Dolphin Organics: Review & Giveaway! {Closed}

As a green and health-conscious mama, I'm always excited to discover new eco-friendly and toxin-free products for babies and children - especially when they're created by a company that is as committed and passionate as the one I'll be telling you about today!

Dolphin Organics is a family owned and operated business based in NY state which offers two lines of personal care products for little (and not-so-little!) ones. First launched at the Natural Products Association Marketplace in 2011, the company was subsequently chosen as one of NBC New York's feature stories for NBC Universal Green Week and then named the 2012 Best Kids Skin & Hair Care line by Delicious Living Magazine.

So why is the company making such a splash? (Pun intended. ;) Well first of all, every Dolphin Organics product can boast the standard "green & natural" claims - i.e., 100% plant-derived, free of harsh chemicals (parabens, phthalates, artificial dyes and fragrances, etc.), certified cruelty-free and vegan. Second, all products are made in the United States. Most notably, three main things set Dolphin Organics apart from their naturally-minded competition:

• All of their products use organic aloe as a base. Aloe contains 75 nutrients, hundreds of active compounds, 20 essential minerals, 18 amino acids and 12 vitamins, all which serve to nourish and protect even the most delicate skin. 
• The company believes in complete transparency and simplicity in labelling, so it's plain to see which ingredients are organic, which are natural and, for some products, where the ingredient comes from and why it's used. I believe Dolphin Organics is setting an awesome standard here that other companies should strive to follow!

•  In addition to thousands of hours of industry research, the company incorporated in-depth consumer feedback from real moms across the country, which has led to their continually expanding Dolphin Moms™ program.

The company's two product lines break down as follows:

• Dolphin Organics (their original line) is designed for babies and toddlers. Formulated to be gentle enough for newborns, it includes shampoo & body wash, conditioner, lotion and bubble bath. All products are certified natural, and have a pH very close to a baby's tears and skin so they are naturally tear-free. The line is also certified to NSF/ANSI 305 by QAI which means all products have to be at least 70% organic (the owner told me theirs are actually closer to 86% organic!) and all other ingredients must be agriculturally-derived and non-GMO. Additionally, all products score either a 0 or 1 on the EWG's Skin Deep cosmetics database.
• DO Naturals is intended for older children and adults. It was developed with the recognition that as children grow, their personal care needs change and baby products are no longer as effective. In addition to hair and body care, the line also includes two mineral-based SPF32 and SPF50 sunscreens. DO Naturals products are not certified organic, but many of the ingredients are and all are approved by the NPA.

All in all, I'm totally digging what Dolphin Organics (as a company) is all about. So let's get to the products themselves.

For review purposes, I was sent a Dolphin Organics Shampoo & Body Wash (8oz, Simply Citrus scent) and a DO Naturals Sunscreen SPF32 (3 oz).

Product Info - Shampoo & Body Wash:

Our tear free Simply Citrus™ Shampoo & Body Wash is made from only 100% natural and certified organic ingredients and uses organic aloe leaf juice to gently cleanse hair and skin without stripping natural oils.

My Review - Shampoo & Body Wash:

In addition to being all-natural and non-toxic, I feel a great baby shampoo & body wash should have a pleasant scent, lather well, last awhile (i.e. a little should go a long way!) and leave my children's hair manageable and soft, and their skin smooth and healthy. I'm happy to report that the Dolphin Organics Simply Citrus S&BW performs well in all these areas!

The scent is definitely citrus-y, but in a subtle, natural and invigorating way - i.e. it doesn't assault your olfactory system like most artificially-scented products! My daughter is a fan of it too. When I ask her to pick which wash she wants before bath time (out of the three we have on the go right now), she chooses the Dolphin Organics most often!

Suds-wise, the product creates an appreciable amount both for washing hair and when squirted under the faucet to create a bubble bath, which is the method we use for getting our kiddos clean.

A little certainly goes a long way with this product! I only need about a 1/4 tsp to wash my daughter's hair (less for my son), and around 1 tsp for the bubble bath. Doing the math, this adds up to between 30 and 40 baths per 8 oz bottle with both littles in the tub. That's some pretty good mileage!

When it comes to detangling hair post-bath, this shampoo is comparable to most others we've tried. Our daughter's hair does get fairly matted, but this is nothing her trusty Little Mermaid paddle brush can't handle!

Once dry, her hair is left super soft, silky and bouncy.

Now our daughter's hair is very fine so it's pretty manageable with a shampoo alone. The Dolphin Organics line does include a conditioner, however, which would surely be helpful for children with coarser and/or thicker hair in particular.

