Neusu Bath Toy Scoop Review

If your bathroom is anything like ours, it is littered with bath toys.  Over the years we have tried all sorts of ways of storing the toys but everything we had tried to date was either too small, or else it just got in the way, meaning we avoided using it.  That's why I was so pleased to be asked to try out the Neusu bath toy scoop, a self-draining bath toy tidy.

Neusu.com sell high quality storage solutions that are made to last - we tried out their premium bath toy scoop but Neusu also make shoe and clothing storage such as heavy-duty vacuum storage bags.  The bath toy scoop is a rigid, brightly-coloured plastic scoop which, if it didn't have holes in it, has a capacity of about 3 litres (which is just about enough to house our collection of kids bath toys).  You attach it to the bathroom tiles for storage using a sucker which the scoop will hang from; when the kids have finished in the bath, you simply woosh the toy tidy around the bath to scoop up all the toys and then clip it back onto the hanger while you let the water drain away so that your toys stay dry and mildew-free.  Very clever.

I've been really impressed with the level of suction of the toy tidy; even when it is full to the brim with heavy toys, I can relax in my own bath knowing that its not going to topple down on me!  The scoop is designed and shaped such that it encourages optimal suction against the wall.

It is very satisfying to finally have an option for storing the toys out of the way, but even more rewarding is the fact that you don't have to take the toys out of the bath one by one.  However...the very best part of the Neusu toy scoop is the fact that Lara and Holly find it fun to use and so they volunteer to tidy up the toys from the bath before they get out.  Genius.

You can find out more about Neusu household storage solutions on their Facebook and Twitter feeds.

The Neusu Premium Bath Toy Scoop costs around £11.99.

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Humble Natural Beauty - Bath Honey Review

One of the problems about blogging my reviews of beauty products is that the interweb has yet to invent the means of me transmitting the smell of the products I review.  And that's an issue because I find it hard to put into words quite how heavenly the scent of the new Rose and Frankincense bath and body range, Humble.

It has been a couple of years since I've tried a bath product (for me) which has blown me away; but the Humble Rose and Frankincense Bath Honey brought a massive smile to my face!  It is a gorgeous, pampering, relaxing, mellow bath additive which made me, and the entire bathroom smell fabulous.  And what's more, this luxurious range of bath products launched by TV's Kate Humble, has guilt-free green credentials.

I don't normally set much weight on a celebrity name when it comes to cosmetics but I understand why Kate Humble might seek to launch a natural and biodegradable range of cosmetics - somehow her name makes the brand seem genuine.  All of the ingredients in the Humble range are sustainably sourced and are chosen such that, when the products are used and then washed away down the drain, they have minimal impact on our waterways.  Of course, the range is also free from SLS and parabens but importantly, where ingredients can be sourced in the UK, they are... this helps reduce the "beauty miles" of your cosmetics.

The Humble eco-friendly natural beauty range is available exclusively in Waitrose and features bath and body products in two different scents - Rose and Frankincense, and Sweet Pea and Verbena.  Both fragrance ranges feature a handwash, hand lotion, body lotion, body wash and intense hand cream.

I was lucky enough to try out the luxurious Rose and Frankincense bath honey which is a sweet-scented runny bath foam.  For an SLS-free product it produces a great foam.  The bath honey comes in a large (300ml) jar with a screw top lid.  It looks luxurious, it smells luxurious and trust me, when you shut the door and shut out the world for your own rose-scented bath, it feels luxurious.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this product and it has definitely made me want to try out the other products from the Humble range.

Childs Farm Bubble Bath for Bucaneers

As you probably know by now, Lara and Holly both have very sensitive skin which dries easily so we try to be careful with which products we use on their skin at bathtimes.  One of our favourite brands, Childs Farm, has just launched a new raspberry-scented Bubble Bath for Bucaneers which is specifically designed for children with sensitive or eczema-prone skin.

Childs Farm 3-in-1 Swim Shampoo has become one of our family staples, due in part to its strong, yet natural scent that the girls both find fun. This Bubble Bath for Bucaneers is no different; the strong raspberry scent comes from raspberry extract and it very much reminds me of our recent visit to the pick-your-own farm in which Holly devoured her own weight in raspberries!  The smell is definitely one that the girls will remember and remind them of bathtimes as they grow older and yet you can feel comfortable knowing that the bubble bath isn't packed full of artificial ingredients which could wreak havoc on their skin.

