Ava Anderson Saved Our Vacation {& a Giveaway}!

A few months ago, I was introduced to Ava Anderson products by my friend, Melanie. This is the same person who taught me how to make my own laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and helped me pin a zillion things on Pinterest to help get me through cloth diapering. She is gung-ho for using products without toxins and chemicals and has our entire bible study group searching the Skin Deep cosmetic database to make sure we're using safe products as often as possible.

You may know that I took the girls on a 16-day vacation over the last two weeks and because Melanie just became an Ava Anderson consultant, she was kind enough to let me try the diaper cream, which is one of the only all-natural cloth diaper safe creams out there and I also purchased the sunscreen, which is safe for babies under 6 months (I asked our doctor)! All I have to say is these products literally saved our vacation.

Halfway through the first week (at my parents'), I gave up on cloth diapering, temporarily. My parents have hard well water that turns their whites an iron/rust color. I was making every other daily trips to the laundromat, which was not air conditioned, with two small children, running three wash cycles for a load of diapers. When I bit the bullet and switched to disposables, Bean broke out in a rash for the first time, ever. I was devastated and immediately broke out the Ava diaper cream. 

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Not only did the diaper cream save the day when Bean broke out in a rash, but it also cleared up her cradle cap that had creeped down to her forehead and eyebrows. I was told that this stuff was a miracle cream and that men even use it for aftershave! I'm totally convinced and although the price might seem a little steep, trust me, it's worth it. The tub is huge and a little goes a long way. The consistency is super thick and creamy and I'm even considering using it on my eczema.

Then, there's baby skin and sunshine. My family went to a resort last week for our yearly vacation and I was so concerned that Bean would get too much sun or that we wouldn't be able to enjoy ourselves because I'd have to stay under an umbrella or inside the whole time. Insert Ava's sunscreen, which is all natural and doesn't have any toxins or pore clogging agents that would be unsafe for a newborn's skin. Because I was able to purchase this right before our vacation, little Beanie was able to enjoy her time outside and even take a few dips in the pool. I still kept her under the umbrella 95% of the time, but indirect sunlight scares me, so I kept her lathered the entire week. I even used it on mine and S' faces because it didn't leave any oily residue. (S and I used Coppertone Pure & Simple, only because our bodies are bigger and I couldn't afford enough Ava sunscreen to cover all three of us for an entire week upon departure). Anyway, Bean is still pale like Snow White and this sunscreen feels like you're slathering yourself in a little slice of Heaven. Two thumbs up!

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Why do I go on and on? Well, because like I said, Ava products saved our vacation. And I care about mine and my childrens' future. We deserve to be healthy and not drive toxins into our bodies. We also deserve to be educated about the products we use, which is something I really love about Ava Anderson. The company isn't pushing their products on me (or you, for that matter). Their goal is to educate us about personal product ingredients so that we are able to make better choices or at least informed ones. For instance, the European Union bans 1300+ toxic ingredients in their personal care products. The US bans 9. NINE. So those other 1291+ ingredients are unsafe, but the US passes them, anyway? Did you know that cosmetic companies like Maybelline and Cover Girl have different formulas to sell between Europe and the US because they are required to remove several of the ingredients and if necessary, replace them with safe ones, for European consumers? Nice.
But why should you get excited?
Because your girl (ahem, me) hooked you up with her girl (ahem, Melanie) and one lucky ALBOT reader is going to win a $20 credit to Melanie's Ava Anderson store. You can use it to get one item $20 or less or use it toward a purchase of $21+. Lucky you!
Entries:
+1 {Mandatory} Follow this blog and go to Melanie's Ava store and leave a comment on this post with which product you'd like to try.
+2 {Optional} "Like" Melanie's Ava Facebook page and let me know in a comment.
+2 {Optional} Leave a comment with a question pertaining to Ava Anderson products.
+5 {Optional} Make a purchase from Melanie's Ava online store and let me know in a comment.
Please leave ONE comment per entry and I will take point value into account in my spreadsheet. ie: Don't leave five comments if you make a purchase - just one and I'll count it as five!
Giveaway open to US readers, only. Ends Friday, August 24, 11:59 pm ET.
Winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Saturday, August 25.

*disclaimer: Ava Anderson diaper cream was provided to me for review by the consultant. All opinions are honest and true to my experience with the product.