When Marcie Weinstein-Smith took a market survey asking moms what frustrated them most about natural baby products, the prevailing answer was: "They all lie."
Moms all seemed to agree many products say the word "natural" on their labels, but in fact are not.
However, most moms don't understand ingredients and don't have the time to research them either.
So the Tsawwassen mom took a stand against greenwashing, which was affecting her own infant son, by creating her own natural baby line, products that are truly free of chemicals and still work great.
"We don't claim to be natural and then sneak in Phenoxyethanol or Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate," says Weinstein-Smith, who launched Lovey's Body Products Inc.
After experimenting with different formulas, she came up with what is now Lovey's Tushi Wash. Weinstein-Smith then worked with a chemist to produce Canada's first truly natural diaper ointment in a roll-up stick format, called Lovey's Tushi Stick.
She says going green doesn't have to mean inconvenience or lack of effectiveness.
Designed to avoid the spread of germs, lab tests showed the Tushi Stick came out clean even after being infected with five strains of bacteria. In short, it naturally soothes diaper rash while keeping bothersome germs away.
"The best part about it is that it works," says Weinstein-Smith.
"I got tired of all the products that claimed to be natural but in the end were just green-washing. I was determined to make clean products that contained no petroleum, no sulfates or parabens."
Other moms love it too. Lovey's already has 552 Facebook fans and, on the Lovey's website, Emma Lee, editor of urbanbaby & toddler magazine, is quoted as saying, "This is one product that not only makes parents' lives easier, it also gives them the reassurance that they're not inadvertently exposing their baby to unnecessary chemicals."
Weinstein-Smith says moms are slowly catching on to dangers of chemicals in baby products.
The new Lovey's Tushi Stick, along with the original Lovey's Tushi Wash, are available online at www.loveys.ca or in stores throughout the Lower Mainland.
