How My Daughter's Diaper Rash Was Healed Quickly

Hey guys!

My 16-month old daughter had diaper rash the other day for the first time.

One morning when I opened her diaper, her bottom was red and was covered with red dots.

I think she had a bowel movement just before falling asleep and no one realized it.

However, by doing the things below, her diaper rash was healed so quickly so I want to share the four things I did today.

1. Changed her diaper frequently.

I checked her diaper frequently and when I noticed it was wet, I changed it right away.

2. Used water-soaked paper towel when she peed.

I used baby wipes only when she had bowel movements.

We are using Pampers Sensitive wipes.

When she doesn't have diaper rash, these are awesome. It runs over her skin so smoothly and it doesn't cause friction.

However, I thought just water is more gentle when she had diaper rash.

3. Used paper towels to dry her bottom, and waited for a moment until it completely dried to put a new diaper.

We have used paper towels even before she got diaper rash, but this time we waited until she became dry completely.

One note is, if your baby is very young and you don't put a new diaper soon after removing the dirty one, he/she may pee when you're waiting, so this may not be recommended.

4. Used calendula cream.

Did you know that calendula oil helps damaged skin and mucous membranes heal?
It can be used to treat the following skin issues: minor cuts, burns, sunburns, bruises, inflammation, diaper rash, etc.

We used California Baby Calendula Cream that contains calendula oil. (I wrote about this cream in this post so check it out.)

I will write more about calendula oil below.

So what is calendula oil?

Calendula is a genus of flowers that are often called marigolds whose petals vary in color, from bright yellow to orange.
The one usually used in herbal and cosmetic products is from calendula officinalis (pot marigold).
The oil is extracted from the petals. It is yellow-orange color.

I'd like to mention other uses for calendula oil.

You can use it as a makeup remover as well, although it feels very oily (well it is oil ;) ).
It's very different than oil-type makeup removers.

My favorite makeup remover (I wrote about it in this post) leaks so easily when you carry it.
Actually, it all leaked on a trip.
So, I needed to find a different makeup remover for the next trip.
I thought why don't I try the calendula oil I have since it helps healing skin issues and sounds good for skin?
The one I used is, "Weleda Calendula Baby Oil" (100% certified natural 99% organic).
I like its smell.
It removed my makeup well and the container didn’t leak at all.
It is so oily as I mentioned already, but acceptable for me to use on a short trip.

I use calendula oil to moisturize body parts as well.
Since they contain less oil than my face, it works well for my body especially in winter.

Ingredients of Weleda Calendula Baby Oil:

Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*.

* from natural essential oils

I hope your baby's diaper rash heals soon.

Thanks for reading and have a great day :)

My Favorite Non-Greasy Sunscreens

Do you use sunscreen regularly?
Which sunscreen do you use?


I use sunscreen throughout the year, even in winter.
It's because UV protection is key to healthy skin and anti-aging :)
There are two kinds of ultraviolet rays: UVA (contributes to skin aging and skin cancer risk) and UVB (contributes to sunburn).
The amount of UVB rays varies a lot throughout the year, but the intensity of UVA rays stays strong enough even in winter.
I use three different kinds of sunscreens currently for myself and one for my 15-month daughter.
Let's look at each item.

Clinique Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 40

This is my favorite sunscreen for my face. I've bought this so many times.
It is beige color and has a skin color correction effect.
I use this both when I wear everyday light makeup and when I wear heavier makeup for special occasions.
Although it is oil-free, it gives me some shine.
So, when I don't wear foundation, I apply face powder to my T-zone only over this sunscreen.
This way, the T-zone doesn't look oily but gives the cheeks some glow.
It uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as a part of the active ingredients.
These are minerals and good ingredients for sunscreens.

