sneak peek - tiny hands!

After last weeks Babies R' Us method clearance extravaganza comes even more news! method luster Natalie dropped me an email this week letting me know that, as she was looking for those great method deals, she'd stumbled upon some brand new method kids products during a run to her local Babies R' Us! So sure enough, I did a quick search on their website and right there they were! (I haven't had a chance to check them for myself, yet! But you know I will!)

It looks like method is continuing to revamp their kids line, calling it Tiny Hands and has added two foaming hand washes to the bunch, in brand spankin' new scents (well, sorta.) Introducing sweet pea! And crisp apple! (Ok, so crisp apple has been around in their kids line of body wash and shampoos, but never as a hand wash!)


Actually the crisp apple hand wash is funny to me, because no joke, just yesterday a friend of mine made a comment about how she's just used some method hand wash, and her hands "smelled liked green apples now!" I proceeded to tell her I was very worried, as method didn't make a green apple scented hand wash (turns out it was green tea + aloe! Ha!)

Well, now she can get some crisp apple foaming hand wash! I'm really curious to get a whiff of the sweet pea! I'm sure it won't smell anything like this, but Mrs. Meyers has a snap pea scent that literally smells like fresh peas! I'm wondering if it'll be similar (cause I lust that scent!)


Along with the new foaming hand washes comes sweet pea baby laundry detergent! According to their site (at this time, at least) Babies R' Us is only carrying the 50 load bottle. I have a feeling this will replace the current baby laundry detergent from method (but, don't take that as gospel!)

Right now all of these products are available online, as well as rolling out at Babies R' Us stores! I haven't heard if anyone has found these at Target, Lowes, etc. so I'll let everyone know, once I've received more information!

Head on out and pick some up, and let method lust know what you think of the new scent, sweet pea! Wait, I was talking about the scent, not you. Oh, ok. You're a sweet pea, too. Yes you are! Oh yes you are. You know you are-ee war-ee. Oh who's a sweet pea? Who's my little sweet pea? Oh yes, yes, yes, you are...

+

PS - Thanks for the heads up, Natalie!

be my baby!

Got a Babies R Us near you? Well, grab that purse/wallet and run on over! method lust reader Katie informed me over the weekend that she stopped into her nearest Babies R Us and found method Le Scrub for drum roll... 98 cents! It wasn't even listed as such on the shelf, and she didn't even realize what a deal she'd snatched up until she went to check out!

So needless to say, I had to do a quick run, and let me just tell you, it was like walking into a foreign country. I was actually uncomfortable in Babies R Us. Ha ha! I was like the odd man out! But anyway, ignoring all that, I found a slew of deals! I'm talking 98 cents Lil' Bowl Blu (my two stores were all out of the Le Scrub, in fact there was only one bottle of Lil' Bowl Blu, and it was just in some random area that didn't even have a tag!), $1.98 sweet water wet dryer sheets (the old school ones!), fuzzy peach kids line for $1.98, $4.98 free + clear squeaky green laundry detergent, and $1.98 smarty dish cubes! Ka-ching!

And (can we talk competitors for a moment, shh...) they also carry lots of Seventh Generation products, and a ton of them were on clearance. Dish soap, dish cubes, fabric softener (in free + clear! Hello, method, I bought TWO of these! Word to the wise, when your new fabric softener comes out, I pray there is some free + clear in there. Cause that was always my previous problem with the other version you had. I guess I'm the crazy one, cause I lust scents in everything, EXCEPT my laundry items. I must have detergent and fabric softener in free + clear. I hate my clothes to smell like anything! Yes, I'm weird. So I don't really ever use fabric softener, but when I found this I had to pick it up cause it was yes, once more, free + clear!) as well as spray cleaner, rinse aid for your dish washer, and more! AND it was $1.98 each, WITH a buy one Seventh Generation product (even clearance!) get one at 50% off price! Hello, did you hear that?! Hello!

Now like I said, double check the prices (they have price scanners in Babies R Us, and Toys R Us, which will usually have a small Babies R Us section) cause they aren't always priced as cheaply as they ring up! Good luck hunting, and thanks Katie!

