Monday, December 16, 2013

Redlily.com Online Shopping Festival and Shopping Experience Review

Redlily.com is a Hyderabad based online shopping store for kids. I came to know about them in 2012 and had shopped with them once last year. It was an awesome shopping experience. Even though my order was prepaid, they still called me to confirm and kept me informed at every stage of my order. I had received all my products intact and brand new, the kind of quality I always yearn for.
Redlily.com Kids Online Shopping Site India review
Let your child amaze you!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Crazzy Crawlly Review

This is a review of Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Crazzy Crawlly. This perfume has green apple flavor and it smells beautiful. It comes in an attractive caterpillar/ silk worm shaped bottle with a plastic cap made into the face of the caterpillar. Each Jungle Magic perfume is given a character and this caterpillar is known as Crazzy Crawlly.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Review

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Review

Quantity: 60 ml
Price: INR 299
You can buy Jungle Magic Crazzy Crawlly Perfume from Babyoye.com (HERE), from Flipkart.com (HERE) or from ShopClues.com (HERE).

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Aloe Derma Extra Gentle Baby Bath and Shower Gel Review

This is a review of Aloe Derma Natural Extra Gentle Baby Bath and Shower gel that claims to contain 60% organic aloe extract. The Aloe Juice in it is certified organic by ECOCERT (any product that claims to be organic needs to have an organic certification and is also required to mention on the packaging the authority that certified it as organic).

Aloe Derma Extra Gentle Baby Bath and Shower Gel Review

Quantity: 165 ml (5.8 oz)
Price: INR 399 (I had bought at a 13% discount for INR 347 from Flipkart.com)
Shelf Life: 36 Months (3 years)
Made in China for American Global Health Group.
Availability: You can buy from HERE

BRAND CLAIMS:

Aloe Derma Extra Gentle Baby Bath and Shower Gel Review
Click on the image for larger view
Anti-bacterial, FDA Certification, GMP Certification, Extra Mild and Soothing, Effectively Removes Bacteria, Removes Dirt and Oil from Skin. You can read the full description HERE.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Baby Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash Review

This is a review of Baby Sebamed Baby Wash with pH 5.5. It claims to be extra soft and suitable for your baby's delicate skin.

Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash review

Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash review

Quantity: 200 ml
Price: INR 475
Shelf Life: 36 Months. To be used within 12 months of opening.
Made in Germany.
Availability: Easily available online.


Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash review

PACKAGE DESCRIPTION:


BABY SEBAMED EXTRA SOFT BABY WASH INGREDIENTS:

Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash Ingredients Review

I checked each ingredient and this formulation is surely mild though but it is NOT 100% safe.
  1. PEGs are generally safe but not safe when applied on broken, damaged or irritated skin. Therefore any product containing PEGs should be avoided when the skin is not 100% healthy (cuts. allergy, burns etc). 
  2. Squalane is shark liver oil so therefore this product is not cruelty free (you can read more on Squalane on the internet and it is DIFFERENT from Squalene).
  3. Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol and Sodium Benzoate are used as preservatives. Sodium Benzoate is a high risk ingredient (read more HERE). Many companies are reformulating their products to remove sodium benzoate and use an alternative preservative because of health risks.
  4. All products (including the ones that claim to be mild and safe) contain preservatives. Of course a product cannot survive on the shelf for long without preservatives, so preservatives like parabens and phenoxyethanol are unavoidable. But avoid long time contact of such products near eyes, lips, ears etc and rinse thoroughly.
  5. Magnesium Sulfate is commonly known as Epsom Salt (bath salts).
  6. Sodium lactate, allantoin and squalane are the good ingredients in this wash which make it milder and skin conditioning.
Sebamed Extra Soft Baby Wash Description Review
MY EXPERIENCE WITH BABY SEBAMED BABY WASH:

Baby Sebamed Baby Wash is highly concentrated. You literally need just a drop of it for a very small baby. My kid is 4+ and I dilute 2-4 drops in a little water and dab it on my kid's skin with my hands. It does not foam in normal or cold water but it foams very mildly in warm water. You can still easily feel that it has spread on the skin. It also rinses off easily without much rubbing.