Active Ingredients:
Octinoxate 7.50%, Octisalate 2.00%, Titanium Dioxide 5.20%, Zinc Oxide 6.00%.
Inactive Ingredients:
Water\Aqua\Eau, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Laureth-4, PEG-100 Stearate, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Porphyra Yezoensis (Algae) Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract\Extrait D'orge, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake, Gentiana Lutea (Gentian) Root Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Plankton Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Yeast Extract\Faex\Extrait De Levure, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantethine , PVP/Hexadecene Copolymer, Acetyl Glucosamine, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyethylene, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Methicone, Nylon-12, Zeolite, Lecithin, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isostearic Acid, Calcium Chloride, Alumina, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)

Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

I use this for my body.
I've bought this several times.
I like this because it's not greasy and it's sold at a reasonable price (it was a little bit above $10 when I bought it).
This product contains relatively mild ingredients mostly.
I wish this is sold at grocery stores, but it's not where I live. I need to go to a drug store or order online.

Active Ingredients:
Avobenzone 2%, Homosalate (13%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (2%), Oxybenzone 4%
Inactive Ingredients:
Water, Sorbitol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl 3 Diisostearate, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Carbomer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA


Loretta Ohisama Nakayoshi UV Care Shuu SPF 50+

I usually use a sunscreen for my body on the neck as well, but I use this spray type sunscreen for my neck these days.
This is made in Japan.
"Ohisama" is a cute way to say "the sun" in Japanese.
"Nakayoshi" is a cute way to say "pal".
"Shuu" is an onomatopoeia that expresses the sound of the spray coming out.
This is easy to apply and smells good. The scent is from damask rose oil.
I felt that it was just an OK smell the first time I used it but I like the smell now.
It's not greasy at all.
One drawback is that because this is a spray type, you may inhale a little bit of particles.

Ingredients (transtaled to English by me. I tried to list these as accurately as possible, but they are not confirmed by the company.):
LPG, water, cyclopentasiloxane, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl palmitate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, polymethylsilsesquioxane, rosa damascena flower oil, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil, sodium hyaluronate, royal jelly extract, octocrylene, butylene glycol, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, polysilicone-14, trimethylsiloxysilicate, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, PEG-10 dimethicone, PEG/PPG-19/19 dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, disteardimonium hectorite, fragrance

Nature's Gate Kids Vegan Sunscreen SPF 50

This is for my daughter but I sometimes borrow it.
This is on the greasy side.
The package says "Pediatrician Tested".
I did some research on my own because there are many cases where a product is not good / mild even when its package says "Recommended by dermatologist / pediatrician" or "Dermatologist / pediatrician tested".
It uses zinc oxide as a part of the active ingredients, which is a mineral and a good ingredient for sunscreen.
Other ingredients are relatively mild as well.

Active Ingredients:
Octinoxate (7.5%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (7%), Zinc Oxide (6.9%)
Inactive Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Magnesium Sulfate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethlyhexanoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl 2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglyceryl 4 Isostearate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Water

Let's use sunscreen throughout the year and keep healthy skin!
Thanks for reading and have a great day :)

The Health Benefits of Natto

Do you like natto?

Do you know what natto is?

Natto is a Japanese food.

It's fermented soybeans.

It has a strong, somewhat unpleasant smell.

It is sticky and stringy.

However, it's so tasty and good for your health!

Actually, I didn't like it the first couple times I tried it because of the smell.

I love it now!

Natto is a great source of protein.

Also, it has the following health benefits:

- Anti-aging effect

Natto contains polyamine, which is necessary for cell division. Active cell division contributes to staying young.

- Relieves constipation

I am not constipated anyway, but I have a bowel movement after eating natto. The sliminess of natto and fibers help.

- Thrombolytic effect

Natto contains an enzyme called nattokinase. It has a thrombolytic and blood thinning effect. However, nattokinase is damaged by heat, so it's best to eat natto without heating to preserve the effectiveness of nattokinase.

- Prevention of osteoporosis

Natto contains not only calcium but also vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 has a blood clotting effect and also helps to deposit more calcium in bones.