I ended up with one package of method dish cubes, one Lil' Bowl Blu, and two jugs of Seventh Generation fabric softener (80 loads!) all for a grand total of $6.36! Deal-e-oh!

clean sweeps

Just thought I'd let everyone know Target seems to be doing another round of "method cuts"! The latest products currently being clearanced from their store shelves include:

+ olive leaf creamy body wash
+ squeaky green kids body wash and shampoos (both fuzzy peach and crisp apple. It appears Target is dropping the kids line. I've also noticed they've really cut back on the baby line as well. At most of my Targets they are now carrying only the body wash and bubbly bath. I've heard from so many people that method's diaper cream lotion works amazingly well; so it's rather stupid of Target to stop carrying that product!)
+ and waterflower gel hand wash

This doesn't necessarily mean method is discontinuing these products, but rather Target has decided to stop carrying them. So run out and stock up while you still can!

+ I've also noticed Lowes Hardware is clearancing method's water lily + aloe and fresh air fabric softeners (more than likely to make room for the new upcoming pump bottle method brand) and if you're lucky you can pick some up for $2.89! Check out your Lowes and see if they have any left!

makin' a splash!

The otters are back! (Sorta, temporarily, kinda for a bit) But this time around, they're making a splash at your local Big Lots!

I did a little roaming around a nearby Big Lots tonight (always scouring to see if method has decided to get rid of some oldie but goodies! Every time I hope and finger cross that I'll find me some frosted fir candles, or hand wash, or eh, anything frosted fir. But so far, no luck! Random, yes!) But what DID I find in the beauty section of my Big Lots - Otters! Since method has now given Mr. Otter's job to Mr. Penguin (remember how on daytime soaps they'd say sometimes, when an actor or actress wasn't able to do her role for a couple days "The role of Mr. Otter is now being played by Mr. Penguin." Remember? Oh, does anyone even watch daytime soaps anymore? Eh. I guess not, since they're all being cancelled. Ok, enough rambling. Riiight.)

You can find it all. Bubbly bath (picked some up, smelling awfully rice milk + mallowy as I type this!), crisp apple and fuzzy peach body wash and 3-in-1 shampoo! Keep in mind at least at my store, the body wash was with the body wash, and the shampoo was actually located elsewhere, of course in the shampoo section (so even though the bottles look identical, they did place them in content specific areas, unlike at Target.) So if you're hunting for some baby/kid method goodies, now's your chance! Mine were only $3. a piece! Have fun! And of course, let method lust know if you happen to find any other method goodies at Big Lots while you're out and about!

design profile

OH my goodness, these bottles are so cute I can't deal! Do you see that elephant bottle? DO YOU!? Wow, I hope they actually produce that one day. It's just too adorable!

method's own people against dirty blog gives us some insight into moving from otter to penguin bottles, used for their squeaky green baby + kids line!

"We've relaunched the packaging on our baby + kids products from an Otter to an adorable little Penguin. Check out some notes from Josh, head of form + function here at method, who talks through why we went from Otter to Penguin.

Q: Why the change?
A: Leaky Otters! We found that people were unable to resist taking the Otter's pants off (no joke!) to get a big whiff of the what the product smelled like. This more often than not loosened the cap underneath the Otter which in turn sometimes created a big mess either on a shelf in the store or all over your bathroom floor at home.

Q: How was the Penguin born?
A: We looked at all sorts of other animals that we knew from around Northern California (our very own backyard) including Sea Lions, Whales, Crabs, Starfish and Giant Squid, before settling on the Penguin for the next generation of the methodkids bottle. Designer Jeannie Choe worked to get the Penguin bottle to look as cute as the Otter and I think we succeeded. The Cap on the top means it's super easy to smell and no more leaky bottles!

Thanks Josh! Check out some intial design work (photo above) of both the little Penguin as well as another product design that didn't make the final cut (not this time at least).
- Julie Kim"

look who's brand new!

Well, well! Looks like someone's gone and gotten themselves a little... plastic surgery! OH oh, get it? Plastic. Surgery. I swear, folks! I'll be here all week! I hear the veal is really good (if you're into eating things like that, which, really, you shouldn't be! Baby. Cow! That's all I got to say! Wait, where am I? Oh, yeah...)

