After I became a mom, I started paying more attention to what we were using in our home because suddenly it wasn’t just me I had to take care of – there was this tiny perfect little person completely dependent on me to make good decisions. The desire to know the truth behind products was kind of spurred when someone close to me encouraged me to research the safety and effectiveness of something that most people just assumed was good. I did, and what I found blew my mind, and not in a good way. I felt the marketing for this particular thing was very deceptive – it was anything but safe! – and it made me wonder what else I had always assumed was safe that really wasn’t.
I’ve always tended to be on the minimalist side of things so I didn’t use a ton of baby products to begin with (I never got the point of slathering a baby in lotion when they are naturally soft and sweet-smelling) but I did start to pay more attention to what we bought. I discovered that many baby products have carcinogens, chemical fragrance, and petroleum-based products in them! What they hey! NOT things I am okay using on my kids. So when Young Living came out with a line of products specifically formulated for little ones, I was stoked! This is a company I researched the heck out of for 6 months and had 3rd party tested before joining and this is a company that I have trusted with my family’s care for over 4 years now. I can’t count the number of times I have sat back and thought, “man, that was a good decision!” Young Living’s Seedlings line of baby/little person products has not disappointed!
The Seedlings line is formulated without alcohol, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, animal-derived ingredients, synthetic preservatives, synthetic fragrances, or synthetic dyes.
A baby’s skin is 30% thinner than an adult’s so they absorb more product faster than an adult and what is used on their skin will affect them more. This is also true for elderly people so Seedlings is a great choice for great grandma, too (I say great grandma because now that my mom is a grandma, I realize how young grandmas can be)! But in all honesty, it’s great for ANYONE!
As far as toxic chemicals go, you might just think it’s only using a small amount, what does it matter? Bio-accumulation is a term used to describe the fact that over time, the toxins we use accumulate in our body are not easily broken down/expelled. Not only that, but if you’re using a dozen products daily with just a “little bit” of poison, it adds up quickly. Our bodies weren’t created for the barrage of chemicals being thrown at them today.
I look at it this way: Choosing plant based, non-toxic products now while our children are young is an act of love that sets them up for success later (and by success, I mean body systems that function optimally and aren’t weighed down with sludge). Young Living makes it so easy to do this!
Here’s some basic info on the line and each of the new products:
Each product in the Seedlings line was formulated with a blend of essential oils called Calm Scent. Calm Scent is a blend of lavender, bergamot, ylang ylang, geranium and coriander and it smells absolutely wonderful – gentle, relaxing, and sweet.
Why is scent significant? The same calm scent blend throughout the line gives baby the association of smell. Smells go through the olfactory nerve to the limbic system and when the same scent is used regularly, it provides an association with special memories with mom and dad and is comforting to baby. And, it’s not in the description but the smell association is pretty sweet for mom and dad, too.
The molecule that can cause photosensitivity in bergamot (furocoumarin) has been removed for this line so you don’t have to worry about sun sensitivity from the bergamot in it. They thought of everything!
Seedlings line does not contain gluten but it’s not certifiable gluten free.
Baby Wash & Shampoo
This is a 2 in 1 product that has no SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or other nasty ingredients. You’ll notice the second ingredient is an extremely long word – don’t be scared! This is a natural ingredient to help it lather in place of SLS.
The best part about this baby wash/shampoo is that it’s been tested and approved tear free!!! Eyebright is an herb used in Seedlings baby wash and it’s what makes it tear-free! How cool is it to have a company who seeks out plant based alternatives like this for us?! We don’t have babies in the house at the moment, but we have kids who wash their own hair and we are all excited about tear free shampoo (it’s not the easiest thing in the world to find a natural shampoo that is also tear-free). I used to make a DIY eye makeup remover until I realized the tear free baby shampoo I was using in it contained carcinogens (again, not an okay ingredient for a baby product!). I’m excited to try it again with this body wash/shampoo!
Seedlings baby wash also has calendula in it for extra skin hydration and nourishment (this mama will be using it for herself).
As a side note, if you ever wonder if an ingredient is safe, you can check out individual ingredients on the EWG website.
Baby oil
The main researcher at the Institute for Touch in Miami found that babies who experience regular touch from a parent or caregiver are much more likely to develop and hold eye contact and positive interaction. Loving touch is so important for developing babies (and humans in general)! It’s a one on one time to connect without any of the common daily distractions (cell phone, TV, etc.). When essential oils are added, it utilizes every sense for special bonding time. Massage also helps stimulate the digestive system. We don’t do it every night but our kids love to get foot massages or back massages with Young Living lotions or oils before bed.
Baby Lotion
Seedlings Baby Lotion is formulated with mango butter, cocoa butter and murumuru seed butter that is gentle enough for delicate skin and still does a bomb job of moisturizing without being greasy. It is dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, and like all the other Seedlings products, infused with the Calm Scent blend.
The yellowish tint to the lotion comes from Apple leaf extract (annatto seed oil). No artifical colors here!
Baby wipes
Soap berries are the cleansing agent found in the wipes (they are also in the Thieves laundry detergent) and they are the only product not 100% plant based because the actual wipe is rayon. All of the formula on the wipe is plant based but the wipe itself is made of rayon. In store brand wipes, there is an ingredient called capryl glycol that can cause dermatitis and dry baby’s skin – you won’t find that in Seedlings wipes. As a side note, these smell incredible and make great makeup remover wipes. There are 72 wipes per package and dnce production and sourcing is perfect, Young Living will come out with a 3 pack of wipes.
The wipes are biodegradable but it is not recommended to flush them down the toilet.
Diaper Rash cream
Specifically formulated to treat and prevent diaper rash, this cream provides immediate relief for little bums. It goes on very smooth, soothes on contact, and reduces redness. Some diaper rash creams treat the current rash but don’t prevent further diaper rashes by keeping moisture out. Seedlings seals out additional moisture to prevent future rashes.
It is formulated with lavender, helichrysum, German chamomile, Idaho black spruce, and non nano-particle zinc oxide (so it won’t clog skin pores). This is the only Seedling product that is not vegan friendly because it contains beeswax (it is vegetarian friendly)..
Diaper rash cream is safe to use with cloth diapers.
By the far the best way to get Seedlings products is as a Young Living member. You can get them on your monthly order for up to 49% off retail or all at once with a wholesale discount. If you’re not a member yet, you can get started here!
As parents, we can’t choose everything that happens to our kids, but we can choose what goes on them and what goes in them (at least at home). I am so thankful Young Living makes it so easy to choose well with these new tools for our toolboxes!