My earlier post discussed sun protection and an easy way to make sunscreen with zinc oxide. Those lotion base are fine for daily use, but if you want more of a water-resistant sweatproof formulation for active outdoor use, try this barrier cream with beeswax. Using a beeswax/borax emulsifier combination helps the cream stay on better. [...]

Trying to figure out which sunscreen is safe for you and even worse, your baby, is enough to make you go crazy. Even with all the literature and research, there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on safe sun protection. I won’t talk about the pros and cons here but you can easily google [...]

This all-natural insect spray is easy to make, smells great, and is safe for kids. You can find all the ingredients at most grocery, health food, or drug store. Here in Austin, I’ve found them all at Whole Foods and Central Market. Ingredients witch hazel extract citronella essential oil peppermint essential oil Directions fill a [...]

A diaper rash ointment is simply a cream with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Zinc oxide is a naturally ocurring mineral. When used to treat diaper rash, it creates a barrier that keeps moisture and other irritants from your baby’s skin. Over-the-counter diaper rash creams contain anywhere from 10% to 40% zinc oxide (by [...]

Ever wondered which ingredient makes up the largest percentage in lotions? Water! If you look at the ingredients list on product labels, you will notice that water is almost always listed first, meaning it is the most predominant ingredient in the product. And, it is also ‘free’ and readily available. So what all are you [...]