Bambino Goodies » Essentials & Equipment

Hot: Jack N’ Jill Biodegradable Cornstarch Toothbrushes & Organic Toothpastes for Kids

Natalie — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I’ve been on the lookout for some new toothbrushes for the girls and am in love with Australian brand Jack N’ Jill’s eco and child friendly designs. The ergonomic handles which feel great in your hands are made from 100% corn starch and feature cute a cool bunny and hippo motifs. When it’s time to dispose of them, break off the head and put in for recycling and the rest of the handle should break down within about 3 months.

The other hit is their range of toothpastes in five flavours, strawberry, banana, raspberry, blueberry, and blackcurrant. Made with certified organic flavour extracts which are suitable for vegans, gluten free, and kosher plus featuring calendula which is known for its anti-inflammatory and natural healing properties, they have a gel like consistency and taste great. Unsurprisingly, the girls want to spend a long time brushing their teeth…

Beautifully packaged as well – it’s literally a delight to open the postage bag – these have become a firm family favourite. Toothbrushes are £3.49, toothpastes are £4.99 and they also sell silicone finger brushes with a dimple side massager for babies, £2.49. Love it.

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By Carla Stain Resistant Changing Mats

Natalie — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:47:20 +0000

Traditional padded changing mats tend to err on the side of boring and twee, but not with the range from By Carla, which aside from the colours (orange and black are ticking my boxes big style, plus there’s red and blue), they feature a Nanotex stain and spill resistant towel liner and pillow. Available from Mothercare, £19.99-£32.99

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Hot shop: Polly & Joe

Lucy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I have friends (a couple) called Polly & Joe, so I liked this online store before I’d even seen what they sold. And what it is is a small but perfectly formed collection of toys, clothes, art, nursery decor and changing bits from a few well-curated labels.

Think toys from Ferm Living, tops and bodysuits from Smafolk, nappy bags from Orla Kiely and art from Isak. My picks are these Sebra crochet elephants, £8.50 each, top, this cheery apple print apron from Engel, £12.50, above, and Made with Love by Mrs Booth’s wonderful W is for Whale print, £20, below.

Kadria Skincare

Lucy — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0000

The brainchild of massage therapist Rebecca Kadria Wright, Kadria Skincare is a compact collection of completely safe and natural handmade goodies for mamas-to-be and their littlies. For the big girls, there’s Belly Balm, £25, with regenerative rosehip to combat stretch marks, and Labour Oil, £15, for relaxation and pain relief during the birth. There’s also a rather lovely Balancing Facial Oil, £30, that you don’t need to be pregnant to use. Meanwhile, for the babes there are the delicious-sounding Rosehip and Apricot Baby Oil and Cocoa Butter and Sea Buckthorn Baby Balm, £15 each. The range draws on Wright’s Arabic background, so the scents are heady – think frankincense and sandalwood – all with a fair-trade Palestinian olive oil base. The minimalist packaging is super-chic, so anything from the range would make a lovely gift.

Brush-Baby

Kat — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Betsy seems very keen on growing teeth and as luck would have it the week she grew her first set I was sent some Brush-Baby products to try.

I was really impressed with the chewable toothbrushes – having been through various versions of first teeth toothbrushes it’s by far the easiest I’ve tried. You can let the baby use the brush themselves as it is chewable and has and easy grip handle. The shape of the brush makes it easy to get around all of the teeth which takes a lot of the difficulty out of brushing the teeth of a baby who would rather be chewing the brush!

The toothpastes are almost like a gel and have a really sweet applemint flavour which the children love. Their toothbrushes for older toddlers and pre-schoolers have a two length bristle design which gets in between the teeth to floss. They also make dental wipes which did make me laugh but for on the go, babies who don’t like brushes or camping trips I can see how they would come in handy.

You can buy their products online but you’ll also find them in the dental aisle of most supermarkets, chemists, Mothercare and even Amazon.

Reader Recommended: Baby Finger Toothbrush & Gum Massager

Stocking Fillers: Smellies

Kat — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Remembering the obligatory bottle of Matey which seemed to be the stocking filler du jour of the 1980s I have collected some of the nicest bath and skincare gifts for babies and young children. All of our selections are free from SLS, parabens and the other nasties too often found in mainstream products. It’s all about skin friendly sweet smells here…

Kicking off this sweetly scented stocking stuffer selection is the range that inspired this post: Child’s Farm. Fruity sherbert flavours and funky packaging are the distinctive features. We’ are loving the shampoo and conditioner for sleek tangle-free hair not to mention the yummy smelling children. Prices £4.65 pre bottle or from £11.50 with a presentation gift bag exclusively in their online shop.

Little Me is a delicately scented range which contains organic essential oils. There are three scents to choose from Shh Sleepy Head, Yipee Playtime and Mmm Moisture Babies and include bath milk, soak or bubbles, hair & body wash and body cream. You can buy online from Keep Me Inspired or from a range of supermarkets and High Street outlets. Prices start at £3.99.

Green Baby have long been a favourite of ours and Nat swears by their nappy balm. Soil association certified organic, skin kind and planet kind you know your baby is in safe hands with them. I also know that until midnight tonight (12/12/11 offer extends to clothing as well) all skincare is on buy one get one free. Prices start at £6.95.

I swear by Shea Alchemy Beautiful Baby – it is the only cream I use for my children. Wonderfully nourishing and great on dry skin, it is handmade from natural ingredients including Shea butter and calendula. It not only works miracles on their skin but I love it for mine too! £10.50 a tin.

