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Jan
24
Calendula Cream Choices Cheat Sheet
Filed Under ** Cheat Sheets!, allergies, Skin Care | 11 Comments
- CA Baby added sodium benzoate to their shampoos and body washes, hand soaps, and bubble products. It’s not in every product but several now feature this ingredient. They have an explanation as to why this ingredient was added in their statement (which has now been deleted). Updated: Many of the products have been reformulated but these are the ones who have had sodium benzoate added. Other ingredients have also been changed with the new labeling so please check your products if you are having any concerns.
- Some products have had up to 10 ingredients changed or altered. (Thank you Kaitlyn!)
- CA Baby changed some ingredients in their calendula creams, including preservatives (no sodium benoate but caprylhydroxamic acid and glyceryl caprylate which are “naturally derived from coconut”)
- They removed safflower oil and replaced it with “organically grown canola oil”.
- They switched their calendula oil to a more concentrated calendula oil that they make in-house – it’s darker in color and has a slightly different smell. They are using less of it because of it’s increased potency and moved it down the ingredients list accordingly.
- CA Baby did not announce any reformulations immediately which caused some uproar on the Internet. They have apologized and made a statement on their FB Wall (It was deleted). They said they have updated all the ingredients lists on their website. The only list I see missing is for the hair detangler.
- Comments regarding reactions to their creams and complaints were posted to the CA Baby facebook wall and deleted.
- Many parents contacted CA Baby to complain about the reactions and say that their complaints were waved off and the company has told them that it was the “same great product it has always been” instead of informing them of a reformulation. (This is what I’ve been told by parents, I’m not stating it as a fact. Just to cover my butt legally – I did not witness these calls.)
- What was your Skin Deep toxicity rating score?
- Were you surprised with the score and/or ingredients?
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- Starting next summer, sunscreens with less than an SPF of 15 or that aren’t “broad spectrum” will have to carry a warning label: “This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”
- The FDA will prohibit sunscreen marketing claims like “waterproof” and “sweatproof,” which they said “are exaggerations of performance.”
- The FDA also proposes capping the highest SPF value at 50, unless companies can provide results of further testing that support a higher number.
- FDA says manufacturers must phase out a four-star system currently used by some companies to rate UVA protection.
- FDA wants sunscreen labels to advise consumers that using a sunscreen is just one way they can protect themselves against the sun.
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- They use the words “top-rated”. If they lumped it all into one list and said “Here you go, make your own decision!” which is basically what they told me when I asked them about their choices in their live chat on Facebook yesterday, I wouldn’t be so picky. But they listed these brands as Top Sunscreens citing they are the “right choice”. That leads me to believe (and others who trust them I’m sure) that they support those brands and the ingredients in them. I think this is a reckless thing to do for an organization who has so much available to them and such a wide audience listening. When I pressed them about including a product (Blue Lizard) that contains 3 parabens, fragrance/phthalates, PEGs, propylene glycol and other chemicals they informed me that “Sunscreen ratings differ from other Skin Deep ratings in that sun protection accounts for 2/3rds of the score, and ingredient hazards for 1/3. This is because of the known harmful effects of UV. We show the health score on every product page so people can incorporate this information into their decisions.” I feel that this should be more apparent to the readers looking over their lists. Had they not singled a selection of products as a “top-rated” list I might not argue too much. Let people decide based on the ingredients for each product. Which leads me to my next point…
- Many people trust them and their recommendations because they share so much useful knowledge. Their sunscreen report is the one everyone is looking to (save for the handful of people who use mine!) and the one everyone refers to, including big timers like Healthy Child Healthy World. Some people might assume, that because one Blue Lizard product is on their Top Sunscreen list that the entire brand is “safe”. People tend not to read through pages and pages of material before making decisions. They should but let’s be real. They don’t – which is why I try to keep things on SafeMama as compact and accessible as possible. So my fear is that someone perusing the Top Sunscreens list will go on to assume that all Blue Lizard products are safe because that product was recommended by the Environmental Working Group. The products in question are the only mineral sunscreens in the entire line of products – the rest of Blue Lizards brand uses the chemical that EWG has blacklisted – oxybenzone and other non-mineral sunscreens. Another example is the BabyGanics sunscreen which contains phenoxyethanol, PEG’s and has a few chemical sunscreening ingredients as well.
Since the onset of the California Baby reformulation situation, moms have been asking about other products to ease the discomfort of eczema and dry skin on themselves and their babies without irritation and extra synthetic ingredients. 
This is a hard job because no product is going to be the exact same thing. Based on the feedback I received on Facebook, I’ll provide a list of products that are comparable and varying in availability and price. Please be aware that I have not tried all of these products so you’ll have to do some experimenting to find something that works for you. Also, if you were using CA Baby products due to sensitive skin or allergies you’ll have to be careful about what you select and test things out to determine if a reaction will occur. Also, not all of these contain calendula. I tried to find ones that did but I wanted to provide other solutions that may work as well.