Chicco and Pigeon products always caused red bumps on my kids face. But Baby Sebamed Baby Wash is neutral on the skin. It never stung and never caused any allergy or reaction on the skin. I am not too sure about the tear-free claim because I wash it off carefully from my kid's face. It may have sometimes reached his eyes and mouth while rinsing, but my kid never cried or got red eyes. At times I use a washcloth to rinse it off the face as you cannot splash water directly on a kid's face.

It is a light golden transparent gel. Smells amazing. It has a fragrance but my kid feels very uncomfortable when any fragrant body wash is applied to his face, especially right under the nose. Being mild, it should have rather been fragrance free too because synthetic fragrances are nothing but added skin irritants and babies don't need them.

Since this wash is highly concentrated, a little goes a long way. However, there are times when my family members bathe my kid and they don't understand the 'use sparingly' instruction and try to use more to make it lather. So this bottle did not last exceptionally long. If you are a careful parent and know how to use it deliberately and sparingly, it will last quite long.

For kids up to 3 years of age, this is a mild product as compared to the other washes in the market, though it is comparatively quite costlier. By the way, medplusbeauty.com is currently offering flat 15% off on Sebamed with coupon code FLAT15 (valid till midnight Oct 10, 2013).

The only thing I really disliked about this wash is the packing. No matter how carefully you dispense it, the bottle always feels slimy. The liquid leaks from the cap joint and there is some product wastage. Also, once half empty, it keeps falling due to the slender shape.

I actually wanted to repurchase the Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash, but it is discontinued in India. Not sure about the availability in other countries. These days it is actually very difficult to find a product with least chemicals for your kid.

I am now using Aloe Derma Body Wash for my kid, which I found to be better than Sebamed. I will be reviewing it shortly.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Jungle Magic Releases Three New Flavors of Kids Perfume

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume brand recently launched three new flavors of Children's Perfume, taking this range to a total of 7 flavors now. The previous flavors were Chocolate, Strawberry, Orange and Green Apple.

Read Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Doofy Doggy Chocolate Flavor HERE.
Read Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Playful Penggy Orange Flavor HERE.
See pictures of previous flavors HERE.

Here are the 3 NEW FLAVORS OF JUNGLE MAGIC CHILDREN'S PERFUME: 

Jungle magic kids perfume duckky lemon flavor
  Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Cutie Duckky - Lemon flavor  

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Catty Grapes Flavor
 Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Naughty Catty - Grapes Flavor 

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Owl Pomegranate Flavor
 Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Smart Oowl - Pomegranate Flavor 

The price of these perfumes has been increased to INR 299 (earlier price was INR 250). As usual, I LOVE the cute animal shaped bottles.


Bombay Dyeing Soft and Cosy Kids Towel Review

I was looking for a bath towel for my son and while browsing online, I came across some cute printed kids towels from Bombay Dyeing. I have used bath linen and bedsheets from this brand and actually love their quality. So I went ahead and ordered one online from Snapdeal.

This kids towel was available in 6 cute prints and I let my kid choose the one he wanted. However, we received a different print than what we had ordered. Because the exchange would have taken quite long, we decided to keep it.


Bombay Dyeing Soft and Cosy Kids Towel Specifications:


Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Kids Towel India Review
  Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Adorable Teddy Kids Towel  
Size: 60 cm (L) X 120 cm (W)
Price: INR 349
Material: 100% Cotton
Comes in 6 cute and attractive prints. (There may be more but I have seen only 6 variations online)

Bombay Dyeing Soft Cosy Teddy On Hot Air Balloon Kids Towel
  Bombay Dyeing Soft Cosy Teddy On Hot Air Balloon Kids Towel  
Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Lets Dance Kids Towel
  Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Lets Dance Kids Towel  
  Bombay Dyeing Soft Cosy Cute Giraffe Print Kids Towel  
The towel is wide and long enough, and the size may be suitable for up to 6 years old kids. Bombay Dyeing claims that this kids towel is light, super absorbent and gentle on the skin. Well I agree on all these points. However, I expected something way better than this from such an old and renowned brand.
Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Good Night Kids Towel
  Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Good Night Kids Towel  
Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Lets Dance Kids Towel
  Bombay Dyeing Soft & Cosy Lets Dance Kids Towel  
Bombay Dyeing Soft and Cosy Kids Towel is soft and velvety on the printed side, which is the 'cosy' side of the towel. It feels warm to touch. The other side is woven just like normal towels. It is gentle on the kid's skin. Absorbency is better than other towels in the market in the same or higher price range. I checked and found that even the printed side absorbs very well. Regarding the coziness, I will be able to check that in the winters and will update.

