Product Review – Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash October 9, 2008

Two months ago, I wrote about the importance of making safer choices when choosing your baby’s shampoo and soap products. I tried to suggest an inexpensive item that you could easily find in your local drug store but was unable to do so due to the fact that they all contain toxic ingredients such as parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, propylene glycol, dioxane or artificial fragrance – all of which have been shown to be very hazardous over time. I used The Environmental Working Group’s site Skin Deep to show you how many specific products found in drug stores rate using their scale of 0 – 10 for safety, “0″ being the safest.

My suggestion at the end of the post was instead to go to a local health food store and purchase a soap that rates lower on the safety scale. California Baby Shampoo & Bodywash Tea Tree & Lavender soap with a “low hazard” score of “1″ was something I recommended and used for my daughter from birth through about 9 months. One bottle lasted that long due to the fact that it’s really concentrated. I continue to be very pleased with the product.

When it was time to buy her something new, though, I decided to try another “low hazard” rated item. This time I chose Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash by Earth Mama Angel Baby with a score of “0″. All of the ingredients in this product have a very low score of “1″ or “0″. The soap comes out in a foam from a pump bottle which makes it very easy to use when one of your hands is spotting a squirmy baby! It has a pleasant citrus, orange scent and creates a sudsy texture on a washcloth. Unlike the California Baby soap, Angel Baby is not tear free. They both cost about the same and although I can’t say that it will last as long as the California Baby soap but I’m still pleased with product and would highly recommend it.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

How Safe Is Your Toothpaste? September 23, 2008

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind.Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

In today’s post I’m listing safer toothpaste choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed some common items with higher (not safe) scores as comparisons. It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “low hazard” or “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain the chemicals below with cautions from testing results of these chemicals:

PEG – 12 (Dioxane)- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Contamination concerns
Propylene Glycol – FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction
Proplyparaben, Methylparaben  (parabens) – hormone mimicking properties; may cause breast cancer
PEG/PPG 38/8 Copolymer, PEG/PPG 116/66 Copolymer (Dioxane)- Organ system toxicity
Flavor - Ingredient not fully labeled – identity unknown
Sodium Fluoride - Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Endocrine disruption,
Sodium Hydroxide – Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Hydrogen Peroxide – Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Triclosan (Dioxane) – Endocrine disruption
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Hydrated Silica – Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife and humans
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint Oil) - Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns
Polyethyene (Dioxane) – Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Sodium Monofluorophosphate – Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Toothpaste with a score of 1 having a “low hazard”:

Tom’s of Maine Anti-Plaque Plus Whitening Clear Gel Peppermint- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydrated Silica

Tom’s of Maine Natural Toothpaste with Propolis & Myrrh, Fennel- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Tom’s of Maine Natural Liquid Toothpaste for Children, Goofy Grape – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydrated Silica

Toothpaste with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

Crest Sensitivity Protection Toothpaste – Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydrated Silica

Sensodyne Maximum Strength Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth and Cavity Protection – Propylene Glycol, Sodium Monofluorophosphate, Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Colgate Toothpaste, Regular- Sodium Monofluorophosphate, Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydrated Silica

Toothpaste with a score of 4 having a “moderate hazard”:

Crest Tartar Protection Tartar Control Gel Toothpaste- Sodium Fluoride, Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Arm and Hammer Peroxicare Toothpaste Baking Soda and Peroxide Freshmint – Sodium Fluoride, PEG/PPG 38/8 Copolymer, PEG/PPG 116/66 Copolymer (Dioxane), Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Crest Kids Spider-Man Super Action Liquid Gel- Sodium Fluoride, Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hydrated Silica

Orajel Toddler Training Toothpaste, Fruit Splash – Flavor, Proplyparaben, Methylparaben  (parabens, Propylene Glycol

Toothpaste with a score of 5 having a “moderate hazard”:

Colgate Kids 2 in 1 Toothpaste & Mouthwash Strawberry – Sodium Fluoride, PEG – 12 (Dioxane)

Toothpaste with a score of 6 having a “moderate hazard”:

Colgate Total Plus Whitening Toothpaste – Sodium Fluoride, Triclosan (Dioxane), Propylene Glycol

Mentadent Toothpaste, Advanced Clean – Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Hydroxide, Flavor, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Crest Sensitivity Toothpaste Whitening Plus Scope – Polyethyene (Dioxane), Sodium Fluoride, Flavor

Visit Skin Deep and check out how your own toothpaste rates if it’s not listed above. Then decide if you need to make some changes to one with a lower score.

