Dear Diva,

Do you have any suggestions for Bath oil for babies for dry winter skin? One we were using contains parabens :( Any suggestions? Help, Diva!


photo via boopsie.daisy

Dear DuckDuckGreen,
Great question and one that a few friends have been asking about.


One friend who lives in Cold, Dry Eastern Canada has had good success with Petroleum Jelly, but really didn't like the "petroleum" part of that solution.


I was thrilled to tell her that Alba makes a product called Un-Petroleum Jelly, scores a 1 in the Cosmetics Database http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/201520/Alba_Botanica_Un-Petroleum:_MULTI-PURPOSE_Jelly/. Same texture and results without the harsh ingredients!


I also feel comfortable suggesting products from Badger Baby - all of their product score a low 0-2 http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/brand/Badger/. Alternatively, Earth Mama Angel Baby their entire line scores a 0 http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/company/Earth_Mama_Angel_Baby/, so you can shop with confidence!


Finally - I know a lot of mom's who have had great success using pure Olive or Almond Oil. I would probably choose Oil just in case of nut allergies. If you want to try almond oil, do a small spot test for allergies!


I hope that helps get your babies body baby soft!


Love,
Diva

Learn more about diva, Tania Reuben at www.purenaturaldiva.com

The title has SHOE in it so if you have a X chromosome and are reading this, chances are we have your attention!

We've all done it. Spent way to much money on a fabulous pair of shoes. Gotten them home, worn them, they hurt, worn them again, they still hurt. Couldn't find the right outfit for them - I've heard rumors of such happenings.

Now with most shoes when this happens, we pass them on to goodwill or a friend... but we all have the shoes we hold on to... we just can't part with them.

What if someone else had a pair they coveted in their closet that wouldn't hurt your feet...? What if they could find you? We have dream, a dream where all coveted, fabulous, toe pinching, too narrow shoes find new homes on the feet that will be perfect for them.

Do you share this dream?

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Go to the PND Facebook Fan page and add a picture of your coveted - unwearable on your feet - shoes to the ShoeCycle album. In the caption include all the important details, brand, size, why they don't work for you, to narrow, to small... Check back from time to time (say hi while you're visiting!) see if the magic pair that is right for you has been added to the album.

2. Find a pair in the album that you just have to have? Tag them with your name.

3. A "Cycle" is complete when each person giving a pair of shoes will receive a pair of fabulous, dying to be taken out of the closet shoes. This could take 2 people or it could take 20... who knows... but how much fun will it be to find out!

4. When you are in a completed "Cycle", email your address to the person who has tagged your shoes (photo).

5. Ship your shoes to the person that tagged your shoe (photo).

6. (Finger's Crossed) Welcome a pair of new shoes into your world!

Is it possible that we can find homes for all the dazzling shoes just dying to be worn out... hoping to be picked... night after night... day after day. We're not sure... but we're doing are part to represent these shoes. One day at a time, one shoe at a time, spreading the word on behalf of neglected left behind shoes everywhere.

The Fine Print

Participate at your own risk. PND will not be held responsible for shoes not sent or received. This is a fun idea, please don't participate if you don't plan on following through.

We will not intervene or get in the middle of any SHOENANNIGANS!

Learn more about diva, Tania Reuben at www.purenaturaldiva.com

Dear Diva,

Help - what is your favorite "good-for-you" mascara?

Twitter follower @at1968media

Good question. Mascara is a product that we wear right next to our eye, so being careful with this selection is a prudent idea.

Photo via Regan Parks

My approach to converting to"safer" cosmetics and bodycare products has been to use up what I own, then replace that product with a safer product. With Mascara I must have hit a good sale one day because it took me a long time to use up what I had, I finally switched to natural mascara earlier this year.

Part of switching to natural products has been to change buying patterns, my old habit of buying a few of one item and keeping them until I needed them no longer works. Better for you products don't contain as many preservatives, so they often don't last as long. I digress...

Very randomly one day I was at the drugstore (a rare event these days) and happened across Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara. They were offering a rebate making the mascara free, cool deal and a win - win. So I picked one up to try. The mascara rates a 3 in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

This is an improvement over my longtime favorite L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara, which rates a 6 and the always mentioned Maybelline Great Lash Mascara which scores a 5.

For those who are really committed to purity, check out Coastal Creations Mascara, which scores 0.

Another brand I'd like to try is 100% pure fruit pigmented mascara which scores a 2 in Skin Deep.

There you have it, 3 different natural or organic options for you to try out! Let me know how it all works.

Love,

Do you have a question you'd like to Ask Diva?

We'd love to hear from you.

Dear Diva, My sister is pregnant and I'd like to give her a book about raising the baby "green". Any suggestions? Thanks, Athene Athene, I checked with my Sister, Alania for her favorite. She owns Indigo Baby, an all natural Baby Store in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is up to date on all things Eco Baby!


The book she suggested is called Green Babies, Sage Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby, written by Lynda Fassa. Green Babies is broken into 3 Parts, Pregnancy, Life with Newborn, and Growing Baby, and it covers many areas that many new mom's might not otherwise consider. I particularly love how it covers cosmetics and personal care products - things we might not suspect as having a potential impact our baby. Green Babies, Sage Moms - Retails for $11.20 at Amazon. Watching 10 Americans, a video presentation given by Environmental Working Group President, Ken Cook, might be just the motivation an expecting mom's needs to detox their life and by detox I don't mean kick their drug habit!

Browsing Amazon I also found a few other titles that looked worthwhile:

1. Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care
2. Natural Baby and Childcare: Practical Medical Advice and Holistic Wisdom for Raising Healthy Children

Do you have a question you'd like to Ask Diva? We'd love to hear from you.

Learn more about diva, Tania Reuben at www.purenaturaldiva.com