Online / Private Brand Creams
My Mamas Love PEA Cream – This is a natural balm that has only a few simple ingredients. This might be a good one to try if you have chronic problems with rashes from products. Its desined for Psoriasis, Eczema and Acne. Allergy friendly formula. Ingredients: Organic, extra-virgin olive oil; bees wax; organic licorice; organic myrrh; and organic chlorella.
Price: $9.99 for a 1.7oz. jar
Zoe Organics Extreme Cream – I love this company for many reasons but mostly because they are passionate about providing pure products that are effective and safe. Rates a 0 in EWG and uses all organic ingredients, including calendula extract. Ingredients: butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil*, rosa rubiginosa (rosehip seed) oil*, persea americana (avocado) oil*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, calendula officinalis (calendula) extract*, althaea officinalis (marshmallow) root*, rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract*. *certified organic ingredient
Price: 2 oz jar is $18 / 4oz is $32
Botanical Baby Eczema Cream – I don’t know much about this brand but it does contain calendula and seems to get decent feedback. This has nut oils in it though so if you deal with nut allergies you might want to skip this one. Ingredients: * Lavendula angustifolia (Lavender) Hydrosol, *Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, *Prunus Amygdalus, Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, *Calendula Officinalis Extract, *Hippophae rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Seed Extract,* Rosa rubiginosa (Rosehip) Seed Extract, Zinc Oxide, Xanthum Gum, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), & *Lavendula angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil.
Price: $17.95 for 4 oz.
Bubble & Bee Organic Body Butta Unscented – Bubble & Bee is a favorite around here. Stephanie really knows her stuff and there is never anything icky or synthetic in her products. Her Body Butta is safe for babies and while it doesn’t contain calendula, she utilizes oils and butters that are known to soften skin and protect. This would be one to try out.
Online/Private Brands: Balms
Labalee Bathworks Baby Moisturier- This one is natural and made for dry sensitive skin. This balm is unscented and doesn’t have any essential oils that may cause allergies or irritation. It is also readily available to our Canadian readers via My Little Green Shop. Ingredients: olea europaea oil (organic olive oil), helianthus annuus seed oil (organic sunflower oil), butyrospermum parkii (organic shea butter), cococ nucifera oil (organic coconut butter), cera alba (natural beeswax), simmondsia chinensis seed oil (organic jojoba oil), tocopherol (vitamin E)
Price: $13.95 for a 2.8oz tin
LuSa Organics Booty Balm – LuSa Organics is one of my favorite companies for skin care items. I’m hoplessly addicted to many of her soaps, lip balms and sugar scrubs. But I’m here to suggest the Booty Balm for dry skin and eczema. She also has a great calendula bar soap that’s perfect for babies too. Ingredients: *Olive oil, *jojoba oil, local beeswax, *avocado oil; flowers of *calendula, *lavender, and *chamomile; essential oil blend (lavender, patchouli, peru balsam, and chamomile); and grapefruit seed extract, citric acid, and silver citrate (natural preservatives).
Price: Full Size (1.75-oz. tin) – $7.75
Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm - No list about skin care for babies is complete without Earth Mama Angel Baby. One of my all time favorites and the brand that pops into my head when people ask what’s safe. EMAB carries a Baby Bottom Balm that features organic ingredients including organic Calendula. Ingredients: Olea europaea (organic olive) oil, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) extract, Hypericum perforatum (organic St. John’s wort) extract, Stellaria media (organic chickweed) extract, Plantago major (organic plantain extract), Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Euphorbia antisyphilitica (candelilla), Simmondsia chinensis (organic jojoba) oil, proprietary blend of Lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) oil, Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and Commiphora myrrha (myrrh) oil
Price: $9.95 (1 oz. jar)
Dimpleskins Sweet Cheeks Body Balm – I’ve tried their Bum Bum Balm and loved it (it’s perfect for cloth diapering, no zinc. They have this balm for dry chapped skin and patches. It’s smooth and buttery but goes on like other balms do. Ingredients: Coconut Oil, pure Beeswax, organic Jojoba Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Cocoabutter, Vitamin e Oil, pure Lavender and Vanilla essential oils.
Price: $12 for a generous tin (30g)
MotherLove Green Salve - This is a relatively new discovery for me which I found on a fellow greenie blog Retrohousewife Goes Green. The ingredients are pretty simple which is why I like it. Less is more they say. Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil*, beeswax*, plantain herb*,comfrey herb*, marshmallow root*, calendula flower* *Certified Organic Ingredients
Price: $8.95
Sweet Knee Bun Glaze – I don’t know much about this product line but it came recommended to me by another mom. This balm is certified organic as well as gluten free which could be a bonus for some. It looks impressive. I have not tried it but looks like a good product to try out. Ingredients: Ingredients: althea officinalis (marshmallow) leaf*, plantago major (plantain leaf)*, cal. officinalis (calendula)*, matricaria recutita (German chamomile) flowers* infused in olea europaea (olive) oil*, helianthus annus (sunflower) oil*, theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter*, beeswax.
