I have probably tried every single children's shampoo, oil, cream and wet-wipe on the market. With two girls under the age of 5 and lots of product mishaps in which entire bottles of product are "accidentally" spilt, poured, squirted, squeezed, pumped out on to the bathroom tiles, walls or mirrors, one gets price-conscious pretty quickly. Obviously I don't want to buy products for my children based solely on value but it is becomes a serious consideration after a few pricey disappointments… After lots and lots of research and trial and error, I have chosen my favorite 8 beauty products which work beautifully on beauties of all ages. Five of the eight products are from Turkish companies but all are available throughout Turkey.
The Best Multi-Purpose Natural Shampoo
Burt's Bees will not disappoint any family member with this tear free and almost entirely natural, sulfate free shampoo and body wash. The only two problems with this product for me is the price which runs a little high and the availability (it is only available in select pharmacies). This is why I alternate this product with another Turkish-brand which is more readily available in grocery stores.
Best Runner-Up Natural Shampoo
Uni Baby Shampoo doesn't contain SLS, SLES, paraben, alcohol or any of the other "bad" stuff that causes allergies in children and adults. Read the ingredients of your current products and you'll be surprised by how many popular children's shampoos contain these ingredients! The price point is awesome and I love the fact that I can find the UNIbaby products almost everywhere. I too use this product once in a while to get my hair squeaky clean. I don't use an additional shower gel with my kids as the soap suds which roll down from their hair is usually enough to get them clean as they shower every day!
Best Natural Conditioner-Detangler
Abba's products have finally arrived in Turkey. This company's natural hair products have been around for years and I actually used to prefer many of their products to AVEDA back when I was a product consultant and connoisseur in Canada two decades ago…I am so happy to be reunited with ABBA. This is by far their best product which will gently untangle, soften, mend and even slightly style all types of hair. Because the company and its products are so pure, again your entire family can use them…my daughters, for instance, absolutely adore this leave-in conditioner.
Best Protective Cream
The UniBaby Cream is similar to a cold cream so it is rich, protective and very nourishing. It is not a lotion you can slather on but rather a heavier cream that you can really massage into skin. My kids love it and I love it for my cuticles, elbows, neck/chest and knees.
Best Moisturizing Oil
 | Again a Uni Baby product! What can I say, I am hooked on these products as they all work so well. This body oil is my personal favorite as a post-sun oil treatment but unfortunately my daughters have hid my bottle in their "secret cabinet" because they to "spa-time" after their baths with this yummy smelling very moisturizing and again very very natural product. |
Best Natural Bug Repellent
Bella B Buzzy Bee Natural Bug Repellent... My one child thinks this smells "yucky" while the other thinks this smells "yummy". I still spray this on both and myself liberally when we are exposed to bugs and mosquitos. This is such an effective product. I love it for its lemon-grass scent and its moisturizing quality. And of course, it is all natural and even organic. What more could one ask for in a product?? P.S. I also spray it on all my guests when I am entertaining outdoors and have had no complaints from the men either!
Best Wet-Wipe
UniBaby Wet Wipes were the only wet wipes I used on my newborns. I liked it so much that I continued using it even when they were potty-trained. Would you think I was crazy if I told you I use it to remove stubborn make-up when I have nothing else available? By far the one of the gentlest baby-wipes on the market. This was the original UniBaby product that got us all hooked!
Best Natural Hair Styling Gel
Otaci is another Turkish brand I like for their "natural" tendencies. Of course children don't really need to be using hair styling products but when I need to tame a flyaway here or there this is my go-to product. I bought it for myself and liked its light texture and medium hold so much that I sometimes use a pump on the girls. Try this and you will be amazed at how light but effective it is. The ingredients are again all plant-based and make feel less guilty when applying on my unsuspecting children when I am doing Elsa braids on them.