Natural Living Reviews
Reviews by Alice Ellerby, Saffia Farr, Isobel Higley and Yanna Thinnes
This Roam nappy is a great pocket nappy that fits babies from approximately 8 to 10lbs up until toilet readiness. A lot of consideration for both babies and parents has gone into the product. I really like the gender-neutral, abstract spots print. The furry microfleece lining is soft and wicks the moisture away, so my son’s bum was still almost dry, even when the inserts were soaked. The lining is stain-resistant and easy to wash. The nappy comes with two very absorbent bamboo terry inserts, which have a handy popper to prevent them bunching up when using both together. I also like that there are three poppers to secure the nappy with on either side – we are yet to have a leak! I would recommend this nappy even to those more hesitant to try reusables. YT
£18.95
This is a very thick and luscious extract that oozes vitamins. Taking it feels like a treat. It’s a beautiful colour and has a pleasant taste – sweet but sharp at the same time, even though it has no added sugars. It’s made with vitamin C-rich Brazilian acerola cherries and hand-picked elderberries that are grown on certified organic Austrian farms, ensuring purity and sustainability. The elixir can be given to children from 1 year and has no artificial preservatives, sweeteners or additives. Providing the equivalent of 12.8g of elderberry per teaspoon, Viridian’s Organic Elderberry Extract is one of the strongest formula available, supplying a therapeutic, standardised dose of elderberry per adult serving as shown in clinical trials. Organic Elderberry Extract contains 100% active ingredients, with no binders or fillers. SF
£21.35 for 100ml
This mood-boosting activity has quickly become part of my morning routine and is something I really look forward to. The Positivity Pack contains 91 cards, each with a prompt to help motivate and inspire. The cards explore different mindful themes including gratitude, motivation, knowledge, kindness, familial, organisation and wellbeing. If you worked through the pack chronologically, picking a card each day, you would have enough for 13 weeks. They also work well as a random selection pack when you find yourself in need. They can be used as a conversation opener for friends and family members. Last Monday, I pulled a card that asked, “What kindnesses have you experienced in the last week?” The question gave me and my partner a lovely reflective moment and allowed us time to celebrate all the little wins over the last seven days. I would recommend them to aid self-care, or they would make a beautiful gift. IH
£24.99
Frankie Nicholas designed these alphabet cards with her son in mind as they searched for magical ways to learn the alphabet. Each letter has a beautifully illustrated ‘wonder’ with inspiring words about it. ‘I’ is illustrated with “Icicles: the magic of winter displays itself in bold and powerful ways.” The carefully chosen wonders encourage children to consider the natural world and empower them to take their place within it. My 4-year-old is alert to some of the wonders already: the unicorn, rainbow, snowflake and crystal, and the narwhal, because of its likeness to the unicorn! But there are more subtle wonders to explore too. There are some lovely ideas for ways to enjoy the cards – for example, draw or paint your own version of the wonder – but you use them in any way you like. My daughter has been fascinated by letters since beginning to learn their sounds. She likes to be able to look at them, so we have pegged the cards on a line as bunting and they make a beautiful display. AE
£26
This muslin dress has a simple, classic design with a lovely bobble detail around the hem, sleeves and collar. I am always impressed by the quality of Pigeon Organic clothes. The 100% organic cotton is beautiful – thick and soft – and the dress has been really well made. It is lined, so although it is dainty-looking, it feels really sturdy and will last well. It is a generous fit so it suitable for active children. The skirt is a slightly longer length than I would normally expect on a children’s dress, but this gives it a nicely tailored shape. It has a strong yet delicate-looking zip at the back. It comes in a selection of shades. AE
£29.90
Bamboo Cutlery Set with Cotton Pouch
This is an excellent travel cutlery set. I think that the key to remembering to take reusable products is the packaging, and this set is very compact and comes in an attractive cotton bag with a drawstring. Each set comes with one fork, one knife, one spoon, one straw and one wire cleaner, which is really helpful. It’s all large enough to be comfortable for adults to use but it’s not bulky. The outer packaging is made from paper which can be recycled at most roadsides or composted at home. The cutlery itself is completely biodegradable as well. At the end of its life it can simply be recycled or added to compost. SF
£7.95
These are perfect pyjamas! The exclusive bear print is cute, understated, and gender-neutral. The fabric is a bamboo and organic cotton interlock jersey, so the pyjamas are really soft and cuddly and warm, while still being breathable. I’ve also found interlock jersey to last much longer than standard jersey fabric, so I know we’ll get lots of wear out of these. Plus the sizing is on the slightly larger side – always a bonus. The fabric is OEKO-TEX Class 1 certified, which is reassuring for children’s clothing. All-round lovely sleepwear. My son didn’t want to take them off in the morning! YT
£28
This is a fantastic body lotion. It’s based on the classic Weleda Skin Food but is much thinner, so it applies easily across the skin and absorbs well. It’s made with sweet orange and lavender and has “the warm and vanillic notes of benzoin resin,” so it still has the wonderful, unique citrus scent of Skin Food, which I really like. Even though it’s thinner, it is still an intensive moisturiser and it has helped my skin through the winter. SF
£14.95 for 200ml
If you are looking for natural bath bombs without bright colours and artificial scents, these are for you! These bath bombs are from Artio Skincare’s Mum range, and are designed to provide a relaxing ‘me time’ bath time. They are hand-crafted in Northern Ireland with 100% natural ingredients including Epsom salts, coconut oil and lavender essential oil. Not only do they have a gorgeously gentle smell of lavender, but the oil leaves your skin feeling wonderfully soft, so you don’t need to moisturise after the bath. They do not contain sulphates, parabens or synthetics and are vegan. If you want to share your bath time, they are suitable for children from 3 years and up. SF
£15 for 3 large bath bombs
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