Save Water-Feel Pretty. WaterPik EcoFlow ShowerHead Giveaway+Review Ends 5/6

I try to be green. I use some "green" cleaning supplies, and use microfiber cloths to clean with; I've even experimented with making my own baby wipes. I reuse certain containers, and try to get artsy-craftsy with others, but I really don't consider myself a "green-mama".

One of the things we've been trying to cut back on is wasting electric and water. Honestly, a lot of that had to do with my husband losing his job in November, but since he's been working again, I'm still flitting around, turning things off, or reminding the kids to shut off the water. But I have a confession to make.

I love to feel pampered when I take my shower. Really pampered. It's the only time I really have for myself anymore, and enjoy just disappearing into the nice warm water, as it washes away my cares for the few minutes I allow myself to just relax.

I have two bathrooms in my house- one has a rain shower head, and no pressure regulator. It's awesome for the days where I just need the stress to be beat out of me. It's also positioned at a higher point, and being 5'10'', it's usually my preferred choice, because I don't have to duck to wash my hair. My other bathroom (the master bathroom) had this horrible stock shower head, but when the valves and pipes and stuff were put in, they added a water pressure regulator of some sort. I'll admit, I'm totally clueless with the technical name of what it is, but I know that it basically is installed so we have less of a chance to waste water, and that the pressure is a little less than the other bathroom. I like the pressure of this bathroom better, but when I stood in the shower with the old fashioned shower head, the highest I could position it towards was at my chin. It obviously was NOT very good for washing my super thick, curly hair efficiently.

I started researching new shower heads; I researched different ones with bars that I could position higher, and handheld ones, which would make my life easier so I could shave my legs 9 months pregnant, or help Babs really wash her hair completely. Plus, a handheld would help me wash my tub more efficiently. (I hate washing the tub.. I love being able to spray it, walk away, come back and hose it down.) I also checked out regular mounted ones, and really decided I missed having multiple settings- the massage setting is so luxurious sometimes.

I had my search narrowed down to a few different shower heads, one on a re-positionable arm and a smaller handheld one, and and WaterPik one that was just a handheld were my two top choices. The only concern I had about the one with the re-positionable arm was that it would take up half of my stupid shower by the time it was fully installed. Then, I was given the opportunity to review the Waterpik EcoFlow shower head that was already on my list, so I jumped at it!

I had seen some very mixed reviews online for this particular shower head. Most of them dated back to 2010, and any more current reviews seemed much more pleasant, but I was still nervous. Would it  leak? Did it look cheap? Would I hate it?

When the package arrived, the shower head looked like something I would definitely buy should I have physically been in a store shopping for it. It did not look "cheap" in any way, shape, or form. It does look stainless, although it is just chrome finished. I was a little concerned with keeping it clean, but so far, so good.

Brian installed our new shower head in less than ten minutes. The two sides of the hose are clearly labeled, so you screw it onto the right end (the handheld device or the mount). As long as you read the label, and hook the right ends up, there are no leaks. (The ten minutes included removing the hose, and re-securing it the right way, because he didn't read it the first time!)

It has a water volume control on the bottom part of the handle, that you can turn to switch the water pressure down to conserve water. This is great for times where you are deep conditioning your hair or shaving your legs... at least that's what I've used it for, just so I don't have to turn the water off and then back on again.

It makes me feel more eco-conscious, but still allows me to feel pampered and allows the water to stay warm. The EcoFlow shower head packaging says that it saves 1 gallon of water per minute and up to $100 annually (based on only two ten-minute showers a day). Considering the fact that I have four people in my household that take more than ten minute showers, plus a baby on the way, I'm hoping that it really does save us some cash!

There are five settings on the shower head itself: full body (similar to rain), circular massage (pulsates from the middle), power spray (I use this to clean the tub), circular massage + mist (I don't really use this one), and the misting spray (my kids LOVE this setting and I love it for shaving).

