Do you read labels when buying baby care products ? If not , start from today!! Knowing the ingredients or what goes into a baby care product is pretty much essential these days. Recently a popular baby care brand was in the news as the potential ethylene oxide – a human carcinogenic was found in the baby powder manufactured by them. I remember one of their factories in Mumbai was also shut down though the ban on the brand was removed later. Scary isn’t ? Today we will see the list of 19 toxic chemicals in baby care products and their toxic effects.
19 Toxic Chemicals in Baby Care Products
| SL.NO: | CHEMICALS | TOXIC EFFECTS | FOUND IN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sodium Laurel Suplhate (SLS) | Skin irritation, When combined with other chemicals produces a caricinogenic nitrosamine | Baby shampoos, cleansers |
| 2 | Sodium Laureth Sulphates (SLES) | Skin irritation, When combined with other chemicals produces a caricinogenic nitrosamine | Baby shampoos, cleansers |
| 3 | Cetearth | Skin irritation, organ damage, neuro toxicity | Baby body wash, sunscreen, baby lotions |
| 4 | Talc | Naturally infused with asbestos, a known carcinogenic | Baby talcum powders |
| 5 | Octinoxate | Alters hormone levels | Baby sunscreens |
| 6 | Mineral Oil | Clogs pores of the skin as its occlusive | Baby mineral oils |
| 7 | DMDM Hydantoin | Irritates skin, hampers the immune system | Baby shampoos, soaps, lotions, talcum powder, sunscreen |
| 8 | Triethanolamine | Immune system toxicant, organ damage, respiratort toxicant | Bubble baths, shampoos, soaps |
| 9 | Triclosan | Heart problems, paralysis, brain haeommorhages | Baby soaps, wipes |
| 10 | Oxybenzone | Disrupts the hormones, skin irritant | Baby sunscreen |
| 11 | Paraben | Breast cancer, male reproductive abnormalities | Baby lotion, baby creams |
| 12 | Hydrogenated cotton seed oil | Could be contaminated with mercury , arsenic and lead | Baby oils , creams |
| 13 | Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate | Skin irritant | Baby oil, shampoos, lotions |
| 14 | Benzoic acid | Skin irritant, combine with Vitamin C to form benzene, a known carcinogenic | Medicines |
| 15 | Cetearyl Alcohol | Skin irritant | baby lotions, creams |
| 16 | PEG compounds | Absorbs toxins like DDT from atmosphere | Baby lotions and creams |
| 17 | Formaldehyde | Allergy, asthma, cancer | Baby creams and lotions |
| 18 | Phthalates | Birth defects, respiratory toxicant, reproductive abnormalities, liver, kidney damage | Baby oils, insect repellents |
| 19 | Parfum / fragrance | Skin irritant | Lotions, creams, shampoos, soaps, body wash |
When buying toys for your baby or kid avoid the ones with recycling number 3 as it contains Phthalates.
Though most of these chemicals are used as fragrant ingredient, pH regulator, solvent or stabilizing agents or preservatives they possess hazardous effects only if used in large quantities. But we can’t omit the toxic effects of these chemicals as we use it life long.
Better safe to be sorry isn’t? Invest in natural or organic or fragrance free preservative free baby care products . Next time when you shop for baby care products, read the label carefully and omit the ones if they contain xynol, oleth, dyes, fragrance, paraben etc.
Hope you liked this article of toxic chemicals in baby care products. Kindly subscribe to the newsletters of Bumps n Baby to stay updated on the latest articles published here.
Reference :
Wikipedia, Mindbodygreen , lesstoxicguide
2 Comments
Superb post n informative
Very informative
!!! Very difficult to select products.. I think old days were good…