It would appear that method squeaky green kids (and possibly baby) line is getting a make over! Off goes the otter, in comes the penguin! The other thing you'll notice is the squeeze bottom is gone, replaced with a flip top lid. I swear, I know I know I've heard it from you all before. But I just think the squeeze bottom is such a great idea, one day method is going to get it right and it's going to stick! But until then, I guess it's more flip tops.

I only saw the crisp apple body wash, and 3-in-1 shampoo in this new bottle (with the 3-in-1 shampoo announcing it was an easier rinse formula!) I'm not sure if this new bottle will be kids + baby product wide, or not. (Though I'm guessing the answer shall be yes.) Look for it soon at your favorite Target!

What do you think? Squeeze bottom? Flip top lid? Otter? Or Penguin? Let us know!

eco-parents

method wants you to pick up (or at least check it out!) the July issue of Parents magazine to learn from Eric Ryan (method co-founder) how to throw an eco-birthday party for your kids! The photo shoot not only includes Eric himself, but many method employee's kids as well!

otters on tour

This has got to be seen to be believed! Head on over to method's official blog, people against dirty, now, and read all about the method otters and their first official tour!

target trippin'

(aka, Nathan's ADD trip to Target. Ready? Set? Go!) Ok, so I decided to head over to Target today during lunch to check out these really great Merona suit vests they've just gotten in for men that look so cool and stylish, and come in three different patterns, and I was all like "Oh, I could look mucho cool and stylish!" except I haven't looked cool and stylish in years, mainly cause I just let myself go, you know? We'll blame it on the depression, but oh, that's another story. (I jest, I jest. I think...) But alas, these vests were definitely going to bring me back into cool and stylish mode, so off I went!

I'm searching for them, and what do you know, the Target near my home has all of them, this Target (same size as the one at home, but noticeably sucking in merchandise carrying) has... one style. So I grab a small (my usual size) run to the fitting room, try it on, and it won't even wrap all the way around my body, let alone button! Ha ha, ok. So apparently I don't wear smalls in suit vests. (Shush!) So I leave the fitting room, go to try on a medium, deciding to forgo the fitting room again and use their mirror they have out on the floor; and it fits great! Yay, but then I notice, the little belt thing that's on the back of vests (what is that called?) isn't well, belted. And I go to do it, and it's made rather poorly. The two pieces won't stay connected. Well, how lame!

So I decide to leave the clothing area and walk past the baby area, where there is a woman looking at baby washes, and I immediately think "Run over and exclaim to her how much you lust method squeaky green baby wash! And that she simply must buy it, buy it, buy it! Go green apple! Purchase the peach! Ransack the rice milk + mallow!" but I decide not to scare the poor woman and just keep walking.

To the kitchen aisle. Ohh, look, they have that small Preserve recycled cutting board in bright green I've been eyeing, and I got a little extra in my paycheck from the tax break stimulus thingy! Oh, I should get it! But but, I'll... wait. Ok, off we go...

To the method (Wait, did he just say method?) aircare section! I gotta see if they have the new candles in, cause I had to buy the sweetwater candles the other day while they were still on sale, because they were all out of the lavender + lemongrass; and now the sale is over, but when they get the l+l candles I'll just bring the other ones back for exchange (yes, it's a tad sneaky, I'm sorry; but still totally legit, don't you agree? Sometimes ya gotta play their game, people!); since my Targets aren't quite as nice as method lust reader Jamison's, and they wouldn't give me any rain checks for the candles.

Oh look, nothing. Hmm, the rest of the line is fairly full, but the candles are empty. Three old soy formula l+l candles sitting there, nothing else... Wait, what is this? The shelf stickers for the other candles, they're gone? What's going on here? It's like they've removed them from the shelf, permanently. WHAT. is. going. on. here? (Let's just chalk it up to the aircare line's big spring edition boost that HAS to be coming up this month, and not get all hysterical here right yet! Ok? I'll check this out, and get back with everyone!) Hmm... I'm worried (all appears fine, as I stumbled into my other Target this evening (don't even) and they had just gotten a brand spankin' new shipment of candles in. So don't ask me what was up with the shelf stickers thing, I ain't got a clue)... as I walk to the checkout line, to grab a pack of...