Until tonight, the National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation has been encouraging people all over the country to take a pledge to conserve more water and be more eco-friendly around their homes. If you use your zipcode and take the pledge, you can see where you're area ranks in standings, as well as be entered to win prizes.

If you're in the market for a good, quality, eco- conscious, shower head, I definitely would recommend giving this one a try. The Waterpik ECO EcoFlow Handheld Shower Head in Chrome is available online at Amazon, or at retail locations that sell WaterPik products like Lowe's, or straight through the WaterPik EcoFlow online store.

Our friends at MomSelect and WaterPik have offered one of our readers their chance to WIN a WaterPik EcoFlow shower head as part of a promotional program with MomSelect. The retail value of this shower head is approximately $52!

Here's how to enter:
Share with us one way that you try to be "green". Be honest, if you aren't an eco-friendly family, share with us what steps you could try implementing this year! After you've done that, fill out the RaffleCopter widget below to validate your entry and earn extra entries.  (Please allow the widget a moment to load.)

IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE A COMMENT, NONE OF YOUR RAFFLE COPTER ENTRIES WILL COUNT AND I WILL PICK A NEW WINNER. I do verify them all. Please leave your name/email in your comment, so I can pair them up easier. Thank you and good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to residents of the US. It ends at 12:01am on 5/6/12. The winner's information must be submitted to our sponsor by 5/7- so PLEASE be on the lookout. Winners are announced by email, on the widget here, and on our Facebook page. Special thanks to MomSelect and WaterPik for allowing us to review this product.

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Marcal (eco-friendly!) Small Steps Perfect for Back to School!

I was talking with several of my friends before school kicked off this week, and we were all amazed by how many paper products were on our back to school shopping lists. From napkins, to tissues, to requests for rolls of paper towels, it seemed as though the kids were being asked to bring in everything except toilet paper!

This week both my kids and Marissa's kids went back to school. It's been a crazy emotional week, as my 4 year old 'baby' went to school for the very first time. On top of that, I'm still recuperating from a double dose of strep throat, and I'm exhausted. I usually take pride in the fact that I have everything off of the back to school shopping lists way before the night before, but not this year! I found myself at my local mass retailer scavenging for three pronged folders. I was ecstatic that I had the paper goods off of the list all ready to go, thanks to our new friends at Marcal. (Well, except for the tissues, because I used a box of them when I was sick.)

 

I've used many different brands of eco-friendly paper products lately, and although I enjoy the idea of using recycled products, I haven't really been 'over-the-top' for the efficiency of the products I've tried. I have a messy family, I need paper towels and napkins that absorb quickly, without using too many of them. So far the only ones that have met our high standards are the Marcal Small Steps paper towels. There are all purpose napkins as well as dinner napkins, tissues and  we really liked the toilet paper.. (This is coming from a self-confessed toilet-paper-priss).

The Small Steps toilet paper is a 2 ply, strong- yet not totally scratchy, septic safe, recycled bath tissue. It's still not as soft as the thick-super plush kinds, but it's not like wiping with sand paper either. It's a giant leap in the development of recycled toilet tissue.

The facial tissues that I tried were a little scratchy, but no more than the normal regular brands without added lotion or aloe. Unfortunately, I usually buy the ones that are extra soft, but I thoroughly appreciated having the box I did when I thought I was dying of strep throat.

I loved the dinner napkins, and the all purpose napkins are great for putting alongside the kids sandwiches in their lunchboxes. I thought I used all of the tissues I was sent when I was sick, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had one more box. I sent that in with our school supplies, along with a roll of paper towels and some napkins, and felt good that I was sending in many recycled products this year.

One thing I didn't realize before receiving this opportunity was that Marcal has been making recycled paper products for 60 years- way before the 'green movement' or 'going green' meant something in our society. The "Small Steps" line of products signifies the small and easy steps toward making a difference in the world that you can make by using these recycled paper products.

