Think your personal care products are safe? Think again! Many products we use everyday on ourselves and our children contain harmful chemicals. Even those claiming to be "Natural" and "Organic" can conceal harmful chemicals. Until the time comes that cosmetics and personal care products are regulated, it is up to you to read labels thoroughly to avoid potentially toxic chemicals. Here is a list of the worrisome ingredients to watch for in you and your baby's products:
- Avoid products containing "Fragrance". Oddly enough, the various chemicals present under the name "fragrance" do not have to be listed individually, thereby hiding them under the broad category "fragrance" (this is where common phthalates hide).
Avoid products containing the following ingredients which may contain 1,4-dioxane:
- PEG compounds (example: PEG-80)
- Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS)
Avoid products containing the following ingredients which may contain formaldehyde:
- DMDM hydantoin
- imidazolidinyl urea
- diazolidinyl urea
- 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (Bronopol)
- sodium hydroxlmethylglycinate
- Avoid products containing the term "phthalate" (example: monoethyl phthalate).
- Avoid plastics that contain the recycling number "3" which is a possible source for phthalates.
- Avoid products containing the word paraben.
Avoid other worrisome ingredients:
- Boric acid
- Sodium borate
- Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate
- Benzyl alcohol
- Isopropyl alcohol
Author : Diba Tillery RN, BSN, IBCLC, CPST