The fact is, much of what we place on our baby’s skin is absorbed into their bloodstream. Mainstream baby products contain numerous toxic ingredients that will enter your baby’s body if used. Before buying a skincare product check the ingredient list to avoid the any ‘nasties’ that may be lurking.

1. Talc This powdered mineral is added to baby powder (and many other cosmetic powders). It’s used as a drying agent, but it’s a known lung irritant and may also be carcinogenic.

2. Fragrance Synthetic fragrance is added to countless products, either to create a particular fragrance or to mask the odour of the nasty chemicals used in production. When purchasing a skin care product ensure any fragrance added is from a natural essential oil.

3. Proplyene glycol This chemical is a penetration enhancer that is easily absorbed by the skin and may be carcinogenic. Its job is basically to open up all the pores and let the other chemicals in. Propylene glycol is used in wiper fluid and to de-ice airplanes, and yet it is often found in baby wipes, which is not safe. Look out for polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) on labels, too.

4. 1,4-dioxane and ethylated surfactants Fifty-seven percent of baby soaps are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. Although it’s never listed as an ingredient, 1,4-dioxane is often present in beauty products because it is a contaminant or by-product that occurs when ethylene oxide, is added to other chemicals to make them less harsh. If you see any ingredients that contain the letters eth, then that is an indicator of the presence of 1,4-dioxane.

5. Mineral oil Baby oil is essentially made of mineral oil mixed with fragrance, which is a nasty combination. Mineral oil is a cheap by-product of petroleum processing and acts as a plastic wrap on the skin, inhibiting the skin’s ability to release toxins. Opt instead for natural and nourishing oils such as olive, coconut, or sweet almond to massage into your baby’s skin.

6. Parabens Unfortunately parabens are everywhere. They can be found in all soaps, body washes, shampoos, and moisturizers, including those marketed toward babies. Parabens are neurotoxins and are linked to reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption, and skin irritation. Stay away from anything with ‘paraben’ in its name.

7. Triclosan Anything that’s labelled as ‘antibacterial’ likely contains triclosan, which is a carcinogenic endocrine disruptor that’s also harmful to the environment. Opt instead for a natural antibacterial such as the unique properties found in Manuka honey.

When developing the Bee Clean baby skin-care range we focused on combining natural oils, naturally-derived cleansers and ingredients such as Manuka honey, beeswax, jojoba and sweet almond oil to nourish, heal and protect the skin.

We left out all the nasties like sulphates, parabens and synthetic preservatives. What we’ve come up with is a range that is safe, effective and natural and our babies are loving it!

Honey bees help your garden grow beautiful. Having bees buzzing around to act as pollinators brings life to the yard and makes flowers and other plants lush and abundant. You can attract bees by planting wildflowers, fruits, vegetables and sunflowers. Letting your yard grow a little wild, and providing water and shelter for bees. Read on to learn more about how to attract honey bees.

1. Plant flowers native to your area. Bees evolved with wildflowers, and the bees in your area will respond best to the flowers they "grew up with," so to speak. What flowers are native to your area? If you're not sure, go to a local gardening store and ask for a native wildflower mix, or do some research online before ordering seeds. If you don't want your garden to be completely wild, choose at least a few species that will complement the rest of your garden and attract bees.

2. Plant flowers with single petals. Flowers with a single row of petals, rather than flowers with more than one row, are more attractive to bees. Single-petaled flowers have more pollen than other flowers, so they provide a little more food for hungry honey bees. It's also easier for bees to reach the pollen when there is only one row of petals to crawl across.

3. Plant yellow, white, blue and purple flowers. These colors attract bees more than pinks, oranges and reds do. Your garden doesn't have to be exclusively yellow, blue and purple, but having a good amount of flowers with these hues will keep the bees buzzing in your yard.

4. Plant flowers that bloom in sequence. If all of your flowers bloom at the same time, the bees will have a feast, then run out of food before the summer's end. Plant a variety of flowers that will bloom throughout the spring, summer, and into the fall to keep the bees in your neighborhood fed and happy.

5. Plant flowering vegetable and fruit plants. Berries, melons, squash, cucumbers, and fruit trees, especially cherry trees, all produce fragrant flowers and fruit that are attractive to bees. Bees are beneficial to these plants, so providing them in your garden will be a treat for you both.

6. Plant herbs that attract bees. If you have space for a little herb garden, that's another great way to attract bees. Mints attract certain types of bees, as do sage, rosemary, thyme, bee balm, and a number of other herbs.

7. Let it get a little wild. If your grass is close-clipped, every stick has been picked up, and there's not a muddy spot to be found, bees will have trouble finding a home in your yard, no matter how many wildflowers you plant. Bees are wild creatures who need a wild habitat to thrive.

8. Make a bee bath. Bees have trouble using birdbaths, because they aren't able to land in deep water. They need an island to land on so they can walk to the edge and take a drink or a bath without drowning. To make a bee bath, take a wide, shallow dish or tray and line the edges with flat rocks. Pour water over the rocks and into the bottom of the tray. Place it in your garden near the flowers that attract the most bees. The bees will be able to land on the rocks and access the water.

9. Stop using pesticides of any kind. Bees are susceptible to pesticides and other chemicals sprayed and used in gardens. Aim to have a pesticide-free garden and use pest-ridding remedies that are natural and not reliant on chemicals. If you do spray plants, only do so after dusk, when pollinators are least active, avoid using chemicals known to harm bees.

10. Find a local beekeeper and see if he or she would like to have their bees forage on your property.

Manuka honey is made from bees harvesting the Manuka bush.The Manuka bush – Leptospermum Scoparium – is indigenous to New Zealand.The New Zealand Maori people have been using the Manuka Honey to heal wounds for centuries.The Manuka bush grows on unspoilt, undeveloped land that is regenerating, and grows wild throughout New Zealand.The healing properties of Manuka Honey come from the nectar of the Manuka flower.Not all Manuka bushes produce UMF every year. Batch-to-batch, year-to-year the potency differs (hence the testing of every batch of Active UMF Manuka Honey.)There are two types of Manuka Honey – Active Manuka Honey and UMF Manuka Honey.Active Manuka Honey is used as a general day-to-day ‘prevention is the cure’ use to support good health.UMF Manuka Honey is a medicinal strength and is commonly used by those with underlying medical conditions.The reasons why the UMF properties change in the Manuka bush are currently being investigated by a team of researchers; thoughts are that it could be a different ‘breed’ of the bush or environmental factors.The minimum UMF rating is 10+ – any batch showing less than 10+ doesn’t qualify to be rated UMF.The UMF rating starts from 10+ and goes up to 22+.The rating for Active Manuka Honey starts from Active 5+ and goes up to Active 30+.Only Manuka Honey that has been manufactured in New Zealand is genuine Manuka Honey – not produced in neighbouring Australia for instance.Honey is cholesterol and fat free!Manuka Honey tastes quite a lot different to the honey you might be used to. Manuka Honey is a thick set honey so it’s not runny or clear. This makes it a lot richer and darker in its flavour. Take chocolate for example; take your usual milk chocolate, then compare it to a rich, dark 50% cocoa chocolate – that’s the ‘difference’ in taste between normal breakfast honey and Manuka Honey.