Besides flip flops and sunscreen what else do you need for the beach? We mommies could use a few items – simple items to make dealing with the sun and sand a bit easier.

Baby Powder – simply rub this on and sand wipes off easily from little hands and toes. No complaining the water is too cold!

Evan Facial Spray – I have used this for years and my hubby used to laugh when I would bring it on trips. Put it in the refrigerator and it’s a really nice treat for your face on a hot day. http://www.evian.com/#/en_US/56-Facial-Spray

Hair protector -Loreal’s EverPure UV protect spray is great. I love the smell and it has no sulfates in it! It has UV filters in it to protect color treated hair from the sun.

A sun hat is a must. I have quite the collection!  The web site shady lady (love that name!) has a great selection. I love the color and style of the sun dancer hat. It also has coverage in the back.

http://www.shadyladyproducts.com/product_p/615.htm

Sun Grubbies has this unique hat called the off shore water sun hat. It’s lightweight, has an adjustable neck strap so it won’t fall off when you are surfing or kayaking. Plus, it’s floatable so you won’t lose it if it does fall off.  http://www.sungrubbies.com/product_index_html/product_detail_html/OffShoreWater-Sun-Hat.htm

Coolibar offers some nice hats and if you can’t decide on a color why not get the reversible bucket hat

http://www.coolibar.com/02509w.html

Have bag will travel

I do have soooo many bags but just love a good beach bag! Zippered, draw string, open tote – I love them all. Look in your closet to see what you have but if you are like me, each year I tend to buy a new one. Here are my favorites.

Land’s end has always been a favorite, especially with the zippers.  Of course LL Bean is great too. Bright and fun are key words when looking for a beach bag.  

Kids would love this adorable bag from little miss matched, but yet I like it too! Love the outside mesh pocket.  http://www.littlemissmatched.com/Catalog/bags/Kooky_Pink_Hearts_Beach_Tote_Bag

The beach store has tons of fun bags to choose from.  I like this large navy bag – the structure of it is perfect. http://www.beachstore.com/Beach-Products/Fashion-Beach-Bags/Large-Canvas-Beach-Tote-w-Spots-Navy

I love anything Lilly Pulitzer. The loose lilly is wide enough for everything and it has a cute rope handle. The sea and be seen large tote works too! http://www.lillypulitzer.com/Originals-Collection/Loose-Lilly-Bag/invt/70167999k79

Other favorites include Vineyard Vines and Tory Burch 

http://www.vineyardvines.com/category__14698_14698_____13051

http://www.toryburch.com/toryburch/browse/productDetail.jsp?icProduct=21109085&icSort=&icCategory=

What are you favorites?

I have been on the search for a more natural sunscreen for my kids. Can you believe all the chemicals they put in sunscreen? Also, my kids will barely stand still for the applications. So I stress about the application PLUS what’s in it! Not anymore…..Supergoop!™ to the rescue.

Supergoop! sunscreen swipes are amazing. They are pre-moistened, paraben-free, water resistant wipes with SPF 30 and are great for my kids’ sensitive skin. Their SPF 30 Quickstick with vitamin C does the job quickly – no complaints here. The quick stick is 100% natural with no parabens, petrochemicals, phtlates, PABA, fragrances or chemical preservatives.  For mommy, they have SPF 30 everyday UV face and body moisturizing lotion that is water and sweat resistant. 

My 8 year old had some thoughts on Supergoop: ”here is what I love about it: it’s not cold, doesn’t sting and it’s quick and it’s easy to apply – yeah say that”.  I do agree!

http://www.supergoop.com

I found another great line – Mission Skincare. It’s great f you children play sports.

According to their web site MISSION Skincare® is the first and only line of Athlete-Engineered® Skincare products. It was founded in 2008 by a premier group of world-class athletes including Serena Williams, Steve Nash, David Wright, Mia Hamm, Amanda Beard, Sergio Garcia, and more.