Online / Private Brand Lotions
Poofy Supernaturals Ciao Eczema Lotion – I discovered Poofy Organics last summer from a green blogger friend (Hi Lori) and I love their commitment to being as natural as possible. This is lotion that does utilize Calendula. Ingredients: Distilled water, Organic Wheat Germ Oil, Organic Calendula Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax, Vitamin A & D, Organic Vitamin E, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rosemary Extract. Poofy notes that they started adding benzoin gum to extend the shelf life to 5 months but they are made to order and arrive fresh with an expiration date.
Price: $17.00 for an 8.5 oz bottle
Babo Botanicals Oatmilk Calendula Lotion - I love Babo Botanicals products and their organic ingredients. This silky lotion might do the trick on winter dry skin. It’s fragrant in a powdery baby sort of way. Ingredients: Purified Water (Agua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil*, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax NF, Glyceryl Stearate SE (Vegetable) , Glycerine (Vegetable), Colloidal Oatmeal, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Glucono Delta Lactone (Sugar), Organic Calendula Officinalis*, D-Alph Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glyceryl Caprylate (Vegetable & Fruit), Carrageenan (Red Seeweed), Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, Beeswax, Vegetable Cetyl Alcohol (Coconut), Organic Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract*, Wildcrafted Nasturtium Officinale (Watercress) Extract*, Organic Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Root Extract*, Potassium Sorbate (Food Grade Preservative), Natural Essential Oil Blend of Vanilla and Cedarwood *Certified Organic Ingredients
Price: $16.50 for 8oz bottle
Episencial Soothing Cream – Episencial kind of specializes in skin care for bothered skin. The creator made this product for dry, bothered, itchy, dry skin and I know that her products are pretty gentle and mild so this could be a great possibly solution for eczema. Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis (ORGANIC Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Glycerin (Plant Derived), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Octyldodecanol, Simmondsia Chinensis (ORGANIC Jojoba) Seed Oil, Beeswax, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil Unsaponifiables, Persea Gratissima (ORGANIC Avocado) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf (ORGANIC Neem) Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Milk Ferment Lysate Filtrate (Yogurt Derived Probiotic), Cucumis Sativus (ORGANIC Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (ORGANIC Chamomile) Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (ORGANIC Safflower) Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis (ORGANIC Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis (ORGANIC Marigold) Flower, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Borage (Starflower) Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus (ORGANIC Raspberry) Juice, Sclerotium Gum, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Capryl Hydroxamic Acid (Natural Preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (Plant Derived Preservative), Caprylyl Glycol (Natural Preservative)
Price: $10.99 for 8oz
Chain Store Brands
Many of you have asked me to provide some suggestions on product lines that are readily available at local stores. If you are looking to switch brands, I have a Safer Skin Care Cheat Sheet full of options varying from boutique to mainstream brands. Be aware that chain store brands, while more accessible, may contain a synthetic chemical or two so read your labels to determine if they are acceptable to you.
I haven’t come across too many store brand creams that feature calendula oils in their formulas. So I’ll list some brands that are accessible, but again, you’ll have to experiment and see what fits.
Badger Baby Balm - I really don’t need to tell you how great Badger products are when it comes to safety. They made a Badger Baby Balm that does feature calendula and is a simple few ingredients. It’s a balm, not a cream, so there is that but whatever works. I use their balms on my feet and hands all the time. Love the Vanilla Coconut… but I digress. USDA Certified: Ingredients: *Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), Essential Oil of *Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile), and CO2 Extract of *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula). * = Certified Organic
Price: $10 for 2 oz. tin (you can probably bargain shop for this one)
Aveeno Baby Organic Harvest Lotion - This is a new line from Aveeno that I discovered. The price point is about what you would expect but the ingredients list is very impressive. Not to mention tear free, and allergy tested. Here is the ingredients list from the lotion - Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Water, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Glycerin*, Tapioca Starch*, Acacia Senegal Gum*, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Beeswax*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract*, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, *Certified Organic. The foaming wash and shampoo as well as the diaper cream both have excellent ingredients lists. FINALLY someone has been listening. The lotion is also USDA Certified and available right now at Target and other stores.
Price: Each product retails for about $12 for 8oz.