Blue Side: Cozy Printed Site
White Side: Absorbent Side
The towel smells weird, which is probably because of the textile dye/chemical used on the printed side. The print is NOT actually woven as you can see in the picture that the back side is plain and white. Initially the smell used to be quite bothersome. The moment I would try to wipe my kid's face with it, he used to start coughing. After several washes, the smell has toned down considerably and is almost negligible now.

Another problem with this towel is that it leaves lint... a LOT of lint. Even after washing it many times, I can see lint sticking to my kid's body all over, even reaching to his hair and causing tangles when combing. I have to literally rub the lint off his skin after every use. Just like the smell, the lint is also decreasing with each wash.

But this is not actually what you would expect from a quality brand like Bombay Dyeing. I haven't seen the lint problem in their premium cotton towels for adults.

If you can be patient till a few washes for the smell and lint to go away completely, it will make for a great and lovely towel for your kid in an affordable price range. I am not very sure if I may repurchase it but I definitely don't regret buying it. Except for the initial smell, I like the soft feel of this towel.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Pigeon Baby Shampoo Review

This is a review of Pigeon Baby Shampoo. For the past 4+ years, I had been using combined 'Body and Hair wash' for my kid, from different brands like Pigeon, Chicco, Nuby, the imported fruity range of Johnsons and Johnsons etc. My kid has very long hair, which we keep oiled. The products that suited his skin, left his hair like straw and the products that suited his hair, gave allergy on his face.

Pigeon Baby Shampoo Review

Finally a few months ago, I decided to go for a separate body wash and shampoo for my son. We are using Pigeon's baby shampoo for close to 2 months now and happy with the results.

Price: INR 185 (I had bought on some discount from an online store)
Quantity: 200 ml. Also comes in 700 ml packing.
Shelf Life: 36 Months from Mfg
Made in India
Availability: You can buy through these online stores (direct links to product page): Amazon.in, flipkart.comfirstcry.com, snapdeal.com

700 ml packing can be bought here: Rediff Shopping, Amazon.in

Pigeon baby shampoo comes in a flip open cap bottle. The cap is tight but you need to seal with cello-tape while travelling, to prevent spillage.

PACKAGE DESCRIPTION AND BRAND CLAIMS:

  • Tear-Free formula
  • Colouring and fragrance free
  • pH Balanced
  • Hypoallergenic
Unique tear free formula is mild and conditioning. Enriched with Olive oil, Rosehip oil, and Chamomile extract. It gently cleanses, moisturizes & conditions baby's hair, leaving it soft and tangle free. Gentle for daily use, Suitable from birth.

PIGEON BABY SHAMPOO INGREDIENTS:

Pigeon Baby Shampoo Ingredients


How To Use Pigeon Baby Shampoo:

Instead of using directly on the scalp, I dilute the shampoo in a mug taking small quantities at a time, and diluting more if required later. I pour small streams on baby's scalp and instead of rubbing, gently pat the scalp. That ways, the shampoo spreads better lathers easily.

No matter which shampoo we use and whether the brand claims it to be a tear-free formula, I always use our Farlin Baby Shampoo Hat when washing my kids hair.

UPDATE: My son is now 5 and half + and we are still using the hat as it makes shampooing a very easy and enjoyable affair for the baby/kid.

My Experience with Pigeon Baby Shampoo:

Pigeon Baby Shampoo Review
Rosehip: The natural moisturizer that helps to prevent dry skin
Chamomile: The natural soothing agent that helps to relieve irritated skin
Olive Oil: The natural extract makes hair soft and shiny
Pigeon baby shampoo is a transparent very light yellow colored liquid. I like the fact that it has no added color or fragrance. It smells faintly of coconuts in a very nice way. It also contains some natural ingredients like Rosehip and Chamomile Extracts and Olive oil.

It cleanses baby's hair well, without ripping off moisture from hair strands. It effectively cleans oiled hair and leaves my kids locks soft and shiny. It does not lather crazy like other shampoos.

