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This is part 2 of my gift guide list. You'll find an assortment of ideas for mom or anyone else on your list!

As always, if you have any questions, please ask!

10. BABYBEARSHOP All the Better to Kiss You With - A set of 3 delicious organic lip balms
11. LunchBot Eco - Adult sized stainless steel food container
12. thinksport bottle - We think it's the best one out there!
13. BABYBEARSHOP Mama Belly Oil - USDA organic oil for growing bellies, smells great!
14. Badger Sleep Balm - For those who want natural help falling asleep
15. Eco-Me Cleaning Kits - Effective and all natural DIY cleaning kits
16. Earth Mama Monthly Comfort Tea - A little monthly comfort
17. Earth Mama Postpartum Recovery Kit - Organic relief for any new mom
18. Reusable Produce Bags - For the person who has everything! Get rid of those plastic produce bags for good!

Labels: babybearshop canada, badger balm canada, earth mama angel baby canada, Eco-Me Canada, lunchbots canada, Nayla Natural Care, reuseable produce bags, thinksport Canada

Nayla Natural Care, along with 3 other wonderful Ottawa area mom owned and run businesses, will take part in an Open House (hosted by Apples'n'Oranges) on November 28th from 10am to 2pm. You can find us at 325 Elderberry Terrace in Orleans. We accept VISA, MasterCard or cash. If you need further information, please feel free to get in touch.

All 4 of our stores are online only, so this is a great chance to get up close and personal with the products we sell. We will be showcasing a wide range of items, all of which are great gift ideas for the upcoming holidays!

I will have a wide assortment of organic and natural skin care items as well as some safe feeding options, some cold and flu helpers, gift sets and much much more! If there is something in particular you would like to see, please let me know!

So come on out, get some of your holiday shopping done early and support some local businesses! We all look forward to meeting you!

Along with Nayla Natural Care, you will also be able to visit with these 3 other fantastic businesses:

Apples'n'Oranges

Exclusively Canadian clothing and accessories for children aged 0-5. Great Canadian made clothing, stocking stuffers, and clearance items up to 75% off!

Baby Be Green

Baby Be Green is a Canadian-owned, Ottawa-based online retailer dedicated to providing busy families with safe, non-toxic and earth-friendly products ~ from BPA-free baby bottles and sippy cups, to teethers made from natural rubber and toys finished with non-toxic paints.

Bundle with Love

Organic slings, mayan slings, wraps, and asian carriers. All the trend, all the tradition and all the choice!

Labels: apple'n'oranges, Baby Be Green, Bundle with love, gifts, Nayla Natural Care, ottawa

I had been patiently (or impatiently!) waiting for the chance to have CleanWell hand sanitizers in the store. So when I had originally contacted CleanWell headquarters in the US before the store had launched, I was disappointed to learn that their products had not yet been approved for sale in Canada.

The wait is over! CleanWell is now in Canada and at Nayla Natural Care!

CleanWell comes in 2 great scents, citrus herb and orange vanilla. Each bottle packs in 200+ sprays. Yes, sprays....these are spray bottles which I find are easier to deal with than squeeze bottles.

Proven to kill 99.99% of the germs that can make you sick (including MRSA, E-Coli and Staph) and free of alcohol or benzalkonium chloride, CleanWell is the all natural choice for hand hygiene. It won't dry your hands, won't sting on cuts or broken skin and is safe to use on all members of the family.

So why choose CleanWell over some of the more popular mainstream hand sanitizers? CleanWell is:

• Safe for children, contains no alcohol, no ingestion risk, does not sting


• Natural and free of toxic synthetic chemicals such as triclosan


• The first product made with revolutionary INGENIUM, a safe and natural germ killer with zero toxic chemicals and presents no ingestion risks


• 100% biodegradable which means that it breaks down quickly and completely without upsetting the natural balance of the ecosystem


• Made from rapidly renewable botanical sources and is part of a sustainable solution


• Certified cruelty free, never tested on animals


• Non drying, it leaves hands soft


• Fresh and pleasant smelling, comes in 2 natural scents (citrus herb & orange vanilla


• Safe for sensitive skin


• Comes in an easy to use spray bottle format

For the full details, click here.

