Mommy Greenest Approved: The Honest Company

In the dog days of summer, the only thing my kids want to do is swim in the pool. Since we don’t have one at our house, I keep a bag packed with essentials that I can tote to a friend’s house, the health club, a public pool—basically wherever we can get some water time. I like products that do double duty so I carry less gear. And of course, I want them free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, formaldehyde, petrochemicals and any other baddies I don’t have room to mention. That’s why this year, my swim essentials bag is packed by the The Honest Company, which just gave me a whopping $10 off any $40 purchase, to share with Mommy Greenest readers!

The Honest Company’s products are chemical-free and safe for the whole family. Mommy Greenest readers get $10 off and/or can try free cleaning products! I am a HUGE fan of The Honest Company, which you might already know if you watched the video I posted on my YouTube channel a few weeks ago—scroll down for that—in which I was positively giddy with excitement when co-founder Christopher Gavigan invited me to tour their supercool Santa Monica headquarters.

I’ve known Christopher for nearly a decade. We first met when I toddled into his Healthy Child Healthy World office nine months pregnant to interview for a marketing position, and I ended up becoming the Executive Director of that organization after he left to found Honest with Jessica Alba.

So when people asked me if The Honest Company‘s products are really as chemical-free and safe as they say they are, I said absolutely—Christopher basically wrote the book on reducing toxic chemical exposures through choosing better products for your family. (No, really: If you don’t have it already, Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home is essential reading for every parent.)

I don’t have babies any more, so I hadn’t really tried many products until I spent an afternoon at The Honest Company HQ. They’re known for their adorable diaper bundles and baby essentials, but I had no idea that Honest really covers all the bases in the home, from cleaning products to supplements to bath and body. And beyond—as you can see in the video, Christopher has his sights set on some pretty lofty goals!

Because of the season, my current Honest obsessions all seem to involve outdoor living—hence the pool-ready kit I’m toting around. Here’s what’s in it:

SUNSCREEN
The Sunscreen Stick is my hands-down favorite block right now: It’s non-nano zinc fades to clear almost immediately and is perfect not only for slathering on faces, but because it’s a stick, my little one can use it without mess on her arms and legs, too. Plus, since my children spend more time in the pool than out, I love that the stick is water resistant for nearly an hour and a half.

SHAMPOO & DETANGLER
Especially in heavily chlorinated pools, I like to get those chemicals sudsed out quickly, and the two-in-one Shampoo and Body Wash is totally tear free for head-to-toe clean. My daughter and I now skip conditioner in favor of Honest’s Conditioning Detangler. It’s amazingly light yet effective blend of argan oil and quinoa proteins (who knew?) really works to eliminate tangles, tame flyaways and increase shine.

POST-SUN BALM
Even the most diligent sunscreener can still get burned, and that’s why Honest’s Healing Balm is in my bag, too. It’s chock full of tamanu oil, which reduces inflammation and promotes healing, plus the organic coconut oil and shea butter moisturize even unburned skin!

Want to fill your pool bag, too? Now through August 17th, U.S. and Canadian readers get $10 off any order of $40 or more when you use the exclusive Mommy Greenest code “HonestlyGreen.” Oh, and p.s. click here to try Honest cleaning products for free (you pay $5.95 for shipping and handling)! 8.11.14 Note: Sorry guys, I didn’t realize these codes are for first-time orders only. My apologies!

Honestly, it doesn’t get better than that.

This post was sponsored by The Honest Company and meets the standards I’ve established to endorse a brand as “Mommy Greenest Approved.” Click here for more about Editorial Standards.