Smith & Vandiver’s Good Clean Fun Bath Bubbles and Fizzy Friends

Bravo to cruelty-free brand, Smith & Vandiver (S & V), for its naturally safe bath bubbles and fizzes.  The “Good Clean Fun Dino-Bubbles and Ducky-Bubbles” are pH balanced to be gentle and non-irritating to the skin and eyes, are 95 percent natural, and contain no colors synthetic fragrances or animal by-products.

Parents with young kids know that the nightly bath-time ritual is mayhem.  Getting the kids undressed and into the tub requires enticement (a.k.a. bribery) in the form of bubble bath and fizz bombs.

When seeking out these bath time enticements, my wife and I face a challenge similar to the one we encounter when going down the cereal aisle at the grocery store.  All the crap is at the kids’ eye level.  The kids want it because Elmo is on the bottle taking a bath, but bathe in it to many times and parents are dealing with the likes of eczema.

Mr. Bubble and Johnson’s No More Tears have made a concerted effort in recent years to please ever demanding consumers with cruelty-free and natural products ( Editor’s note: to my knowledge Mr. Bubble is cruelty-free, but Johnson & Johnson is not).  They now offer no-tears formulas that are hypo-allergenic with no fragrance and no dyes, but so is the local car wash–if you get my point.  Cosmeticsdatabase.com slams both products for their laundry list of harmful products (it’s actually really scary, but I highly recommend you visit this site and type in the products you are using).

S&V founder, Alida Stevens is a chemist and a parent who wanted to create a product that appealed to kids, but is also good for them and safe for their bodies.  She also is committed to preserving the environment for kids, utilizing biodegradable and recycled materials whenever possible.

The “Dino-Fizz, Prince or Frog, and Party Ducky” are pH balanced, synthetic fragrance, and paraben free.  While they fizz away, the bubbles release skin-softening conditioners blended specifically for young sensitive skin.

Both products list a number of other features and benefits, but frankly, you need a chemistry degree to interpret these claims.

Despite meeting our criteria, the true test lies with the kids.  So, I let my kids, Hope, 5, and Conner, 2, be the final judges.  Benefits aside, if this stuff doesn’t rock their tub time, then it’s pointless.

The kids really liked the bubbles, including the fun packaging, which by the way is made 82 percent less plastic, allowing it to go into a landfill if not recycled; the biodegradable formula, ensures that the product leaves a minimal footprint.   The stuff makes great bubbles and the kids like the Marsh Melon scent.

Hope and Conner put two of the “Dino-Fizz” and the “Bath Party Fizzie Fun” to the test.  Their feedback is that they all fizzed up really well, especially the pink one.  The same is the case for the color trail, with the pink leaving a much better color in the tub.  They loved the prize contained in each.

The Bubbles suggested retail is $6.99 for a 12.5 oz. package.  Comparatively speaking, the same size Mr. Bubble retails for between $4 to $6.

Smith & Vandiver’s Bath Fizzies go for $1.59 each or $14.99 for a pack of 12.  These are also in the same ballpark as other fizzies and bombs on the market.

Max