CJ's BUTTer Stick: A Review

I am forever trying new things. That's one of the things I like about cloth diapering, there are so many options to try. We all know I like LuSa Organics Booty Balm, like I've written about before. You also should know by now that I love CJ's BUTTer and their other products! I had not yet tried CJ's BUTTer Stick so I decided to try it. It seems simple and it did seem like it would be convenient and a little less messy. Now that I've tried it for a few weeks I'm ready to review it for everyone!

 

CJ's Products

 

First let's talk about CJ's. I know we've talked about them before but I love them so much, I just want to touch on them again. One of the things that I love most about this company and their products is that it's MADE IN THE USA! I love supporting American business people in their American dream. Not that I don't ever buy foreign, but I would prefer to buy USA, especially when it's good products and when I can afford it. They are based out of Colorado. There are a ton of delish scents and I love trying new scents! It's easy to do by getting samples and I love experiencing every new scents. Sometimes I love them, sometimes I don't like them, and sometimes they're just ok, but it's nice to be able to have such a huge variety. Some of my favorites are Monkey Farts, Green Irish Tweed, Love Spell, Pink Sugar, and Sweet Orange. They also have unscented, vegan, and even Essential Oil blends to try! I also love that it's all natural. My kids have sensitive skin and I have a newborn on the way. Of course you want what is best for your baby and with all natural products we know exactly what is going on our little one's sensitive skin, which I adore. I love that it is cloth diaper safe and won't cause issues with my diapers like repelling or staining. I have tried lots of CJ's products, their peppermint cream, BUTTer rash cream, lip balm, and now the BUTTer Stick and I have never felt like I wasted my money or been disappointed. Instead I am always happy with my purchase and put their products on my children and myself (the BUTTer is GREAT for eczema and dry skin!) with confidence.

 

CJ's BUTTer Stick

 

The biggest thing that drew me to the stick version of one of my favorite diaper rash creams is that it would be less messy. I hate dipping my fingers into the rash cream because sometimes it gets all over, it can also leak if it gets too hot in the diaper bag and melts, and it can just be kind of a goopy mess. Not really BAD things about it, just things I don't like dealing with. I also got interested in it because it seemed quicker and easier to toss in the diaper bag. I got the small size so it would be easier to go everywhere. I was also told by more than a couple of people that these last forever because a little goes a long way, as with every CJ's product, and the stick helps you make sure you aren't putting on too much which is better for the baby, better for your diapers, and better for your wallet! The glide-on version contains the same ingredients as the original BUTTer except there is no lanolin, so it's also good for people with lanolin allergy or sensitivity!

 

So how do you use the stick? 

 

So you are probably wondering how you use the stick. Super simple! It's kind of like lip balm, you take the cover off and twist it up. When you're done applying it directly to the freshly clean booty (or your eczema, cuts and scratches, etc!) just twist it down and put the cap back on. Super easy and quick, which is great because we all know that babies can be very squirmy and like to be done with changes as fast as possible.

 

The Bottom Line

 

I am loving this stuff! I think I will still buy the samples to try different scents and then when I find one I really love I'll order a stick! This is also great for people who aren't sure how much to put on or usually put too much on, my husband for instance, loves to goop it on, and with this I am able to limit how much he uses to reasonable amount. We both love it!

 

Where You Can Buy It

 

Mama's Emporium sells these sticks. You can also buy it directly from CJ's here.

 

Have you used CJ's BUTTer Stick? If so did you like it or not?

 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, and subscribe to the blog! 

CJ's BUTTer, a review.

I figured since I've recently done a review (and giveaway!) of LuSa Organics Booty Balm, I'd do a review of another one of my favorites! I know I've talked about it before, but I want to mention it again!

 

CJ's BUTTer Made in the USA

 

If you've been following me a while you know I LOVE supporting WAHMs and I LOVE supporting companies who are based in the USA! CJ's is based in Colorado Springs, CO. How cool is that? I love knowing that I'm supporting a fellow American in paying their bills and stimulating our economy!

