can start causing some serious problems! Research, research, research.
Okay, so I decided that I wanted to use natural products for my baby. They're so little, new & fresh when they're born. You just hate to expose them to anything they're body isn't used to handling...or shouldn't need to handle, I should say. So I started buying things at our local health food store, but came to realize that I still couldn't pronounce half of the ingredients in those items. I understand that even healthy products aren't going to be 100% the best option. I mean, they have to set in factories & in boxes & on shelves for a long time so they have to have some sort of preservatives in them...healthy or not.
So being the type of person I am...into health & a DIYer...I decided to do some research & make my own products. Now I'm really into herbs. I use them when we're healthy for nutrition & prevention & I use them when we're sick for nutrition & healing. I'm an RN so I feel like I have a pretty good head on my shoulders when it comes to health so I do a lot of research when I need to make anything. I buy books, I look online, I talk to trusted friends, etc.
So I did my research & I started making diaper rash cream, cloth baby wipe solution, & several other concoctions for my kid. Guess what? They worked fabulously! I was so amazed! Not only did they do their job, but it grew my confidence as well. So I decided to get with it & get the ball rolling on some skin care products.
Fast forward 2 years, another baby, & one more on the way...my products are finished & ready!
So I decided to start small, try it out on my family & friends first, & then put it in my shop if all when well. Well, it's in my shop, so you know how that turned out!
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| Orange Vanilla Herbal Baby Oil |
So I'm starting with a head-to-toe baby wash & shampoo & a baby oil.
- They're so simple.
- You can pronounce all the ingredients.
- They clean.
- They're good for babies skin {your's too BTW...my husband & I use it from time to time!}.
- They lather well.
- They last a LONG time, which works well for your budget.
- Plus, they smell SOOOOO good.
I offer each in an 8 oz full size & a 2 oz sample size. I started with three herbal combinations...Lavender Chamomile, Rosemary Mint, & Orange Vanilla! Plus, I make everything in small batches so it's always fresh! You can read more about the actual products in my shop.
Click here for the soap &
click here for the oil!
Herbal Infusions
So what's an infusion. Well, an infusion is where you take something & mix it {infuse it} into something else. So when it comes to herbs, you've got teas & infusions. A tea is a little herb & a lot of water & it tastes good. An infusion is a lot of herb & a little water. It's strong & it usually doesn't taste too great, but it's a quick way to get the nutrition & properties of the herb into your body.
So what's this got to do with my skin care products. Well herbs aren't just used for cooking & medicine. They can also be used on your body. They are very nourishing, not only when we're sick, but when we're well too.
So I started out with three different simple combinations that smell great together & all serve different purposes.
Lavender Chamomile is perfect for you if you give baths before bed. Lavender is very soothing for the skin. It aids in sleep & relaxation & chamomile is also helpful for sleep in small children.
Rosemary Mint is a great eye-opener. So if you bath your baby in the morning, this is the scent for you! Rosemary is a stimulant & astringent. It will stimulate blood flow & draw out impurities. Peppermint is also a stimulant & it has a cooling effect on the skin. It's great for comforting babies with fevers!
The last one is
Orange Vanilla & this one smells soooo good. It's great if you've got a sleepy baby you want to WAKE UP! It's very energizing! Orange peel has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, & anti-inflammatory properties. Plus it smells great! Vanilla is primarily used for it's sweet fragrance!
So now onto how I put these herbs into the soap & oil.
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| photo courtesy of susunweed.com |
I take my crock-pot, fill it with water, stick a cloth in the bottom, & turn it on low heat. I then put my herbs into a quart jar & pour my soap or oil over the herbs. I put the lid on & stick it in the crock-pot. I let it "cook" for several hours {at least 12} until I feel that the properties of the herbs have sufficiently been infusing into the soap or oil. The soap & oil will usually change colors depending on the herb & it will take on a herby smell. I then take the jar out, let it cool, & then strain the herbs out of the soap or oil. I fill the cooled soap or oil into the bottles, add a few drops of the essential oils, wipe the bottles down, label them, & voila...they're done!
If you're wondering where I get my herbs. I get all of my herbs bulkherbstore.com! {affiliate link}
If you're looking for herbs of your own, this is the place to get them. It's a family owned & operated small business & you'll not only be able to buy a wide variety of herbs for a great price, but you can learn so much about them as well...like how to use them! Many of the herbs are organic, but if they're not organic they're grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or radiation so no fear about what's going onto your baby's skin!
The Future
As far as the future of Baby Swank Naturals goes...well that's up to you! If my soap & oil does well then I'll definitely add to the line. I'm already working on a bath soak for baby & I have plans for an all-natural line for those sweet baby bottoms! It will include a powder, diaper rash salve & cream, & a cloth wipes solution & spray.
As far as anything else goes...I'm up for it, but I need to know what you want. Is there anything you wish you could get for your little one that was simpler & more natural? If so, let me know. I'm all for suggestions!
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| Rosemary Mint Baby Wash & Shampoo" |
So thanks for reading this {long} post on my new products!! I love them & if you try them, I'm sure you will too!
Meagan
