Natural products I’m loving now: Winter Edition

It’s time for another edition of Natural Products I’m Loving Now!  We all know how difficult it can be to find products we not only feel comfortable using on ourselves, on our family, and in our homes, but also that are effective.  I’m trying to help you skip that trial and error step.  Welcome to the Winter Edition:  here are some of the natural and safe products that are helping me get through this frigid winter!

1.  Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.  I love this stuff.  I use it in my cooking and baking all the time:  it lends great texture to my muffins (don’t skip it in my recipes!) and is lovely in sauces and dressings.  I also add a tablespoon to water and drink it as it has a multitude of health benefits.  It doesn’t taste great with water, but it’s not too terrible.  It’s worth it!  Check out this infographic to see some of its benefits.

2.  Homemade Natural Vapor Rub.  I used this recipe from Joy the Baker.  I used half the essential oils she recommended as I was using this on Meghan and Luke and it’s perfect.  I love the smell and it definitely helps with congestion.  We’ve had a lot of sniffles this winter.

3. Honest Diapers.  I figured I’d better tell you about the diapers we’ve used before I get to potty training!  (I’m hoping to tackle that this spring.  Wish me luck.  Not my favorite part of parenting.)  Anyway, I discovered the Honest Company when Luke was a baby and we have absolutely loved the diapers and wipes.  Not only do they come in adorable designs, but they also are free of a whole list of chemicals I didn’t even realize were in regular diapers!  Another huge bonus?  They are automatically shipped to your doorstep every month. The monthly bundle is $79 per month and includes 6 packages of diapers and 4 packages of wipes.   They have a wide variety of other natural products on their site, as well.

4.  Honest organic lip balm.  Another Honest Company product I’ve been using and loving.  This blows regular Chapstick so far out of the water it isn’t even funny.  It goes on so smoothly–no clumping whatsoever and no waxy feel.

5. Moody Sister’s Dry Shampoo. Okay, I’ll admit it.  I tend to skip washing my hair more than I should.  It’s just so much faster getting ready when I don’t have to blow dry my hair.  Am I right?!  This dry shampoo makes my hair look so much less greasy and I love the natural ingredients it’s made from.

6. Burt’s Bees Hand Salve.  Okay, this winter totally destroyed my hands.  There was cracked skin on my knuckles that would bleed from the dryness.  They felt like sandpaper.  I tried a number of different products and concoctions, and this little tin of hand salve has been the winner for making my hands look and feel mostly normal again.  I love this mini size because I can easily take it everywhere.  Two more awesome things?  This little tin is only $2.59 on Amazon and this product scored a 0 on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website. (Zero is the best and it’s very difficult to find products with that score!)

7.  The EWG’s Skin Deep app.  Speaking of Skin Deep, I have been loving their free app.  You can use it to scan a barcode of a product you aren’t sure of its safety, and it will automatically give you its score and highlight any possible unsafe ingredients.  I love this when I’m out shopping and unsure of a product.  It’s great for me as I am always forgetting the names of all the ingredients I’m trying to avoid.  Go get it!

Disclaimer:  Links may be affiliate links.  Thank you for supporting Happy Healthy Mama!

Other posts in this series can be found here and here.

Your turn!  Please share any natural products or DIY recipes for home or personal care products that you’ve been loving lately in the comments.