Hair may not always feel very soft during the wash, but on drying, hair are soft, more aligned and almost tangle-free. So I found this shampoo gentler than the other Hair and Body washes we have used.

Coming to the "Gentle for daily use and Suitable from birth" claims, it's a shame how baby brands make such claims. I mean who would shampoo their baby's hair daily! A baby's skin is 6 times thinner than adults up to the age of 6 months and anyways kid's and baby's skin is able to easily absorb anything you apply. So who would like to subject their baby or kid to chemicals on a daily basis?

The "suitable from birth" claim is also rubbish. Pigeon baby shampoo contains preservatives in the form of parabens as well as phenoxyethanol and I personally would not consider that safe for an infant. To be honest, four and a half years ago, I have also used such bath products for my baby when he was born, as I was not aware of these chemicals then. But now I am aware and choose more carefully.

So parents, please be sensible when shampooing your babies and kids. I won't recommend this or any shampoo for daily use, but every parent knows what's best for their child. We use it once a week.

Apart from that, it is much milder as compared to other famous brands in the market like Mothercare etc which are full of far more shitty chemicals and preservatives.

We have used a few other brands after this shampoo and find that Pigeon Baby Shampoo is very good and mild. It keeps kids' hair soft and shiny. We found it much better than some other shampoos and washes we have tried.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash Review

This is a review of Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash for kids. This was bought in emergency, when I could not procure the Pigeon hair and body wash I intended to buy. The ingredient list claimed to be "All Natural", so I thought of giving this one a try.


Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash comes in this transparent pump packing like hand washes.

Quantity : 250 ml / 8.5 oz
Price : INR 249 (I bought at some discount from Hoopos.com)
Expiry : 3 Yrs from date of packing. 12 Months from date of opening the bottle
Made in China
Toll Free Number: 1-800-103-8222
customercare@ral.co.in

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION AND CLAIMS:

Moisturizes and Cleans baby's hair and body
99.999% Effective against germs
Tear Free formula
0% Paraben
Patented Ingredient: Citroganix


Directions of Use: Pump a small amount of Foaming Shampoo & Body Wash directly into palm of hand, wash cloth, or baby's wet skin. Apply to baby's hair and body. Completely rinse with clean water. 

NUBY ALL NATURAL FOAMING SHAMPOO AND BODY WASH INGREDIENTS:


Aqua (Water), Decyl Glucoside, Betaine, Glycerin, ALoe Vera Liquid, Bioflavonoids, Caprylic Acid, Citric Acid, Lactic acid, Levulinic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum (Fragrance), Potassium Sorbate.

Warning: Keep out of reach of children. Do not leave children unattended in the bath. Avoid direct contact of the undiluted product with the eyes. If this should occur, rinse thoroughly with clean warm water.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH NUBY FOAMING SHAMPOO AND BODY WASH:


My baby has long hair and we keep them oiled all the time. So I always buy a "Hair and body wash" instead of buying a separate shampoo and body wash. 

Like all organic products, Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash does not lather much. Rather it does not lather at all. When you pump, it dispenses only white froth/foam, which was extremely confusing to us. Yes, it is simply like air whipped foam and not even liquid. So it is a little tricky to use especially if you are used to chemical based highly foaming body washes. It has taken me very long to figure out how good or bad it is.

Since we are all used to products that lather, we ended up using a good amount of this wash in just four uses. After that, I realized that it does clean baby's skin extremely well, but it completely fails at washing hair. I have tried for hair wash several times, but every time I had to use another wash to clean baby's hair.

For body, you need one small pump for each body part. I just spread it on baby's each part with hand and mildly rub with my hands. What I liked about this wash is that it does leave the skin squeaky clean and extremely soft.

I personally feel it is like those bottle and nipple cleansers, which smell like lemons and do not lather but still clean and disinfect the bottles. Similarly Nuby All Natural Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash cleanses and disinfects baby's skin very well without any lather.