Shea Moisture Baby Lotion - This line appeared in the last year at my Target store locally and features a body wash, lotion and a thicker cream/balm. They do have a respectable ingredients list. The only flag that came up for me was for Japanese Honeysuckle which was a discussed ingredient a year ago. I’ll link to that here so you can read about it. In a nutshell, it probably has estrogenic properties like parabens do. I’ll leave the decision up to you. Ingredients: Deionized Water , Raw Butyrospermum Parkii Oil (Shea) , Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cacao) , Mangifera Indica Seed Butter (Mango) , Olus Oil , Argania Spinosa Nut Oil (Argan) , Centhera Biennis Oil (Evening Primrose) , Borage Officinalis Oil , Simmondsia Chinensis Oil (Jojoba) , Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil (Rosehip) , Tocopherol (Vitamin E) , Boswellia Serrata Oil (Frankincense) , Chamomile Extract , Myrrh Extract , Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Honeysuckle and Japanese Honeysuckle)
Price: $7-9 ber 8oz bottle
Weleda Calendula Baby Cream – This is a thicker cream made by Weleda that does feature Calendula in the formula. Some people have issues with the ingredients in this product so you’ll have to take a look and see if it meets your requirements. Weleda is more readily available than other brands. Benzyl Benzoate and Benzyl Salicylate a little suspect to me… found in nature but ruined during processing is a possibility. Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Lanolin, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Kaolin, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Beeswax, Glyceryl Linoleate, Silica (Silica), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Matricaria (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Limonene*, Linalool*, Benzyl Benzoate*, Benzyl Salicylate*, Geraniol*. * from natural essential oils
Price: $12 for a 2.6 oz tube (you can bargain shop for this one too)
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This is not a list of every product out there that is a suitable for dry skin and eczema… just a list of the ones I inspected and deem a safe alternative. If you know a brand of calendula or comparable cream/lotion that may belong here, please email me and let me know soI can check it out!
Jan
21
California Baby Reformulation Drama
Filed Under allergies, Product Safety, Skin Care | 44 Comments
There has been some drama going on around Facebook regarding a reformulation of the product line by California Baby. Before you panic I wanted to present the facts to you so that 
you may make an informed decision. Since I’m Mrs Bad News Bear around here I’ll just simply fill you all in and you can do what you want with that information.
Several months ago a friend/reader (Hi Cecelia!) messaged me on Facebook asking me if I noticed that California Baby Shampoo now contained sodium benzoate, when before, it did not. I wasn’t fully aware but I checked and sure enough this was the case. I don’t follow each skin care line and monitor their ingredients lists daily so this was news to me. I didn’t think enough of it at the time until yesterday when I wandered on to California Baby’s Facebook page and saw a large quantity of angry comments about relabeling and calendula creams and miscommunication and changing of calendula and burns and …. wow. It’s a little out of control so I want to sort out the information provided to us.
You can read about the above points in California Baby’s Facebook statement. (Deleted.)
I got a handful of emails from moms telling me that their babies were experiencing burns and rashes after using their new formula calendula creams and body washes, etc. CA Baby addressed it in their statement which is now gone, but I cannot say for certain why a reaction has occurred. (Because I wasn’t there – it would be false of me to make assumptions.. I’m not suggesting I don’t believe you that you had a reaction, because I do. I just can’t comment on why you had reactions.)
Updated: I can only say, if you are experiencing this, stop using it and try something that doesn’t contain any essential oils. (I’m suggesting this because if you are having a reaction to any cream or lotion, switching to something very basic is a good idea. There is also Rosemary, Lavender and Clary Sage oils in the Calendula Cream as listed. There is no telling what is to blame. All we know is that this product caused a reaction for some people.) I had always previously recommended their calendula cream for rashes and eczema and if its working for you I don’t see any reason to stop. (Unless you are purely disgusted by their practices then by all means!) But if you are not comfortable with it, there are other safe skin care products and techniques you can try.
Stephanie of Bubble & Bee Organics also has posted a very poignant article called Why Companies Reformulate that talks about why things like this occur.
Melinda from one of my favorite companies Earth Mama Angel Baby has published an article on the topic of reformulations as well.
Updated: I want to mention that I was not aware of the severity of the complaints being removed or about the responses from the CA Baby company when they received complaints. I think CA Baby made some very bad mistakes in handling this situation and it is disappointing. My goal with this post was to help answer a few questions I was receiving regarding the formulas, not to defend CA Baby. I am on your side and my only mission on SafeMama is to help people find answers.
I am compiling some recommendations on creams that may be suitable replacements for the CA Baby Calendula Cream. In the meantime, if you are in search of a new product line to use, please visit my Safer Skin Care Cheat Sheet for ideas.
Jan
19
SafeMama on The Honest Company Launch
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Safety, Skin Care | 34 Comments
Hi everyone! I’ve been so busy but I am researching my little heart out so bear with me. I have gotten a ton of email from all of my loyal SafeParents on what I thought of the new products that were launched this week by Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan’s new company The Honest Company. I have been waiting with baited breath for the launch of their products and I know many of are wanting to know my thoughts…
Are the products really good? Or greenwashing? Is it worth buying? What do you think about the ingredients? Would you buy it? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I can answer some of those questions, but I have not received any advance samples of any of the products so I can’t give you any first hand information. But I have spent some time reading their website and can provide some insight based only on what they have published.