 

Cloth Diaper Safe, But Not Just for Cloth Diapers!

 

CJ's BUTTer is a cloth diaper safe rash cream. It will treat your babies rash without any adverse effects to your cloth. Does that mean I think you should goop it on in huge amounts at every change? No, probably not. One of the cool things about it though is it isn't just for diaper rash! It can be used on dry skin, rashes of other types, mild burns, scrapes, small cuts, etc. It is also edible and can be used as nipple cream! It makes a great baby gift too! The ingredients in Original BUTTer are Shea Butter, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Lanolin, Vitamin E, Gluten Free Colloidal Oil, and Cocoa Butter! So you know exactly what is going on your baby's skin! This is especially awesome for people with babies who have sensitive skin!

 

If You Already Have a Favorite Rash Cream?

 

If you already have a favorite rash cream, no big deal! Try one of CJ's many other awesome products, all made in the USA! I suggest trying the lip balm and Wash & Wipe solution! Check them all out here.

 

Lots of Awesome Scents!

 

One of my favorite things about CJ's is all the awesome scents it comes in! There are some Essential Oil and Essential Oil Blends scents as well as awesome scents such as Monkey Farts, Green Irish Tweed, Pink Sugar, Cucumber Melon, Love Spell, and much more! I recommend buying a bunch of sample sizes in all the different scents that sound good so you can smell them all! I personally have never had one that I don't like and I have tried quite a few!

 

Where Can You Buy It?

 

CJ's BUTTer and other products made by them are available at Mama's Emporium. Mama's Emporium is located in Aurora, CO, so she is able to get CJ's directly from the source which is local to her. Go browse the site and tell me, what is your favorite scent, or which scent do you want to try most?

 

LuSa Organics Booty Balm reveiw and Giveaway!

I know I have talked about LuSa Organics Booty Balm before, but I've partnered with Mama's Emproium to bring you yet another giveaway, and I figured I'd finally do a real review. After you read the review, make sure to enter the giveaway to WIN a FREE .8oz tin of Lusa Organics Booty Balm! Perfect to put in the diaper bag, your purse, the car, or keep at the babysitter's house.

This Giveaway is Brought to you By Mama's Emporium

 

First, let's talk about Mama's Emporium! Mama's Emporium is owned and operated by a WAHM (Work At Home Mom!) named Amanda. She does so many great giveaways and always is having awesome sales. I love shopping at Mama's Emporium because I know I will be getting only the best quality items at the greatest prices, and that I'm helping a mom stay home with her children and still pay her bills! Plus I love to save up points and get awesome stuff like free gift certificates, free teething necklaces, and more. Amanda is also based in Colorado, so if you are local to her, go check her showroom out in person or choose local pick up to save on shipping!

 

LuSa Organics Booty Balm

 

Where do I start? This stuff is amazing! I wasn't even in the market for a new booty balm, but I got a Stash Surprise from Mama's Emporium, and one of the many things included in that glorious box of wonderful lovely fluff was a .8oz tin of this booty balm. I figured well, it's free, I'll toss it in the diaper bag and try it out! Then my son got a rash. The other creams we were using before didn't work. We tried this out of desperation and boy were we surprised! Within one change his butt was drastically better! I started using it as a preventative as well and he quit getting rashes all together. It has a delightful scent that is soothing. One thing I really love is a little goes a long way! You can use just a tiny bit and make a .8oz tin last months. We keep ours in the diaper bag and have a large tin for the house. We haven't had to reorder for a while. I like to use it especially at night.