cupcakes. Yep, you read right. (Get in shape, size medium? What are you talking about.) And there is this woman in front of me, and she's buying oh oh, yes, it's method french lavender hand wash! And and, next to it, two bottles of red Dawn dish detergent?? What is that all about? So what do I do, I say (in as whimsical a way as I can...) "Well, if you're going to buy the method hand wash, why in the world wouldn't you buy their dish soap too?" And smile at her (secretly demanding she return the Dawn and go get the method, all with my eyes. My eyes say A LOT, let me tell you.) But alas, she says surprisingly "Well, I didn't know they made dish soap!" to which I replied "Oh, they sure do! And it's super!" Ok, well, maybe I didn't say the super part. And she says "well, I'm trying to buy red dish soap, to match my new red kitchen." to which I thought of saying "But, but, they make pink." but really, it wouldn't have helped. If only it had been the holidays, I could have thrown her the winterberry bone. Oh well!

+

And with that, I walked out of Target. Without my vest. Worried about my method candles. And with two cupcakes too many for my body. (And it only came with two, you know. Get it... oh, whatever.)

+

PS - method, you need to put a little cute tag, sorta like the house tags you had a while back, letting people know about all the products you sell! Cause this woman had no clue, because Target puts some method products by themselves, and others with the full line. And obviously she must have picked it up by itself. But if it had a tag telling her about all the wonderfuls method makes, she's know! And I wouldn't have to hunt her down. Suggestion!

+

PPS - Yeah, this post was all over the place, ok? Just a Target day in the life for Nathan... sweet mercy, he needs some help.

deal'e'ohs!

Just a quick note to let you know Target has reduced (permanently!) prices on select method products! The aroma pill night lights we lust so much have dropped from $8.99 to $7.99; with the regular aroma pills now $6.99 from $7.99. Also, the squeaky green kids washes are $5.99, from $6.49! (Yeah, I took a trip to Target tonight, can you tell?)

method's feelin'

method home's updated their "feeling" statement at the top left side of their site. It now says:

"method is a proud parent. both co-founders, Adam + Eric, welcomed new babies into their families this past week. more baby line?"

Wow! Is there something in the water over there? well, method lust wants to be the first (blog!) to say YAY! CONGRATS! And I'm sure they'd lust it if all you fellow method lusters sent Adam and Eric your own congratulations! (And yes, we'd love more squeaky green baby + kids line!)

squeaky savings

method luster Netta has let me know about two specials she discovered method is currently running on their method home site!

The first is called the watersaver bundle for $20, and contains a bottle of the new squeaky green laundry detergent (sweet water), lil' bowl blu, pink grapefruit dish soap, and sea minerals hand wash!

The second is the baby bundle, where you can save 20% off! This package contains squeaky green body wash, body lotion, bubbly bath, and diaper cream. All in rice milk + mallow scent! Yum!

Pick'em up while they last! Thanks Netta!

wee one bundles

Well look here, I just stumbled upon a new method gift set bundle! And of all places, at Babies R' Us! (No no, I'm not planning on a wee one in the near future! I can barely take care of myself and my cats! Actually, usually my cats just take care of me. I've even trained them to replace aroma pill refills when they get empty! Isn't that cool! Ok, no well, I haven't really trained them to do that, but wow, that would rock... hmm.) Oh right, where was I?

Babies R' Us is carrying a new squeaky green gift set! The set includes one diaper cream, one body lotion, one hair & body wash, one hand wash, one all-surface spray, and one baby laundry detergent. The hand wash and all-surface spray appear to be in go naked. It retails for $29.99 and is available online at Babies R' Us. I'm not sure if it's also available in the store?

Also, you can purchase these items separately through the Babies R' Us website.

+

On a related note, a friend of mine from work recently asked me where I'd gotten "those hippy baby products" from? Ha! I bought him and his wife some method baby items for their baby shower months ago. And apparently the wife loves them, especially the baby lotion. But they weren't sure where to find them, so I let him know it was Target (and gave him a method baby product coupon I had just to push him along!) But he said his wife always calls them the "hippy products." Ah, some things never change, I guess!

20% off!

Colleen Reilly over on method's people against dirty blog has some exciting news to share!