A little back story… Jessica Alba has been a wonderful representative for mothers everywhere who want and demand better regulation of chemicals in our every day products. As a mother herself she has gone to Capitol Hill to use her influence to lobby for these changes. She teamed up with Christopher Gavigan of Healthy Child Healthy World to bring safer products to the main stream. I love them both for doing this. As SafeMama I really do support their efforts because I know they are coming from a good place… but I also have my loyalties rooted in you, my readers. My obligation is to you, to ensure that you get a straightforward idea of products that you use for your families. So The Honest Company, while I am supportive and happy to see their appearance on the market, will get put through the SafeMama Ringer just like everyone else. No special treatment. First, the positive:
Cleaning Products
I don’t have much to gripe about with the cleaning products. They look safe and effective and have a very limited amount of ingredients which is a plus. The dish soap simply states its made of ”Ingredients: Water & coconut oil derived surfactants”. It seems a little vague but it’s all we can tell so far. I’m really curious to see how they perform. Will get back to you at a later date and possibly a separate review of those.
Diapers & Wipes
The Honest Diapers are adorable and I am curious to check them out. They are made with plant based materials with a core of corn starch and acrylic polymers. The outer shell is comprised of plant fibers and spandex. They are a safer alternative to regular disposables. Do not be fooled into thinking they are biodegradable though. If I had a choice between these and Pampers, you are right in assuming these would be a much safer choice for baby. There are no phthalates from perfumes or dyes and no PVC or chlorine. They look promising if you are not into cloth diapering, these might be a good choice for the price.
The Honest Wipes are biodegradable and they look great, but there is not a detailed ingredients list published so I can’t comment on the ingredients until I have them in my hands.
Skin Care Products
The positive: All the Honest Company skin care products are free of SLS, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances & dyes, formaldehyde, petrochemicals & common allergens. Plus!
I am pretty happy with their approach, using organic ingredients when possible and focusing on making a product that isn’t loaded with petro chemicals. However, in a few products here and there I found some things that I know you try to avoid, as do I, so I might be more selective about which ones I order. (I hate that this is taking on a negative approach but what can I do).
The baby skin care mainly is decent and chock full of lovely acceptable ingredients like Organic aloe and shea butter but did find a few minor things that bothered me. Sodium Benzoate (some experts believe that the presence of a benzene ring mixed with other ingredients, like vitamin C, could create a carcinoenic by product – that may not be the case here but there is a tangerine ingredient and citric acid present with it so I thought it was worth mentioning. Studies have shown Sodium Benzoate to be safe, but because of the other ingredients listed I was weary. ) is present in a few products, the hand wash contains Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Phenoxyethanol - both of which I have struggled with and had many arguments with product makers over the safety of them. I still firmly maintain that they are not ideal. They’re not awful in the grand scheme but if you’re being picky….
These discrepancies are found in the types of products most natural product makers struggle with: Water based products and foaming products. Products that require water as an ingredient are to make the product thinner like lotions. The drawback is that it requires a preservative and that’s where we tend to find trouble. Sodium benzoate is a preservative, Phenoxyethanol is a preservative and so are parabens. Preservatives are needed in water based products to lengthen the life of a product and to keep harmful bacteria from developing.
Products that need to have a foaming action are another one. You need a surfactant to make that luxurious bubbly foam we all enjoy. But many times those surfactants (usually it’s SLS in mainstream products) that are the troublemakers. Companies reached for Cocamidopropyl Betaine as a “safe” alternative but I’ve read otherwise. Some people might not find it troublesome. Some do. That decision is yours.
When it comes to the easier products like Healing Balm, The Honest Company has come through. But safe healing balms and rash creams are easier to find. Theirs is Certified Organic which is a nice bonus. I’m also relatively pleased with their new Honest Sunscreen which uses non-nanoparticle databa zinc. Some will argue that the Vegetable Emulsifying Wax is undesirable and should have a higher score in the EWG Skin Deep database but I don’t have a firm opinion on that yet.
Overall, some skin care products look great, – fantastic even, and others look like they tried and fell short on a few ingredients by probably listening to a chemist that said “phenoxyethanol is better than parabens so you can use that”. Which is correct, but if we’re going for 100% safe we want nothing remotely controversial in our baby’s skin care.
Would I buy them?
So. Again, I respect the intentions of this company… transparency of ingredients and practices, their mission to provide more affordable safer products to parents, is wonderful and I support them in this endeavor. But I always promise, like The Honest Company, to be HONEST with you about the products you use and buy. I will hopefully be able to examine things more closely in the future and I hope this answers some of your questions about what I think of their new products.
I would buy some of their products, yes. Are they perfect? I think that’s an unreasonable expectation. but not everyone agrees with my perspective on things. For some, it might be exactly what they are comfortable with. If it’s a matter of The Honest Company versus Johnson & Johnson … The Honest Company wins hands down every time.
Nov
3
Johnson & Johnson To Make Products Formaldehyde Free, But Is It Enough?
Filed Under Skin Care, Take Action | 3 Comments
In the US, J&J products contain formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane which are both carcinogens
This week The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics asked for a call to action after finding out that Johnson & Johnson, the popular baby product manufacturer, was selling a “safer” version of their bath products in foreign countries. By safer, I mean they had eliminated formaldehyde releasing preservatives from those products while the babies in the US continue to be exposed to their old formulas.