Other Uses For LuSa Organics Booty Balm

You can also use it as fist aid cream, kind of like neosporin! I like to use it on minor cuts or burns. It is so soothing and I love it! My husband actually prefers it to regular neosporin because he says he can "feel" it working unlike other first aid creams.
Another thing we use it for often in our home is eczema! I have very severe eczema. I have to be very careful and once I get a patch I have to treat it fast or it gets out of control. The only way to really treat it is steroid creams and lots and lots of lotion and/or Vaseline, which I hate. Well one day I realized I was out of everything I usually use, or, more likely, since we had just moved, I had misplaced it all. I couldn't afford to go to the doctor and buy the steroid creams that I needed. That's when I remembered my son's diaper rash! I went ahead and slathered it on my hands which were the worse, right before bed. The next morning I woke up and it wasn't all gone, but it was significantly better! Another night of that and I woke up with clear, healed hands! It was so nice to have that taken care of so quickly! Now I use it on pretty much any rash the boys or I get and I've never been disappointed!

Is It Cloth Diaper Safe?The short answer, YES! The long answer, kind of. I will say I use it on both my boys, my oldest is in disposables for medical issues, and my youngest is in cloth. The only issue I noticed was when I first got it and was using WAY too much. I mean I was really globbing it on there at every change. I figured you couldn't have too much of a good thing! I didn't notice any repelling or anything, just that it smelt like the booty balm even after washing. I stripped them with GroVia Mighty Bubbles once and voila, all better. I still use it and while I recommend using a disposable liner such as EcoSprout's Eco Bottom Liners, which you can buy at Mama's Emporium as well, you don't have to. I have heard of people having buildup issues but I have also heard that they went away after being stripped and using less. I just make sure that if I'm not using a liner, I only put just enough to cover the area on, not an excessive amount. Most of the time I use the liners even with other cloth diaper safe creams just because it's easier and I'm really into making my diapers last as long as possible in great condition. So I would suggest you buy the EcoSprout flushable liners and use it at night time with LuSa Organics Booty Balm, I'd rather be safe than sorry, but at the same time this stuff is just too amazing to no have on hand when little one gets a rash! Plus since you can use it for other things, like first-aid cream and eczema, I think it's essential!

Bottom Line

Bottom line, I love this stuff. I would recommend it to anyone. If you use disposable diapers you should still try it on your little one. If you use cloth, you should try it on your little one, and maybe get flushable liners just in case. If you don't have kids in diapers you can still use it! It's great to have on hand, in the car, your purse, your first aid kit, AND your changing table!

You Can Win Some Too!

That's right! You can win some FREE LuSa Organics Booty Balm! Enter using the rafflecopter below and you may win a free .8oz tin of LuSa Organics Booty Balm from Mama's Emporium and Cloth Diapering, a Hobby!
The Giveaway opens Today, Monday 1/28/13 at 8pm and closes Sunday 2/3/12 at 8pm!

Enter to win HERE!

If you can't wait, or you don't win, you can always buy this and other amazing LuSa products such as natural baby chest rub at Mama's Emproium!

Myths and Misconceptions: Babies With Sensitive Skin..

I've decided to do a series of blogs all about common myths and misconceptions about cloth diapering! If you have any ideas feel free to comment here, share on my twitter, or post to my facebook page any myths or misconceptions you have heard, especially ones that really drive you nutso!

 

Myth/Misconception #1

 

Today we are going to talk about one of my least favorite myths about cloth diapering. It's my least favorite because it's just so not true and not only does it discourage people from cloth diapering but it discourages people from cloth diapering who would probably benefit the most from doing it!

 

Cloth Diapering Will Irritate Babies Who Have Sensitive Skin and Will Cause Rash

 

One of the reasons we started cloth diapering and cloth wiping were because my little one has VERY sensitive skin. Every diaper gave him a rash, some more so than others, and wipes especially did it. Every kind of wipes besides pampers sensitive gave him a terrible rash. Yes money was another huge issue but the skin was the biggest reason. I couldn't stand seeing my little one's tush all raw! In all my research I've found a lot of great stories about moms switching to cloth and it helping clear up their rash problems. But recently I've heard a lot of moms tell me on the Internet and in person "My child's skin is too sensitive for cloth diapers, they cause rashes!" This is simply not true.

 

Stay Wet? Not if You Use Something Stay-Dry!

