Back At School - Products Round-Up

We're two weeks in to the new school year and Freddy has caught his first bug.  Poor little man is riddled with cold.  My Back To School wall chart from Boots has hints and tips for keeping little ones well and recommends the Boots Cold and Flu Defence Spray as a good way of reducing the severity and duration of a cold.  It might prove a good investment!  You can find the FREE chart online here.  It has some great advice (including a little gem of wisdom from yours truly regarding keeping little ones well hydrated!)

Boots also sent me some handy items for my medicine cabinet.  This has come in handy as we have had a cut knee to deal with already after Freddy fell off a scooter.  A First Aid Kit is definitely a must-have when you have children!  The Boots Complete First Aid Kit has a great selection of bandages, wipes, plasters, dressings, tape etc. so you can deal with everyday accidents from grazes to burns to sprains.  The first aid booklet is very useful and everything is contained in a handy zip up case. (rrp £19.99)

At the moment, a clean school uniform stays looking smart on Freddy for approximately 30 seconds.  We have seen paint splodges, school lunch spills and dirty knees already.  Dr. Beckmann have helped save the day thanks to their Stain Survival Kit that I was sent to try. It can help keep the kids' uniforms clean by treating stains caused by felt tips, pens, crayons, yogurt, fruit juice, carrot, egg, ink and a whole host of other common stains using three of their specific stain removers. (rrp £3.99)  I'll be trying out the in-wash Stain Remover and Hygiene White next week (rrp £1.99 and £2.25 for 5 sachet packs) as Kizzy is off on a residential, activity trip on Wednesday where she is guaranteed to get covered in mud.  That is one load of laundry I am not looking forward to!  You can take a look at their product range, information and testimonials online.

www.dr-beckmann.co.uk

I went to the Tots 100 Blog Summit at the weekend and took part in the Cow & Gate #fruityfun blindfold taste test, trying homemade fruit purees against their new 100% Fruit pouches.  I was first to take the challenge and tried the apple purees.  My favourite one was surprisingly the Cow & Gate pouch.  It had a far fruitier taste than the homemade puree which was quite bland by comparison.  Later on I tried the Banana and Strawberry puree and again found the Cow & Gate pouch far fruitier and fresher tasting.  Maybe it is because the ingredients used by Cow and Gate is baby grade, especially sourced fruits which are of the highest quality.  Nothing is added apart from a little extra vitamin C. I picked up a few freebies from the Cow & Gate stand and will definitely be looking out for these instore.

I love the convenience of the pouches and although they are marketed for babies, my older kids still love slurping them straight from the pack.  They are excellent for lunchboxes and Freddy will be more likely to eat and enjoy a fruit pouch than he would a whole apple (which can be tricky for a 4 year old with baby teeth and the lure of a playground calling). Anything that makes packed lunches easier for him to eat get a thumbs up from me.

Sistema Lunchboxes have proven to be a godsend so far this term.  The compartments keep food separate and safe and minimize the need to pack things up into plastic food bags which is good for the environment and for my pocket.  The drinks bottle doesn't leak and is a good size.  As it's refillable we are again saving money and as we're not buying individual cartons and bottles we are being eco-friendly.  I went a bit mad before term began buying loads of Sistema stuff for all three of my school and college kids.  But I'm so glad I did as it is proving to be more cost effective long term.  The Quad lunchbox is on sale for just £2 at my local Asda so I may have bought a couple more for spares!

Nelsons' Natural Healthcare

For over 150 years, Nelsons have been producing natural alternative and complementary remedies to help us through our daily lives.  They family owned business is a driving force in natural healthcare producing the highest quality homeopathic remedies and healthcare products.  The company's values hinge on quality, efficacy, regulation and integrated health.  They are committed to sustainability and make every effort to protect our environment.  Impressive credentials I'm sure you'll agree!

I am a big fan of Bach's Rescue Remedy so Nelsons is a well known brand Inside the Wendy House.  When I was approached to review some of Nelsons' healthcare products, I was eager to see if they were as effective and impressive.

I was sent a tube of Nelsons' Tea Tree Cream and Nelsons' Arnicare Arnica Cooling Gel for the purpose of this review.

Arnicare Cooling Gel 

The average person walks the equivalent to 3.5 times around the world in their lifetime!  The demands of life, the school run, running around after a toddler or traipsing around the shops can leave our poor legs and feet crying out for some care and attention.  A world wide poll found that 45% of respondents suffer from aching muscles on a daily basis. 

Arnicare Cooling Gel combines the natural healing properties of Arnica with refreshing grapefruit oil and menthol to cool and soothe.  It is ideal for rubbing over over-worked muscles, legs, ankle and feet.  It is non-greasy and easily absorbed.

The transparent gel had a mild citrus scent and rubs on easily and is quickly absorbs into the skin.  It instantly cools and then a deep warming sensation washes over your tired muscles.  It was a lovely feeling.  Knowing the healing properties of arnica, I know this gel works more than just skin deep.  This would be perfect to use after exercising at the gym or going for a jog (for sporty types!) and is all natural unlike some of the harsh muscle rub products available on the high street.  It's ideal for any busy mum who is on her feet all day and is just so lovely and refreshing.  

Priced at £4.85 for a 30g tube, it is readily available from pharmacies and health food stores nationwide.  Check out www.arnicare.co.uk for further details.

Tea Tree Cream

As a mum, I know all too well how many scrapes and grazes a child can get from playground tumbles.  Nelsons have produced the first natural antiseptic cream to be awarded the Ethical Consumer Best Buy Label for its ethical and environmental credentials.  

The rich, white cream uses the purest, finest Tea Tree Oil from Australia renowned for its natural antiseptic properties.  It is easily absorbed and soothing.  It is reassuring to use a natural product on our children's cuts and grazes.  I tried it on a shaving nick on my leg and it didn't sting at all and was soothing when gently applied.  A really nice natural alternative for the first aid box!

Priced at £4.55 for a 30g tube and £6.20 for 50g, it is available at Holland and Barrett, Boots, Lloyds Pharmacies, the pharmacy counter at some supermarkets and good independent stockists.

Nelsons also sell a great Arnicare Kids Stick for bumps and bruises.  It is a fun green colour and can be applied directly to kids' delicate skin.  It is perfect for popping in your pocket or handbag.  For £5.35, it provides a instant, natural formulation in case of minor accidents out and about or at home.  I have used one of these before and it certainly offered a distraction after a knock and made my child feel like something was being done to help her.  The arnica is renowned for its healing properties so I'm sure it helped with the bruising too. It is TLC in a stick leaving little ones free to get back to their adventuring!!

I really like Nelsons Natural Healthcare products.  The range is impressive and the quality is great.  Take a look at their website for more information on the products, the comapny and for healthcare advice and tips.