How To Keep Mosquitoes Away Naturally - Tips & Tricks

With monsoon comes the mosquito menaces and so are the diseases like Dengue, Malaria and chikungunya. Real fight for a parent is to protect children from these diseases and we all know the side effects of various mosquito repellents present in the market. In this post, let us look at natural alternatives to keep off the mosquitoes.

Here are some popular natural mosquito repellents DIY recipes that should drive the mosquitoes away.


Neem Oil

Neem oil is considered as one of very effective mosquito repellent. Neem oil is easily available at nearest chemist shops.

You can dilute this oil with coconut oil and apply on body.

Citronella

This is a popular essential, it is derived from a species of lemon grass and the smell of it is researched to be quite offensive for the mosquitoes, especially the dengue-causing variety. Many top brands repellent cream has this citronella content.

Clove oil

Clove is again a very common ingredient in Indian kitchen and also another very popular and easily-available oil, this too have insect repelling feature.

If using on a small child, mix this oil with coconut oil and apply.

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil (OLE)

A very well-documented mosquito repellent, OLE is known to have an effect as powerful as a chemical repellent. If you read the labels, you will find it listed as an ingredient in most natural insect repellents. If you wish to use it, try and procure the insect-repellent version of it and not the essential oil as the efficacy of the latter is not yet confirmed.

These oils do not work for longer hours, most have an efficacy of maximum 2-3 hours.

However, you can reapply these oils.

Remember

• While taking your child to park, ensure they wear full sleeves
• Use mosquito nets or apply mosquito repellents on the hands & legs that are not covered

Here are few plants you can have in your garden to keep mosquito away - 

• Citronella (lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena)
• Geranium
• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Anise
• Mint
• Marigold
• Catnip
• Wormwood
• Lavender
• Cedar
• Tansy
• Cloves

Ready-Made Natural Mosquito Repellents

If you do not have the time & patience to try out the above recipes. Here is a ready-made solution for everyone. I have been using these two all natural mosquito repellents and they work great for me & my family. You might want to check them out!

Do share in comments if you have any tips or tricks to keep mosquito away naturally.

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Palmer's India Products Review

Being a Momstar has its own perks ;) I received this Palmer's hamper from Babychakra to review.

Here is my quick review of these products. The detailed description of these products can be found on the Amazon links shared below. You can also buy these products from Babychakra HERE.

The baby wash is superb. I used it when I was traveling & it worked like a charm. Nothing harsh, very mildly fragranced and it can be used as a shampoo too. It left my toddler's skin & hair soft.

I loved the cocoa butter stretch marks cream a lot. I am 2 years postpartum so not sure those remaning stretch marks that I have will even go away now but the cream in itself if so mild & gets absorbed super quickly into the skin. The smell is so so good & pure, I love coffee so I had to love its smell.  




I have not used the baby bottom cream because we have passed the stage of diaper rashes, my son is toilet trained now :) But the description on the cover of the product looks good!




The skin therapy oil is awesome too! It is absolutely non-greasy & immensely moisturizing.  


All in all, the quality of the products is very good. I would certainly recommend them.

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There Can Be No Perfect Mothers ... Just The Real Ones

Motherhood starts with tons and tons of advice – wanted and unwanted – right from the pregnancy stage. There are opinions about each and everything; while some are given by our family members and loved ones, others are by random people like the ones you encounter in a park while having a walk. It doesn’t stop there. We, as educated and want-to-be-aware moms, do not hesitate to look up stuff online, whether it is related to pregnancy, child birth, newborn care or toddler tantrums. So, there are loads of online and offline resources of advice that a first time mother can access.

But my question is: do these sources always make sense to us? At one point in time, I, as a mother, found myself drowned into this sea of knowledge/know-hows/dos & don’ts!

After much introspection, I realized that there is no right or wrong way to be a mom – only your way! This is exactly what the Baby Dove philosophy also says and what turned out to be my biggest support system as a new mother. I am so glad to have found this support system that advocates the philosophy I resonate with! My experience has taught me that I should trust my instincts for every decision I make. After all, as a mom, I truly know what’s best for my baby.

According to a survey conducted by Baby Dove, 2 in 3 mothers said that they were overwhelmed by the amount of information and advice there is on how to be a parent! However, what I really found reassuring was that 8 in 10 Indian women said they feel that they instinctively know what’s best for their child. In my parenting journey too, I have done a handful of things that I found instinctively right for me. It might not be applicable or feasible for every mom, but that is what makes motherhood special and unique! I am sharing some of them with all of you.

Read my complete article HERE on World Of Moms, a blog especially for moms, by the very popular FirstCry.com

Happy Parenting!

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Baby Sebamed Sun Lotion Review & Launch Event Coverage

Babies are precious & so is their skin - fresh & delicate like a dew! As a mother, I always try to find out the best for my son's skin. Something which is free from chemicals as far as possible & which is dermatologically tested, specially for baby's skin. The concern is all the more justified because a baby's skin is 20% thinner than adult skin. The skin barrier is not fully developed & harmful bacteria can easily enter the skin if the barrier is damaged, which in turn can cause moisture loss, redness, rashes & itching.