 

One reason people give for them causing more rash is that they stay wet. This also is not true. Yes if you are using prefolds or flats, baby will feel wetter sooner. But you don't have to have a prefold/flat up next to baby's bum! While prefolds still worked for my son we noticed he did still have a little bit of a rash when using them from feeling the wetness, so we switched to pockets. I LOVE pockets, especially rumparooz, because they have a stay-dry layer that sits next to baby and takes all the wetness away, drawing it into the absorbent material inside! You can stuff pockets with prefolds, flour sack towels, flats, or inserts. Whatever works, plus you can customize your absorbency. You can also buy stay dry prefolds. OsoCozy staydry prefolds are my favorite prefolds, and they give us a great fit too. So baby doesn't have to be wet and feel wet!

 

Timely Changes Changes Things!

 

Another thing that can help with the wetness issue is if you change baby often enough. I won't lie, you will probably need to change your baby more than if you were using disposables. But it's so worth it. The natural fibers are so much more gentle on your baby's skin than the scratchy rough paper of disposables! Just try wrapping one disposable around one knee and one cloth around your other knee. You will be able to see quickly just which one is more comfortable. As long as you change your baby often enough, baby won't be irritated by urine. It is suggested you change a cloth diaper baby anywhere between ever 2-3 hours or more if you have a light wetter and/or a very absorbent diaper.

 

Chemical Stay-Dry is Not the Same, so Irritating!

 

Last but not least, disposables tend to dry babies out. Why is this? Because there is gel inside the paper lining that is made to absorb the wetness, soaking it up. That is why a disposable diaper swells when wet. And that's why if you accidentally run one through the washer, you find beads of gel all over everywhere. Not only can the chemicals irritate baby's sensitive skin, but the gel won't discriminate against urine and skin moister, it draws it all out and absorbs it all. This is very drying to baby's bum and it causes rash and irritation.

Does That Mean Your Baby Will Never Get A Rash?

Not always. My son has had a few rashes since starting. One was due to ammonia buildup which we have since solved, and the others have all been due to being sick and/or teething. We find if you use LuSa Organics Booty Balm with a disposable liner (I like EcoSprout), both of which you can buy here at Mama's Emporium, things clear up pretty quickly, even the nastiest of teething rashes! Using an Amber Teething Necklace we got at Mama's Emporium as well has also helped tons with how much the little one drools while teething and makes things much easier on him and me! If you don't want to mess with liners, I suggest CJ's BUTTer which you can also buy at Mama's Emporium. CJ's can also be used as a nipple cream for nursing moms, for dry skin, eczema, and even as a preventative at every diaper change, every day, or just after the bath to keep baby protected.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is I encourage all mama's with children who have sensitive skin to at least try cloth. Don't just try prefolds either, try pockets, AIOs, AI2s, and other kinds. Maybe try more natural fibers like bamboo and hemp. Experiment till you find something that will work for your baby. I'm sure if you play around, change baby plenty, and use creams as needed, maybe even use CJ's as a preventative every so often, and you and baby's skin will all be much happier!

Something You Should Know: Stripping

Something you should know about with cloth diapers, you may need to strip. Stripping is a process to get rid of buildup caused by hard water, detergent buildup, using non safe rash creams, ammonia, stink issues, and just to make sure your diapers are at their freshest and most absorbent.

 

Why Strip?

 

Stripping can solve multiple problems. One such problem is repelling, when your diaper is having leaks because the fabric is not at it's most absorbent. This is usually caused by hard water mineral buildup or detergent buildup from using too much detergent and/or not rinsing enough. Another reason to strip is if you are having stink issues. Stink issues can be caused by not using enough detergent, detergent buildup, hard water buildup, ammonia, and other causes. Usually if your diapers smell like a barn, you aren't using enough detergent and you should play with how much you use. If they smell like pee or burn your eyes and nose after they are dirty, then it's ammonia buildup. Another culprit of stink is not using the right detergent. Some people have problems with some detergents that others find amazing. You have to find the right detergent for your diapers, water, and washing machine. Also, make sure you aren't using dryer sheets or fabric softener, as well as detergents that contain dyes or optical brighteners. It may also help to switch from a liquid detergent to a powder detergent. Liquid detergent has been known to cause buildup.