Our new friends at Marcal have offered one of our readers the chance to try 3 new Small Steps products for free! (Winner will be mailed three coupons for any Marcal product up to $5.99)

This giveaway is open to residents of the US. This giveaway will end on August 31, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, and all winner information will be posted on our WINNERS PAGE and on this post. Please include a valid email address in your comment. If I cannot find a way to contact you I will not. I do try to email all winners, but due to the volume of giveaways offered on our site, delays can be expected. If you catch your name before I email you, please feel free to contact us first. :) Any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn accordingly and at the discretion of 4BabyAndMom. This product was provided to me at no cost by Marcal to review. As always, what you have read is strictly the opinion of 4BabyAndMom. Your opinions may differ.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER!

Please refer to our WINNERS PAGE for more information on how to claim your prize!

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Silikids Glass Safe for kids! Review + Coupon code!

Ingenious. That was the first word I used when I received my Silikids glass for my daughter. The cup is made of glass, "Like a big girl has, mommy", and the exterior sleeve is silicone with nubbies and holes which makes gripping the glass so much easier for tiny fingers.

My daughter has been using this glass and has become one of her favorites since we received it. Very rarely do I ever say that I am so thrilled with a product that everyone should own one- but this item is one of them! At only $7.95, this cup is definitely worth it.

Silikids offers bottles, cups, knee pads, bibs, and "skins" for your own items. If you use the promo code SILIBABY you'll save 10% off of your order now!

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Clorox Green Works Natural Detergent and Stain Remover Review

How many of you hate laundry? **Waves hand furiously from my work desk** I complain about laundry more than any other household chore, and cannot wait for the day that I have a machine big enough to keep up with my family. I am always on the quest for products that make my most hated task easier, quicker, or more pleasant.

We've started making strides to live healthier and in the process, we've started weeding out a lot of our cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals and replacing them with "greener" alternatives. I've researched ingredients in many beauty products and common household cleaners, but for some reason never really thought about the chemicals that are present in our laundry detergent and cleaners.

As I've mentioned before, my kids have very sensitive skin. I am very sensitive to smells in detergent and fabric softener, and have stuck with my current brands of detergent and softener for well over 6 years now.

Thanks to our friends at MomCentral, our family was given the opportunity to try and review the brand new Clorox Green Works Natural Detergent and Stain Remover.

When I first received the cleaners, I smelled it to see how overwhelming the scent was. Frankly, it was light and airy, (not floral at all), and not the least bit nauseating. This alone was a BIG plus for me.

I read a little bit of the bottle and found out that Green Works laundry cleaners are great to use with high efficiency washers as well as regular machines (which is what I have); and it's safe for both colors and whites. The bottle read, "Green Works laundry cleaners are plant-based that clean with the power you expect from Clorox." I definitely hoped so, as I need a heavy duty detergent for my messy family's clothing.

I decided to try the Stain Remover on Brian's work pants, as the knees get filthy every single day. I sprayed his pants, threw the load in, added the detergent, and walked away. I then read the bottle, and the directions say to start the washer first, add the detergent, then the clothing.. Oops. I hoped for the best, and let the machine continue.

The clothes came out fresh smelling, and after they emerged from the dryer I noticed that the colors were still vibrant, and the stains were gone. Needless to say, I was very impressed at the quality of the cleaners combined. (Another big plus!) All in all, I must say that I am very impressed with the results I've had so far using this detergent and stain remover.

What makes these cleaners different from other cleaners on the market is that these natural Green Works products don't leave harsh chemical residue behind on your clean clothes- your clothes are truly CLEAN. The Laundry Detergent is 95% natural, and is recognized by the EPA for safer chemistry.

Clorox Green Works Natural Laundry Detergent is offering a $3 off coupon on their website, plus if you don't like it, Clorox offers a 100% money back guarantee. Find a store that sells new Natural Laundry Detergent and Stain Remover here, and let me know if you've tried this product and what your experience was.




"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Clorox Green Works and received a bottle of Green Works Natural Detergent and Stain Remover to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate."

