I use to think if it has a name brand that I grew up with (like Johnson and Johnson) it is safe to use on my kids. If it says “All natural” -it’s safe. If it says “Gentle” or “Hypoallergenic”- it’s safe. This is not necessarily so! The industry is really not monitored very closely and companies use cheap, convenient fillers and stabilizers in their products that are very toxic to our children’s vulnerable bodies. Companies hide these products under so many "code names"- I find it is impossible to memorize them all. You can’t just look at the label and know if it is safe to use.
A Baby's skin is 5x's thinner than ours and their skin surface to weight ratio is greater -making these harmful chemicals more easily absorbed and it more difficult for their little bodies to flush all the chemicals out of their systems.
These chemicals not only are irritating to the skin; they are endocrine disruptors.(they disrupt the function of hormones and cause kidney and liver damage.)
The EPA has classified chemicals such as 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde very harmful! Yet they are still in almost all products we use every day. Here's a short, condensed list:
Go Check your labels!!!!
Shampoos, Lotions, and other Body Products: Does it contain Phthalates?
These are found in plastics to increase flexibility, longevity and transparency. However because they also stabilize fragrance they are commonly used in body care products.
The concerns are that they can lead to early breast development in girls, improper development of the reproductive organs in male babies, other birth defects and to be linked with obesity and insulin resistance.
Feb 10, 2009- California lead the ban to three types of phthalates and placed restrictions on 3 others types (common in kids/baby toys). Sadly, the ban did not include the use of phthalates in baby care products. :(
90% of beauty and skin products contain Parabens! These are preservatives that are thought to have a direct link to some cancers, influencing estrogen levels, and DNA damage. Parabens mimic estrogen which plays a role in breast development, breast cancer and regulation of the female reproductive system. This chemical effects the function of the male reproductive system.
Shampoos, Cleaning, & Hygiene products: Does it contain Sodium Laury Sulfate- (SLS or SLES) It's a foaming agent with over 150 different names! Good luck keeping an eye out for that one! - It is a cheap anionic surfactant used in our cosmetics as well as Car Washes to degrease car engines---what's wrong with this picture? SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane - a known carcinogen.
This chemical cannot be metabolized by the liver and has a long term effect on the body. Studies indicate SLS not only causes skin corrosion but residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain from contact through your skin. SLS is believed to be linked to PMS, decreased male fertility, and increased female cancers. Look on your shampoo- It is commonly one of the first ingredients!
Personal care products- 1,4-dioxane- is so toxic that accidental exposures to workers have caused several deaths. Its an aprotic solvent, classified as an "ether". It's a known eye/respiratory irritant, and suspected to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. The Internal Agency on Cancer classifies it as a "2B known carcinogen". In 2008 over half of all tested personal care products contained 1,4-dioxane.--- INCLUDING MANY THAT WERE LABELED "NATURAL" and "ORGANIC" Can you believe they get away with it!
A Baby's skin is 5x's thinner than ours and their skin surface to weight ratio is greater -making these harmful chemicals more easily absorbed and it more difficult for their little bodies to flush all the chemicals out of their systems.
These chemicals not only are irritating to the skin; they are endocrine disruptors.(they disrupt the function of hormones and cause kidney and liver damage.)
The EPA has classified chemicals such as 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde very harmful! Yet they are still in almost all products we use every day. Here's a short, condensed list:
Go Check your labels!!!!
Shampoos, Lotions, and other Body Products: Does it contain Phthalates?
These are found in plastics to increase flexibility, longevity and transparency. However because they also stabilize fragrance they are commonly used in body care products.
The concerns are that they can lead to early breast development in girls, improper development of the reproductive organs in male babies, other birth defects and to be linked with obesity and insulin resistance.
Feb 10, 2009- California lead the ban to three types of phthalates and placed restrictions on 3 others types (common in kids/baby toys). Sadly, the ban did not include the use of phthalates in baby care products. :(
90% of beauty and skin products contain Parabens! These are preservatives that are thought to have a direct link to some cancers, influencing estrogen levels, and DNA damage. Parabens mimic estrogen which plays a role in breast development, breast cancer and regulation of the female reproductive system. This chemical effects the function of the male reproductive system.
Shampoos, Cleaning, & Hygiene products: Does it contain Sodium Laury Sulfate- (SLS or SLES) It's a foaming agent with over 150 different names! Good luck keeping an eye out for that one! - It is a cheap anionic surfactant used in our cosmetics as well as Car Washes to degrease car engines---what's wrong with this picture? SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane - a known carcinogen.
This chemical cannot be metabolized by the liver and has a long term effect on the body. Studies indicate SLS not only causes skin corrosion but residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain from contact through your skin. SLS is believed to be linked to PMS, decreased male fertility, and increased female cancers. Look on your shampoo- It is commonly one of the first ingredients!
Personal care products- 1,4-dioxane- is so toxic that accidental exposures to workers have caused several deaths. Its an aprotic solvent, classified as an "ether". It's a known eye/respiratory irritant, and suspected to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. The Internal Agency on Cancer classifies it as a "2B known carcinogen". In 2008 over half of all tested personal care products contained 1,4-dioxane.--- INCLUDING MANY THAT WERE LABELED "NATURAL" and "ORGANIC" Can you believe they get away with it!
Shampoos and other body products contain Formaldehyde- although it is classified as "toxic", "allergenic", "a probable human carcinogen" by the EPA, many include it because it is a cheap preservative. Don't bother looking for it on your shampoo bottle or lotion because manufactures are not required to list it on the ingredient list! -or it can hide under a different name. However 50% of body care products contained formaldehyde in a recent independent consumer study.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! I think it's scary for us moms. So what do you do? Take a chance or use the ShakleeBaby line of products: ShakleeBaby Wash (shampoo), Soothing Lotion, Massage Oil, and Diaper Cream. All my kids and I do! With SHAKLEE- very batch is tested and is -99% natural--76% to 99% organic (Ingredients like water can't be classified as organic)--clinically tested--hypoallergenic--ph balanced--NO Parabens-- NO Phthalates-- NO 1,4-dioxines--NO BPA's --No SLS--No formaldehyde-- NO artificial colors or NO synthetic fragrances. :)
Just a note to Moms- Be careful what you bathe in, put on your body and clean with! In 10 newborns infants, cordblood was tested and there were over 287 Industrial Chemicals, substances that have been band... (i.e. herbicides/pesticides and other chemicals) that shouldn't have been there!
If you want safe alternatives with a money back guarentee-- Check out Shaklee's Enfuselle Line (personal body products) ProSante (Hair Products) and the Get Clean Line (household cleaning products) !
Thank you so much for this information on your blog! I knew of chemical dangers but this really opened my eyes. I will be contacting you.
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