 

So you think you have to strip, now what?

 

Now you decide what kind of strip you want to do! There are multiple ways to strip your diapers and each has their benefits. I suggest you play with it and decide what way is best for you. I also think stripping can fix the symptoms, but you have to also find the cause of the problem and cure the disease so to speak. If you find yourself stripping often, you should tinker with your wash routine and try to adjust it so you can find the perfect routine and products for you! You may simply need to switch to a new detergent, you may also need to adjust how much detergent you are using, or you may need to add an extra rinse or adjust the temperatures of your washes. Whatever it is finding it is key and may take some Patience, trial, and error. Eventually though you will get it and you will be one happy cloth diaperer! I however live in an area that has VERY hard water and because I'm renting I'm not allowed to have a water softener. Plus on top of that our pipes are very old and my washer isn't the greatest. So I have settled for stripping every couple of weeks, especially now that we are fighting ammonia. One day I'll get a better machine and live somewhere with a water softener and all will be well, but stripping isn't hard to do so for now it's a good system we have worked out.

 

Different ways to strip

 

1. RLR - RLR is my go to stripping method. It's ingredients list is super secret so we don't know exactly what is in it but we know it is safe for cloth diapers and we know there is washing soda. I have heard people swear by adding washing soda to their wash and it stripping just like RLR but I have also heard of people's diapers being ruined because plain washing soda makes them rough and nothing gets the diapers soft after that has happened. So if you want to try that use caution and do so at your own risk, I won't risk it. Anyway back to RLR. It's very simple to use, you just put your clean diapers, weather dry or wet, into the washer with a packet of it (half a packet if you are using a HE washer) and wash on hot with a couple extra rinses and then voila, you're done! You should notice a difference right away.

 

2. GroVia Mighty Bubbles - GroVia Mighty Bubbles comes to us from the makers of GroVia diapers. It's a newer laundry treatment and is super convenient. It comes in a little packet that you just toss into the wash, kind of like a tide pod.The ingredients are Sodium Carbonate (washing soda), Sodium percarbonate, Sodium Polyitaconate, surfactants, Enzymes, Oxygen bleach activator, and Sodia sillicate. To use you place in the washer with diapers (clean or dirty, doesn't matter, but I always put them in clean), No other detergent is needed. You wash on hot and do a hot rinse and voila, you should notice the difference as soon as they are dry.

 

3. Bleach - Bleach is controversial. Some people say don't use bleach because it can damage your diapers. Some diaper companies recommend you use bleach. I personally use bleach on all my diapers that I buy used or am given, and occasionally to do a really deep strip. You KNOW they are clean and nothing is going to be wrong with them once you strip with bleach. It's kind of like starting over! I use 1/4 cup of bleach. How I do it without bleaching the color from my diapers is I fill my washer up [maximum water level] with hot water and 1/4 cup of bleach. It will bubble a little. Then I let the washer run a minute or two so the agitator mixes the bleach in, then put my diapers, inserts, wipes, etc in. The general consensus is this should be done no more than once a month. I recommend doing this to all your diapers after thrush, yeast, sickness, or if you get used diapers.

 

4. Blue Dawn - Blue dawn! This should be used with caution. I have heard you can also use Dapple Baby Bottle and Dish Liquid sold here. The Key to stripping with dish soap is to only use a little as it's very hard to rinse out. Some people just put a few drops in a bath tub and soak overnight then do a bunch of rinses until there are NO bubbles. Or you can do the same thing in your washer. Fill your washer with hot water and about 5 drops of the soap. Then put the diapers in and wash on hot, and keep rinsing until it's all out and there are no bubbles. I've heard this is better for oil buildup, not mineral buildup, such as if you use the wrong diaper rash cream with your cloth diapers. I have never used it, so I can only tell you what I've heard, such as it is very difficult to get them completely rinsed when using this method.