"We’re just tickled pink (and blue, and green, and orange!) to announce our new methodbaby + methodkids products to the world. You may have seen these making their birthday-suit debut on store shelves over the last month or so, or you may have seen them on the Oprah® Earth Day show or the Ellen Mother’s Day show. In fact, on the Ellen show the full set of baby products was given out to a lucky audience full of expectant mommies. With all this great press, our cute little otters are going to need their own agents soon! (Did we mention that we’ve also been recognized for our adorable – and functional – packaging?)

As any mom or dad knows, babies and kids have plenty of parts, and it’s our mission to keep them all squeaky clean. That’s why we developed a full set of products devoted to creating soft, cuddly, great smelling tiny ones while also taking the utmost care with their delicate skin. methodbaby + methodkids are made from 95%+ naturally derived ingredients, with no parabens, phthalates, SLS or SLES. They also offer tears-free formulas without numbing agents.

You can check out the whole line on our web site. And now for the best part: As a special online bonus, if you purchase all four baby products (baby hair + body wash, baby body lotion, baby diaper cream, and baby bubbly bath – hint, they’re the ones in the white bottles) online at methodhome.com between now and June 30, you’ll receive a 20% discount! It makes a perfect gift for your little one or for expectant parents-to-be. Just add the four baby products to your cart and enter promo code “advocatebaby” (without the quotation marks) at checkout to receive your discount.

Getting babies and kids squeaky clean has never been so easy – or so much fun!"

leaves 'em clean and toxin free

Kelly Leahy over at Green Daily has a nice review for the new method kid shampoo 3-in-1!

"I more conscious now of what soap and shampoo I keep around for the kids. I try to fight my cheap frugal ways and buy healthier options, even if it hurts. During my last trip to target I two small $9 bottles of baby shampoo and conditioner in my basket when I came across Method Kid Squeeky Green 3-in-1 Shampoo in Fuzzy Peach scent for the pleasing price of $6.99.

The shampoo, conditioner and body wash promised no "numbing agents," parabens, or phthalates. The solution looked like a winner so I threw it into my cart. I use quite a few Method products and it's a brand that I trust. I found all of the ingredients listed online and at the very least, the packaging was fun (I'm a sucker for packaging, what can I say?).

Method Kid shampoo was also a winner in practice. My two and a half year old just now has enough hair to require conditioner but fights every time water gets poured over her head so I like the fact that one bottle does double duty. The fact that it triples as a body wash is an added bonus.

I did find that the scent was a bit strong but remember, I had been using Dr. Bronner's unscented baby soap so any fragrance was going to throw me off. A more thorough rinsing was required than before but that's normal with any conditioner. This product also comes in Crisp Apple scent.

All in all, I am very pleased with this product due to its availability (I can't always make it to specialty shops to buy soap), list of ingredients, and friendly face."

me thinks

Upon using my delicious fuzzy peach squeaky green kids 3-in-1 shampoo the other evening, a thought popped into my head (and this doesn't happen very often, so run with it Nathan, run! While you still can!)

Ok, so method debuts both a squeaky green kids (I'm just focusing on the kids line here) 3-in-1 shampoo (which is body wash, shampoo + conditioner), and a body wash; one each in fuzzy peach and crisp apple.

Target (at least mine) has chosen not to carry the complete line, and has dropped the crisp apple 3-in-1. (They're only carrying three of the four products.)

I think method needs to simplify. We've already gotten the 3-in-1. I think the name should be changed to methodkid 3-in-1 body (instead of the current methodkid 3-in-1 shampoo. - Cause shampoo doesn't really cover it when it's body wash, shampoo + conditioner in one.) I'm not sure why they decided to put out a separate body wash, when the body wash was already included in the 3-in-1. AND this would free up store shelf real estate; allowing them to either debut another new scent (and Target would carry all three), or bring out a kids bubbly bath (cause kids love bubble bath as much as babies! Perhaps moreso!) I just feel the kids line has a bit of redundancy at the moment. Moms, do you agree? If you had a choice of 3-in-1 or just body wash, which would you choose?

we big heart you

Alright, so this week sucks. Major style. Like, a whole lot. Between some H.E.L. and L. that's been on going at work this week (and late nights!), my neck being so out it's not funny (joyful chiropractic stuff; oh but wait, the doctor is out this week!); and a tooth that has turned half my face into looking like I'm chawing on a giant wad of tobacco (which I don't do, blah! But my lower jawbone and cheek are so swollen from a major tooth issue/ache; and does it hurt? YES IT DOES! Dentist, today at 12:30, I can't wait) this week just blows. So I just wanted to let everyone at method know how you completely made my entire week, and especially Wednesday evening, so much brighter! Thank you!

