Toxic Tub Time?

The Green Community is already buzzing about a new report that came out regarding toxic chemicals in childrens' and baby skin care products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics published a press release outlining their findings from independent studies and some tips on what to do.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested dozens of mainstream baby care products ranging from Johnson & Johnson, Baby Magic, Suave and Mustela and found cancer-causing formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane in many of them. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that:
-17 out of 28 products tested – 61 percent – contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
- 23 out of 28 products – 82 percent – contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm).
- 32 out of 48 products – 67 percent – contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm.

From The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: Formaldehyde contaminates personal care products when common preservatives release formaldehyde over time in the container. Common ingredients likely to contaminate products with formaldehyde include; quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea. Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA and is known to cause allergic reactions and rashed in some people.
1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of a chemical processing technique called ethoxylation, in which cosmetic ingredients are processed with ethylene oxide. Manufacturers can easily remove the toxic byproduct, but are not required by law to do so. Common ingredients likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane include: PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.
How do you keep your baby safe?
Buy natural! TruKid products contain certified organic and natural ingredients. All products are non-toxic and Gluten-free! This means it contains non of the bad stuff!The Environmental Working Group has given TruKid's entire line the safety rating of 0-4! That is THE BEST RATING out of any kids' line on the market. Trukid encourages kids to form healthy habits that last a lifetime. By combining all natural skincare with fun and education, TruKid cultivates a relationship between healthy habits and being a kid. In turn, their goal is that kids will grow up taking care of themselves, each other and their environment. Shop at http://www.growgreenbaby.com/ for all your natural and organic skincare needs.

Parabens. The Dirty Truth!

You would think that chemicals would have no place in your child’s body lotions and creams, shampoos, bubble bath and even toothpaste, but think again. We take the time to read the ingredients in the food we eat but have you ever stopped to read the labels of these common skincare products we all use on our little ones everyday, including ourselves! Did you know that the skincare and cosmetics industry is one of the least regulated in the United States? Why is this? Our skin is the largest organ we have and to think we are applying these chemicals to our skin and especially the delicate skin of our children is alarming to say the least.
What chemicals specifically? Parabens. Wikipedia describes “parabens” as: ‘a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. These chemicals are used primarily for their bacteriocidal and fungicidal properties.’ Some of the chemical compounds can be listed as : methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.
So, the important question we all need to ask; how do our bodies and the growing bodies of our children respond to these chemicals once they are absorbed or ingested? Parabens have been known to cause skin rashes and allergic reactions in some people, especially babies and toddlers with sensitive and allergy prone skin. Even more eye opening is recent research studies linking the dangers of parabens and breast cancer after parabens were found in breast tumor tissue!
The bottom line, the daily use of parabens can’t be good for your health nor your baby’s health. I suggest using natural products in your families’ skin care regime. Read the labels of the products you are buying. At Grow Green Baby we offer only natural, non-toxic and chemical free skin care for babies, toddlers and moms to be! Vedapure, TruKid and Belliskincare are all skin care products free of parabens and other harmful and harsh chemicals.
To learn more about the dangers in skin care products you may visit healthychild.org.