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Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash & Detailing Products Review + Giveaway!

This summer, 4BabyAndMom.. er, Dad.. got a chance to try out some fabulous products from Eco Touch, an environmentally conscious car care company that creates products free of harmful chemicals and that helps to conserve water, and paper in the process.

The directions on the cleaners say to use microfiber cloths, (which I have several around the house now) but the towel pack they sent was glorious!So nice and thick, and very absorbent.

I held off on posting this review for a little longer than normal because I really wanted to put all of the products to the test. Plus, during the high heat of the summer months in Florida, if you try to clean your car without water, it's usually not going to happen because the chemicals or solution you try to use evaporates instantaneously after hitting the very hot car, (even in at dusk or dawn when the surface is "cooler".)

Anyway, now that the sun's rays are not at it's strongest, we've had more of a chance to take advantage of the entire car care kit and more specifically, the Waterless Car Wash plus Polish.

The car care kit comes packed with all of the cleaners you need to clean your car from top to bottom, inside and out. The sprayers and bottles are 100% recyclable, all of the ingredients are disclosed on the label, and all of the products are MADE IN THE USA! Gentle on the environment, but super tough on dirt, the Carpet & Upholstery cleaner removes spots very easily. The Dashboard Protect does just that and the Metal Polish is great on trim, wheels, and other metal accents.

The two products I use the most are the All Purpose and Window Clear products. The All Purpose Cleaner I've used just about everywhere in the house, as well as on the car. It really is an "All Purpose" cleaner and is great at removing unidentifiable counter goo, miscellaneous sticky stuff from the outside of the fridge, and on the back of the vinyl seats of my car.

I love, love, love, love (did I mention love?) the Window Clear cleaner the most. It keeps the windows in my car and my home streak and fingerprint free like my old blue window cleaner, without the harmful chemicals, or the nasty smell.

Brian's official opinion of the Car Wash + Polish is that it cleaned the car really well, foamed nicely, and left no residue. He needed more microfiber towels than he thought, and then had an epiphany that it's not really "waterless" since we have to throw the towels in the washing machine after he was done- but I reminded him that it would be a combined load, and that the water we would have used with a traditional wash would have been much more. We have a Jeep, so it tends to get a little muddy... it removed the dirt, but Brian thinks that on regular washes, or for families that live in non-rural areas (aka- no dirt/muddy roads, and not after off-roading) that this product would perform the best. City families could really benefit from these products too, as you could clean your whole car in the parking garage, without any hassle!

All in all, we did love all of the products, and would definitely buy them again. These are great products for green families, or for families that are trying to make steps to live a greener lifestyle.Want it?
Visit ECO TOUCH to learn more about their products and to purchase items online.

WIN IT!
Our friends at ECO TOUCH have offered one lucky winner their chance to win a complete car care kit, including all of the products mentioned above!

Here's How:
Visit ecotouch.net and sign up for their newsletter, (on the bottom of the page). Come back here and tell me that you signed up, and one thing you or your family does that is eco-friendly/green.

Extra Entries:

• Follow ECO TOUCH and 4BabyAndMom on Twitter and tweet about this review & giveaway. You may tweet something on your own or R/T: "Go Green by winning a Waterless Car Care Kit from @ecotouch on 4BabyAndMom http://bit.ly/hwJid Ends 9/30 #4BabyAndMom" Leave the link to EACH tweet in your comment, please. (Up to 3x/day, please!)
• Become a FAN of 4BabyAndMom on Facebook. Leave a message on my wall, and then tell me here.
  
• Subscribe via e-mail. Your email must validate or it will not count, & your comment will be deleted. Please include email in your comment. (3 entries)
  
• Grab our button and post it on your sidebar or blog roll. Please include link.
  
• Post about this giveaway on your blog or website! Please include a link to 4BabyAndMom in your blog post. Add the link to your post on your comment. (3 entries)
  
• Follow 4BabyAndMom on Blogger publicly and/or subscribe to our RSS feed
• Email at least 3 of your friends and CC 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com
• Fave this post on Technorati and leave comment with your ID/link.

