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

  1. We live somewhere where it is almost impossible to find natural sunscreen and I love to see more and more people come up with valid alternatives! Well done, Summer!

  3. What a great idea! I also burn easily, and I always try to look for sunscreen for sensitive skin, but I know that it’s still full of chemicals. Butterbean sounds lovely 🙂

  4. I would love a chance to use an all natural sunscreen product on any of our 6 kids!

  9. what lovely sounding sunscreen, and I love small business and people trying to make their lives better and more natural.

  10. I’d love to give this a try. We’ve been using Kiss My Face, but I’m sure it still has a ton of chemicals in it. Thanks!

  12. i love to use all natural health and beauty products,but i have yet to find a sunscreen that i like that is truly all natural.i’m hoping that butterbean will fit the bill. it certainly sounds promising!thank you for the chance to win a jar!

  15. Oh WOW. We are fair skinned (my son especially so, red hair palest skin ever!) and have been trying to find an all natural alternative to the sun screen out there. Even the “organic” one we are currently using doesn’t compete with the above. We’d love to win it and try it out!

  22. Oh! Fantastic! This looks wonderful — natural sunscreen that works is something I would LOVE to have for my fair-skinned family!

  29. Great giveaway! Sounds like an awesome product. I’ve been searching for a natural sunblock that goes on better than the ones I’ve tried. I will definitely buy some if I don’t win the giveaway (and probably if I do, too!). 🙂

  31. I can’t wait to visit Summer’s site! Sunscreen and I have a love/hate relationship as both my daughter and I have very fair skin that is ultra-sensitive to chemicals.

  34. thanks for doing a give away! this stuff sounds great! i’d love to use it for my two little ones on our up-coming trip to mexico!

  39. I would love to try some of this. Both my daughter and I have fair skin which gets hard at times. 🙂 Great idea!

  43. Would love to try a free jar of sunscreen. Love the all natural aspects of it. And the natural fragrance.

  46. i’d love to try this! my son has eczema and for 8.5 years now it’s been a struggle to find something that doesn’t cause irritation and an outbreak. 🙁