The ingredient that The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics had their eye on was quaternium-15 which releases detectable levels of formaldehyde in to the products. Pair that with the carcinogen 1,4 dioxane and you have yourself a nice gentle and safe baby product, right? (That’s sarcasm by the way). A few years ago they lobbied to J&J to remove quaternium-15 from their products. But as of today, J&J is still exposing babies in the US to these carcinogenic chemicals.
This week Johnson & Johnson released a statement in a letter saying that even though formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are safe (that sounds ridiculous) they are phasing them out and are going to gradually reduce the level of dioxane to lower than detectable levels.
While I think this is a step in the right direction I do have a few misgivings with the recent developments. One is that its taken entirely too long for J&J to respond to the demand of the consumers. It’s been years that we have been writing letters to them demanding safer products. And yes, they did come out with a safer version of their products. But this is mainly out of money making instead of wanting to make safer products.
My other “beef” is that the spotlight in this case has been mostly on quaternium-15 and 1,4 dioxane. But what about the fact that they are using hormone disrupting phthalates (fragrance) in a product designed for infants! Even if they eliminate quaternium-15 and dioxane (which are carcinogens… I understand the focus on getting rid of them) the products will still not be what I consider to be “safe”. But one thing at a time I suppose.
I get email all the time from people asking me what I think of their new “Naturals” line. I understand people want safe products that don’t cost $16 a bottle. I get it. I would much rather pay $4.99 than what I pay for kid shampoo. But I just cannot give it my support. It’s free of many things I avoid in skin care but I don’t trust that the company has children’s safety in mind, only dollars signs. I would much rather support (and sacrifice) a company that cares and has cared from the beginning.
Take Action: Despite what I’ve said above, I do see the value in demanding safer products for the public even if it means they aren’t perfect, but better. So we will continue to write to J&J and other companies to demand better for our babies.
Aug
1
Earth Mama’s How Low Can You Go Challenge!
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Skin Care, Take Action | 22 Comments
It’s Toxic Limbo time! Sing with us, “All around the natural world, gonna get the toxins out!” How low can YOU go when it comes to safe, natural personal care products? Take the Earth Mama How Low Can You Go Challenge to find out!
Here’s the challenge:
Gather some of the most common pregnancy and baby care products you use regularly on your pregnant body or on your baby. You
can include shampoo, lotions, soaps, diaper cream, stretch mark oil, hemorrhoid cream, etc. Go to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ Skin Deep database and enter a product name in the search field (for example, Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash). Look for the Hazard
Score for that product. The Hazard Score tells you the toxicity rating: 0 is lowest, 10 the most toxic. Click the product if you want to see specifically which ingredients add up to create that score. If your product isn’t listed, ask yourself why. Is there something in the ingredients list that the company might not want you to see? If your product isn’t listed, you can enter individual ingredients to check their toxicity rating.
Add up the Skin Deep toxicity rating for all the personal care products that you use on a daily basis on your pregnant or nursing body, or on your baby, to find out what your score is. Then answer these questions.
Don’t worry – there are no right or wrong answers, and everyone wins when mamas are informed and empowered. The biggest surprise is how high the toxin score can be, even for products that are labeled “natural” or “organic.” The only way to lower your score is to know what to look for, and there’s a whole tricky business trying to trick busy mamas with unclear labeling. That’s why Earth Mama supports the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.
Please Take Action!
The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 needs your support! The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359) is designed to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients and that ingredients are fully disclosed. It’s pretty simple, right? Earth Mama Angel Baby is hoping you’ll use this handy action tool from our friends at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to tell your rep to close the loopholes that allow “cancer-causing chemicals in baby shampoo, hormone disruptors in fragrance and lead in lipstick.”
Enter to Win Some Earth Mama Angel Baby Goodies!
One random participant will win Earth Mama’s A Little Something for Baby, filled with zero toxin essentials for an angel on the go. (Set includes naturally safe Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, best selling, rash busting Angel Baby Bottom Balm, soothing Angel Baby Lotion and pure, virtually scent-free Angel Baby Oil)
Complete the following steps to enter: (required)
Jul
21
Purple Prairie Bug Stuff Review
Filed Under Product Reviews, Product Safety, Skin Care | 2 Comments
So as you can probably guess, the cheat sheet for bug repellents got back burnered this summer. Seriously, I don’t know how anyone gets anything done in the summer time. I feel like I am constantly shuttling kids from one place to another and when I’m not, I’m trying to keep them busy with projects so I can work. (Have I mentioned I have a web design job too? Shoot me.) Summer is impossible! So in lieu I wanted to do a quick review of a bug spray that I have been testing out for my friend at Lullaby Organics. She sent us the Purple Prairie Bug Stuff and Bug Lotion to try out.
I live in Georgia this time of year. Near Atlanta. Which should just be renamed Hot Swamp because holy, it is hot here. I’m talking muggy, baking bread on the driveway hot. It’s ridiculous. So the only time of day we can play with the kids outside is when the sun goes down. And of course, as many of you can relate, once the sun is out of sight, swarms of mosquitoes and little biting bugs come out to play too.