 

Bottom Line

 

The bottom line is, if you need to strip, I suggest RLR or GroVia Mighty Bubbles which are sold here. We are battling Amonia and the only thing that has worked is the bleach strip and the Grovia Mighty Bubbles, not RLR.

All About Accessories - Rash Creams and Liners!

By now in your CD journey, you've probably read or heard that most traditional rash creams that you use with disposables like Desitin and Butt Paste don't work with CD. Or you may not. If you haven't, here it is: Traditional rash creams are NOT safe to use with cloth diapers. Why? From what I understand it's the zinc which is a big main ingredient in most that harms the diapers. Those creams can cause diapers to repel. Repelling means instead of absorbing liquid (aka Pee) like they should, the diapers will begin to repel. You have a few options on what to do if your baby gets a rash while cloth diapering or if you just want to prevent a rash. I'll explore a few of the more common options in this post.

 

 

Liners

 

One option to consider is using the traditional creams and use a liner for your diapers. A liner is a barrier that protects your cloth diaper. You can use disposable liners which you can just throw away after using, a fleece, flannel, or other fabric liner that you can make or buy, a paper towel, baby wash cloth, or even cut up a shirt or something. I have never done that because I've found CD safe rash creams that work well so that I've never felt the need to try liners.

 

Coconut Oil

 

Coconut oil is supposed to work on getting rid of rashes and be great for preventing them. They make solid pressed coconut oil so you just swipe some and put it on babies bum. I, again, have never tried it because I've found other creams that work well but I've heard it works great. You can get it at walmart or at Mama's Emporium! (Remember you get reward points from Mama's Emporium that you can use towards free stuff!)

 

CJ's BUTTer

 

CJ's BUTTer is probably the most well known diaper rash cream for cloth diapering mamas! I've used it on eczema and it has helped, diaper rash, and as a diaper rash preventative. I thought it was amazing and really don't have a complaint but when I tried LuSa Organics Booty Balm I preferred that. But I would still use CJ's and still do sometimes. I love all the different scents they come in, my favorite is Green Irish Tweed, Sweet Orange, Pink Sugar, and Love Spell. Monkey Farts is also very popular.A little goes a long way!

 

LuSa Organics Booty Balm

 

I got a sample size of this in my Stash Surprise from Mama's Emporium. At first I was like "I don't need this, I've got CJ's!" But one day CJ's just wasn't doing it for my little baby. Something had to be done and I was willing to try anything to ease his agony. So I broke this out and tried it. We haven't looked back since. I will say it is kind of pricey, and I am VERY cheap, but I will still buy this! In fact I just ordered some from Mama's Emporium last week! It's also good for cuts, scrapes, mild burns, drool rash, and much more. It definitely helped my son's rash, and I've used it on my toddler's eczema with great success! Plus it smells amazing! I recommend you buy a sample and try it, you'll never go back to anything else. I will say I do still use CJ's if  I can't find the LuSa or out and about because I keep a CJ's sample in the diaper bag and CJ's is still good, I just really would prefer to spend my money on this!

Diaper Rash Cream Samplers

 

So are you still not sure which rash remedy/preventative to choose? Try a Rash Cream Sampler from Mama's Emporium! It contains: 1 GroVia Mini Magic Stick
1 Punkin Butt Bottom Balm Pocket Size
1 Lusa Organics Booty Balm Travel Size
5 Grandma El's Samples (1-2 uses each)

And you have the option of trying out liners for an additional cost (reusable AND disposable!) so it's the perfect chance to see what method is best for you!

UPDATE: Mama's Emporium now sells CJ's BUTTer! You can find it here.

I Recommend

CJ's BUTTer
LuSa Organics Booty Balm
Both can be found here.

Bottom Line

I use mostly CJ's BUTTer. I like the sample sizes and buy mostly those because a little goes a long way and they are the perfect way to try out different scents, plus they are great for the car, diaper bag, first aid kit, babysitter's house, or anywhere!