To follow-up with yesterdays post, I recently read where Jessica Alba, as a first time mom, was horrified by all the harmful chemicals found in her baby’s products. Therefore, she started a company, honest.com, where moms can find safe, eco-friendly, and affordable products. I have checked this website out but have not tested her products or looked further into all the ingredients, but I’m thinking about it. If anyone else has, please let us know.

It’s sad that we moms, we families, have to check so diligently for harmful ingredients. I always assumed our government wouldn’t allow such, but the more I actually research and find out the more I realize just how pro-active we moms, parents and families MUST/have to be!

Did you know that the U.S. and some other countries around the world are not setting industry limits for certain toxic chemicals within our personal care products being sold and used? On that note, some companies, such as J&J, are selling formaldehyde-free baby products in other countries but not in the US. Why is this a double standard for babies? Some countries compared which have found formaldehyde preservatives in products sold by J&J were the US, Australia, Canada, and China compared to countries with non-formaldehyde products such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Japan, South Africa and the U.K. All babies, toddlers, adults, humans should be protected from toxic chemicals and carcinogens when given a choice.  

In addition to these ingredient listings that you should look for in your products, here are some other safety precautions that could help:

1. Always try to choose products with the fewest of ingredients.
2. The more no’s the better: no dyes, no fragrance, no chemicals (this can be false and misleading so you still have to double check ingredients)
3. Search EWG’s safety database for updates and to find safer products
4. Be aware of all ingredients,
5. Write manufactures, J&J, to let them know that you will only be a returning customer after they remove toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, from all baby products in all countries. Use your money to speak by purchasing products which have already made that safety commitment to your family
6. Write your congress

Photo credit: Treehugger & Some further resources: safe cosmetics article #1, safe cosmetics article #2, safe cosmetics article #3, , safe cosmetics article #4,   green deals , ewg article, ewg article #2,  natural news article #1

 natural news article #2