Thursday, April 30, 2009

keep it clean


Head to downtown NYC this Saturday, May 2nd (10AM-6PM), for the Tribeca Family Festival (in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival), featuring tons of activities, shows and fun for the whole family. Amidst the Broadway performers, hairspray painting, graffiti hat making and local food fare, you'll find Mrs. Thelma Meyer, the inspiration behind Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day eco-friendly cleaning products, and her Clean Home Trailer. Kids will have the chance to create their own personalized Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Handsoaps while mom gets pointers from Thelma about cleaning around the house. Also, check out Mrs. Meyer's baby line, featuring Dryer Sheets ($7.99), Laundry Detergent ($14.99) and Lip and Cheek Balm ($7.99). So stop by Greenwich Street between Hubert and Chambers Street, get some free samples, then test-drive the products yourself! For more info on the event, go to http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/events/family-festival/street-fair. To order Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day eco-friendly products, click on www.mrsmeyers.com.

get into character


Moms want kids to have fun in the bath...especially when we need to distract them from getting soaped up and rinsing clean. London-born designer Tiffany Lerman gets it. A mom of two small kids, Lerman created Tiny Tillia, a collection of character-based bath and body products that combine playtime and daily chores. The paraben-free formulations have developed a celebrity following, as well as many fans from your local neighborhood. The Hand Sanitizer ($4.99) cleans hands without water and smells like flowers; the Head to Toe All-Over Foamy Wash ($4.99) soaps 'em up and gets 'em clean; the Mini Bath Gels come in cute character bubbles filled with bath gel for sudsy fun; and the Bath Book ($2.99) tells the story of the line's famous characters. The Character Bath Mitts ($4.99) are adorable too! Check them out at www.shoptillia.com.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

fight swine flu: wash your hands!


If you spend your days out and about, you know the value of having a travel size hand cleanser in your diaper bag. The playground, playgroups, classes and kid-friendly restaurants are all great places to find much unwanted germ-fests. And with the prospect of the swine flu looming, you have one more major reason to keep your bag well-stocked. There are a ton of hand sanitizers on the market, so you may think it's tough to find one that's right for your baby. Try the Instant Hand Cleanser ($6 for the small bottle; $16 for the large bottle) from the Thymes Sweetleaf Baby Collection. The product line features honey to moisturize, organic aloe barbadensis leaf extract to soothe and heal, organic chamomile extract to calm and organic lavender extract with anti-bacterial properties to help babies relax. The best part: Sweetleaf Hand Cleanser has a delicate, powdery rose and jasmine scent that smells as soft and sweet as your baby does. Pick one up at www.thymes.com or a specialty store near you.

fight swine flu: wash your hands!


It's a scary fact. Swine flu has hit the U.S. and could soon turn up in a town/city near you. How to keep your kids safe: The CDC advises keeping them home if they're sick, making sure they cover their noses and mouths if they cough or sneeze and last--but definitely not least--washing their hands often. We know, easier said than done, right? What kid wants to spend his/her time washing up when he/she could be doing just about anything else. Thankfully, there's a slew of soaps and hand sanitizers out there to get them interested in coming clean. One that may be considered more fun than a chore: Kids Only! Foaming Hand Soap from Jason Natural Products ($8.99). Not only is it free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, glycol, wheat, gluten, mineral oil and petrolatum, it features natural fragrances that make them fun to use. We tried Berry Burst (it also comes in Tropical Twist). My 18-month old daughter loves the pump since she can squeeze some out herself; my about-to-turn-three-year-old son loves the foam which he says is like playing with shaving cream. They both love the fruity berry scent. Available in fine natural product stores and on www.jason-natural.com.