The girls love the smell, and the bubbles - it just goes to show that a bubble bath doesn't need to be brightly coloured to get the kids interested in it!  Its gentle on the skin and a fun way to finish the day, getting out of the bath smelling summery and fresh.

picking fresh raspberries

Childs Farm bubble bath is available from John Lewis, Ocado and Boots.  Look out for other fun products in their range including hair detangler, hand and body lotion, hand wash, conditioner and hair & body wash.

Good Bubble Natural Children's Toiletries Review

It feels like a very long time since I've tried out a range of Children's natural bathtime toiletries so my recent discovery of Good Bubble toiletries has re-ignited my interest in great children's skincare and bath care products that are gentle and kind to the skin and yet still fun to use.  And it couldn't come at a better time - Holly has recently shown the first real signs of sensitive skin since she was a small baby; dry skin, raw, blotchy and itching at times, but with no clear cause other than just "irritation" - maybe I had become too complacent and had slipped back into using bath care products and washing products packed full of nasties?

 

Good Bubble are very proud of the fact that their range of hair and bath products do not contain nasties in fact, their website is very transparent about the ingredients that do make up their products and you'll find that behind some of the more scientific-sounding ingredients there are in fact natural origins.  Good Bubble products are free from phthalates, parabens, PEG and sulfates which gives me the confidence to use them on the girls' skin and hair (although I would say that as a conscientious shopper, I do still worry about the number of palm-oil derived ingredients in my products like these).

The most interesting thing I found about the Good Bubble products was that they have strong, bold scents and bright, fun packaging but they are also natural in origin.  The cloudberry and dragonfruit "flavours" are fun yet real and these fruit-based extracts come with lots of other super-fruit benefits for the skin too such as anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals which the skin can make use of.

We loved the Clean as a Bean Shampoo as it smelled awesome and was very effective at cleaning.  Combined with a gentle yet fruity shampoo my girls smelled super sweet!  The Cloudberry bubble bath smells fabulous while the bath is running and it offers a good foam for a natural-derived product but our favourite product of all was the Good Bubble body wash which was a nice thick consistency and both girls enjoyed using the dragon-fruit-based Bish Bash Bosh body wash!

Good Bubble products can be found online at www.goodbubble.co.uk and you can find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Salcura Bioskin Junior Bath and Skincare Review

Bioskin Junior is a new range of natural skincare products for babies and children by UK company, Salcura.  The Bioskin Junior range is aimed specifically for children with eczema and severe dry skin which you know by now are occasionally troublesome for both Lara and her little sister Holly.

The Salcura Bioskin Junior range contains at least 92% natural ingredients which means they are a far more natural alternative to steroids and emollient creams. The products are suitable for children and babies from three months upwards and both my 2 year old and 5 year old have been using them for the past few weeks.

Lara and Holly quite enjoy their baths these days and they like to have a nice smelling bath but most bubble baths aren't appropriate as they irritate their skin.  We tried out the Salcura Bioskin Junior Bath Milk which is designed to cleanse, soften and soothe the skin.  It takes the edge off bath water (especially in our hard water area) but unlike some of the grown up bath milks I use, this one doesn't leave a slippery scum mark on the bath afterwards!

I LOVE the scent of the Bioskin Junior bath milk, it is a light, summery scent of the active soothing ingredients Lavender and Chamomile.  The bath milk is ideal for really really sore skin conditions because it helps to fight off infection from open sores and helps to soothe the pain.  I can also smell the calendula in this bath milk which reminds me of the summery smell of my garden right now which is packed full of beautiful yellow calendula plants.  The bath milk costs around £7.99 for a 300ml bottle.

We have also tried the Salcura Bioskin Junior Conditioning Shampoo for babies and children.  Shampoo is a big issue for us because most gentle baby shampoos aren't really very effective now that both girls have quite a head of hair to clean but most of the brightly coloured high-street brands of kids shampoos are packed full of chemicals which definitely contribute to the dry skin on Lara's back and arms.  After a couple of weeks of use, I didn't feel that the Bioskin Junior shampoo was effective on my eldest daughter's hair (it left her hair very tangly) but I think it is great for my youngest daughter as has much shorter hair which doesn't need as much conditioning.

