Research-backed
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Baby care products were not always what they are today. One hundred years ago there were fewer options and many of them were harsh for a newborn’s skin — stripping the skin of moisture and causing irritation. The babies of the Lost Generation were commonly bathed with a simple bar of Ivory soap, introduced by Proctor and Gamble in 1879. In addition to the soap bar bath, it was common to apply talcum powder to the baby once dry. Some years later, it was found that talc powder contained asbestos and caused respiratory issues in both the child and parent. Decades after the days of bar soap bathing, a chemical boom of baby care products hit the market. From the 1960s to 2000s, most baby care products boasted that they were offering innovative benefits, however, what they really delivered were heaps of harmful chemicals.
Today, and with the help of the internet, parents are becoming more and more educated and aware of the good and bad in an ingredients list. The trend now: going back to basics.
Natural and organic baby skincare products are all the rage. These products are far beyond better than those of decades prior, though, many of these products still contain some skin irritants in their ingredients. Fragrance, dyes, and certain preservatives can be problematic for the extremely permeable skin of a baby (1). A newborn’s skin barrier is so thin that up to 50% of what you put on it gets absorbed into their bloodstream. The good news is there is an alternative option and it’s one that won’t leave you up at night browsing the internet as you try to figure out what ingredient is what. As it is, you’re likely kept up enough with your newborn!
Babyology, a pioneer in the “edible” ingredient baby care world is leading the way with products that are truly worry-free. They’ve recently launched a line of products that claim to be made with 100% edible ingredients. Meaning, there is nothing harmful that could and may permeate through the delicate skin barrier of a baby. You may wonder how a baby wash can lather into a foam without certain chemical foaming agents but Babyology has seemed to figure that out the edible way. They use oat amino acids that create a soft foam for all of your baby bath time needs. The baby gets truly clean but without the harsh effects of most surfactants. The company was founded by a mother of three who also happens to work for a personal care company. It was her passion to create the best for her kids and with the support of her workplace team, the creation of Babyology began.
Image: Credit: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
It’s clear that baby care products have come a long way since the days of Ivory soap and asbestos-laden baby powder. However, there are still tons of seriously harmful ingredients lingering on the shelves of the baby aisle. It’s important to educate yourself on what the really long and hard to pronounce ingredients actually are and to better understand their purpose (and possibly harmful side effects). If you don’t have the time or bandwidth to study up on the tear-free shampoo that you were thinking of buying, then the best and most promising option is to purchase products that are made with 100% edible ingredients. To date, Babyology seems to be the only company making this happen. You can learn more about what they’re mixing up on their website and also hear what real parents are saying about the products via their Amazon page. This may be the latest in baby care, an industry that’s constantly evolving, but let’s hope this concept sticks around for a while.
