Two years ago, I read an issue of Mothering magazine that talked about a personal care products database online. I could go look up the personal care products I used to check their safety. Products are scored on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being the safest and 10 being the most hazardous. The database is run by the non-profit Environmental Working Group. Out of curiosity, I typed in the shampoo we’d been using on my son–Johnson & Johnson Original Baby Shampoo. It was scored as a “moderate hazard.” This surprised me as the company advertises their shampoo as being so gentle to baby’s eyes, it’s like water, as well as being the #1 choice of hospitals. Well, it turns out that some of the ingredients aren’t the safest–fragrances linked to allergies and neurotoxicity, quaternium-15 linked to allergies, organ toxicity, and possibly contaminated with formaldehyde, etc. Today, the database gives this product a score of 5 and says that 79% of baby shampoos in the database have lower concerns. The database is called Skin Deep and has been in the news recently because of its extensive sunblock review. Interestingly enough, a bottle of sunblock that failed to protect my husband (he got a sunburn each time he used it) was listed in the database as not recommended.
We now frequently check the database before purchasing personal care products. We switched our shampoo to an organic brand–Giovanni. Their Triple Treat Tea Tree Oil Shampoo is not only organic and affordable, it gets a score of 2 on the database (low hazard). We switched our toothpaste from one of moderate concern (4) to one with the lowest score possible–Tom’s of Maine Anticavity Baking Soda Toothpaste. Interestingly, I like the real peppermint flavor of the new toothpaste much more than the artificially sweetened version I was using before. We switched our sunblock from the one that left my husband burned to Aveeno’s Continuous Protection sunblock for babies (and yes, we all use the baby sunblock now). Better yet, the awareness this site brought has helped us really evaluate whether or not we need certain beauty products. We’ve really trimmed down what we’re using, reducing our expenditures on unnecessary products and our exposure to chemicals. We’ve stopped using unnecessary hair products, mouthwash, perfume, cologne, aftershave, nail polish (and therefore nail polish remover), and some make-up. The one thing I just can’t seem to let go no matter how often I hear about its dangers? My antiperspirant! I tried a safer, more natural option once and am not willing to smell or sweat like that ever again. I’m not happy about applying the heavy-metal aluminum to my body every day, but I just haven’t found a better alternative (please leave a comment if you have a brand worth trying!) But for most other personal care products in our home, it’s been easy and satisfying to switch to safer options. I suggest checking out the Skin Deep database and if you find that a product you’re using has a high score, maybe it’s time to search for alternatives.
Here is a list of ingredients you may want to consider avoiding, copied and modified from Organic Baby by Kimberly Rider1:
Aluminum by-products – used for coloring in cosmetics or as a anti-wetness agent in antiperspirants and deodorants. Possibly carcinogenic, toxic, and mutagenic.
Benzoates – used as preservatives. Toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic.
Coal tar “colors” - used as coloring agents (such as Green No. 3 or Red No. 33). Can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and headaches. Also a carcinogen.
Diethanolamine (DEA, TEA) - a synthetic solvent, detergent, and humectant. Used in lotions, creams, bubble baths, liquid dishwasher detergents, laundry detergents, and hair dyes. Can harm the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Irritates the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Forms nitrosamines that are known to be carcinogenic and especially harmful to infants and children.
DMDM hydantoin or MDM – this form of formaldehyde is used in soaps. Emits a colorless gas that is toxic when inhaled. An irritant to skin and mucous membranes. If ingested, it can produce internal bleeding and severe abdominal pain. This suspected carcinogen is banned in Japan and Sweden.
Flouride – used to strengthen teeth. Linked to cancer, dental deformity, arthritis, allergic reactions, and Crohn’s disease. Fluoridated toothpaste should never be used with small children, who tend to swallow it when brushing their teeth.
Fragrance – synthetic fragrances often contain phthalates (see Dangers of Plastics post) and can cause irritation and allergic reactions.
Glycol – used as a humectant in cosmetics. Carcinogenic and mutagenic. Propylene glycol causes liver abnormalities and kidney damage in laboratory animals, while ethylene glycol is a suspected bladder carcinogen and has been linked to birth defects and reduced sperm counts in animal studies.
Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl) – preservatives and antibacterials used in creams and lotions. Are petroleum-based. Can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, and disrupt hormones.
Nitrates, nitrosamines, and sulfer compounds – Nitrogen-containing compounds used in shampoos. They enter the circulatory system each time the shampoo is used and can react with ingredients in food supplements or cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrates and dioxin. May be retained in the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys, and muscles for years.
