According to the National Eczema Association, many baby care products contain harsh ingredients that can cause irritation, redness, burning, itching, and allergic reactions. These can include (but aren’t limited to):
1. Artificial Fragrances
Artificial fragrances can contain hundreds of separate chemicals. Over 30% of Americans experience irritation from scented products, ranging from sneezing, dizziness, concentration issues, rashes, hives, and contact dermatitis. This is far more prevalent in populations with asthma and chemical sensitivities. Thanks to “trade secret” confidentiality, the FDA doesn’t require manufacturers to list fragrance ingredients (except color additives).
Fun Fact: Puracy only uses plant-based essential oils to delicately scent our products.
2. Phthalates
Many manufacturers use phthalates to preserve synthetic fragrances and bind ingredients together. However, phthalates have suspected links to a wide variety of health and developmental conditions including:
- Child asthma
- Behavioral disorders
- Weight issues/obesity in young females
- Early onset puberty
- Male reproductive issues
3. Sulfates
In personal care products, sulfates (e.g. SLS, SLES) are inexpensive effective detergents that help to create that “perfect lather.” Unfortunately, sulfates in personal care products can strip away the skin’s natural moisture.
What’s more, SLS concentrations over 2% are known to cause skin irritation – especially in people with sensitivities. Household cleaning products typically range anywhere between 1% and 30%, and those concentrations can be even higher in personal care products.
4. Formaldehyde & Formaldehyde Releasers
While one would hope that known carcinogens wouldn't be used in baby products, formaldehyde can often be found as a preservative and antibacterial ingredient. It’s therefore wise to avoid the following ingredients:
- Formalin
- Formic aldehyde
- Methanediol
- Methanal
- Methyl aldehyde
- Methylene glycol
- Methylene oxide
Even if formaldehyde isn’t used in a formula, multiple chemical combinations can still release formaldehyde. It’s therefore recommended to avoid products that use:
- quaternium-15
- diazolidinyl urea
- DMDM hydantoin
- imidazolidinyl urea