Are all of your products really organic?

It's a sensible question, especially in light of the many products falsely claiming to be natural or organic. You can click on Read My Ingredients on each product page to find out exactly what is in each product. All of our teas and Happy Feet and Postpartum Bath Herbs are USDA Certified 100% Organic, others are USDA Certified Made with Organic Ingredients, or NSF/ANSI 305 Certified which both mean they contain over 70% organic ingredients. Each product has as many organic ingredients as we can pack into it, but some essential ingredients aren't available as organic yet. And of course EMAB products are free from toxins and any worrisome ingredients, like artificial preservatives, fragrances and detergents.

But, what does "organic" really mean?

It means that the plant was grown with respect for the earth, the soil, the farmer and you, the consumer. Organic farms adhere to strict standards, growing crops without the use of harmful pesticides or the usual dose of toxic chemical fertilizers. There's not really a short answer, but Mama's done the research so you don't have to. Just click on over to Mama's Reading Room and check out the info under the heading "Why Organic?"

Why aren't ALL of your ingredients organic?

Simply put, some ingredients just don't exist in an organic form, such as Vitamin E oil, and some ingredients are not available certified organic. Sometimes the herbs we use are not cultivated, they grow in the wild and are harvested with respect for sustainability and the integrity of the plant population. Since Mama is a member of United Plant Savers, we do our best to support practices that ensure healthy population of herbs growing in the wild. You will see these herbs listed as "wild harvested."

What's your position about the use of palm oil?

We share your concerns about deforestation and conservation, which is why we use only sustainably harvested palm oil in Earth Mama Angel Baby products. Our passion about caring for mamas extends to Mother Earth too, and we strive to use herbs, oils and butters that are grown and harvested only in ways that honor the earth, her people and her resources.

Do you use lanolin, SLS, parabens or other synthetic preservatives?

No, and we never have.

Should I be worried about using that stuff?

There are a lot of uneasy concerns about some of the ingredients commonly used in personal care products. Mama never wants you to have to worry about those things, so she has worked very hard to formulate the purest, safest products for mamas and babies. Over the years Mama has gathered a LOT of research, which she loves sharing, and she encourages you to educate yourself. Please visit our Reading Room for informative articles on Hidden Carcinogens in Baby Care products, or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.

If you don't use synthetic preservatives, what do you use to preserve your products to make sure they are safe and free of bacteria and mold?

All EMAB organic herbal bath and compress mixes are sealed in UV coated amber jars to protect the delicate herbal goodness in the leaves and roots from the light, and to help them resist temperature changes. The oil-based products, salves and massage oils don't contain water so they don't need a preservative to keep out the unpleasantries that can grow there.

Lotions, on the other hand (or knee, or elbow), are made by emulsifying (blending) oils and water. And because of their rich, organic and natural ingredients, they can become a perfect medium for nasty bacteria or mold. To combat that, our 100% organic preservative system is a certified organic alcohol extract of skin healing and moisturizing organic herbs. Beneficial to you, and safely preserved too!

Where is the expiration date on EMAB products?

We use a simple code that is our Sell By/Best By date as well as our batch and lot code. You will find a printed number that looks like this: 201109. 2011 is the year and 09, September is the month by when our products are guaranteed to be at their best.

I have an expired product - will it hurt me, or my baby?

We stamp a Sell By date on all of our products as a freshness guide for our resellers and customers, but this isn't an expiration date. To be sure of the quality of our products we keep a sample from each batch of each product we make. Some products in this sample inventory are over five years old and are still just fine! That said, you should always use your own best judgment, if it smells "off," don't use it. You can extend the life of oils and salves by making certain they stay cool and out of direct sunlight. So, don't store Earth Mama Angel Baby(r) products on a windowsill or in the trunk of your car and they should be fine for at least a year past the Sell By date.

I need to know if your products will irritate my or my baby's allergies.