I got home late Wednesday, and a package was on my doorstep? And ta-da! Look what it was! New method squeaky baby stuff! Yay! I'm telling you, it made my night! Look at all the cute packaging, and booklet that was included!

The package contained two items, 3-in-1 kids shampoo in fuzzy peach scent, and the baby hair + body wash in rice milk + mallow.

That baby pic is so adorable! The booklet is a flip over; meaning one side is baby, then flip it over, the other side kids! So cute! It reads:

(baby side) "if you ask us, all babies are perfect. most of their days are spent napping and smiling and making little tiny noises. their little chubby bodies are plump and marshmallow-y. they're yummy. they smell great (most of the time.) even their messes are cute (sort of.)

all they really need is a little maintenance to stay naturally perfect: a gentle bath and a bit of diaper cream to keep their bottoms smooth and non-irritated."

(kid side) "in an ideal world, toddlers and kids would be little bundles of pure joy all of the time; all smiles and laughter. they'd almost never cry. they'd make little teeny-tiny messes. they'd smell naturally yummy like apples and peaches. it would be easy to keep them squeaky clean. they'd be perfect.

in the real world, they're a little more unpredictable. they're creative and resourceful and that's what makes them fun. that's also when spills happen and there's dirt to deal with. because your kids work hard at having fun, we've created a fun line of washes that are 99% natural and 100% hard-working."

So I decided to give them a try! Ha ha! I couldn't resist. The fuzzy peach 3-in-1 shampoo (body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Makes you wonder why we buy three different products when apparently one works just as well?) smells wonderful. I still feel it has an undertone of vanilla; but overall the scent is of a ripe peach, but very light. - Not overpowering at all. It's a really nice scent, once I got to actually try the product. I washed my hair with it, as well as myself (well, half myself, saving the other half for the baby hair + body wash!) While it doesn't lather as much as the adult personal care line (and I realize lathering is bad for the environment, anyway. But I'm so used to it. It's crazy how people get conditioned about certain things and ways. Crazy!) it still worked great! Easy to wash off, too!

The baby hair + body wash was also a big recommendation! The scent is definitely mallow (as in marshmallow); but again, it's so very subtle. - In a great way! It's an extremely light scent, perfect for babies. Not too sweet, just light and clean. Worked great as well, about the same thoughts on this one as I had on the 3-in-1 shampoo. I felt perhaps the bottle was a little small in amount (8 oz.) compared to the 10 oz. 3-in-1 shampoo; since they cost the same at Target (ok, well wait, I haven't seen it in the store yet, so I could be wrong. But it costs the same on the method home site.) I didn't use the cup that comes with it (I'm a little too big for a wash cup, ya know?) since it's for washing off the soap/shampoo on your babies; but it looks like it'd work great.

Overall two wonderful products! I've already shared a coupon with one of my friends, who just had a baby! (Push that method!) Personally, I can't wait to try the crisp apple scent next, I'm gonna go buy some soon! Great products! Great scents! Give'em a try!

review - kids fuzzy peach 3-in-1 shampoo

Tiffany sent us this thumbs-up review of the new method kids squeaky green personal care line; in particular the 3-in-1 shampoo! Check it out:

"Hi! We just tried the new Method Kids 3-in-1 in Fuzzy Peach, and it was great! My son is 2, so all we really need is a combo product, and this one really delivered (and smelled good too!). When he was a baby, we used the Aveeno baby, but with all the phthalate issues, we recently switched to the Burt's Bees Baby Bee wash. That, however, seems to be very drying- my poor son got all these dry spots, which he'd never had before. His skin even felt dry just getting out of the bath!