When I was invited to the launch event of Baby Sebamed Sun Lotion on 19th March 2017, I was more than excited to be a part of it for the simple reason that I had heard some real good reviews about Sebamed products & lately I have been feeling the need of a sunscreen lotion for my two years old son & I thought this would be a good starting point to choose one for him! I must say, I was not disappointed at all with the product. And there cannot be a better way to welcome the summers with we moms being reassured that our babies' skin is safe when they go out in the sun :)

To start with, I must say that the event was a LOT of fun for moms as well as kids (0 to 6 years). There were presentations about Sebamed, their research, their findings, there was music, dance, games & small lovely gifts for the kids & the most important part of the event was the Yoga Session for moms & kids. 

This event made an entry into the Indian Book Of Records for more than 50 kids & moms doing Yoga together, along with a trained Yoga instructor, under the sun!

I am so happy to be a part of this awesome record, along with my son!

About Sebamed

Sebamed is one of the world’s leading skincare brands from Germany, researched by a dermatologist, with over 50 years of rich experience. It has a presence in 85 countries worldwide & has over 120 products. Their philosophy is to use botanical ingredients & ensure stringent quality standards. Their products are recommended by dermatologists, Paediatricians & Gynaecologists in India & across the world.

Features Of All Sebamed Products

• pH 5.5 - Alkali-free & soap free
• High quality and high purity of ingredients
• Developed and recommended by dermatologists
• German engineered
• Dermatologically and clinically tested 
• Biodegradable, no animal testing
• Free from mineral oils and harsh chemicals.

Key USPs of Baby Sebamed Range

• pH 5.5 helps in the development of acid mantle
• High concentration of botanical extracts nourishes baby's skin
• No irritants, so better tolerated from day 1
• 0% irritant reactions & 0.000003% allergic reactions
• Clinically proven efficacy

And now, about the brand new product that they launched - Baby Sebamed Sun Lotion

Instructions For Use

• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure to the Sun.
• Reapply frequently to maintain the protection, especially after bathing.
• Avoid exposure to the Sun between 11 am and 3 pm.
• Use hat, shirt, sunglasses and sunscreen suitable for child protection.
• Can be used for babies of 6 months & above

Pros

• pH 5.5 
• 98% UVA protection
• Skin protection with Vitamin E
• Natural formula providing intense hydration
• Oil-free, non-greasy, does not leave any residue, gets absorbed in the skin easily
• Alcohol-free
• Free from paraffin / parabens / PEG bonds
• Water & sweat resistant - which means we can apply this when we go for swimming this summer!
• SPF 50 - which is pretty high & hence makes the effect of the sunscreen even better

Cons

• No perfume - this looks like a limitation but actually it is good because there will be some chemicals going inside the product if an artificial perfume is introduced in it
• Pricing - It is priced at 1400 INR for a bottle of 200ml, which is on a higher side but given the USPs, I think most parents would not mind going this extra mile when it is about the skin safety of their children

You can know more about their products HERE. 

All Baby Sebamed products are available on major online stores like Amazon, FirstCry etc. 

The Event

The description of this launch event cannot be complete without pictures, so here they are - an absolute fun filled beautiful Sunday morning at a venue that is one of the best in Mumbai - Radio Club, Colaba. 

The view of the sea & tons of boats was one of the interesting elements for almost all the toddlers there. They were glued to the windows watching the boats & playing with the balloons, making friends with each other.

There was a quick presentation about the skin care & Sebamed brand from the experts.

Followed by the product launch, and that too by the children :) It is a kids' product at the end of the day!

We got to try the sun lotion too!

Kids were super happy with the games, music & dance session that followed.

Then we all headed out together in the sun to set out a unique record! Something that has not been done so far - 50+ kids & moms doing Yoga together under the sun with a certified Yoga instructor! 

This has gone into the Indian Book Of Records, yayyy!

Some photo booth madness by my toddler ;) Yes, he is officially a record breaker now!

And a wonderful talk by the celebrity Dermatologist, Cosmetologist & Trichologist, Dr Simple Aher, on the importance of skin care.

All in all, a very well spent Sunday morning with lots of takeaways about skin care, information about the Sebamed product range & a sumptuous lunch to end with :)

Hope this review will help you in choosing the right skin care range for your child. 

Happy Parenting :)

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10 Toxic Chemicals That You Did Not Know Might Exist In Baby Products

Pregnancy is the time we take utmost care of ourselves. We eat right, we breathe right, we sleep right. We know how tender & vulnerable our little one is inside.

And, after the baby is born, we rush to the chemists & buy those baby products like soap, shampoo, powder, cream, oils, wipes, lotions etc, the best brand that we can. 

In all this madness, we forget, Infants and their skin are so tender! In fact, the first three years of a child’s life are very crucial as far as health is concerned. The immune system and central nervous system are still immature and developing. We should be wary of what chemicals we expose to the child for obvious reasons.

It is sad to see that some baby products which claim to be natural or organic or baby friendly are not really good for the babies. They contain harmful chemicals. We see the brand name of the product on the front, flip the bottle/box to see the price but, do we check the product for its chemical composition! Rarely do we #ReadTheLabel!

Click HERE to read my complete article on Indian Moms Connect that lists 10 toxic chemicals (best avoided) that one should check especially while buying baby products! 

I bet you would want to keep this very important information handy while buying products for your baby next!

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