It seems that natto contains both an ingredient that has a blood thinning effect (nattokinase), as well as an ingredient that has a blood clotting effect (vitamin K2), so I'm not sure how this affects your blood actually.

I recommend you to consult with a doctor if you have a blood issue.

Although natto is very nutritious, you shouldn't eat too much in one day (this is applicable to other foods as well).

The recommended limit you can enjoy safely is two packs per day.

If you eat too much natto in one day, then you might have taken in too much isoflavone (which could disturb the balance of female hormones, but a moderate amount of it helps in preventing osteoporosis) and too much selenium (which could cause nausea, diarrhea, etc. but a moderate amount of it has an antioxidant effect).

However, I have eaten three packs of natto in a day. It had been so rare for me to do so, and I haven't done that since I came to the U.S. I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to freak out if you exceed two packs without knowing it.

Below is a natto pasta recipe. This is very easy.


1. Ideally, it's better to defrost natto at room temperature, since nattokinase is damaged by heat.

So, take the packet(s) of natto out of the freezer a couple hours before cooking if possible.

If you use normal sized packet(s), an appropriate amount is one packet per person.

There are bigger packets that contain two servings in one packet. If you use that kind, you will need half the number of packets as the number of people.

2. Boil a pasta of your choice.

I often use whole wheat thin spaghetti since it cooks quickly.

3. If you were not able to defrost the natto beforehand, microwave the frozen natto.

If you did, continue to step 4.

I will do 15 seconds or so in the original styrofoam container, since it is hard to remove natto from the container when it's fully frozen.

If it's still difficult to remove, you can add more time.

After that, put the natto in a different bowl/plate that is not plastic/styrofoam.

Microwave it for 15 seconds or so.

Check if the natto is defrosted, if not, add more time. Do not overheat.

4. Mix the accompanying sauce with the natto if sauce comes with it. If not, add a little bit of soy sauce.

5. Place the natto on top of your pasta.

6. Mix them as you eat.

Natto is usually available in Japanese grocery stores and sometimes in Asian grocery stores.

Thanks for reading and have a great day :)

My Routine Skin Care Items

What is your skin care routine?

I will write about my skincare items today.
I'm in my late 30's and I have combination skin, a little bit oily on my nose but dry in some areas.
I usually use skin care items that are gentle on my skin but I'm using one very chemical based item currently: an eye cream.
Now let's look at each item.

Makeup remover: atuypirka Cleansing Gel Pack

This is made in Japan. I love this. 
After you blend it with your makeup on your face, the gel changes to an oil-like texture.
(If you keep blending too long, your face will become dried after rinsing, so stop at an appropriate point.)
This removes makeup well, doesn't dry my skin, and smells nice since it contains lavender essential oil.

Ingredients (translated to English by me. I tried to list these as accurately as possible, but they are not confirmed by the company.):
isopropyl palmitate, triethylhexanoin, cetyl ethylhexanoate, octyldodeceth-25, water, sorbitol, glycerin, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, sea cucumber extract, placenta extract, glycyrrhizic acid dipotassium salt, fucus vesiculosus extract, luffa cylindrica fruit/leaf/stem extract, clematis vitalba leaf extract, equisetum arvense extract, hedera helix (ivy) leaf/stem extract, spiraea ulmaria flower extract, cnidium officinale rhizome extract, coix lacryma-jobi ma-yuen seed extract, betula platyphylla japonica juice, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, vitamin A oil, tocopherol, zea mays (corn) oil, soybean oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, butylene glycol, caprylyl glycol

Cleanser: babyganics shampoo + body wash, fragrance free

We bought this for our daughter initially. However, I'm using it as my face wash as well.
The name "babyganics" conjures images of organic products, but their products are not totally organic (they use some organic ingredients but not all).
Although it's not organic, it does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, the ingredients are mild, and it doesn't dry my baby or my skin.
It's easy to use since it comes out as foam. You don't need to make lather yourself!
I've read some reviews that say the pump became difficult to use over time.
It happened to us when we first bought this product. However, since we like this a lot, we keep getting it.
It hasn't happened since then.