Finally, all signs point to the product being gentle on our children's skin. Both come out of the bath feeling smooth and silky, and neither have had any recent rashes, dry skin or any other related issues. So, at the very least I can vouch for the fact that it hasn't caused any issues for our kiddos!

As for criticisms, I can only come up with one and it has to do with the dispensing of the product rather than the product itself. This shampoo is much thinner than average so it runs inside the bottle rather than "gloops" (if you know what I mean). Now, the dispensing mechanism is the "pop the cap, turn upside down and squirt" variety, which works fine for thick shampoos as squeezing is required to get the product out. In this case, however, the shampoo starts running out as soon as the bottle is upside down, so it's prone to dripping down the side and over-dispensing. As such, I think a pump mechanism would work better for this particular product.

Overall, I'd whole-heartedly recommend the Dolphin Organics Simply Citrus Shampoo & Body Wash to other parents on the hunt for an all-natural, pleasant-smelling and effective shampoo and body wash for their littles.


Product Info - DO Naturals Sunscreen SPF32:

Our SPF32 mineral sunscreen offers broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection without harsh chemicals or nano particles. With active ingredients Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Protect your family from sun damage with our all natural mineral sunscreen. Like our original Dolphin Organics™ line, our sunscreen is based in certified organic aloe, not water so a little goes a LONG way!

My Review - DO Naturals Sunscreen SPF32:

A few years ago, upon discovering that many of the ingredients in "standard" sunscreens are endocrine disruptors and may be unsafe in other ways, my family switched to using mineral sunscreen (i.e. titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide based) and we haven't looked back. Our experience with several different brands demonstrated that they get the job done as well as chemical-based sunscreens, but, on the down side, it takes longer to apply them (since they create a barrier on top of skin rather than getting absorbed, you need to really work 'em in to avoid looking like a ghost) and they leave a bit of an unpleasant coating on the skin. I was certainly curious to see if the DO Naturals Sunscreen would follow suit, or if I'd have a different experience with this one.

First things first - this sunscreen is fragrance free, so it has virtually no scent - just an extremely subtle clay-like aroma. Some people may like this, others may not. I personally don't need my sunscreen to smell like a pina colada, so I'm cool with it.

Next, the consistency. This sunscreen is much more lotion-like than others we've tried, which tend to be thicker and chalkier feeling. So this was a pleasant discovery.

So the big question - how nicely does it apply? Well, about the same as the others I've tried. With its lotion-like consistency, it feels a little nicer on the skin, but you still need to put in considerable time & effort to rid yourself of that oh-so-attractive undead look. Once properly applied, however, the DO Naturals wins out in terms of "skin feel" - notably smoother with less of a caked on sensation than most of the other brands.

It also rocks mileage-wise - like the shampoo & body wash, but even more so. For example, I can cover a full arm with a dollop the size of my pinky fingertip. OK yes, I'm ridiculously skinny at this point in my life, but that's still impressive, no?? :)

As expected, this sunscreen appears to do its job just as well as the others we've tried. We've used it on long walks, at festivals and other lengthier outdoor activities and it's kept our skin totally burn-free. It stays on well when exposed to the elements, which is obviously a good thing at splash pads and pools! I'd say we haven't really "stress tested" it yet as we tend to stay out of the sun and/or cover up during peak hours, however we'll likely get the chance later this fall as we're considering an all-inclusive vacation somewhere warm and (hopefully) sunny. Ahhhh....!

All in all, the DO Naturals Sunscreen SPF32 is a solid choice for families looking for an effective mineral-based sunscreen which is safe and gentle enough to use for parents and young children alike.


Buy It:

Dolphin Organics products can be purchased directly from the company website or from numerous online and "brick and mortal" stores. Third party retailers are located mainly in the United States at this point but are beginning to branch out internationally with three stores in Canada (WholeGrain Pharmacy, Natural Life Health Market and Better Baby Bums) and and one in the UK (HealthMonthly).

Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a $25 store credit to spend on Dolphin Organics products! Open to CAN/US.  

Important Note - if the winner lives in the United States, the store credit will be redeemable at the Dolphin Organics website; if the winner lives in Canada, it will be redeemable at WholeGrain Pharmacy.

A little more about WholeGrain Pharmacy, our Canadian sponsor - based in Vancouver, British Columbia, this store sells healthy and beauty products which contain absolutely no toxic ingredients commonly found in mainstream cosmetics and health products. Each product is hand-picked by a licensed pharmacist and was created using organic, ethno-botanical and fair-trade ingredients. The owner's goal for the store is to promote healthy living choices simply by offering effective, honestly organic products, expert advice, and a great service.

To enter this giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Dolphin Organics / WholeGrain Pharmacy (as applicable).  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample items free of charge directly from Dolphin Organics.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.