Have further questions? Please ask or leave a comment!

-Gwen

Labels: cleanwell, cleanwell canada, natural hand sanitizer, Nayla Natural Care, safe hand sanitizer

By now you have heard about the controversy surrounding the admission by the SIGG water bottle company that bottles manufactured before August 2008 contain liners that leach BPA. If you own a SIGG bottle, be sure that you visit their website to see if your bottle is affected. If it is, read up on their exchange program.

Labels: black thinksport bottle, BPA, BPA free water bottle, Nayla Natural Care, safe stainless steel bottle, stainless steel bottle, thinksport, thinksport Canada

So by now you know that I love fellow mom owned businesses! One of the newest businesses to hit the net is Drool Mama and Baby Boutique.

Labels: babywearing, drool, maternity wear, Nayla Natural Care, our friends

The latest addition to the lineup is a product line that I have been very anxious to introduce to the store. I first discovered LunchBots back in the Spring and knew that they would be perfect for the store!

This is a product line (that was created by a fellow mompreneur!) that the entire family can enjoy because there is one to suit everyones needs. Nayla Natural Care is proud to be the first store in Canada to offer the new Eco and Pico designs.

LunchBots are stainless steel lunch and snack containers that are made from the highest quality, 18/8 stainless steel and contain no plastic. LunchBots are healthier than plastic because no chemicals leach into your food and they're better for the environment since they are reusable.

There are 4 different designs to choose from (one to suit each member of your family!):

• The LunchBots Uno is designed for a sandwich or a main meal.


• The LunchBots Duo is the same size as the Uno, but it has a unique divider for packing snacks and side dishes.


• The LunchBots Eco (in the picture above) has the older child or adult in mind as it is designed for larger portions and is just right for a salad, large sandwich, take out, and leftovers.


• The last in this line is the cute Pico. Designed with toddlers in mind, it is perfect for finger foods and little snacks on the go!

So there you have it, all you need to know about this amazing new line. Questions? See the contact us page to send a message, or leave a comment to this post!

-Gwen

Labels: lunchbots, lunchbots canada, Nayla Natural Care, non-toxic food containers, safe food containers, stainless steel food storage

One of my favourite safe product info sites, SafeMama.com has posted another glowing review of one of Nayla Natural Care's products: Bamboobino Bamboo Nursing pads!

To see the full review, follow this link:
http://safemama.com/2009/07/29/bamboo-nursing-pads-by-bamboobino/

Labels: bamboobino, Bamboobino nursing pads, breastfeeding, Nayla Natural Care, Nayla Press

Did you know that your lips are one of the most sensitive parts of your body and can burn very easily if they are not protected from the sun?

So how can you avoid burning your lips? Well, the obvious solution is to stay out of the sun...but who is going to do that, summer is too short! So when you do go out, be sure that you take the following precautions:

* Wear a brimmed hat that shields the face from the sun

* Use a good quality natural waterproof SPF lip balm such as Badger SPF 15 natural chemical free balm and don't forget to re-apply!

* If possible, try to avoid being outdoors during peak hours (10am - 4pm)

*For children that are too young for SPF lip balms, the best solution is a wide brimmed hat that will protect their entire face.

Of course, don't forget the rest of your body...wear sunglasses, wear clothing made of tightly woven fabrics to avoid constant sun exposure and for any skin that is exposed, be sure to use a high quality sunscreen such as Badger SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen. And remember that your skin is not only vulnerable to sunburn during these hot summer days, you are vulnerable all year round, yes, even in the Winter!

Look for more posts on sun protection, sun facts and sunscreen types coming up!

Labels: badger canada, badger sunscreen, badger sunscreen lip balm, mineral sunscreen, natural sunscreen, Nayla Natural Care, physical block sunscreen

So if you were on the Nayla Natural Care waiting list for TruKid sunscreen, I have already contacted you to let you know that there will be no TruKid sunscreen available for Summer 2009 here in Canada or the US. Quite disappointing, but there is nothing that can be done. Something I did do during the wait was to source another top rated and safe natural sunscreen for the store.

