Many families make the choice to live a greener life when their first child is born. The addition of this pure being into the world causes parents to reevaluate their lifestyle choices, in terms of the impact it will have on the new child and the world in which the child will inhabit. Instincts to protect their offspring motivate parents to move towards organic foods and natural beauty products.

For a newborn, breastfed baby, some of the first toxins that enter his or her body with will notPhoto by David Hofmann be from the food he or she eats, but from the products applied to his or her skin. The skin is considered the "largest organ in the body", and infants under six months old skin is very sensitive. The natural baby beauty product market has grown and expanded recently, along with the organic baby food industry. The following our five natural beauty products for babies based on my family and friend's experiences raising our babes. These products are recommended based on value and quality, as all of the items are cruelty-free.

1. Weleda Calendula Diaper Care Cream: If your child gets a bad diaper rash, this is the natural product you want to use. It relieves and heals the rash fast! Some of the ingredients are zinc oxide, beeswax, biodynamic calendula flower extract, organic chamomile flower extract, lanolin, sweet almond oil, sesame seed oil, and water. A 2.8 ounce tube costs $10.00. Weleda's motto is "In harmony with nature and the human being.

2. Country Comfort Baby Cream: This salve is great for mild diaper rash and soothing chafed skin. If your child is prone to diaper rash, it can be applied at every changing as a barrier cream. Country Comfort Baby Cream is made of pure oils of safflower & hazelnut/pecan, beeswax, lanolin, avocado & apricot oils, chamomile, chickweed, comfrey, calendula, golden seal, St. John's Wort, myrrh gum, aloe vera, vitamin E. The only drawback to this salve is that some individuals may have reactions to the nut oils. A two ounce jar costs about $5.89.

3. Nature's Gate Kids Spf-30 Sunblock Lotion: With a gigglberry scent, a drawback for some, this sunscreen is water resistant and highly protective. Made with many natural ingredients such as certified organic lavender, echinacea, coffee, horsetail, St. John's Wort, rosemary, etc;, this product does contain ingredients that are difficult to pronounce. There are better sunscreen products for children available, but they usually cost twice as much and can be hard to find. Four ounces of Nature's Gate Kids Spf-30 sunscreen retails for $9.00. For 27 years, Nature's Gate has been developing personal care products based upon botanical remedies. It is recommended that children under six months old should not use sunscreen because of the possible risk of the absorption, metabolism and excretion of the ingredients. The American Academy of Pediatrics states, "in situations where the infant's skin is not protected adequately by clothing, it may be reasonable to apply sunscreen to small areas, such as the face and the back of the hands." It is best if prolonged sun exposure can be avoided for children under six months.

4. Tushies Wipes Unscented: The greenest solution to diaper changes is to use wash cloths and water to clean your child's bottom. This may be difficult away from home when diaper wipes are convenient. Many children have adverse reactions to diaper wipes that contain chemicals and citric acid. Tushies Wipes are gentle and alcohol free. The contain water, aloe vera, vegetable derived glycerin, allantoin, panthenol, vitamin E, tartaric acid, and potassium sorbate. A package of 80 wipes costs about $4.30. Tushies were created for sensitive skin babies and parents concerned about their babies; skin.

California Baby5. California Baby Calming Botanical Shampoo and Body Wash: This product does not contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). SLES is derived from coconuts and can be an skin irritant. SLES is the subject of an urban legend about shampoos causing cancer. Many natural companies, like Tom's of Maine, support their use of SLES, where as others, like Aubrey Organics, debates its safety. California Baby Calming Botanical Shampoo and Body Wash is available in a bulk size of 17.5 ounces (larger sizes are available) for $17.50. This product has even been reported to heal eczema and cradle crap! California Baby was created when the founder Jessica Iclisoy "went into full protective mom mode. Like all new moms, she wanted her baby to live in the safest environment possible, so when she discovered some of the questionable ingredients in many mainstream baby toiletry products, she sought healthy alternatives."

There are many great natural beauty companies not represented in his list, and there are probably better products out there. The discussion about diapers has been omitted here, but you can read about the benefits of cloth diapers on GNM Parents. Many of these product selections were based on local availablity, but as the market expands, so will accessibility to natural baby beauty products. Hopefully Green Options readers will leave comments about their favorite natural beauty products for children.