Since Purple Prairie has such a nice sunscreen I was excited to try their bug products too. I habitually doused myself and the kids with the spray a few nights in a row and then switched off to the lotion for a few nights. Most natural bug repellents smell pretty pungent from the oils they use to repel bugs. The idea is to mask the scent of your CO2 and body scent so that the bugs cannot find you. Reapplication is key with natural bug repellents. That said, they are still smelly. Purple Prairie utilizes a variety of bug repelling oils instead of chemicals to help scare off bugs. However they have figured out how to make it a little less smelly than others. It still has the telltale scent of citronella but it’s not quite as overpowering as some.
We had the most success with the Bug Lotion this year. Sure it’s a little more of a pain to apply but it seemed to yield less bites overall, perhaps because the concentration on the skin is higher versus the spray. Believe me, I know the appeal of a spray since it’s so much easier. But I had to use a lot to get adequately coated. The lotion lasts a little longer and I didn’t see as many bug bites on myself compared to the spray. I also like the price point on these, though again I have to say the lotion is more bang for your buck. If you live somewhere that doesn’t have a big bug issue in the summer than the spray might work out nicely.
My only gripe with natural repellents is that the ingredients are iffy for use on kids under three. Though, I’d rather risk an essential oil on my 2 year old than DEET.
Get Bug Stuff: You can buy both the Purple Prairie Bug Stuff Spray and Lotions on Lullaby Organics!
Jul
1
TruKid Releases New Sunscreen Products
Filed Under Skin Care | 2 Comments
TruKid Safe For Baby SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen
I’ve been watching TruKids new developments with pure excitement because when I first started this journey on SafeMama I really loved their products especially their sunscreen. As I learned more about ingredients there were some things that nagged at me and I made the difficult decision to exclude their product from the Sunscreen Cheat Sheet for the last 2 years. It broke my heart for many reasons, one being I love their company and their product, and so did many others. So I had to defend my decision pretty hard. It wasn’t an easy decision and it’s one I met with many people defending the opposite stance.
However, this year they have come out with two new versions of their sunscreen. They have removed phenoxyethanol from these two new formulas and are instead using a milder preservative that doesn’t sound any alarm bells for me. They are back in my good graces and I am so happy about that. They released their new TruKid Sunny Days SPORT SPF 30 sunscreen and today I saw in their newsletter that they have come up with their Safe For Babies Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 which is safe for babies under 6 months according to TruKid! They also have a Safe For Baby SPORT version as well.
I’ve not tried the new formulas but am about to order some to test them out. I will publish my findings when I do. Thanks TruKid 
Jun
15
With all the chit chat over sunscreen lately, the new regulations that are being put in place by the FDA regarding sunscreen claims has brought new light to the ever present “What do I buy?” question. Whether you buy sunscreen thinking of the protection versus the ingredients, these new regulations will be a step forward. Since the SPF numbers on sunscreens in major stores started soaring up into the range of 80 to even 100, I had a gut feeling that those claims were not all they were cracked up to be.
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The theory is that depending on the SPF number, times 10 (minutes) is how long you could “theoretically” stay in the sun without burning. So if SPF 15 means 150 minutes than SPF 100 means you can stay in the sun for 1,000 minutes without burning? Seems an unlikely claim. The SPF number really does not correspond with how much time you can spend in the sun especially when you consider what you do in the sun – swim, run, play, use towels, etc. And to make matters even more confusing, SPF only relates to UVB protection. UVA protection is not included in the SPF number. The new phrase that pays is going to be “Broad Spectrum”. This means that it will protect you against UVB AND UVA rays.
In brief here are what the new regulations will cover:
But lucky for those of us who have insisted on choosing safer sunscreens for years, sunscreen ingredients like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide already have broad spectrum protection. *grin* Until next summer, be sure to choose a sunscreen with “broad spectrum” protection with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Jun
2
Summer Starter Kit from Lullaby Organics! (Giveaway)
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Green Mama, Skin Care | 254 Comments
I released my 2011 Sunscreen Cheat Sheet recently and right on time for starting out the summer fun! Being in the south, we’ve been beaching and swimming for a while so it’s not new to us but the rest of the northern states are gearing up for heading to the beach, lake, river, or wherever you spend your leisure summer days. So while you’re packing up your big floppy hats, umbrellas and filling your coolers with snacks, you can add some other summer aides to your pile to make your summer fun and safe.
Lullaby Organics, one of our sponsors and supporters is offering a Summer Starter Kit for some fun in the sun to one of my very lucky readers. In the kit you’ll receive some fabulous goodies from Lullaby Organics to get your summer off to a good start. Better even, if you don’t win the kit, you can buy your own for yourself or as a gift! These are all GREAT products that I support and love.
