When I’m choosing skincare products for my kids, natural is pretty much my only choice. Whether I want a gentle body wash, a soothing balm or a luxurious lotion, if the formula isn’t a natural one, I generally don’t consider it. And of course, being a proud Canadian mother, I am even happier when I can find natural products that are made right here in Canada.
Sprout Botanicals offers all that and more. Founder and licensed Naturopathic Doctor Aileen Lim-Trotter created the first Sprout Botanicals products when her patients expressed a desire for natural skincare options for their families. The products were such a huge success with parents that the brand quickly expanded out of the office and across Canada. I was very excited when I was given a chance to test out three of the company’s most popular products.
I received the Soothing Balm, the Gentle Calendula Soap with Steel Cut Oats and the All-Natural Outdoor Spray to review. The Outdoor Spray, which is a completely natural bug repellent, was definitely the product I was most excited to try. I’d been looking for a DEET-free bug repellent to use on myself and my children and I couldn’t wait to see if the lavender water-based Sprout Botanicals All-Natural Outdoor Spray was effective against Saskatchewan’s droves of mosquitoes and black flies.
The first chance I had to use the spray happened to be at Zackary’s birthday party so the product had a very thorough review. In addition to my children, at least five of the boys at Zackary’s party and three of the parents tested out the spray as well! I immediately had questions from the parents at the party asking me where the spray could be purchased; everyone was blown away by the natural formula, the incredible smell and the effectiveness of the spray.
I did find that the repellant didn’t last as long as a commercial bug spray. After an hour or two, reapplying the spray was essential to make sure that my kids stayed protected. But if I have to choose between using a repellant with harmful chemical additives that I only have to apply once or using a natural bug repellent that I have to reapply a few times, I’ll choose Sprout Botanicals All-Natural Outdoor Spray every time!
The Soothing Balm was the next product I tried. I have one or two other diaper rash balms that I am very loyal to, but the Sprout Botanicals Soothing Balm quickly proved to be their equal. Like my other favourite balm, this balm didn’t just heal and soothe diaper rash, but also relieved the pain of scratches, bug bites, sunburn and other minor injuries. My twenty-month-old son is picky about his “bom,” but his Sprout Botanicals Soothing Balm is one that he is always happy to use. And since it is sunflower-oil based, it’s cloth-diaper friendly!
The final product I tested was the Gentle Calendula Soap With Steel Cut Oats. This incredibly mild soap was designed to be an effective bar soap for absolutely anyone and was specially formulated for sensitive baby skin or people with skin allergies. I used the soap for my family’s everyday washing and it really did an amazing job of gently cleansing my family’s skin. There are very few bar soaps that don’t leave skin feeling tight and dry afterwards since almost all bar soaps use lye as an active ingredient. The Gentle Calendula Soap cleaned our skin so effectively and I didn’t notice one bit of dryness after using it! I have a niece that had terrible problems with eczema in the past and after seeing how gentle this soap was I will definitely be recommending it to my sister as a safe choice to cleanse without irritating.
There is no doubt in my mind that a great deal of love and caring went into the creation of the Sprout Botanicals line and the results the products give really speak for themselves. With formulas that are gentle enough for a newborn baby and effective enough for the toughest conditions, Sprout Botanicals products are a sensational way to ensure that your baby’s skin is cleansed, nourished and protected completely naturally. Check out the products for yourself and discover how much power nature has to offer!
Buy It: To purchase Sprout Botanicals products, check the website for a retailer near you
Win It: One lucky reader is going to win all three of the products I received, a $33 value, from Sprout Botanicals
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Giveaway ends 11:59 pm CST on July 21, 2011. Open to US and Canada
Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above were provided free of charge from the company or PR firm for the purposes of this review. Opinions expressed belong to Mommy Kat and Kids and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view full Terms of Use and Policies