If you’re looking for a less aromatic experience then the Fragrance Free Shampoo and Wash from Burt’s Bees is just the ticket. A gentle hypo-allergenic, tear-free formula it is one for the most sensitive little ones. £7.99.

Another wallet friendly option with 20% off currently is Maison Boo. Lovely fragrances, strawberry is our favourite, and gentle on skin at £3.99 a bottle (offer price) it’s a good time to stock up.

When I’m feeling indulgent I always turn to Neal’s Yard. The elegantly packaged bottles never fail to excite and they make for a real treat. Loving this baby gift box £25.75 from john Lewis.

Childs Farm

Kat — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Childs Farm is a brand new player in the children’s toiletries market. Free from SLS, parabens and nasties found in most mainstream brands this is a gentle yet fun alternative for children aged 4+.

We have been getting soapy with their products at bath time for the last couple of weeks and I can tell you they are a delight. Having set out to use scents which surprise you they have created a fruity almost sweetshop-esq range of flavours. The bubble bath is bubbly, the shampoos and body wash work quickly (tested after an hour of naked painting no less!) and the conditioner makes dread-locked curls silky smooth again.

The packaging is beautifully illustrated and has a real sense of fun about it (Monty in particular loves all of the horses). The names of the products are playful – Tame that Mane!: conditioner for unruly hair or Get Your Feet Wet!: Bubble bath for Buccaneers.

My only slight niggle is that they are all gender specific. The bubble baths are both organic tangerine yet come in a girls and a boys version. The conditioner is only branded for girls. In our house we still share baths, Milla gets covered in mud and Monty has the unruly hair so I would prefer to see a more inclusive range. That said, I don’t think it would put me off buying in the future.

Each 250ml bottle costs £4.65 and there are gift bags available from £11.50 in their online shop.

These are so lovely they have inspired me to write a stocking filler smellies post – look out for that next week!

Anorak Kissing Bears

Lucy — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +0000

If you’re as hooked on Frozen Planet as my household is, you’ll love the latest design from BG fave Anorak – kissing polar bears on an icy blue background. The ursine characters feature on four products, from a pencil case at £8.50 to a toiletry bag costing £16 – all of which would make fab festive gifts. Absolutely gorgeous and a lot less terrifying than Mr Attenborough’s chums.

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Lemon-Pink baby quilts and cot blankets

Myf — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:00:59 +0000

Lucy Mason is one of the ever-growing band of mums who, when they find things aren’t quite the way they want them, set up a business to rectify that. The ‘about’ page of Lemon-Pink puts it thus:

When I became a mum I found it impossible to find fresh bright colours without cartoon characters, so I started making them myself for my children. I want to create something beautiful, fun and special – to add colour to the nursery and not just in pink and blue.

I can certainly identify with that – and although the high street stores have caught up with design trends a lot more in recent years, how much nicer it is to support a cottage industry. Mason’s products are made with charity shop fabric finds and she’s striving for her business to be as environmentally-friendly as possible.

Lemon-Pink are offering pram blankets, cot blankets, and cot quilts, at £29.99, £39.99 and £49.99 respectively, plus £3.95 p&p.

10 Best: bathtime fun

Lucy — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Who doesn’t love a good old splash in the tub? Here’s our round-up of the coolest accessories to make bathtime even more fun. Toys don’t come chicer than those made by New York-based Kid O products. These stunning graduated stacking cups nest together as stars. £11.95, Hop.

Alfie’s Skummis pram string was one of his favourite toys as a baby and these bath toys are equally quirky and colourful. £17.99, Nordic Kids.

The Flexibath folding baby bath is one of the best innovations of recent years and the accompanying toys are no less inventive – a coffee/tea-making set with it’s own suction-attached shelf. £13.95, John Lewis.

Kids will love scooping and pouring with Green Toys Tug boat made from recycled milk containers. Comes in three different colourways. €12.95, Shak-Shuka.

Kat raved about Boon’s fantastic bathing goodies yonks ago and they really do stand the test of time. Fifteen appliqués, three balls, and two mini-scrubbies, £9.99, Cedarlia.

Fancy an alternative to the traditional rubber duck? Look no further than Skip Hop’s stacking Dunck, £11, Nubie.

One of Alf’s most memorable bath times (non-stop giggling) was when we used Tinti’s bath colours, so I’m definitely going to buy Tinti Magic Eggs for his Christmas stocking. £3.50, Nic Nac Noo.

I’m also snapping up this pack of soap crayons, although it’s possible I may regret it… £3.95, Tate.

We’re big fans of bath squirters – loving this alternative patterned fabric fish by Germany company Kathe Kruse. £8.16, Ptolemy Toys.

If you want to continue your little one’s education in the bath, then Alex’s alphabet bath stickers are just the thing for you. £7.50, Lula Sapphire.

Bambino Goodies » Essentials & Equipment

Hot: Jack N’ Jill Biodegradable Cornstarch Toothbrushes & Organic Toothpastes for Kids

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By Carla Stain Resistant Changing Mats

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Hot shop: Polly & Joe

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Kadria Skincare

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Brush-Baby

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Stocking Fillers: Smellies

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Childs Farm

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Anorak Kissing Bears

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Lemon-Pink baby quilts and cot blankets

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10 Best: bathtime fun

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