The shampoo also smells of Chamomile and Lavender (but quite as strongly!) and it leaves Holly's hair smelling gorgeous.  It very gently foams on the hair and is easy to rub in to the scalp.  I think it would make a perfect baby shampoo as you can tell it is light and gentle as you use it.  The soothing properties of the natural ingredients would help to soothe cradle cap or dry and itchy scalps in young children.

The Conditioning Shampoo costs around £6.99 for 200ml.

Salcura skincare products are available in pharmacies and online.  The Bioskin Junior range also includes a gentle non-soap cleansing facial wash.  You can follow Salcura on Facebook.

Disney Princess Ariel's Vanity Set Bathroom Toy Review

I have been on the lookout for a fun bath toy for Lara for what seems like an age (aka 2 years). I have also been resisting letting Lara anywhere near make-up... but then she raided my own make-up drawer and I think we probably encountered a turning point. The new Disney Princess Ariel's Vanity Set is a harmless bit of make-up fun... I say harmless because, unlike the day when Lara caked herself in my own mascara and lipstick, this make-up set is specifically designed for use in the bath and all the make-up products wash straight off. Phew.

The Little Mermaid vanity set from Jakks includes a display unit which you stick to the side of the bath, or to the bathroom wall. The unit features a little mirror and four spaces for the individual pieces of the vanity set. The set includes a pretend perfume sprayer, a minature lipstick, a seashell-shaped cream blusher and a cream eye shadow. Lara thinks this Disney Princess set is the single most awesome thing on the entire planet!

The first time that Lara used Ariel's vanity set she was reluctant to wash the make-up off afterwards but once she realised that she could do it all again the next time she had a bath, Lara seemed really happy. We had been struggling a lot with Lara at bathtimes (hence why I wanted to buy her a bath toy) and this bath time Disney Princess vanity set has really helped her behaviour in the bath.

My only small gripe with this toy is the fact that the plastic mirror came with a protective coating which I found hard to remove (you can still see small bits of it around the side of the mirror in the photos).  I was really pleased with how easily the pretend make-up came off in the bath... which is handy because I think Lara needs a bit of practice.

Sukin Kids Bath & Body Review

Sukin Kids is a range of natural hair and body products for children designed not only to provide a natural solution for bathtime, but also to encourage children to show an interest in renewable energy.  The range features a shampoo (Wendy water saver), conditioner (Wes wind farm), hand wash (Ruby recycle), cooling spray (Simon solar) and then the all round bath and body wash featuring Eddie Energy Saver which is what Lara, Holly and I have been reviewing over the past month.

First thing that struck me was that the product comes in a great big bottle which is perfect for me because I have two children who get through shampoo and body wash at some rate... a single bigger bottle also is a better use of resources than lots of smaller ones.

Eddie Energy Saver is a light bulb whose face is featured on the bottle switching off a light but beyond that I'm not sure that there is much to encourage Lara to learn about saving energy.  saying that, Sukin's own website does feature some energy saving tips and activity sheets for children.

Sukin is an Australian brand of natural and organic skin and bodycare products and it is great to see a brand like this offer products for children.  The body wash itself is brilliant.  It is a very gentle scent that comes from the active ingredients which include lavender, chamomile, mandarin orange and tangerine.  It is totally clear and comes in a pump dispenser which I always find easier when dealing with children in the bath.

The body wash can be used either as a bubble bath by pouring it under a running tap (there is a bit of a foam despite being SLS-free) or you can just use it straight on a sponge or flannel as a skin cleanser.  It is gentle enough that you can use it from birth if you really wish to use something on baby's skin.  I use it on both my 10 month old and my 3 year old and have had no problems at all with dry skin after use (one of the key ingredients is Aloe vera which should keep dry skin at bay).

The Sukin Kids range of natural hair and body products is available in the UK from Cress and is suitable for children aged 0-8 years.  The body wash costs £13.28 for a large 500ml bottle and at present there is an offer where you can a free Simon Solar soothing spray.