That sunscreen is by Badger, the same company that makes my new fave, Bali Balm, and another recent addition Badger SPF lip balm. All Badger products are manufactured in the USA using the finest organic and natural ingredients.

Badger sunscreen goes on smooth and is really easy to apply (check out the mom tester review here!). It is waterproof and best of all it is made with natural and organic ingredients. Badger Sunscreen is a physical block not a chemical one, so you are protected the moment you apply it. Questions, please visit the product listing on the site or send an email.

Labels: badger canada, badger sunscreen, mineral sunscreen, natural sunscreen, Nayla Natural Care, safe sunscreen

When grocery stores started charging for plastic bags a while back this got me thinking. My family had been using re-useable bags and bins for quite a while, but what about the plastic produce bags? What can we do about those? Then this past winter in a blog that I read regularly, one of the readers posted a comment and referred to Steward Bags. I got curious and looked up Steward and I had found my answer.

I ordered some of the bags, both for the purposes of addressing the wasteful plastic produce bag issue and for testing them out for the store. Was I ever impressed! (I'm now hooked and cannot imagine using a plastic produce bag again!), I loved them so much that I decided that I had to bring them on as part of our product lineup.

The bags are made of 100% organic cotton and are re-useable, so no more plastic produce bags to fill up the landfills.They come in 2 convenient sizes and they are priced very reasonably. Check them out!

Labels: eco-friendly bags, Nayla Natural Care, Nayla Products, produce bags, reuseable bags, steward bags

Just the facts Baby recently reviewed our Gaia Natural Baby Shampoo and Gaia Natural Baby Bath and Body Wash they both received great reviews!

You can check out the article by clicking here. You can also check out our entire Gaia Natural Baby Line up by clicking here.

Pregnant? Have a little one? Just the facts Baby is a Canadian based information resource web site for all things pregnancy and baby. It was founded and is run by two new moms (who also happen to be journalists) and you can find them here.

Labels: gaia bath and body wash, gaia natural baby, gaia shampoo, natural baby shampoo, natural baby wash, Nayla Natural Care, Nayla Press

I have entered Nayla Natural Care in the Wee Welcome Parent Power Contest. The grand prize is $20,000 worth of advertising with Wee Welcome plus a family trip. To be honest, the trip would be nice because we have not been somewhere warm for vacation in years, but the thing I am most interested in is the advertising prize package which would help the store out in ways I can only imagine.

Being a small business, advertising is not the cheapest thing! To be given an opportunity like this would help bring so much more exposure to my store which in turn would hopefully help me to make Nayla Natural Care so much better. How would I make it better? Well, one of the things that I would start out with is bringing in some more unique product offerings, things that are not easily accessible here in Canada. I have a long list of products I'd love to have in the store and I am sure you would love them as well!

Have you made a purchase from the store and were pleased with your product? The service? Just like the store site? I would love to have your vote! If you would like to vote, here is what you have to do:

Head on over the the Wee Welcome website: http://www.weewelcome.ca/en/node/34806

Once there, here are the directions on how to vote:

"You must be a Wee Welcome member to vote, it's free to join. Why do you have to be a member? We just want to make sure everyone voting is a human to keep the contest fair for everyone. Once you are logged in voting is simple, just click on the stars 1-5 under each entry and rate the entries."

And for those of you not familiar with Wee Welcome, they are an online community for parents. They offer contests (alot of contests!) online forums to socialize with other parents, and much much more, check them out!

Labels: Nayla Natural Care, wee welcome parent power contest

Very happy to introduce you to organic Badger Bali Soothing Soothing After Sun Care, a brand new product to the store. Bali Balm is meant for use after being out in the sun or to soothe sunburns, and since we are approaching that time of year here in Canada, I thought it would be a great addition to the lineup.

Made with wonderful organic ingredients such as cocoa butter, shea butter, orange and lime essential oils (just to name a few!), Bali Balm is USDA certified organic.

One of the things I like most about Bali Balm is the scent. The scent of a product is something that is very important to me when it comes to deciding whether or not I want to put it on my skin. (I'm picky that way!)

Bali Balm is great for the after sun care, but is also great as just as a general moisturizer for dry skin.