The kids all-sport sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection is fast drying and goes on clear with no rubbing. The ultra sweatproof, waterproof formula is paraben and preservative free. My kids love it.

http://www.missionskincare.com

Not all hand soaps are created equal (and natural).  I did not realize my favorite handsoap, Clean Well All Natural Antibacterial Foaming Handsoap, comes in so many scents. I have been buying the Orange Vanilla but thanks to the folks at Clean Well I am now testing out the Lavender, Spearmint Lime and Ginger Bergamot.  What?  You have not heard of Clean Well? Say it isn’t so. It is one of my favorites. It is an all natural handsoap that is safe and natural with no toxic chemicals, certified cruelty-free and not tested on animals. It is made with a revolutionary green technology that is a patented blend of essential oils to kill 99.99 % of germs on contact.  This kid friendly cleaner is free of Triclosan and alcohol. According to the Clean Well Web site Triclosan is a preservative chemical and endocrine disruptor.  They also are makers of the All-Natural Hand Sanitizer which comes in a spray as well as sanitizing wipes – perfect for those beach trips! They all smell so nice!   http://www.cleanwelltoday.com

It’s that time of year….summer in New England is right around the corner. It’s time to get on the bathing suits (yikes!), flip flops and sunscreen. A little self tanner can brighten up your skin and maybe even make you look slimmer? Really? Well maybe not, but it sounds good! I always wear a 50 plus SPF but am known to rub on a little self tanner so honestly I am tan the whole summer (but it happens to be from a bottle!) So be honest, the next time you see me, tell me if I am looking a little too George Hamilton like!

Many of the self tanners on the market DO have a sunscreen in them and you’ll get a little color with it too.  Here are my favorites…..

GlowFusion Micro-Nutrient Face & Body Natural Protein Tan – I like this mist as it dries quickly. Just be careful to wash your hands immediately or wear gloves. Their web site says it has no odor but I think it has a bit of one. But it’s worth it as the color is very natural. http://www.glowfusion.net

I love the Jergens® Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer as it gradually creates a natural-looking, streak-free color and dries quickly. This is perfect for those that want a natural look and are afraid to commit to the real self tanners. Their facial moisturizer has an SPF in it. http://www.jergens.com/Our_Collection/Product_Detail.asp?ProductID=37

 Clarins has always been a favorite of mine and they have this Liquid Bronze Self Tanner for the face that is perfect for people with fair skin. You just apply with a cotton ball and smooth it on. http://us.clarins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/clarins-cosmetics_10051_10204_-1

The Tan Towel is great for travel. It’s a big wipe with self tanner on it. The towelette also exfoliates the skin while you use it. http://www.tantowel.com/

CelluFIGHT™ Anti-Cellulite Self-Tanner – I have yet to try this but love the fact that there are no parabens, sulfates, phthalates or petrochemicals in it! This will be on my must get list for the summer as it says it helps firm, tone, improve elasticity and camouflaging cellulite. http://tartecosmetics.com/?gclid=CLmY99j-0aECFch_5QodhxpRHw

Words of advice before you self tan: exfoliate, exfoliate and exfoliate your skin!

You all may know I am not a cook. (I can hear my hubby saying it now, “that is an understatement”) I bid on an auction item to have a local chef come and prepare two dinners. She focuses on macrobiotic cooking. What the heck is that and will I like it? The recipes were so delicious! Even my kids ate the roasted cauliflower.  Hmmm…how can I continue this eating healthy with the kids? I like to keep my recipes simple (when I see recipes with 10 plus ingredients my eyes glaze over!) Thoughts, recommendations, recipes are always welcome!

Here are a few sites on the topic. Enjoy!

http://www.edenfoods.com/store/?ref_src=google&ref_id=macrobiotic&gclid=CLykstvSwKECFSI55QodhHvaAQ

http://www.macrobioticcooking.com

My little one has snuck into my make-up bag on a number of occassions and came out looking a bit over done up! I then began to wonder what she was actually putting on her skin (clearly she does not need any anti-aging products). Glad I found out about http://www.lunaorganics.com  They have a line of all natural kids play makeup and face paint made entirely with natural, non-toxic, hypoallergenic materials. Plus all ingredients are FDA approved!