PROS:
  • Organic and no harmful chemicals
  • Cleanses skin very well.
  • Truly a no-tear formula. Cleaning baby's face is very easy with this
  • Leaves skin extremely soft, moisturized and clean
  • Rinses off easily without using much water.
CONS:
  • Very tricky to use, as it does not lather and the liquid turns into foam upon pumping out.
  • Cannot clean oiled baby hair. Not useful for long hair.
  • If you have never used such organic products before, you may initially end up over using this wash just in the attempt of creating lather, which can dry up baby's delicate skin.
To be honest, other chemical washes I have used clean my baby's hair very well but they somewhat react to his facial skin. Nuby's All Natural Foaming Wash is a good product for bathing only, and has no harmful effects. But you do need to learn that it will not lather up and still it can clean effectively without even using a loofah.

Buy only if you want a completely organic product safe for baby's skin for bathing only.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Playful Penggy Review

This is a review of Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Playful Penggy. It is an orange flavored kids perfume that comes in an attractive Penguin Shaped bottle.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Review


Quantity: 60 ml
Price: INR 250 (I had bought for INR 185 during an online offer)
UPDATE: The price has now been raised to INR 299
Flavor: Orange

PACKAGE DESCRIPTION AND CLAIMS:


JUNGLE MAGIC KIDS PERFUME PLAYFUL PENGGY INGREDIENTS:


A majority of the ingredients are natural flavoring substances obtained from plants. I am really happy with the ingredient list of this Jungle Magic Perfume.  Just because of this main reason, I will rate it higher and safer than other chemical based perfumes in the market. That said, never spray perfume on your baby's skin directly. Either spray on clothes when the kid is wearing them or first spray on the clothes and then make your kid wear those.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH JUNGLE MAGIC KIDS PERFUME PLAYFUL PENGGY:

I was expecting this perfume to smell like real orange fruit, a little sweet and tangy, something very refreshing for kids. But it has a sweet intoxicating scent, which becomes suffocating at times. The fragrance is very strong and remains in clothes even after washing. You can smell it in the air hours after applying. I will see how it fares in extreme summers and will update the review accordingly.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume

I had bought the chocolate flavored Jungle Magic perfume from firstcry.com and the packaging was really bad, the small cap on top of the pump flies away while spraying and is also a danger to the kids, being a very small part. The tattoos were useless. 

But I am surprised that this new penguin bottle I have bought from another website, came in a much better packing. The tattoos were really good quality and the cap on top of the pump is not detachable. Both the perfume variations we own were manufactured in June 2011.

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume india
The tattoos and story booklet are inside a folded cardboard top
Overall, this perfume does have a long-lasting fragrance, but I personally feel kids perfume should not be so strong. It makes me dizzy at times. However, I do not regret buying it for a one-time experience as I got it really cheap. My kid still likes it :)

Jungle Magic Passport Number
Jungle Magic Tattoos and Passport Number (PMXXXXXX)
Jungle Magic Kids Perfume
Jungle Magic Story
OTHER VARIATIONS:

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume also comes in 6 more flavors (3 of them are newly released):

Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Doofy Doggy : Strawberry Flavored 
Jungle Magic Kids Perfume Crazzy Crawlly: Green Apple Flavor
See the newly released 3 flavors HERE.

All Jungle Magic perfumes come in attractive animal shaped bottles which is an instant hit with kids.

For more details on other flavors and the Jungle Magic website, please refer to the detailed Jungle Magic Kids Perfume review HERE.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Chicco Mum n Baby Eau De Cologne Review

Chicco Mum & Baby Eau De Cologne was my baby's very first fragrance. I had bypassed it many times at shopping malls but never bought it. At that time I had apprehensions about baby perfumes that the fumes may irritate the baby's throat. Then I remember reading it was 'alcohol free' and I bought it when my baby was 2+ years. 
Chicco Mum & Baby Acqua di colonia, Agua di colonia

Somehow the very first sniff of the fragrance did not impress me much and I was like I wasted INR 500 on this!!!

In truth, Chicco Mum & Baby Eau De Cologne is the most beautiful fragrance after a baby's natural scent. I have also worn it sometimes in summers, of course, it is for the mum too :) When you open any new perfume, the fragrance is quite powerful and you may not like it. But after it has been exposed to some air, the true fragrance comes out. Same had happened with me.

The fragrance is a mix of sweet and tangy notes. It is very refreshing and very different from adult perfumes. It is perfect to be worn in any season. A Cologne's staying power is supposed to be 1-2 hrs but this one is as good as a perfume. The scent stays the entire day and even after the clothes have been washed, you can smell it. One 100 ml bottle lasted us quite long even with daily lavish use.

