The Story of Apples & BaNoNos

Picture this:

I’m pregnant with our third baby. My husband, Jack, is a cosmetic formulator, and I’m thinking about the products we’re using on our kids and soon-to-be new baby. At this point, Jack had already formulated the Apples & BaNoNos Body Wash + Shampoo and the Baby + Toddler Lotion. I was using our samples on the kids, feeling confident that what we were testing was safer and higher quality than anything else on the market.

But how did we get here?

Rewind to 2020. I was pregnant with our first baby and using a “Tummy Butter” to moisturize my growing belly. The packaging said it was made for pregnant women, it had a picture of a pregnant belly, and I trusted it completely. One day, Jack glanced at the ingredient list.

He asked, “Are you using this?”
I said, “Yes, why?”
He replied, “You shouldn’t be using that while pregnant. We need to look into this.”

That moment changed everything. I couldn’t believe that something marketed for pregnant women contained ingredients that weren’t ideal during pregnancy. I realized how easily I had fallen into the marketing trap of trusting what’s on the label without questioning what’s inside.

That was my ah-ha moment!

With Jack’s background in cosmetic formulation, I started thinking about how to keep our family safer. I like to say, “I'm not perfect, but I can try to make better choices.” One small change at a time—what we eat, what we wear, and what we put on our skin. That’s how Apples & BaNoNos was born. I can’t change everything, but I had the resources to change this.

We began by researching and testing existing kids’ products. Some had questionable ingredients. Others looked “clean” but weren’t transparent. Many were simply low quality. So we made a list of everything we didn’t want:

• No phthalates

• No PEG compounds

• No EDTA

• No phenoxyethanol

• No polysorbates

...basically, a big No No list.

From there, our NoNo Policy was created: no harsh chemicals, no unnecessary additives, and no compromises. That list inspired our name: Apples & BaNoNos. It's a fun nod to the kids’ song mixed with our promise of “No No” ingredients.

Today, our products stand apart because of what’s inside the bottle:

Our Body Wash + Shampoo uses high-quality, low-irritation surfactants and is pH balanced, with over 95% naturally derived content. With two options, a fun and fresh apple scent or an unscented version, both create bubbles and gently get little bodies clean.

Our Baby + Toddler Lotion is 100% naturally derived, including its preservatives (something very few brands can claim). It’s gentle, effective, and designed to support the natural pH balance of your child’s skin. We even made it quick to absorb to keep up with their busy bodies!

Unlike many “clean” brands that outsource their formulas and manufacturing, we do it all ourselves. Every Apples & BaNoNos product is formulated, tested, manufactured, and shipped by our team in Oakdale, Minnesota, USA.

If you lined up ingredients from other “clean” brands next to ours, you’d run straight for Apples & BaNoNos.

These products were made for our own children (we use them too!) and now, we’re proud to share them with families everywhere. Our mission is to help parents and caregivers cut through the marketing noise and feel confident about what’s really in their kids’ products.

We’re transparent because you deserve to know exactly what you’re putting on your little ones’ skin. If you ever have questions or want to share how much your family loves our products, feel free to reach out. We’d love to hear from you!

Megan Soukup
Founder and Creative Director of Apples & BaNoNos