Mineral oil – used to hold in moisture. Can clog pores and disrupt the body’s ability to release toxins via the skin. Petroleum derived.
Phthalates – used to soften plastic. Are toxic and carcinogenic, and can cause fertility problems.
Quaternium 15 – used as a preservative. A form of formaldehyde that irritates the respiratory system and may cause skin reactions, allergies, headaches, depression, or chronic fatigue. Weakens the immune system.
Sodium lauryl sulfate – a lathering agent present in 90% of commercially available shampoos. Also found in most liquid hand soaps. It corrodes hair follicles, impedes hair growth, and can penetrate the eyes, brain, and liver. May cause eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, and allergic reactions. It can degrade cell membranes, change genetic information, and damage the immune system. May increase the penetration of other ingredients into the skin.
Toluene – a solvent that resembles benzene. If ingested, may cause mild anemia and liver damage. Can irritate the skin and respiratory tract.
1. Rider, Kimberly. Organic Baby. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC, 2007.
Posted by Lori on February 10, 2008 at 12:53 am
Hey Sophia! I am loving your blog – it’s right up my alley!
Definitely try baking soda as a deodorant. It’s the ONLY thing that works on my stinky armpits! Honestly! It works even better than the old aluminum-based anti-perspirants I used to use. I tried some of the natural brands of deodorant and they did absolutely nothing, only left me embarrassingly stinky.
I just keep some in a jar, stick a few dry fingers in (the baking soda will stick to the fingers) and then pat/rub it on my armpits.
We seem to be at the same point in our quest for a natural lifestyle; I switched to natural and/or organic bath & beauty products over a year ago. I use and love Shikai shampoo but have heard amazing things about Giovanni TTTT Oil shampoo. I plan to try that once my Shikai is gone! I do have some of Giovanni’s hot chocolate body scrub, which is divine.
We also switched to a natural toothpaste (we use Powersmile by Jason, which is fluoride-free) and sunscreen (we use Family Sunbrellas Block by Jason).
Oh, and if you want an AWESOME face wash, try raw organic honey. OMG, my face has never been softer or smoother… and for the first time in my life, I am not battling blemishes. My skin is now so clear that I don’t have to wear makeup base as a cover if I don’t want to. I think it’s also a natural exfoliant because I no longer have to exfoliate.
Anyway, I just wanted to say HI! I am loving your articles.
Lori
Posted by jimmy on October 14, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I have been using a daily rinse of Listorine for a few years now (I know, I know). I tried finding a more echo-friendly substitute, but cannot. My mouth is so much healthier since I started doing this on the recommendation of my dentist that I do not want to stop. However, I just learned today that chlorhexidine has some nasty side effects, one of the ingredients in the mouth wash. Have you heard of this? Do you know much about it? I just read on the internet that this chemical can stain your teeth and tongue? Anything you can add would be helfpul, along with a mouthwash recommendation!
Posted by Sophia on October 14, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Jimmy, you couldn’t find any natural alternatives? Did you try Whole Foods?? Tom’s of Maine makes a mouthwash. I don’t use mouthwash but I LOVE their toothpaste. The baking soda one looks nice: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/product.asp?dept_id=350&pf_id=MW
I’ve used Jason toothpaste before and looks like they make mouthwashes too: http://www.jason-natural.com/products/oral_care.php.
Dessert Essence makes one with tea tree oil, which has antiseptic properties. http://www.desertessence.com/oral-care/mouthwash.
So I guess my point is, you have many natural options! If you’re worried about bad breath, have you considered probiotics? The good bacteria overwhelm the bad and is supposed to help with bad breath. Just open the capsule and pour the probiotics on your tongue. Read my probiotics post for more.
Sorry, I don’t know more about chlorhexidine that what I can look up on the internet. I did look up Listerine in the Skin Deep database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) and it got a score of 3-5, depending on the variety (1 being safest, 10 being most dangerous). It looks like the biggest concerns were with thymol (the supposed active ingredient), ethanol, and flavorings. Try going there and see if you can find an alternative that’s safer. I personally would try to find something more natural if you can. Hope that helps!
Posted by Velvet Kronk on December 23, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Thanks for posting this article. I’m definitely frustrated with struggling to search out pertinent and intelligent commentary on this subject. Everybody now goes to the very far extremes to either drive home their viewpoint that either: everyone else in the planet is wrong, or two that everyone but them does not really understand the situation. Many thanks for your succinct, relevant insight.