You are the best judge of what is safe for you and your baby. You know your body best. Please refer to our Read My Ingredients! page to see if any of your known allergens are in our products. If you have specific questions or concerns about product safety, allergies or ingredients, it is always best to consult with your Midwife or Naturopathic Doctor or another trusted healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about the use of herbs during pregnancy and when breastfeeding a baby.

I am vegan, are all Mama's products vegan and cruelty-free?

Yes they are, certified vegan in fact! We use no animal products, like lanolin, and our balms are made using plant based wax instead of beeswax.

Why are there little white specks in my Natural Nipple Butter and Angel Baby Bottom Balm?

The white specks are shea butter and may appear in both the Angel Baby Bottom Balm and Natural Nipple Butter. When shea butter is cold, it solidifies. When it is warmed by contact with your skin, it should quickly melt and become a soft consistency again. Products made with natural ingredients like herbs and essential oils may vary in appearance across lots and final product batches, as they have no yucky additives to create false consistency.

Is Angel Baby Bottom Balm good to use with cotton diapers?

You bet! In fact, we've received wonderful feedback from you - our customers - saying that it is the BEST with cloth diapers!

Do I need to wash the Natural Nipple Butter off my breasts before breastfeeding my Angel Baby?

No, it's safe for both you and your angel baby. Read my ingredients!

Why did my Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash turn cloudy?

It's because during shipping it just got too cold. When the temperature drops, the natural fatty acids in these products begin to solidify and appear cloudy. Just pop your Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash into a cup of warm water and it will clear right up. Cloudy or clear, it will lather up and clean your pure, organic angel baby naturally!

Great! I want to place an order. How long will my order take to arrive?

Please see our Order Information page. If it doesn't tell you everything you need to know, there is a list of mamas you can email with questions.

Do any stores near me carry Earth Mama Angel Baby® products?

We hope so! Please check our online Store Locator to find stores in the US and Canada. If you are outside the US or Canada, please email our OrderMama to get information on where to find Earth Mama Angel Baby(r) internationally.

I have a store and I would love to resell your products, do you have a wholesale program?

We sure do! Go to our Wholesale Inquiries page to get started. If you have an online store, check out our Affiliate Program as an additional option.

How do I heat my Booby Tubes™ if I don't have a microwave?

One of our intrepid Mama's Helpers took this question on, and took some Booby Tubes™ home for a little experiment in her own oven. The results were terrific - as long as you don't forget to take the Booby Tubes™ out of the oven! Preheat your oven to the lowest setting (that was 170 degrees on Mama's Helper's oven), place your Booby Tubes™ in an oven-safe dish, away from the heating element, and heat them for 10-15 minutes. After 15 minutes they don't seem to get much warmer, so that seems to be all the time they need. Please set a timer and keep a very close eye on them while they are in the oven! One advantage of the microwave is it shuts off automatically, so with a regular oven you'll have to be more diligent.

How do I clean my Booby Tubes™?

Just wipe the outside 100% organic cotton with a damp cloth. It is important that you don't submerge them in water (or put them in a washing machine) as they are filled with flax seeds and if they get wet, they may sprout (really!!)

Why do you use plastic jars? Why don't you use glass jars?

Our commitment to honor the earth and her valuable resources extends to our packaging as well as our natural and organic ingredients. We are even the proud recipients of the BRAG (Business Recycling Award Group) for our green practices, and we are always looking for ways to better what we do. At this point, the plastic PET bottles and jars we use are the safest containers for both our products and our customers. Our containers are colored to keep out harmful UV rays. The PET we use is the most readily recyclable and the safest plastic manufactured. There's some great information about PET bottles and jars at this link.

Our products were originally packaged in glass, until we found out a woman was cut opening a jar of Natural Nipple Butter that had broken in transit. The last thing we want to do is hurt a mama with sore nipples! And we know that containers can end up bumping and slipping around changing tables and bathrooms, and can end up in little mouths too, so we choose to package our diaper cream, nipple cream and baby oil in tumble and teething resistant plastic jars.

Our opinion is that glass presents a much bigger safety concern than plastic. And as always, we're looking for the safest, purest way to keep mamas and babies happy!