The One Where I Explain Pubic Hair To My Not Quite Two Year Old

We gave up on the baby bath when Lara was three weeks old. We were both rubbish at holding Lara in the bath precariously and it seemed to save time, water and stress for one of us to hold Lara in the bath with us, while the other one bathed her. From then on, Lara shared a bath with us right up until she was about 16 months old.

Over the past few months, a bath with Lara has become a rare thing. She doesn't need us in there with her to keep her steady any more and to be honest, there isn't room for both of us in the bath – I barely fit in the bath when I'm alone, let alone when there is a taller-than-average toddler in there with me.

This weekend we shared a bath for the first time in months and I realised how much Lara had grown up in that time. Mr. B. was busy, I needed a bath, Lara was being a minx... so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and get in with her – much to Lara's excitement.

When Lara sat down between my legs, she wiggled and giggled and then jumped up in horror. I realised she was staring straight between my legs.

“What's that mummy?”

she asked innocently.

“Hair, Lara”.

She frowned and touched her head.

Quite randomly she then said

“Frog!”

and started trying to wipe it off with her frog-shaped flannel. Having little success she then looked up at me and asked

“Frog?”.

“No Lara, it's hair”.

Lara reached down perplexed that she didn't have hair there too. I really felt I had to explain. I pointed out that she may not have hair there now, but she will do in the future. This seemed to satisfy her; she sploshed down into the bath water and hit me hard in the belly with a floating Winnie the Pooh.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don't Drink the Bath Water

Lara is trouble. A real little minx. She has developed a naughty streak. The kinds of naughty streak that involves running around the house stark naked after a bath, throwing things, hiding behind the television, tearing stuff up into tiny eenie weenie little pieces... and drinking the bath water.

I feel like I'm playing on repeat. “Don't drink the bath water”. “Lara, no, DON'T drink the bath water”. “No, really Lara”. “Lara”. “Stop drinking the frigging bath water”.

Bathtimes have become really good fun in the mellow household. It is the time of day when I let Lara wear herself out ready for bed but sometimes I find it hard work. We've had to confiscate the Bob-the-Builder car wash bath toy because she kept yanking it off the wall. We've had to replace the normal sponge which was torn into a million different pieces with one of the Boots Ramer sponges (much less destructible!) and we've turned bathtime into a two-person job!



I know that at 21 months this is just the start of things to come. I've got to psyche myself up for this and prepare myself to take on the terrible twos the mellow mummy way.

The Sunday Review: Method Kid Body Wash & Shampoo

We have been using the Method Kids bathtime products for some months now – they are Mellow Daddy's favourite to use on Lara at bath time because they are brightly coloured and fun-smelling.

MethodKid make products from largely natural ingredients (99%) for children (I reviewed MethodBaby products some time ago on Mellow Mummy, they were a hit with us right from day one).

We have been using the Squeaky Green Body Wash and 3-in-1 Shampoo.

The Squeaky Green body wash is the next step up from the Method Baby body wash. It is a very light texture for a baby wash because it isn't made from the normal petro-chemicals used in bath products. We love it because it is gentle on Lara's skin. Lara likes it because of the bright green bottle that she likes to squeeze - it is in the sampe of a tiny little creature of some sort! Daddy likes it because of the smell of crisp apples (actually, I find the fragrance too strong and a bit artificial). Both Mummy and Daddy like the fact that the bottle doesn't have a lid – the body wash is dispensed from a squeezy valve in the bottom of the bottle which means you don't have to faff about with lids when you are in charge of bathime.

The 3-in-1 Shampoo and body wash comes in a similar bottle. We tried the fuzzy peach scent which, once again, is a fun, vibrant fragrance that kids and dads love, but which I find a bit in-your-face. The Shampoo is a very similar product to the body wash and in fact can be used as a body wash too. I take it with us when we are staying away from home, or when we go to the swimming pool because it means we don't have to take a separate shampoo for Lara.

I'm a big fan of the Method environmentally-friendly approach to cleaning and washing products. I've tried plenty of their products – some I love, some I don't rate at all but the Method Kids products are high on my list of must-haves. I think Method have found a good balance between the green, healthy cosmetics market and the bright, bathtime fun that kids expect.

