Hold on tight, mum's coming...
We're doing things a little bit differently here at The Beauty Diary this week, as we're chatting about a topic I have little experience in — kids.
Despite having none of my own sprogs running around, I completely understand that taking care of your little one's skincare needs is just as important as your own (if not more so). So, when Australian beauty queen Zoe Foster-Blake launched a range of beauty products designed especially for the mini humans of the world, we paid attention.
Gro-To is the adorable new member of the Go-To skincare family that, just like the rest of Foster-Blake's products, are made from clean ingredients.
There's four products in the range, Sud Bud, Super Softy, Skin Wizard and Bad Dream Buster, all in adorable packaging that would easily double up as a fun toy come playtime or even in the bath.
Since the products, which you can buy individually or in a bundle for $98, launched last month, social media has been set ablaze with parents raving about them. The products have been so well received, parents have admitted to using them themselves. Even Carrie Bickmore got in on the action, writing on a recent post on Foster-Blake's Instagram page that she had started using the range after her kids left them in the shower.
"I use all the products and make zero excuses about it," Foster-Blake responded.
While I have no mini people of my own to lather in Gro-To, I found some willing mums at news.com.au who've given their honest thoughts on the children's skincare goodies, all of which are available to buy at gotoskincare.com
GRO-TO SUD BUD GENTLE BUBBLE BATH
Price: $25
Lisa Muxworthy, mum-of-three and news.com.au editor: The Sud Bud is marketed as a gentle bubble bath but the reality is that if you eliminate the nasties that are found in harsh foaming agents the bubbles are a bit lacklustre. I prefer to use Sud Bud as a shower gel. It smells delicious and doesn't leave any soapy residue on their skin. There's also a lot to be said about good packaging, especially when it comes to attracting the attention of the little people in our lives. The bright, bold colours and cute faces on Zoe's new range are fun and fabulous. My five-year-old was genuinely thrilled to get herself squeaky clean when I handed her these.
Kerry Warren, mum-of-two and news.com.au commissioning editor: Let me preface this review by saying bubble bath has been banned in my household for years thanks to the extremely sensitive skin of my daughters, aged five and three. But given the plant-based formulation of old mate Buddy, we threw caution to the wind and got bubbly. The kids were in heaven, joyous in a way only brought about by bubble beards and wigs, and I was too thanks to the delicious scent — no artificial bubblegum stench here. I am not ashamed to admit I was so into it I used some myself when I had my weekend soak. And best of all, no irritated skin afterwards, so the fun didn't end in tears. I will say, however, that the bubbles don't last as long as more chemical-rich products, but that's a small price to pay.
GRO-TO SUPER SOFTY NOURISHING BODY LOTION
Price: $26
Eleni Paneras, mum-of-one (another on the way) and news.com.au's head of social: First things first, I have the world's most active toddler, with more energy than the sun, so to see him actually interested in a body lotion product prompting him to lie still for more than 20 seconds after bath time was a giant win in our household. The packaging of the Super Softy nourishing body lotion is brilliant — bright yellow, with a face on it that had me sold. My son likes to hold and talk to it and I'm able to change him into his pyjamas with ease as a result. Winning. The lotion itself is actually quite lovely — the smell is nice, the texture is smooth and it's really light, nothing gluggy or too heavy. My son understands what "cream" is and asks for it, so it is a novelty for him to put the lotion on. The next morning when he wakes up, his skin still feels soft! He will "smell" his arm where I've applied it and say "mmmmmmm". He's a fan, so I'm a fan.
Lisa: The Super Softy has been a hit in our house. It contains coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and shea butter to replenish and protect, plus calming camomile. My girls are pretty happy to lather this on themselves each night. The best thing about these products is that they don't just look good. Foster-Blake said each had been dermatologically tested to be non-irritating and hypo-allergenic as well as free from silicones, soaps, sulfates, parabens, GMOs, synthetic colours and fragrances.
GRO-TO SKIN WIZARD NOURISHING BABY OIL
Price: $32
Eleni: We've also been using the Skin Wizard nourishing baby oil, and this product is the real winner because our son knows it's for a special "baby massage" that turns into a tickle monster. Like his mother, he loves a good back scratch and rub, so when I ask him to flop over for a "baby massage", he does so obligingly. The oil isn't heavy, it's very light and, again, smells great. It doesn't stay oily either. Other baby oils leave quite a bit of residue, but this product sinks in fast. Given we've just come out of winter, which makes his skin quite dry, finishing the day with Skin Wizard leaves his skin nourished and hydrated and settles him in for a good night's sleep.
GRO-TO BAD DREAM BUSTER
Price: $15
Kerry: While I love the idea of this product, the reality was a bit of a fizzer in my house. My five-year-old daughter is prone to terrifying nightmares, so I thought this spray would be a winner — it certainly smells gorgeous and sleep-inducing — but she unfortunately found the monster face on the packaging so terrifying she refused to trial it more than once. I'm considering stealing it to spritz my bedroom however, so stay tuned for that review.
Lisa: The final part to the skincare range is the Bad Dream Buster — I've stolen this one for me. As a mum-of-three, I'll take any help getting a good night's sleep.
*This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.