They have cute kits like Fancy Fairy Play Makeup ($14.95) which includes fairy dust blush, eye shadow pack and purple cinnamon lip balm.

I also love the First Make up Kit ($18.95) which includes blush, foundation, eyeshadow pack and hot pink bubble gum lip balm packed in a windowed tin case. They also offer Rock Star Play Make-up, Animal Medley Face Paint and many others. So there is something for everyone from the little princess to the perfectly painted pirate.

The party favors are the way to go if you are planning a little girls party and don’t want to worry about where the lip balm is from or what toxic ingredient it has in.  Luna organics is made in New Hampshire and its products are paraben free, non-toxic and not tested on animals. The company uses recycled paper products and their containers are BPA-free.  Three cheers for eco-friendly makeup!

Happy Earth Day everyone!  We love any eco-friendly kids’ items. In fact we were talking about some great kids products today on Fox 25 News Boston.  We showed some of our favorite earth friendly items for baby and kids. Everything from body washes to storage items. Check out the link below. Enjoy!

trendymommies green baby products segment

80 degrees in April in New England = flips flops immediately.  I do love flip flops myself, wearing them well before summer and well into the fall.  I try to look for comfy ones for the kids. After receiving a note from the principal cautioning the use of flip flops at school I realized the search for sandals is on. Doesn’t everyone’s feet sweat in sneakers and socks when it’s 85 degrees out? My 5 year old loves her ugg sandals and my 8 year old will put on any pair of flips flops she finds so getting her to wear a pair of sandals can be tricky. Here are some sandals I have checked out and are on the wish list.  

• A few years back I bought the most adorable teva sandals and now since my 5 year old has inherited them she refuses to wear them. I think they are cute and comfy but sometimes my kids think otherwise. Love the Girl’s Tirra this season. The tanza boys are pretty rugged.  http://www.teva.com/productslist.aspx?g=k&categoryid=50

• Every year I check out the echo line of sandals – another comfy choice and a bit more sparkly for those who have little girls who are drawn to shine and sparkle. My daughter tried on her sandals from a few years back and was so sad they did not fit. Love the ecco pearl girl sandal and the duke sandal for boys are dark enough to hide the dirt. http://www.eccousa.com/shoes/kids/

• Sport sandals are comfy and convenient as some you can get wet and even run in them without spraining a little ankle. From Stride Rite the pretty pink Eve sandal is water friendly and fast drying. For Boys, the Sperry Top-Sider Lagoon is very functional. Stride Rite calls this their sneaker/sandal hybrid. It  has a hook-and-loop closure, a recycled rubber outsole for traction and a leather and neoprene upper to keep feet dry. http://www.striderite.com/jump.jsp?itemID=0&itemType=HOME_PAGE

I struggled through the swim season with my 8 year old and her blond hair. While this year it did not turn green, the smell of chlorine was just staying there! In my quest for more natural products (i.e. ones without laurel/laureth sulfates) I have found some favorites that smell nice and really work.

• Aubrey Organics makes a swimmer’s shampoo and conditioner that is ideal for blond hair. The shampoo has shea butter and aloe and the conditioner has aloe and jojoba oil in it. http://www.aubrey-organics.com

• I do love California Baby products (and no they do not pay me to say that) California Baby® Swimmer’s Defense™ Shampoo & Bodywash is made with lemongrass and has no Sodium Lauryl Sulfates http://www.californiababy.com

• I bought Mailbu 2000 Swimmers’ Action Shampoo last year at the salon. The kit was pricy but contained the Swimmers After-Swim Solution which according their web site it is a “patented, fresh-dried vitamin complex that dissolves into a gel in the palms of the hand forming a rich lathering treatment specifically formulated for swimmers to be used in the salon, at home or at the pool after swimming to remove and prevent all the elements from pool, spa or ocean water that can otherwise damage and discolor hair” I like it because it is Preservative-Free, Fragrance-Free and Sulfate-Free AND the green goes away! http://www.malibuwellness.com