Take a look at earlier posts of mine on how safe is your deodorant, bar soap, baby shampoo and soap, mascara, and shampoo and conditioner.

How Safe Is Your Mascara? August 28, 2008

It’s time to buy new mascara so I’m passing off all of my research.

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind.Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

In today’s post I’m listing safer mascara choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed some common items with high (not safe) scores as comparisons. It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain the chemicals below with cautions from testing results of these chemicals:

PEG-10 Dimethicone and laureth-12: Also known as 1,4-Dioxane: Endocrine disruption, identified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Propylene Glycol: FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction

Alcohol Denatured: Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Benzyl Alcohol: Neurotoxicity

Parabens: May cause breast cancer due to hormone mimicking properties

Sodium laureth sulfate: Can cause skin and eye damage

Phenoxyethanol and Potassium hydroxide- Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), eye irritation

Butylene glycol – Eye irritation

Panthenol – Alcohol

Triethanolamine, Polyethylene – Cancer concerns

Midazolidinyl urea, quaternium-15 and imidazolidinyl urea – Formaldehyde

Oryza sativa (rice) starch - Pesticides

Ethylacrylate and Methyl methacrylate – Cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity

Mascara with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

Boots No. 7 Lash and Brow Perfector (clear) – Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium hydroxide, Panthenol, Butylene glycol

Max Factor Stretch No color Mascara – Triethanolamine, Midazolidinyl urea, Parabens

Almay Bright Eyes Mascara, Waterproof Black Brown and Black – Polyethylene, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol

Almay One Coat Mascara, Thickening Black Brown and Blackest Black – Quaternium-15, Imidazolidinyl urea, Parabens

L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara Waterproof Black – Oryza sativa (rice) starch, Parabens

Maybeline Sky High Curves – Waterproof Mascara, Very Black and Brownish Black – Oryza sativa (rice) starch, Parabens

Mascara with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

Cover Girl CoverGirl LashExact Mascara – Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium laureth sulfate, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denatured

Cover Girl Super Thick Lash Mascara, Black Brown and Soft Black – Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium laureth sulfate, Parabens, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, laureth-12

Mascara with a score of 8 having a “high hazard”:

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Washable Mascara, Black Onyx; Brownish Black (old formulation) – Ethylacrylate, Methyl methacrylate, Polyethylene, Triethanolamine, Parabens, Propylene Glycol

There were many more popular mascaras listed with a score of 3 – 7. Visit Skin Deep and look up what you’re using. Then decide if you need to choose a safer option with a lower score next time you’re running low.

Take a look at earlier posts of mine on how safe is your deodorant, bar soap, baby shampoo and soap, and shampoo and conditioner.

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How safe is your baby’s shampoo and soap? August 8, 2008

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

My goal in this post was to give you some safe, inexpensive choices for baby shampoo and soap. Unfortunately, I am unable to do this. I will list common items with their score and hazardous ingredients only to bring it to your attention, especially if you use these items. However, please bear with me and continue through this post to the end for my recommendation.

It needs to be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain parabens, which one study suggested may cause breast cancer due to hormone mimicking properties, fragrance, which can often mean Diethyl Phthalate or DEP, which is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to reproductive and genital abnormalities, propylene glycol (Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone sulfosuccinate), which the FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction, and sodium laureth sulfate, which can cause skin and eye damage. PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, and PEG-150 Distearate unless vacuum stripped, are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which has been identified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). PEG-150 Distearate and Cocamidopropyl Betaine can also cause allergic reactions. Quaternium-15 may release formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen and can cause contact dermatitis from preservatives. Citric Acid can cause burning in the eyes. Items containing any of these are noted.

