small things

Summer’s Butterbean

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I met my good friend Summer when we were in college at the University of Georgia.  She and her husband were our neighbors and close friends.  We welcomed our first babies together and sadly parted ways soon after, venturing out into the “real world.”   We’ve stayed friends through all the years and throughout our friendship, I have learned so much from Summer.  She taught me to cook by sharing made from scratch meals with us, motivating me to try to do the same (Jonny and I survived largely on frozen tortellini and tofu dogs in college.)  Summer introduced me to the concept of “all natural” in everything from birth to deodorant to what we put in our bodies.  She was also the first person to teach me how to knit.

When Summer told me that she had created an all natural sunscreen for her family it just made sense.  She shared that she was thinking of starting a business and I told her that I’d be her first customer.  I only wish she had created this sunscreen sooner.  Beatrix has very fair skin and we have to go to great measures to protect her from the sun.  Because of her sensitive skin we have struggled to find an effective sunscreen that doesn’t irritate her face.  Butterbean has a great consistency and a gentle fragrance derived from it’s natural ingredients rather than the strong scents typically associated with sunscreen.  Butterbean protects Beatrix’s skin without irritating it.  My whole family uses it now and loves it.

Rather than ramble on, I’ll let Summer share the story of Butterbean with you herself (and you can also visit her on her blog):

The idea for making my own sunscreen started about a year and a half ago when I was pregnant with my fourth baby. We were at the beach and I started thinking about the sunscreen I was rubbing into my baby belly. I had read about the dangers of chemical sunscreen and decided to try something better. The result is Butterbean (and a baby girl named Emerson)!

Butterbean has been a family venture–my husband, Thomas, does the art, my kids, Noah, Lydia and Tabitha help stick on the labels, the baby has inspired the baby butterbean design due to the little curl on top of her head. We all have tested the sunscreen at sports events, pool, and beach in order to bring you effective and natural protection from the sun.

I believe in small, local, and organic—things that are healthy for people and the environment. I hope you will find that in our products!

We use organic coconut oil, organic and fair trade shea butter, non-nano zinc oxide, local beeswax, and apricot kernel oil. These ingredients protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun while moisturizing and nourishing the skin. Butterbean has an SPF30 and is water resistant.

 

Summer has offered to share Butterbean with two Small Things readers.  She is offering:

-one 3 ounce jar of Buttterbean to one winner and

-one 7 ounce jar to a second winner

For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post.  For a second chance, “Like” Butterbean on Facebook and leave me a second comment letting me know you did so.

Comments will close and the winners will be randomly selected on Monday, August 6.  The winners will be announced within this post.

Catherine wins the 7 oz jar:  “I am so excited to try this. I am constantly looking for a sunscreen that will not break my skin out… or be so pasty it looks like a blob. I always revert to rashguards… Thanks, Ginny for informing me about it! and Thank you, Summer for being inspired to help your family and others be healthy! Anyone who knows there are two types of glands in my armpit… and can help with my “jogger-behemoth” smell… will have my order… LOL. YEAH!
Sorry, no Fb… Great blogs like this and 6 blessings of my own have me too busy.
Many blessings!”

Teri wins the 3 0z. jar:  “Oh I love this….just what family needs:)”

 

Thanks Summer!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Wow! After a week of camping with my blond haired blue eyed 3 year old grandson I was hoping for healthier ways of protecting his skin. Now if they could come up with a safe and effective bug repellent for the little human pincushion I would be even more thrilled.

  6. It sounds amazing, I would love to try this! My boys are also very fair and hate getting sun-screened. We use good stuff, but it’s more mass-produced, and I’d love to support a mama’s business! Thanks for the chance to win!

  11. This looks amazing!! I love the idea of simple handmade sun protection 🙂 We have a new babe on the way and would love some for her delicate skin.

  12. I will be buying this anyway. Two in our family have VERY sensitive skin so I would love to try this.
    Thanks

  15. This is exactly what we’ve been looking for. We live in the Pacific NW, and although we see the sun somewhat infrequently, when we do it can be full of skin-burning for my littles. We’ve been relying on the most natural we could find, but it too has a looong list of questionable ingredients. Thanks for the opportunity!

  17. OMG I’ve been looking for something, this just may be the answer. We haven’t used any sunscreen on our kids yet because I’m so sketch on the chemicals as well as the new information regarding the benefits of getting your Vit. D naturally and NOT using sunscreen, but making sure not to burn! I’m not sure how long we can go on doing this because we live by the beach and they are getting older and won’t want to wear long sleeves and big hats forever while their friends start learning to surf!

  19. This is so perfect! I have the same problem with fair skin, and have been searching for a sunscreen that isn’t too harsh, but still does the trick!

  21. sounds like a wonderful product!!! I would love to start using this on myself as well as my baby (who is to be born in the coming weeks). 🙂 Plus- We share the same lovely name Summer and I. 🙂

  23. Thanks, Ginny, for letting us in on this great product. I have a redhead and a blue-eyed blonde in my bunch and I am always looking for better sunscreens. Don’t enter me in the giveaway, I just ordered some.

  29. I am delighted to hear of a natural suncreen with an SPF of 30! Thank you for starting this company!

  31. liked on facebook also, then got distracted by reading all about it! sounds fantastic

  32. We go through sunscreen like crazy, and I have a hard time finding one that is ok with my daughters skin, this would be wonderful to try!

  34. this sounds amazing! as a fair-skinned, red-headed, freckled mama with a fair-skinned, blonde-headed, freckled son, we are always looking for new sunscreens!

  35. Sounds like a wonderful product! Thanks for the giveaway, and for making your readers aware of another natural, healthy, mama-owned business.

  36. I’ve been looking for a sunscreen for our new little one–this looks amazing!

  39. This week I needed sun screen urgently for my baby. And I bought some. And didn’t stop thinking about what I put in my babys skin. But I wanted to protect it from the sun. If only they had this in the store here.

  42. Have been wanting to get some more natural sun screen, would love to try out this one.

  43. Sometimes the ingredient list on a bottle of sunscreen can be scary or perplexing- so happy someone’s given it an organic makeover!

  44. This looks great. Good luck with your sunscreen Summer! Your name is a perfect fit for your new venture.

    Blessings!

  46. We would love to check this out! I have been searching for an effective sunscreen recipe, but have lost the energy to make anything these days. Hyperemesis with this pregnancy has hit me hard. Thanks for the opportunity!