This giveaway is open to residents of US & Canada and will end on September 30th, at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Special thanks to ECO TOUCH for sponsoring this review and giveaway, and for being so friendly towards us, and the environment!

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Make Lunch More Eco-Friendly with Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags! Review And Giveaway!

I am not a frunchy mama. I aspire to live a greener, healthier life with my children, and keep everything in balance. We recycle when we can, and use reusable bags at the grocery store, and we have cut back on the cleaning supplies with harmful chemicals in them drastically in the last two years. Those little steps find me closer to my goals of making a better living environment inside and outside of my home for my children.

While preparing for back to school, (and cruising through Etsy!), I happened to find this great little shop called Fray Baby Bibs & More. They have such a great selection of handmade, reusable lunch baggies, purses, totes, pencil cases, feeding and burping accessories for baby, scarves, toys and more! All of the prints are fresh, modern, trendy, and fashionable. Whether you're looking for baby, children or mom herself, you'll find something that will delight every taste and budget.We had the opportunity to review three reusable bags this month, the snack sized bag, the velcro closure lunch bag, and the flip top lunch bag. These reusable bags are functional for carrying food, waterproof and anti-microbial. The patterns and styles available will appease to preschoolers and high schoolers alike. To clean the bags, just flip them inside out and wipe clean or throw them in the washing machine. All of the bags are machine washable and dryer safe.

I love the the velcro and the flip and fold sandwich bags! The velcro closure was much easier for Alex to figure out how to open, but after I showed him what to do for the flip top one, he quickly became a pro. For Flip and Fold instructions, feel free to view the tutorial here.

He's super excited about his "Real-Life-SUPER-HEROES" sandwich bag.. (see the pic to the left!), and can't wait to bring it to school to show his new friends.

The snack sized bag that we received was a flip top style. It was great, but with little hands, it made opening it a little more difficult. The first time Alex tried, he got grapes everywhere. However, the snack sized bags are also available with the velcro closure, so the little kids can have their snacks too. The flip top snack bag would be ideal for older elementary school kids and middle school aged children. If I worked outside of my home, I would definitely invest in these reusable bags as well.

..Maybe I'm becoming a more frunchier mama as we speak!

Want it?
You can find Fray Baby at 1000Markets.com, Etsy, and online at FrayBabyBibsAndMore.com. If you sign up for their newsletter on their direct website, you'll get great product information, coupon codes and more!

WIN IT!!
Fray Baby Bibs and More have offered one lucky reader their chance to score a 5 piece set of Back to School Lunch Bags. The set contains one of each type of reusable bag!

Here's How:
Visit Fray Baby Bibs and More at one of the links mentioned above. Find your favorite reusable product (and other product!) and then come back here and let me know about both products!

Extra Entries:

• Become a FAN of 4BabyAndMom and Fray Baby Bibs on Facebook. Leave a message/comment on both walls, and then tell me here!
• Add Fray Baby Bibs & More to your Etsy favorites!
  
• Grab a Back to School Bash Button and add it to your sidebar (3 Extra Entries!)
  
• Subscribe via e-mail. Your email must validate or it will not count, & your comment will be deleted. Please include email in your comment.
• Subscribe to the Fray Baby Newsletter so you never miss a deal or exciting product announcement!
• Follow the Fray Baby Blog, grab a button to show you follow them and post the link to your blog or website so we can confirm your entry.
  
• Follow 4BabyAndMom and Fray Baby on Twitter and tweet about this review & giveaway. You may tweet something on your own or R/T: "Win a set of 5 reusable sandwich bags for Back to School! @4BabyAndMom http://bit.ly/3yQvCk #B2SBash @FrayBaby #green Ends 8/30" Leave the link to EACH tweet in your comment, please. (Up to 3x/day, please!)
• Post about this giveaway on your blog or website! Please include a link to both 4BabyAndMom and Fray Baby. Please leave the link to your post in your comment.
• Follow 4BabyAndMom on Blogger publicly
  
• Subscribe to our RSS feed
• Email at least 3 of your friends and CC 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com
• Fave this post on Technorati and leave comment with your ID/link.

