Continuing on my journey from the BlogHer 2011 Social Media Conference in San Diego…my remaining Top 10 Likes (6-10): (To the right is @RedLotusMama, @JustOneMiss and me taking a stroll down PlaySkool’s Sesame Street.  They recently acquired the Sesame Street license and have a new line of toys out in time for Christmas!)

6. Johnson&Johnson Corporate and Social Responsibility– Having been a loyal subscriber to my blog, you know by now that I am an advocate for all things natural, and I also am an advocate for community support and social responsibility.  That is why when I first walked through the Johnson&Johnson exhibit, I went in a little judgemental.  The first thing that popped in my mind was all the chemicals used to make our babies smell so delicious with their infamous pink lotion.  The thought of the eczema all over my daughter’s skin because of it, and the fact that I now had to read labels everywhere I went because obviously, Big Biz isn’t looking out for me and my family’s well being.  But I took a gander anyway, and was intrigued by the community programs they have set up for consumers and bloggers alike.  The one that helped me walk away with a bit of a different outlook on the company was their Corporate and Social Responsibility table.  Again, I pessimistically asked the rep, “How long has Johnson&Johnson had this division?”  Thinking, naively that they would respond within the last 10 years or so, a quick fix to appease the changing demands of their more culture and community savvy consumers.  She answered with a matter of fact, “Since 1906.  In fact, our first philanthropic campaign was to help out those affected by the Great Fire of San Francisco in 1906.”  Their company has been based out of New Jersey since it’s fruition.  That is some serious dedication to the United States, especially 100 years ago when it wasn’t so easy to get across the country to lend a hand.  I do believe there is more they can do to make their natural products, well, more natural, but in a pinch, I will go with the product whose company I feel good about because they are community advocates as well.

7. edenfantasys.com– Yes, I was given a BOB (Battery Operated Boyfriend) at BlogHer 2011.  I said it.  And, it’s a totally girly BOB!  Would that make it my BOG (Battery Operated Girlfriend) or my BOGB (Battery Operated Gay Boyfriend)?  Either way, it’s pink, with big crystal ball on the handle and embossed pink hearts all over it.  And, it’s my prize SWAG because it took me two days to get to the front of the line at the edenfantasys.com booth…every day they were at least 2-3 bloggers deep grabbing for their SWAG bag filled with all kinds of fun, adult stuff.  Mom’s need a break, too!  So deep inside my bags filled with cleaning products, school supplies and food stuffs, hid my fun, pink, BOB to take home for me!  The funny thing is that it is totally noisy, and it sounds a lot like the bubble gun my mom bought the kids at Sea World.  Every time I heard that noise, I would turn in fear of them holding up this bright pink, vibrating object ala the movie, Parenthood, and asking if it was a flashlight.  Go ahead, click the link…you know you want to!!

8. philosophy SkinCare Line– As I mentioned in the previous post, I was given the opportunity to try out this line, or at least some samples from it.  For the rest of my vacation, I used the purity made simple one-step facial cleanser and the keep the peace protective color corrector spf 20.  What intrigued me by this line was the close comparison to the skin line I already use, and the price point was a little more appealing.  You can purchase the full size anti-age skincare collection for $110, which includes all the products you need to get started.  I am a Cetaphil girl myself for cleanser, but I have to admit, I really liked this face wash.  My skin felt a little congested after the moisturizer, but that could have just been the fact that I switched to something new.  I will be giving that anti-age line a try though to see how it compares with my current products.

9. Boiron Products– I was introduced to this homeopathic, all-natural brand back in college, and it has been apart of my medicine cabinet ever since.  I even use the children’s line, that’s how much I believe in it.  At the booth, they handed me their Cold Season starter pack, which has everything I have already used, along with a bag full of their teething product, Camilia.  It started out as a box or two, then they found out I had teething twins, and handed me a whole bag.  I have to admit, it was a sweet deal.  I’ve been using it on the twins for the last few weeks.  Admittedly, I still succumb to Children’s Advil at night time because, let’s face it, we all need our sleep around here.  But, during the day, I prefer to give them the Camilia because otherwise, I fear they would be constantly dosed up with Advil, and it’s nice to have options where I’m not concerned about their little bodies handling that much medication.  It seems to calm them during the day, enough to get by.  It is also benzocaine free, the stuff that numbs their gums.  This is also the same stuff that can make it tough for them to swallow or breathe if given too much due to the numbing effect.  At the Expo, another leading brand offered me a tube of their new natural product for teething.  I tried that as well, and my Baby A was gagging and struggling a little with swallowing, so that was enough for me to toss it.  The reps at the Boiron booth were also happy to be there.  You could sense they were proud of their products and the company, so they were engaging with us Bloggers.  I love supporting a company that supports their people and genuinely believes their product is for the greater good.

10. The Mother Company– “Can I offer you a Starbucks iced latte?” That was how I was lured into The Mother Company booth.  A cute, spunky woman who sought me out in a crowd of about 25 bloggers, gathering around her booth.  She asked me if I had kids, which to my reply, her eyes got wide and she gasped a little.  I love the reactions people give me when I tell them how many, as if I am the only person in the world with 4 kids.  Anyway, we started talking about the Mother Company, and what is was all about.  But she had me sold when she handed me a DVD with a sassy looking 1950’s mama on the front (reminded me a bit of Joan from Mad Men in an apron) about feelings…a subject I’ve found challenging to address with my own kids lately.  I didn’t have time to check out their website right away, but I got a really good feeling from the women there.  Especially since they also had their investors with them, women who had grown children, investing in us women, with the new generation to raise.  Talk about support!  I popped the DVD into the car when I had the kids and they loved it.  My daughter was singing the “Happy Song” for days.  I finally had a chance to visit their site, and loved how they address everything from Kindergarten readiness, to divorce, to Helicopter parenting, to imaginary friends.  It’s all there.  A wholesome resource for mamas to explore.

That was fun to re-live!  BlogHer 2011 went so quickly, there was so much to learn, and I was exhausted come Saturday night.  It was a great experience and hopefully, you gained a little more insight into products and places as well.

Thanks for reading!

*Products discussed in this post were given to me for free, however my words and thoughts are 100% my own.