CLAIMS: 
  • Pure, simple, safe. For a perfumed hug between mum and her baby. Dermatological tested. Keep out of the reach of children.
  • Safe from 0+months.

THE TRUTH:

Honestly, I had read somewhere that it was alcohol free but IT ISN'T. It contains the same basic ingredients present in any other kids perfume: Water, Alcohol Denat and Fragrance. It does not contain any color, the perfume is transaparent.
However, it additionally contains PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, which raises a concern on its safety. PEG-40 is highly unsafe when it comes in contact with broken or damaged skin. So be it the baby or the parent, never ever let this or any other perfume come in direct contact with the skin.

Chicco Mum & Baby Acqua di colonia, Agua di colonia

It comes in a sturdy heavy glass bottle with a plastic screw cap. The cologne comes out of a small hole in the dart. While they have not provided a pump bottle for safety purpose, the hole is sufficiently big and a lot of perfume flows out if not handled with care. This is where it sometimes flows on to my skin.

For babies, it is a better idea to dab perfume into their clothes first and leave them for some time for the liquid to evaporate and then put on the perfumed clothes on the baby.

Quantity: 100ml
Price: INR 499
Up to 20% discount is available on different websites from time to time. Always compare the prices before buying. Not seen discounts offline.

Availability: Easily available in big kids stores which sell Chicco products. Available online on many shopping portals.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion review

Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion

This is a review of Himalaya Herbals Baby Body Lotion. It contains Olive and Almond oils to nourish and moisturize baby's skin and skin-soothing ingredients like licorice and country -mallow.


Himalaya Baby Body Lotion Review

Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion

Quantity and Price:
40 ml for INR 45
100 ml for INR 68
200 ml for INR 115
400 ml for INR 215

Shelf Life: 3 yrs from Mfg Date

Availability: You can buy online from Flipkart.com, Amazon.in, Firstcry.com, Babyoye.com etc. Also available easily in local pharmacies/chemist shops.

Himalaya Baby Lotion Review

Description and Brand Claims:

Enriched with Almond oil and Olive oil, this quick absorbing daily use lotion nourishes and provides long lasting moisture to your baby's delicate skin. Regular use keeps your baby's skin soft, supple and protected.

100% Herbal Active Ingredients Hypoallergenic
No Harmful Chemicals
Mildness tested for baby skin

THE TRUTH:

It is replete with preservatives. Contains both Methyparaben and Propylparaben. Also contains Pehnoxyethanol. Phenoxyethanol also acts an anti-bacterial or anti-microbial in skin care products. 

According to a warning by the FDA of 2008 "Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants" (source Wikipedia). It is classified as toxic or harmful for products for use around the mouth or on the lips. It is allowed only up to a 1% concentration in Japan.

It is impossible to avoid such chemicals as they are present in every skin care product for kids or adults. Just do not use any product continuously for very long and do use natural moisturizers like Avocado or Olive oil in between. Avocado oil softens skin like a dream.

Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion Ingredients:

Himalaya Baby Lotion Ingredients

Olive Oil/ Jaitun Tail / Olea Europaea: Olive oil restores skin moisture and nourishes dry, damaged and rough skin. It is rich in Vitamin E, which provides anti-oxidant benefits. It improves skin elasticity and is again helpful in skin conditions like psoriasis.

Sweet Almond Oil / Prunus Amygdalus Oil: It is a light non-oily oil which gets very easily absorbed into the skin. It moisturizes and softens the skin.

Glycyrrhiza Glabra / Yashtimadhu / Licorice / Mulethi: Licorice soothes and repairs irritated skin and also has skin whitening benefits. It helps fight skin problems like dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. Also helpful in healing and reducing painful cold sores. This ingredient makes this lotion perfect even for adults with very dry painful skin in winters.

Country Mallow / Bala / Sida Cordifolia: Improves skin texture and glow. Thus it makes skin supple.

Guduchi / Amrit / Tinospora cordifolia: Guduchi helps soothe chronic skin irritations like psoriasis and eczema.

Disclaimer on bottle: "Natural herbal formulations tend to change color over time. However, the product efficacy remains unchanged." But I did not experience any color change in the lotion. That may occur when you store it for really really long. We finished it with daily use within 1-2 months of buying.