We buy our Method products from Waitrose but some of their range are available in several different supermarkets and in Boots as well.

Making Bathtimes Funtimes with CuddleMat

As a Mummy, part of my mellow routine is long hot soak in a nice-smelling bath. To me, bathtime is chillout time.

Very soon after Lara was born we worked out that for Lara, bathtime is not a chillout time. To start off with, bathtimes were 'scream very loudly and get very worked up – times'. Over the months we did manage to calm her down somewhat by joining her in the bath – an annoying habit that we have yet to break. So these days we try and make bathtimes funtimes!

We have plenty of bath toys that Lara plays with. Our Brother Max toys have been a firm favourite but Lara is slowly beginning to lose interest in favour of her Bob The Builder car wash which attaches to the side of the bath.



One of the other ways we entertain her is with bubbles. With Lara's sensitive skin, I have to be a bit careful with bubbles. We've tried all sorts of organic and sensitive skin products which are lovely but my current favourite is the Boots Dreamtime calming bubble bath which is not organic or paraben-free but is hypoallergenic, smells great and has an added bonus – I'm convinced that ist helps us with the wind-down after bathtime ready for bed.

These days Lara quite enjoys her baths, in fact, the screaming starts when the fun stops and she has to get out of the bath. It seems such a shame, having worked out how to make the actual bathtime lots of fun, that the whole process has to end in tears.

Last week we became the proud owners of a brand new Cuddlemat from Cuddledry. The colour-changing bathmat is the answer to our problem! We have a purple bath mat which changes colour to a rather striking shade of neon pink when you dribble hot water on it! It is great fun for Lara (and Mummy and Daddy) when she gets out of the bath because she can see her wet footprints make coloured patterns on the mat. She is so busy making footprints that she doesn't notice us wrapping her up in a towel and drying her!.

Our splattery creation!

Now that she knows what it does, Lara pokes her head over the side of the bath and splatters water over the mat to make even more splodgy patterns! I'm really glad we've found something that can extend the funtime of bathtime even when Lara is out of the water.

The Cuddlemat is made from 100% cotton and the colour-changing effect won't diminish through a normal washing cycle. At £14.99 I think it would make a wonderful gift for any family and I really can't recommend it enough – great fun!

The Sunday Review – Halos n Horns Baby Bath

Lara suffers from mild ezcema on her arms. In an attempt to reduce the irritation to her skin, we have decided to only use bath products that are free from SLS/SLES, Parabens and Phthalates (if you don't know what these are, there is a complete guide to common cosmetic ingredients on the Halos n Horns website). Halos n Horns was launched by a mummy whose child suffered from ezcema and who felt that as parents, we wash our little angels to git rid of all of the nasties, not put more on!

Image courtesy of Halos n Horns

The Halos n Horns baby bath is a bubble bath which is so gentle that it can be used as a body wash and hair wash as well. As an all-in-one product it is a great option for taking on holiday as it saves you having to pack separate bottles and trust me, when you travel with a baby, you need to save all the space you can in your suitcase! I'm looking forward to taking our Halos n Horns baby bath with us when we got to NY in June.

The baby bath smells fantastic. It took me a while to work out what it smells of, but I think I have got it now... Cherryade! Lara seems to enjoy it, and certainly doesn't complain when we use it to wash her hair and body. The dry skin on her arms often comes up very red after a bath but it seems to be a little more calm when we use this to clean her. The baby bath doesn't froth very well and takes quite some effort to lather up but this may just be because we live in a part of the country where we suffer from astonishingly hard water (which probably contributes to Lara's ezcema too).

The Halos N Horns baby bath comes in a 200ml tube and costs around £3.29. Halos N Horns also make two different combined shampoo & conditioner products, a body wash and a toothpaste. Their products can be found in most major supermarkets.

They have a great website at http://www.halosnhorns.co.uk/ where there are competitions, tips for having fun with your kids, a discussion board and children's activities. You can also request your free 'Little Book of Holiday Fun' which is a great booklet packed full of holiday tips and activities for children of all ages.