Shampoo with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

Huggies Baby Wash, Extra Sensitive, Fragrance Free – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Disodium PEG-12 dimethicone sulfosuccinate, PEG-150 Distearate, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid

Shampoo with a score of 4 having a “moderate hazard”:

Johnson & Johnson Johnson’s Baby Head-to-Toe Baby Wash, Original – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Citric Acid

Johnson & Johnson Johnson’s Buddies Instant-Foam Easy Rinse Shampoo – Fragrance, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid

Huggies Natural Care Wash – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Johnson & Johnson Johnson’s Original Baby Shampoo – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid

Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo, Tear Free – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Shampoo with a score of 5 having a “moderate hazard”:

Huggies Baby Wash Extra Gentle – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Citric Acid

Gerber Grins and Giggles Baby Wash for hair & Body, (Lavender and Oatmeal) – PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Quaternium-15, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid

Shampoo with a score of 6 having a “moderate hazard”:

Mustela Bebe Foam Shampoo for Newborns – Fragrance, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Ethyparaben

Mustela Bebe Baby Shampoo – Fragrance, PEG-150 Distearate, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Laureth Sulfate, Ethyparaben

If the item you use for your child is not listed here, take a look at the ingredients and see if any of the ones listed above are in it. Or, go to Skin Deep and see how it is rated.

As I stated, the goal of this post was to give you inexpensive baby shampoo and soap choices. I just feel that the above items are no bargain when you see what’s in them and who they’re for. Therefore, I recommend that you go to your local health food store and purchase something with a lower score from Skin Deep. In some cases, you will be getting a safer item that’s not as expensive as you may think. For example, I’ve been using California Baby Shampoo & Bodywash Tea Tree & Lavender (with a safer score of “1″) since my daughter was born almost 8 months ago. I still have about a month’s worth left after giving her a bath just about everyday because it’s concentrated. It cost me about $10.00 which means I’ll have paid a little more than $1.00 per month to use it. Safer and inexpensive – priceless.

See earlier posts of mine on safer bar soap and shampoo and conditioner.

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How safe is your soap? July 31, 2008

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

I occasionally purchase an item or two at a department store but most of my everyday care products come from my local drugstore. In today’s post I’m listing safer, inexpensive bar soap choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed a common item with high (not safe) score as comparison.

It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain parabens, which one study suggested may cause breast cancer due to hormone mimicking properties, fragrance, which can often mean Diethyl Phthalate or DEP, which is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to reproductive and genital abnormalities, propylene glycol, which the FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction, sodium laureth sulfate, which can cause skin and eye damage and even liver toxicity and finally, BHT, which has been linked to neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Items containing any of these are noted.

Bar soap with a score of 1 having a “low hazard”:

Basis Sensitive Skin Bar Soap

Bar soap with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

Dove Beauty Bar Sensitive Skin – BHT

Dial Original Bar Soap White – fragrance

Irish Spring Deodorant Soap Original 8 bar pack – fragrance

Ivory Classic Ivory Bar Soap – fragrance

Zest Bar Soap Bar, Linen Fresh – fragrance

Bar Soap with a score of 4 having a “moderate hazard”:

Zest Bath Bar Soap, Spring Burst – fragrance, sodium laureth sulfate

Bar soap with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

Lever 2000 Bar Soap, Energize – fragrance, propylene glycol

Visit Skin Deep and check out some of your favorite products to see how they rate. Then decide if you need to make some changes. If you do, don’t feel you need to do it all at once. Just make changes as you run out of things.

Check back with me as I’ll continue with safer choices for oral and baby care.

See an earlier post of mine called, “How Safe Is Your Shampoo & Conditioner?“

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How Safe Is Your Shampoo & Conditioner? July 18, 2008

The Environmental Working Group has a website called Skin Deep. This site is an excellent resource for consumers in that it lists thousands of personal care products in an organized way and rates them on how safe their ingredients are.

“Skin Deep pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind. Why did a small nonprofit take on such a big project? Because the FDA doesn’t require companies to test their own products for safety.”

At Skin Deep, you can find hundreds of specific items for hair, skin, eyes, nails, baby, oral care, fragrance, and makeup rated from 0-10, zero being the safest. Each item’s score is explained in detail and safer options are given.

I occasionally purchase an item or two at a department store but most of my everyday care products come from my local drugstore. In today’s post I’m listing safer, inexpensive shampoo and conditioner choices from Skin Deep’s site that can easily be found at your local drugstore. I’ve also listed some common items with high (not safe) scores as comparisons.

It should be noted that although Skin Deep gives products a “moderate hazard” score, some of them contain parabens, which one study suggested may cause breast cancer due to hormone mimicking properties, fragrance, which can often mean Diethyl Phthalate or DEP, which is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to reproductive and genital abnormalities, propylene glycol, which the FDA says is safe for general use but can cause cancer and contains toxins that affect reproduction, and sodium laureth sulfate, which can cause skin and eye damage and even liver toxicity. Items containing any of these are noted.