Ingredients:
water, sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, caprylyl/capryl glucoside, propanediol, acrylates copolymer, sodium lauroyl oat amino acids, glycerin, ethylhexylglycerin, citric acid, trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate, dehydroacetic acid, solanum lycopersicum (tomato) seed oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil, nigella sativa (black cumin) seed oil*, rubus idaeus (red raspberry) seed oil, phenoxyethanol, sodium hydroxide, sodium phytate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, persea gratissima (avocado) fruit extract*
*Certified Organic Ingredient 

Lotion: atuypirka Beauty Lotion

This is made in Japan.
Although it takes a bit of time to be absorbed in my skin, it hydrates my skin well.
After applying this lotion and the cream mentioned below, I do something else (change my daughter's diaper etc.) until they are absorbed before applying makeup.
This doesn't bother me since I need to do that something else anyway, but I think it would be awesome if it is absorbed in my skin more quickly, because I think some of the lotion may evaporate. 

Ingredients (translated to English by me. I tried to list these as accurately as possible, but they are not confirmed by the company.): 
water, glycerin, butylene glycol, betaine, phenoxyethanol, xanthane gum, sodium hyaluronate, polyglyceryl-10 laurate, betula platyphylla japonica juice, tremella fuciformis polysaccharide, sea cucumber extract, placenta extract, hydrolyzed collagen, centaurea cyanus flower extract, pueraria root extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, chlorella extract, hydrolyzed elastin

Cream: California Baby Calendula Cream

This cream smells very nice. I believe this is from the calendula extract and essential oils.
We bought this for our daughter as a diaper cream, but I use it as my face cream as well.
It keeps my face moisturized.
I apply it to my daughter's neck as well.  She smells very nice just after application. The scent fades away.

Ingredients:
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride (Sourced from Coconut or Olive), Cetyl Alcohol (Sourced from Coconut or Olive), Stearic Acid (Sourced from Coconut or Olive), Glycerin USP (Sourced from Coconut or Olive), Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate (Sourced from Coconut or Olive), Canola Oil (Certified Organic), Calendula Officinalis Extract (Calendula) (Certified Organic), Viola Tricolor Extract (Pansy) (Certified Organic), Yucca Schidigera Extract (Yucca), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera) (Certified Organic), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary) (Antioxidant), Pure Essential Oils of Lavandula Angustifolia (French Lavender) and Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage), Caprylhydroxamic Acid (Amino Acid) (and) Glyceryl Caprylate

Eye cream: Shiseido Future Solution LX Eye and Lip Contour Regenerating Cream

This has a subtle floral scent.
I usually don't like a scent in skin care products except essential oil scents, but this one is subtle and OK for me.
This cream is on the thicker side.
I had stopped using eye cream when I gave birth since I wanted to make my skin care as simple as possible.
My daughter is a 15-month old now and I have more time to spend on skin care, so I resumed using an eye cream.
I have some under eye wrinkles so I apply this every morning and night.
I hope this will diminish the appearance of my under eye wrinkles.

Ingredients:
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate/Benzoate/Ethylhexanoate, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Silica, Stearyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Piperidineropionic Acid, Batyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Stearate, Dimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Fragrance, Sorbitan Tristearate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, BHT, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-240/HDI Copolymer BIS-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite, Potassium Hydroxide, Iron Oxides, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Linalool, Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Serine, Prunus Speciosa Leaf Extract, Iron Oxides, Glycine, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ononis Spinosa Root Extract, Averrhoa Carambola Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Tocopherol

We spend some time on skin care every day.

If you find you're having a relaxing/calm or positive/happy skin care time, keep it up.

If not, take a deep breath - breathe in --- breathe out --- and let's make it a better time.

Thanks for reading and have a great day :)