Questions? Please ask!

- Gwen

Labels: after sun skin care, badger canada, bali balm, bali balm canada, Nayla Natural Care, organic skin care

When it comes to mainstream insect repellants, why do they all contain DEET and what is DEET anyways? There's alot of info out there on DEET, here are the basics.

DEET stands for N,N-Diethyl-meta-Toluamide (in case you were wondering!) and it is the active ingredient found in mainstream insect repellants.

So why avoid it and go for natural and organic alternatives? Well, for starters, DEET is considered an "unclassified carcinogen" by the World Health Organization and can be absorbed into the skin. DEET is a chemical plasticizer ingredient used in rubber, plastic cement or paint remover. Do you really want to put that on your skin? We wouldn't, which is Nayla Natural Care will never carry any products that contain DEET.

If you are looking for more info on this chemical, a great starting point is the Healthy Child, Healthy World page about DEET.

Labels: Buzz patches, DEET, Druide citronella, natural bug protection, Nayla Natural Care, oganic insect protection, organic mosquito spray

One of the great parts of being a mompreneur is that I have been able to network with other mompreneurs, share experiences, learn new things and learn about their unique businesses. One of these businesses is Green Planet Parties.

Green Planet Parties was started by 2 moms (Suzanne and Suzanne!) to address all of the waste created each time we have a party...a child's birthday party, a BBQ, a wedding shower, you name it, they've got you covered! One of their more popular items, the Party in a Reuseable Bag is a great idea since it has all you need when it comes to hosting an eco-friendly event!

From the Green Planet Parties website:

"Green Planet Parties is our way of helping families in their desire to lead more sustainable lives through the everyday choices we make and the education we provide our children about nature and our part in it. Our goal is that we can all, one person at a time, learn a little more and practice taking better care of mother earth."

I recently placed an order through the Green Planet Parties site, and you should know that they carry all sorts of items that can be used everyday, so you don't necessarily need to be planning an event to place an order with them, like in my case.

I wanted to get some little gifts for my daughter. I bought her some Piggy Paint, a great non-toxic nail polish for children, a Bobs and Lolo CD (more about this great duo in another post!) and a Forget-Me-Not Flower Seed Eco-Box. The seed box was great activity for the two of us and it continues on as her little project. If you are looking for a project for your little one, this is a great idea. She gets excited each day to see how much the plant has grown overnight and takes great delight in watering it each day. She is looking forward to the day when it is big enough for us to plant it in our garden outside!

Check out Green Planet Parties the next time you are planning an event or when you are looking for some treats for the little ones in your life!

- Gwen

Labels: green planet parties, Nayla Natural Care, our friends

So what is Earth Day? Earth Day takes place on April 22nd each year and was started in 1970 in the US. Earth Day is a day to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It is also a day where we can reflect on what we are doing to keep ourselves, our children and our planet healthy.

Going green can be an overwhelming task. Where do I start? Am I doing enough? This act is so small, will it really make a difference? Each little thing you do is step in the right direction and will make a difference. And yes, it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you start making changes, they become second nature! Little things such as turning lights off when they are not needed, using re-useable bags or making your own baby wipes (one of my favourites!). We all have to start somewhere and the little things are better than nothing at all.

The One Million Acts of Green website provides a really great list of things you can do, and even some things that you probably never even thought of! Here are just some of the many acts listed on the website:

• Open the Curtains on Winter Days and Close Them at Night
• Set Your Thermostat to 18C (65F) or Less in the Winter
• During The Winter, Close Forced Air Vents In Unused Rooms
• Set the Air Conditioner to 24C (75F) in the Summer
• During The Winter, Turn Down The Heat In Unused Rooms
• Do Laundry In Cold Water
• Turn Lights Off When Not In Use
• Air-Dry Clothes
• Only Run The Dishwasher When It’s Full
• Turn Off The Computer When You Aren’t Using It
• Run The Clothes Washer On Its Shortest Cycle
• Use A Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Use A Refillable Coffee Cup
• Use Non Toxic Cleaning Products At Home
• Replace Plastic Bags With Reusable Bags
• Purchase Locally Grown Organic Produce
• Eat a Vegetarian Meal This Week
• Use a Power Bar
• Drink Tap Water Instead of Bottled Water
• Use Recycled Paper
• Pick up Garbage
• Pack a Litterless Lunch
• Use Non-Toxic Personal Care Products
• Donate Clothes and Other Used Goods
  

What earth friendly things do you do? Join the Nayla Natural Care Facebook page and click on the Discussions tab to tell everyone your green acts for your chance to win a Boon Bath toy of your choice! The draw will take place on April 23rd.