Burt’s Bees products are available at two of my local drug stores. They would not be what I consider “inexpensive” but the items listed do appear to have the safest ingredients when it comes to drugstore options:

Shampoo with a score of 1 having a “low hazard”:

• Burt’s Bees Grapefruit and Sugar Beet Shampoo
• Burt’s Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar with Oat Protein and Pro Vitamin B5

Shampoo with a score of 2 having a “low hazard”:

• Neutrogena T-Sal Max Strength Therapeutic Shampoo
• Psoriasin Therapeutic Shampoo having a “moderate hazard”:

Shampoo with a score of 4 having a “moderate hazard”:

• L’Oreal Vive Shampoo Volume Infusing – fragrance and paraben
• L’Oreal Vive Smooth Intense Shampoo – fragrance and paraben
• White Rain Classic Care Shampoo Daily Clarifying – fragrance
• Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo for Normal to Oily Hair – fragrance
• Suave Performance Benefits Shampoo Smoothing 2 in 1 Plus Conditioner With Pro-Vit – fragrance and propylene glycol
• Suave For Kids 2 in 1 Shampoo – Cherry Blast – fragrance and propylene glycol
• Clairol Herbal Essences Shampoo Natural Volume Texturizing for All Hair Types – sodium laureth sulfate, fragrance, propylene glycol
• Clairol Herbal Essences Fruit Fusions Shampoo, Hydrating for Dry Damaged Hair - sodium laureth sulfate, fragrance

Shampoo with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

• ThermaSilk Moisturizing Shampoo for Dry or Damaged Hair – fragrance, formaldehyde

Shampoo with a score of 9 having a “high hazard”:

• L’Oreal Kids 2 in 1 Shampoo, Extra Gentle, Burst of Fruity Apricot – sodium laureth sulfate, fragrance, paraben, propylene glycol, formaldehyde

Conditioner with a score of 2 having a “low hazard”:

• Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit and Sugar Beet Conditioner

Conditioner with a score of 3 having a “moderate hazard”:

• Burt’s Bees Avocado Butter and Hair Conditioner – fragrance

Conditioner with a score of 4 having a “moderate hazard”:

• White Rain Conditioner Extra Body – fragrance
• White Rain Classic Conditioner Regular – fragrance

Conditioner with a score of 7 having a “high hazard”:

• Clairol Herbal Essences Fruit Fusions Purifying Conditioner – fragrance, propylene glycol

Visit Skin Deep and check out some of your favorite products to see how they rate. Then decide if you need to make some changes. If you do, don’t feel you need to do it all at once. Just make changes as you run out of things.

Check back with me as I’ll continue with safer choices for skin care, oral care, and baby care.

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Toxins in my dish detergent?! July 10, 2008

The Organic Consumers Association recently conducted testing on leading “natural” and “organic” shampoos, lotions, and body products. That’s how I found out the Seventh Generation liquid dish detergent I’ve been using contains 1,4-Dioxane, a foaming agent by-product. This chemical is believed to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys. On January 1, 1988, California recognized it as a chemical that can cause cancer.

On the back of Seventh Generation’s liquid detergent, it states, “We use only ingredients that do not pose any chronic health risks and are safe for the environment. We disclose all ingredients.” After the results of the testing were published, SG responded on their blog. They chose to disclose this only after getting caught.

The level of 1,4-Dioxane was low compared to others tested (levels listed in parts per million):

Method Dish Naturally Derived Ultra Concentrate – 27.5
Citrus Magic 100% Natural Dish Liquid – 97.1
Life Tree Citrus Fresh Dish Soap – 0.7
Seventh Generation Lemongrass & Clementine Zest Natural Dish Liquid – 1.5
Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid – 20.3
Ecover Dishwashing Liquid – 2.4
Whole Foods Market 365* Everyday Value Dish Liquid – 1.6

Through a forum member at Greenandcleanmom.org, I learned about Dapple, a dish detergent that does not contain 1,4-Dioxane. I sent an email to one of the co-founders, Dana Rubenstein, and she confirmed this, adding that it also does not contain Sodium Laureth Ether Sulfate. SLES is an inexpensive by-product used as a foaming agent that mimics the hormone Oestrogen. It may be responsible for a variety of health problems from breast cancer, PMS, and dropping male fertility, where Oestrogen levels are known to be involved.

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