Ecostore Baby Bubble Bath

Ecostore have added a bubble bath to their baby products range. It is gentle on young skin, and is scented with essential oils. It is $10.95 for 200ml; see www.ecostore.co.nz for stockists, or buy it online at www.ecostoredirect.co.nz.

Gift ideas

I know it's quite late to be giving ideas on gifts, with Christmas only four days away, but here's some ideas anyway. Still plenty of time for last minute shopping!

There are a lot of nice gift packs around, as well as many small items that would make good stocking stuffers. Here's some ideas of what would be good to give various people. Just ideas, these things could be given to anyone you want, really.

For your mum, aunty or grandma: Living Nature Nature's Collection $22.95 - Kumerahou & Cinnamon Soap 70g, Manuka Honey & Calendula Petal Soap 70g, Manuka Oil & Clay Soap 70g

For your dad, uncle or grandad: The Herb Farm Patchouli & Orange Soap 90g $8.50

For your young daughter or sister: SHE Australia Lipgloss Tube $12.99 available in ten shades (I think)

For your young son or brother: Unearthed Bubbles Me Hearty Bubble Bath 375ml $8

For your adult daughter or sister: Living Nature Naturally Beautiful Eyes $69.95 - contains Eye Makeup Remover 100ml, Mascara Thickening - Jet Black, Eye Pencil - Midnight

For your adult son or brother: The Herb Farm Lime Shower Gel 12ml $14.90

For your your boyfriend/male partner/fiance/husband: Living Nature Men's Skincare Trio $59.95 - contains Gentle Cleansing Shaving Gel 50ml, Soothing Aftershave Gel 50ml, Soothing Moisturiser 50ml

For your girlfriend/female partner/fiancee/wife: The Herb Farm Pamper Pack $48.60 - contains pamper bath salts 150g, rose body butter 30ml, vanilla & orange lip balm 15ml, foot balm 30ml

Kids' products

We've covered products for babies, but what about kids? There are plenty of natural, eco-friendly personal care products that are designed just for kids.

To keep kids' teeth clean, try Snappy Jaws toothpaste, $5 for 100g, from Health 2000 and Commonsense Organics. It's free from fluoride, sugar, and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, and it comes in three different flavours: Punchy Pineapple, Awesome Orange, and Strawberry. Another kids' toothpaste is Weleda Children Tooth Gel, 50ml for $6.80, available from Health 2000 and Commonsense Organics. It is designed especially for milk teeth.

To protect your kids from the sun, slather them in a kids' sunblock, like Dr Hauschka Sunscreen Cream for Children SPF 30, $40.20 for 100ml. This is quite an expensive option; a cheaper one is Alba Botanica Kids' Sunscreen, SPF 30+, $19.95 for 118ml. Both are available from Health 2000, and the Dr Hauschka one from Farmers, Hardy's, and Commonsense Organics as well.

Headlice is often a problem when children are young (it sure was for me!), and there are many natural products to treat and prevent lice. Ecokid is an Australian brand of hair care products for kids, designed to prevent and treat headlice. The range consists of:

Prevent (Shampoo) 250ml $25.95

Prevent Sensitive (Shampoo) 250ml $25.95

Nourish (Hydrating Conditioner) 250ml $25.95

Daily Leave in Tonic (Leave in Conditioner) 500ml $29.95

Tuff Stuff (Leave in Clay) 100g $25.95

Bubbalicious (Shaping Paste) 100g $25.95

Lice Bomb (Nasty to Lice, not kids) 50ml $32.50

I have used Bubbalicious, and while I'm not a kid, I really liked it. I think it smells great, but apparantely lice don't agree, and it helps keep them away. Stockists can be found on the Ecokid website. New Zealand brand Botanica also has some products to treat head lice: Mr Nits 50ml and 100ml ($27.90) sprays, and Mr Nits Once-a-Week 100ml bottle ($19.90). Nature's Nurse has Lice Lather Treatment Shampoo, $18.95 for 100ml, Lice Lather Preventative Spray, $15.95 for 100ml, and Head Lice & Nit Removal Comb, $11.95. Check out their website for stockists.

For kids who like to paint their nails, there are some safer options out there. SHE Australia Nail Varnishes come in fourteen colours, and are free from formaldehyde and toulene. $14.90 each from selected pharmacies. Sparitual nail polishes are free from formaldehyde, toulene, and dibutyl phthlate. They come in heaps and heaps of different shades, although I've only seen a small selection available. I've seen them at Nature Unplugged, and Bodyscape Beauty Therapy Day Spa (New Zealand's only Aveda concept spa), both in Wellington, although I'm sure they're available in other parts of the country. The nail polishes are $25 each.

For bubble baths, Unearthed has four kids' bubble baths: Planet Bubbles, Bubbles Me Hearty, Sea Bubbles, and Bubble Magic, each $7 for 375ml. They are free from parabens, SLES, artificial colours, and artificial fragrances. They do, however, contain Ammonium Laureth (or Lauryl, can't remember which) Sulphate, so if you want to avoid sulphates altogether, you could go for Bod for Bubs Bubble and Squeakie Clean, $24.90 for 300ml. I mentioned it previously here. It is intended for babies, but it would be fine for anyone to use. Unearthed bubble baths can be bought at Hardy's and selected pharmacies, and Bubble and Squeakie Clean from Nature Unplugged, and Hardy's.

Bath products

I don't take baths very often, I tend to be too lazy to wait for the water to run, and just have a shower instead. Actually, I don't think I've had a bath in about a year and a half. But I realise that many of you probably do take baths a bit more regularly than that, so here's a bit of a run-down on what natural bath products are available.

Australian brand Bod has bath salts, available in The Princess Blend, the Goddess Blend, and The White Lotus Blend. They come in 125g sachets (13.20), and 275g jars ($24.90). Bod products can be bought at Hardy's and Nature Unplugged.

New Zealand brand Kereru also sells bath salts. They are available in Body Revive (Pine, Lemon, Majoram and Rosemary), Pamper (Rose Geranium), Passion (Orange, Patchouli and Ylang Ylang), Sweet Dreams (Lavender and Mandarin), and Vitalise (Lemon and Lime). They cost $4.50 for 125g, and $8 for 300g. Kereru products are available at Commonsense Organics.

If you prefer a bath milk, you could try one of Weleda's. There is Citrus Bath Milk, Lavender Relaxing Bath Milk, Pine Reviving Bath Milk, and Rosemary Invigorating Bath Milk, all $26.90 for 200ml. Weleda also has a Wild Rose Cream Bath, $31.40 for 100ml.

If you want a bubble bath, there's Bod for Bubs Bubble and Squeakie Clean. Yes, it's intended for babies, but there's no reason why adults can't use it, I guess! Another baby bath product is Ecostore Sleepytime Bath, $10.95 for 200ml, available at Commonsense Organics, Health 2000, Woolworths, Foodtown, Pak N Save, New World, Homestead Health, and Hardy's.

For bath oils, you could try one of Living Nature's body oils. These can be used for moisturising or massage, but can be also added to a bath. They have Body Form Oil, Energy Body Oil, and Tranquility Body Oil, all $23 for 100ml.

If you're after a moisturising bath treatment in solid form, you could try one of Lush's Luxury Bath Melts, like Ceridwen's Cauldron, $10.90.