Scent Republik - Whoosh Stick

Children can’t help it; they love running around, climbing up trees and getting themselves dirty. We certainly don't want that to change at The Amazing Blog, but a product to ensure that our children don't smell like wild ones is a concept we can’t argue with. Scent Republik's Scent Sticks for children provide us with just that - six fragrances in a stick form that is easy to handle, and fun to use.

The brand Scent Republik was created by two fathers, Kevinn Hirsch and Alex Theodorou, who wanted to offer children on the verge of puberty a non-sexualized scent. They aimed to create products that make children feel good about themselves, whatever mood they are in, or no matter the daily tasks they face. The different scents are subtle and natural, and as they are manufactured in the UK, and made from cruelty-free and vegan-friendly ingredients, the products are suitable for children even with sensitive skin. The brand offers a variety of six different sticks, each with a fantastic name that underlines the children’s mood: Chill, BFF, Fab, Yay, Zap and Whoosh.

We were sent the Whoosh Scent, a blend of raspberry, strawberry and cassis. Like with all of the range, the packaging is travel-friendly, and the stick can be used up to 1000 times. These fragrances are the perfect cross-over from overly sweet child-like perfumes to adult fragrances, which are pricier and let’s face it, not suitable for children. Little ones can use the Scent Republik sticks as a type of invisible marker, and will be greeted with a non-sticky, and fresh formula. This dries quickly, so it can be applied in an instant - the least time chasing children around with products, the better!

Try these lovely scents here, perhaps as a gift for a loved one - we think they’d be great stocking fillers. Each stick is priced at £4.95.

B-Organic

Here at The Amazing Blog we're suckers for an organic skincare range, and even more so for one that works just as well as their chemical packed competitors. So when we came across B-Organic's completely organic and natural range we had to try it! The B-Organic website is full of products for adults as well as children, all being certified organic. I tried the  Hydrating Organic Face Cream, and I even brought it on holiday with me to give it a proper test! I found that the cream not only went on really smoothly, but also sunk into my skin nicely. It didn't leave a slimy texture on my skin like some moisturisers do, and you really feel like you're treating your skin. If you don't believe me though, check their website, there are tons of comments from other very happy users. Not only is the B-Organic range perfect for people with normal skin, but if you suffer from skin conditions like eczema or very dry skin then this is a range you'd want to try! All the B-Organic ranges are Paraben-free, Ethoxylate-free, Propylene Glycol-free, Silicone-free, DEA-free and artificial colour-free. This means that all the products going onto your skin are high quality and won't be harmful to your skin. B-Organic has a range of skincare,  lip balms, hair care, bath and body care, and children's products.

So whether you're needing an organic range for you or your little one, B-Organic is sure to have a product to suit you. Check out their website for their entire range.

Stuff of Nightmares Exhibition

So we are well into August now and I’m guessing many parents out there will be well and truly sick of having their little dears at home and underfoot by now. So while you count down the days until the beginning of the new school year (and the rediscovery of your sanity), Felix and Amelia seem intent on maiming each other on the Wii, all the while telling you how booooored they are. Why not give them an entertaining day out, with a mild dose of the scares thrown in too – no better way of reasserting your authority we feel!

The ‘Stuff of Nightmares’ exhibition explores the darker side of traditional fairy tales looking under the veneer of innocence of the stories we have told and re-told to successive generations of small children. The original tales were dark and sinister, depicting worlds populated by witches, trolls, goblins, and wolves, and were quite explicitly violent. Subsequent versions became somewhat sanitised for a child audience and many of the stories underpin the narrative of contemporary children's literature and film. The fairytales we tell children usually assume an air of innocence - good always triumphs over evil, heroes are selfless and love is everlasting - some fairy tales however, explore the darker side of a child’s imaginary landscape…

During The Stuff of Nightmares the gallery is transformed into a creepy forest where anything might happen. The dark setting for a re-telling of the Brothers Grimm’s ‘Fundevogel’, a tale of abduction, fear, evil old women, revenge and ultimately, the power of friendship. The installation, made by local schoolchildren working with artists, sits alongside work by Katherine Tulloh, Ruth Weinberg, Jemima Brown, Daniel Bell and Sharon Brindle, which takes a closer look at the playthings of innocents. Rather more sinister than sweet.

The exhibition also includes a police identity parade of villainous toy suspects, rounded up to assist the forest police with their inquiries. This provides a rare opportunity for some of the Museum's far from cute objects to be on display.

This exhibition runsuntil 26 February 2012.

V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Rd, London, United Kingdom E2 9PA