Who Loves You, Baby?

There are plenty of reasons to like California Baby products. First and foremost, this line of bath and skincare products does all it can to minimize environmental impact: packing its biodegradable goodies in readily recyclable tubes and bottles, tagging with labels printed with soy ink, shipping in recycled paper cartons with biodegradable packing peanuts.

Of course, if the stuff inside all that eco-friendly packaging doesn't work, what good is it? Thankfully, that's not an issue with California Baby, originally created for tots but good for, well, just about everybody. Standouts of the line include a calendula hand wash — gentle enough for a gazillion swine flu busting scrubs a day — and this sunscreen, which protects from both UVA and UVB rays without chemicals, paba, or oil. A nice touch on all of their products is the ingredient list, which explains what otherwise mysterious components, like alkylbenzoate — essentially, an innocuous moisturizer — actually do.

If you've got super-sensitive skin or conditions like eczema (I'm cagily raising my hand here) these products are a fabulous option. And as wacky as it might sound, the brand's calming and diaper creams are great soothers for grownup rough elbows or cracked skin on heels. There are also a bunch of unscented items in the range that you could easily add your own favorite fragrance to (or mix in several) for a custom-scented shower gel or shampoo.

Thought you'd outgrown bubble bath with the word "Baby" in its name? Oh baby, were you ever wrong…

For more information on California Baby products, go to www.californiababy.com.