It is a herbal formulation and like all Ayurvedic products, the package says 'Ayurvedic Proprietary Medicine'.

My Experience with Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion:

Himalaya Herbals Baby Lotion is a rich white lotion of medium to thick consistency. It is not runny and is ideal for winters. Though it can be used in summers too as an after-sun lotion. It smells like real rose and the fragrance is very soothing and natural. In fact all Himalaya Products smell great though I am not sure if the fragrance is from natural ingredients. It is nowhere mentioned on the pack.

Despite being thick, Himalaya baby lotion absorbs very easily, leaving the skin soft, supple, nourished and beautiful. It provides great moisturization and you don't really need to reapply except may be at night or after washing baby's skin. It never caused any irritation or reaction on the skin. However, if you notice any signs of allergy, please discontinue using immediately.

It feels very cool on the skin, just like prickly heat powders. It's skin soothing benefits and great ingredients makes it ideal for adults too. Adults with bith healthy or dry, damanged weeping skin can use this lotion.

This lotion has three preservatives added and I haven't seen any brand at least in India, mention the concentration/amount of preservatives used in a formulation. Personally this is a concern for me. I do not recommend long term continuous usage of any product repeatedly on baby's skin. So I keep rotating between this and several other lotions. I prefer using products with least preservatives.

But when I compare this lotion with high end brands like Mother Care or Aveeno etc, those have the crappiest of chemicals and have many many more preservatives than Himalaya products. Therefore, Himalaya baby lotion competes with many other costlier international brands in terms of quality and price.

Nonetheless, this lotion is extremely good and does what it claims. The whole Himalaya range of baby products is very affordable. So it is true value for money. You won't regret buying it.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Chicco Baby Moments Body Lotion Review

This is a review of Chicco Baby Moments Body Lotion from Chicco's newly launched 'Baby Moments' range.

Chicco Baby Moments Baby Body Lotion Review

Quantity and Price:

Available in 100 ml, 200 ml and 500 ml packings at Flipkart, Amazon, Babyoye, Firstcry etc.
  • INR 109 for 100 ml
  • INR 199 for 200 ml
  • INR 399 for 500 ml
I was looking for Chicco's Soft & Moisturizing Baby Lotion which my baby has used many times before. It was really good. But suddenly it is missing from online stores, so I bought this one.


Chicco Baby Products Review

Chicco Baby Moments Baby Body Lotion Review
Comes with this Press Open lid
Chicco Baby Moments Body Lotion is white in color. The fragrance is very pleasant and same as the Chicco Baby Moments Rich Cream, but thankfully this one does not smell like egg later on, like their Baby Moments Rich Cream. We have been using it daily for almost a month now.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicco Baby Moments Body Lotion Ingredients

Some of the ingredients are the same as the Baby Moments Rich Cream. Phenoxyethanol is a less harmful preservative chemical as compared to parabens, but it is not safe to be used around mouth or lips. It is a known skin irritant even in small concentration and a neurotoxin in higher concentrations.

In Japan, the concentration of phenoxyethanol in cosmetics and skin care products is limited to 1%. It also acts as an anti-bacterial or anti-microbial agent.

CLAIMS:

Parabens Free
Hypoallergenic and Clinically Tested
Contains Vitamin E
Safe to use right from birth (0+ months)
Dyes and alcohol free

Chicco Baby Moments Body Lotion

The consistency is fine but it contains water (I know other baby body lotions which contain water too). When I apply this lotion to my baby's body, I feel more water and less cream.

It is non oily and contains sweet almond milk. Being water based and non-oily, it is suitable only for use in Summers and less cold months only. It does not provide the rich moisturization required by baby skin in severe winters.

It does not easily absorb into the skin. Earlier I used to massage and massage to blend it into baby's skin but it still won't absorb. I have learnt that if I apply and just leave it, it gets absorbed on its own in a couple of minutes.


Their discontinued Chicco Soft Moisturizing Body lotion used to be exceptionally good for winters.

UPDATE: I had bought this lotion for use in winters and it didn't provide adequate moisturization in severe winters. I haven't repurchased this lotion or tried it in summers yet, but Chicco Baby Moments Baby Powder and Chicco Baby Moments Rich Cream are great and we are using them from last 2 seasons.