Green Toys Sand Play Set – I’m a big fan of Green Toys and for good reason. Not only are their toys recycleable, but they are make of 100% recycled plastic, made in the USA and contain no BPA, PVC or Phthalates. Plus, their toys are really fun to play with. We’ve used their sand toy set here at the beach many many times. Everyone fights over the Green Toys shovel because it’s the best one. Their toys are sturdy and well designed and will last far longer than the cheap plastic beach toys we have (that always end up breaking every year). Green Toys stand the test of time. And they look cool! And then you can recycle them when you’re done with them (which will be never… they really are that sturdy)
Purple Prairie SPF 30+ Sun Stuff - Purple Prairie got awarded Best Overall Sunscreen in this years cheat sheet. It feels “drier” than other natural sunscreens, protects great and stands up to swim, beach and rough play in the sun. When you can’t keep hats and sun clothes on the kids, a good sunscreen is good back up for long days in the sun. Some sun exposure is very important to overall health, so don’t keep them slathered every second in the sun. But if you’re out at a picnic for hours on end and the kids won’t get off the playground, a little Sun Stuff will keep them from getting burned. Non-greasy, minimal whiteness (seriously – it’s a non-issue) and good protection. Hands down my summer favorite this year.
BienElla Bug Spray – Sometimes it gets later in the day and those biting rascals come out to play too. Here in Florida I battle the buggies every afternoon around dinner time. They are relentless. So some natural bug repellent is key this time of year. Natural oils confuse bugs and keep them off your arms and legs. It has a pleasant scent and isn’t heavy on your skin. The small bottle fits perfectly in a side pocket of your non woven tote bag. BienElla specializes in all natural skin and body solutions and their bug spray is no exception. No DEET, just natural bug repelling oils to keep them at bay.
My Mama’s Love Burn Out Organic Burn Cream – If by chance you happen to get too much sun and there are pink backs and faces running around the house, perhaps a little soothing rescue is in order. My Mama’s Love Burn Out Burn Cream is great because it is SUPER effective for sunburn and made with natural organic ingredients for a soothing, healing ointment for burns that provides fast relief. My Mama’s Love products are specialized for problem skin issues like eczema, bug bites, scalp problems and itchies. Natural organic ingredients that exclude allergens is the key to it’s success!
Stock Up: Get your Safe Summer Essentials Kit from Lullaby Organics!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit Lullaby Organics and let me know what items they carry would make your life greener. They carry some great stuff! (I love the organic cotton jammies myself..)
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Entries will be accepted until June 10, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck! Thank you Lullaby Organics!
Congratulations commenter #84 - Tara B! Thank you to everyone who entered. I wish I could give this prize to everyone!
May
26
EWG’s Sunscreen Report – Helpful or Harmful?
Filed Under Skin Care | 36 Comments
Ok so I don’t usually do this but I am going to write an opinion piece here today. As you know I recently released my 2011 Sunscreen Cheat Sheet where I check out various natural brands of sunscreen, inspect the ingredients, write to the manufacturers to confirm information and compile my list of recommendations. Yes, I recommend these brands because I feel they display exemplary ingredients lists and are far less harmful than most commercial brands.
The EWG releases their own Sunscreen Report each year and this year was no exception. Each year I am a little surprised by their choices and I was a bit flabbergasted by their report this year and I’m going to tell you why. Most importantly, I am challenging you, my readers to not take one organizations word for it. I try to provide my cheat sheets to save you time, yes. But I firmly believe it’s in everyone’s best interest to take time when you have it to question things and learn more about what you put on your body. So moving on…
I do not agree with some of the EWG’s Top Sunscreens. You’re probably thinking “Who does she think she is? she’s just a MOM, they are scientists, she has no clue.” And you are partially right. Except for the clue part. I’ve been inspecting sunscreens for years and while I have never been in a laboratory to test the effectiveness of any sunscreen, I do know that there are ingredients we should avoid and ingredients I do not allow in any products I recommend. What bother’s me about some of the brands EWG selected to put in their Top Sunscreens list is two fold.
Now, I am not disparaging the entire report. They do say the list is for “people who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor“, so they aren’t right out saying “these are the safest products over all” But what is the point if there are other hormone disrupting ingredients plaguing the contents? Doesn’t that negate some of the purpose? It’s confusing to me, so someone who is not familiar with looking for safe products, or deciphering ingredients, will make other assumptions. I think it’s only half of the story and they are missing an opportunity to really promote products that are safe all around.
There are some GREAT brands on the list, brands that I support and list on my own Cheat Sheet so all is not lost. I just think they should be a bit more selective. They have a WEALTH of valuable information in the report and they explain their methodology and provide far more information than I ever could alone. They are an awesome resource for those who want to know more and I support the organization. But some of their picks are confusing to me based on what they are telling us is safe.
My last issue is the intense focus on sunscreen this time of year. I get more email and comments about sunscreen than anything else. And unless you live in an area where you use it year around, I think people’s concern is misplaced. We should be focusing our “paranoia” on the products we use on our skin every single day. Not something that we use for a couple months out of the whole year. Is it important to scrutinize our sunscreens? Yes! But I think we should be this riled up about all body care products as much as we are about sunscreen.
I welcome your comments and criticism of my opinion. As a disclaimer, I don’t know everything and I don’t claim to. But I know enough to want things to be better.
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