Happy Earth Day!

Labels: earth day, Nayla Natural Care

Looking for some last minute Easter gifts for the little ones? Here is a wonderful suggestion! One of our newest additions to the store, our Boon bath toys, would make great gifts for any child on your list! BPA/Phthalate and PVC free (like all Nayla Natural Care products!), Boon bath toys will make bath time fun time for any child!

Check out all of our Boon products by clicking here.

Labels: boon bath toys, boon canada, boon in canada, boon products in canada, Nayla Natural Care

After an unexpected delay, Boon BPA, PVC and Phthalate free bath toys are now in stock!

Featuring bright fun colors each of these toys will have your child looking forward to bath time each night (like mine have been since we got ours!)

Boon bath toys only just hit the market recently and in the short time they have been around, they have been getting rave reviews. As a parent, of course, I like that my children have fun with them but the part I like the best is that they are free of harmful additives like BPA, PVC and Phthalates. Why do you need to avoid these chemicals? Look for an upcoming blog post that I am working which will discuss this.

In the mean time, check out all of the wonderful Boon items currently in stock by clicking here.

Labels: boon bath toys, boon canada, boon in canada, boon products in canada, BPA free bath toys, Nayla Natural Care, phthalate free bath toys, pvc free bath toys

Labels: Facebook, Nayla Natural Care

Do you know? I do. We have 2 young children. The older one will already be in bed, the younger one has been going through some "going to sleep issues" for the past week or so, so in our home, that time will be spent getting her to sleep...with the lights off of course!

For those who are not familiar with Earth day, it is an intiative started by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund) and it is held on the last Sunday of March for 60 minutes from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. What you are asked to do is to turn off all your lights and non-essential appliances for that 1 hour to raise awareness on climate change.

Some suggestions on what you can do with your family during the hour taken from the Earth Hour website:

1. Sit in the dark and share stories

2. Organize a family night playing board games

3. Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight

4. Organize a treasure hunt in the dark

5. Take the dog for a night walk


So what will you be doing?

Image source: http://www.earthhour.org

Labels: Earth Hour, Nayla Natural Care

For the month of March the So Easy Baby Food Kit by Fresh Baby is 10% off, so just a short time left to take advantage!

This great kit comes with all you need to help you on your way to making healthy homemade baby food for your little one! It includes the following:

* 1 x Cookbook - Covers introducing solid food, includes over 40 recipes, hundreds of serving suggestions, and is all organized by age. (Hardcover, 118 pages).

* 2 x Freezer Trays - Designed for storing baby food in pre-portioned one ounce servings to simplify meal time and reduce waste. (2 trays and 2 lids, spill-proof, stackable, dishwasher-safe).

* 1 x How-to DVD - Offers step-by-step instruction - from selecting the right produce - to making baby food - to serving it.

* 1 x Nutrition Tips Card - Gives you tips on the best sources of nutrients, introducing foods by age, first aid for choking, and more. (Waterproof Finish)

For full details on this kit, click here and to see all items currently on sale and clearance, click here.

Labels: bpa free feeding products, bpa free food storage, Freshbaby, Nayla Natural Care, So Easy Baby Food Kit

Came across a great website today that discusses why it is worth it to switch to organics. Skin care, food, cleaning products and more. This site covers it all. The statement on the front page says it best:

"When you choose organic, you do more than help yourself. You're making a difference for your family, the home in which you live and the environment around us. You're also investing in your future. It's worth it."

When you get a few minutes and can fit in an interesting read, check out Organic. It's worth it!

http://www.organicitsworthit.com/index.html

Labels: Nayla Natural Care