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Being a new mom is overwhelming in so many ways – not the least of which is finding the safest and most optimal product for your baby possible.
Moms are naturally vigilant (and rightfully so) about their children’s safety, so it’s no surprise that the motherhood community is on fire these days when it comes to baby products. Babies have much weaker skin barriers than adults do, making them more likely to absorb any toxins that they come into contact with (1); and their bodies are also less resistant to toxins. The market today is flooded with products full of toxic ingredients, and new research and information (2) is causing many moms avoid many brands and products that used to be well-known and trusted.
As a new mom, your time is limited and it may seem impossible to do the research on your own to find the right product. However, your baby’s safety is paramount and this certainly isn’t an issue you want to compromise. This article aims takes a close look at the different types of baby skin & bath care products on the market today and the truth behind each one so that you can understand the good, the bad and the ugly of the baby care world – and then go with the best and leave the rest.
Traditional Products: Why You Should Steer Clear
When you think of traditional baby products, think of the word “synthetic” – ingredients that are artificially created. These ingredients, by definition, are not natural for the human body to process. And as infants are far weaker and less adapted to artificial ingredients than adults are, this should be an obvious category to avoid.
Synthetic ingredients include parabens, phthalates, sulfates, sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), and most notoriously, “fragrance” – a sort of catch-all term that sounds harmless and even natural, but in reality, is a mixture of artificial ingredients used to add scent to a product and is notorious for causing eczema and other kinds of irritation.
Plenty of popular and long-standing brands use synthetic ingredients. When looking for a safe and appropriate baby care product, marketing, packaging and hearsay are not factors that should influence you. Instead, go directly to the ingredients list. If any of the ingredients are synthetic, put the product aside and keep looking. The problem is that it’s hard for non-expert parents to know which ingredients are safe and which not (especially by reading their scientific INCI names). Thanks to EWG’s database (3), you simply need to enter the ingredient name and a thorough evaluation of this ingredient will appear.
“Organic” and “Natural” Products: Truth or Hype?
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In an applaudable effort to move away from traditional, synthetic products many moms are toting “organic” and “natural” as the best indicators of a product’s safety and quality. But is it enough to trust a baby care product simply because it has these labels slapped on it?
First of all, it is important to note that organic products, on the whole, are preferable to synthetic ones. After all, they are not chock full of ingredients with negative or unknown long-term effects. That said, a product cannot be trusted completely simply because it’s organic, as weak regulation by the FDA (4) permits some artificial ingredients to be present in organic products.
A notable example is “fragrance.” Both Aveeno and Burt’s Bees – brands that are well known for being alternative choices to mainstream brands – contain fragrance as one of their ingredients. (5) (6) Fragrance is not a natural ingredient, but because it’s not labeled as such by the FDA it’s able to slip its way into organic brands.
Here’s something else to keep in mind: “natural,” per se, does not guarantee that a product is optimal or even safe. There are plenty of natural, plant-derived substances that can cause skin clogging, irritation and other negative effects. The words “natural” and “organic” have influenced many moms because of word association, but once again, it’s important to look at actual facts.
Edible Ingredients: The Option That Makes the Most Sense
The time is ripe for finding a new and improved factor for baby product safety. “Organic” and “natural” are too vague and misleading; there needs to be a better way to narrow the search.
This brings us back to the initial concerns of many new moms out there: babies’ skin barriers are underdeveloped and very vulnerable to any substance that touches them. Some trace amount of product, however small, that goes onto a baby’s skin will be inevitably absorbed into the bloodstream; there is no preventing this fact.
The logical deduction from here is to go with a product that has ingredients that are both natural and harmless enough to be absorbed into the baby’s bloodstream. The only sort of ingredient that can meet these criteria is one that is edible.
Think of it this way: when your baby absorbs any ingredient into his or her bloodstream that is artificial or otherwise harmful, that ingredient is going to remain in the baby’s system indefinitely because it cannot be naturally expelled. Natural ingredients are also no guarantee since an ingredient can be natural, but still not be easily processed by the body.
Edible ingredients, however, by definition can be absorbed, processed and expelled from the body without causing harm. Ironically, with all the demand for progressive and non-toxic baby care products there are next to no products (so far) that are made with edible ingredients. The one notable exception is Babyology – their line of personal baby care products uses 100% edible ingredients. You can hear what real parents are saying about the products via their Amazon page.
Hopefully other products and brands follow Babyology’s example and shift towards using ingredients that are edible. In the meantime, focus on reading the ingredient list of every product you consider, and always go with the product that has the highest percentage of edible ingredients.