This giveaway is open to residents of US & Canada and will end on August 30th, at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Special thanks to Fray Baby Bibs and More for sponsoring this review and giveaway, for joining the Back to School Bash, and for being environmentally concious!

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Nine Naturals Review & Giveaways! Win a Shampoo + a Chance for the SUPER $250 Great Mom Giveaway!

Organic foods and beauty products are all the rage, and why not? I don't know about you, but the ideas of putting cancer causing chemicals into or onto my body just doesn't appeal to me. This fall, we were faced with the possibility that my son had a learning disability or a behavioral problem, so while we were waiting for our doctors appointments, I began researching different foods and products that I could use that would decrease the amount of toxins my family was consuming and using on our bodies. Among the many interesting items I've found, I happened to find the company, Nine Naturals.

Nine Naturals is a top of the line healthy hair care designed just for moms-to-be, (or in my case, health conscious moms). Nine Naturals was originally created for pregnant moms because pre-natal safety is often the number one concern during pregnancy. So, they developed an amazing line of shampoos and conditioners without the chemicals that are suspected to cause harm. Their products contain no parabens, no phthalates, no silicone, no sulfates, and no DEA-EVER. There are chemicals in many beauty products that can lead to birth defects or act like hormones that interfere with the normal reproductive system. Pregnant moms don’t want that and neither does Nine Naturals. They set their quality standards high so that you can be assured that no matter which product you use, you are doing all that you can to feel confident, safe and that your baby is protected.

I recently had the opportunity to try out their wonderful shampoo, and it really is refreshing! I know that Nine Naturals will be a part of our family's daily routine for quite some time! I feel comfortable using Nine Naturals on my hair, as well as on my children. The minty smell is invigorating, and seems to melt the stress of a long day away. Nine Naturals is a "green" eco-friendly solution to your current beauty products.

WANT IT?
Right now, Nine Naturals is giving away a fabulous $250 beauty giveaway on their website by taking the What Kind Of Mom Will You Be? quiz! I entered, and the results told me that I as going to be an "Overprotective" Mom, and my husband agrees. Nobody can mess with my kids, or my beauty products!

The $250 Great Mom Giveaway ends on July 22 and the winners will be announced on July 25th. So head over to Nine Naturals and enter the contest, and leave me a comment if you've done so.

WIN IT HERE!
Nine Naturals has given one lucky 4BabyAndMom winner the opportunity to win a full size Shampoo!

Here's how:
Head over to Nine Naturals, and sign up for their email newsletter. Leave me a comment telling me that you've signed up, and why you want to use Nine Naturals Shampoos & what you do to limit the chemical exposure in your life. You must complete this entry before you can submit additional entries.

Extra Entries:

• Enter the $250 Great Mom Giveaway and tell me what your result from the quiz is!
• Add a 4BabyAndMom button to your sidebar or add 4BabyAndMom to your blog roll. Leave your blog or website link.
  
• Email at least 3 of your friends and CC me at 4BabyAndMom [at] gmail [dot] com
• Follow me on Blogger or subscribe to my RSS feed
• Subscribe via e-mail. Your email must validate or it will not count.
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to 4BabyAndMom and Nine Naturals. Please leave link in comment.
• Follow 4BabyAndMom and NineNaturals on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. R/T: "Win an eco-friendly shampoo designed for pregnant or health conscious moms! http://bit.ly/FFJwy @4BabyAndMom @NineNaturals Ends 7/8" Leave the link to the tweet in your comment, please.
• Fave me on Technorati and comment with your ID.
• Stumble or Digg this and comment with your ID or link.

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ only and will end on July 6th, at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. Special thanks to Nine Naturals for their great products and for sponsoring this review & giveaway!

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