So, we tried the new Method Kids (no baby product yet in our Target), and think it's great. Son loved the scent (orange, he says! OK, I thought it smelled a little orangey myself, but either way it smelled really nice, but not overwhelming at all). Foamed up just right, washed out quickly and well. And the washing out quickly and well is pretty important, because what toddler likes having water dumped over their head repeatedly? Once or twice maybe, but that's it! And that's all it took with the Method (you don't want to know how many dumpings the Burt's Bees took....) So, my review is great product, good price, easy-to-use (and cute) packaging, nice but not overwhelming smell that seemed much more moisturizing than previous products and was just right for us. Loved it!"

Thanks! Got a review of a product you'd like to submit to method lust? Send your review to: artist@nathanaaron.com

method's having a baby!

According to method's home site, they're having a baby! And it's gonna be the best smelling baby ever! And, it's going to look like an otter... ok, well, uh... No, but wait, it's the most adorable otter you've EVER seen! Trust me!

Apparently method's new baby + kids line will be available for purchase on method's site on Earth Day, which happens to be April 22, 2008! So get ready, and don't fear, we're expecting a smooth delivery! (How far can I go with this baby stuff? Oh don't you want to know!...)

Curious if anyone has seen the baby line in stores yet? The kids line has hit my Targets; but the baby line has yet to show up. Come on bubbly bath, come on! Don't you just love saying bubbly bath. It's just so squeezy!

PS - The bottle is in the shape of a cute rolly poly otter! Hence the otter comment. Yeah, you thought I was just weird, didn't you? Uh huh, don't lie, it's true. I am.

an interview with Sangita Forth

Sangita Forth is method's Baby + Kid Brand Director, and she has this great interview over on The Cradle:

"Method is known for their stylish, biodegradable cleaning products that not only are good for the earth – they also look good out on your counter!

Now gearing up for the launch of their baby personal care line in mid-April, The Cradle caught up with Sangita Forth, method’s Baby Brand Director, to learn more.

The Cradle: What kind of baby products will method offer?

Sangita: method is launching a line of eco-chic baby and kid personal care products for moms who want style and substance every day. All of our formulas are 95+% natural and are beautifully packaged to fit into a healthy, modern lifestyle. The baby collection includes a hair and body wash, diaper cream, bubbly bath and body lotion, and the kids’ collection includes a 3-in-1 shampoo and conditioner as well as a body wash in two different fragrances, fuzzy peach and crisp apple.

The Cradle: What makes these products earth-friendly?

Sangita: We were very mindful of the ingredient selection in our formulas as we wanted to make our formulas as simple, clean, and safe as possible. They are at least 95% natural, meaning that these ingredients come from natural resources and are free of parabens, pthalates, SLS, and SLES. They are also biodegradable and never tested on animals. Plus, all of our packages are recyclable.

The Cradle: Being that method is known for their stylized packaging, what look should we expect with the baby care products?

Sangita: We saw design as a huge opportunity in the baby personal care category and were focused on designing products for the adult sensibility that are simple, sophisticated, and appealing to both parent and baby.

Our baby design is inspired by the egg because it represents nature, simplicity, and purity – elements that we wanted to include in our design. Our baby hair and body wash is probably the most “innovative” in that Josh Handy (the package designer) incorporated a wash cup into the bottle design. Most parents have a big plastic cup in the bath to rinse their kids and it usually stays in the tub. Our wash cup can be stored back on the bottle after use. Our products also deliver one-handed functionality as parents typically only have one hand free to bathe their kids.

Our kids’ washes and baby bubble bath (all in the cute otter package) is bottom dispensing with a unique valve that allows parents to simply squeeze the bottle without having to tilt the bottle or replace the cap.

The Cradle: Tell us about your role in helping to develop the baby care line.

Sangita: We work in cross-functional teams, called "pods," at method where each function lead drives the development of the baby collection as it relates to their functional area.

My role is to identify the opportunity, drive the strategy, and ensure that the final product not only delivers on that strategy and method’s core pillars but that we are delivering products that will delight our existing advocates and draw new advocates to the brand.

The Cradle: Why should consumers buy method’s baby products as opposed to the multitude of choices out there on the market? What makes you stand out from the crowd?

Sangita: We are the only brand that delivers premium, 95+% natural products that are stylish (both from an aesthetic and functionality standpoint) and with fragrances that capture that newborn smell. Our products were developed by and for moms who wanted to create a product that is completely safe to use on a baby’s delicate skin, offers superior performance, and looks and smells great – all in one package."