5 Dangerous Toxins and Chemicals to Avoid in Baby Products

Can baby care products harmful to our children? As a parent, nothing is more precious than our children. We would do anything to protect them and ensure their safety. We teach them the best we can, are careful with their diets, and remain vigilant when it comes to the products we choose for them. 

Yet, no matter how careful we are, it’s still possible for things to slip past our eyes. It's estimated that children are exposed to up to 27 harmful chemicals daily, thanks to personal care products (via the Environmental Working Group).

At Simpleaf, we believe that's about 27 too many. Many parents don't realize how common it is for everyday baby products like lotions, bath gels, shampoos, and sunscreens to contain harmful ingredients.  

These ingredients may cause health issues in the short term and even in the long term. While some are known to cause an immediate reaction on your baby's skin, it is just as likely that the issues aren't immediately apparent, which is even scarier! 

A baby's skin is about 30% thinner than an adult's, so ingredients are absorbed into the skin much faster. Over time, excessive exposure to these toxins can build up and harm your child's skin health, behavior, immune system, and more. 

If you want to keep a more careful eye on the products you are using for your children, make sure to avoid these five dangerous toxins

1. Parabens

Parabens are synthetic preservatives that companies place in skin products to ensure they last longer. You might see paraben ingredient names like ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.  

Why should you avoid these? Recent studies show that these ingredients imitate or mimic hormonal activity in the human body. Additionally, parabens have been associated with forms of breast cancer. For example, traces of parabens have been found in breast tumors when tested on baby animals' exposure to parabens increased problems with social interactions, learning and memory. The jury is still out on the direct impact of the extremely common preservative on babies, which is why we don’t recommend its usage.

2. dyes

Companies often add colorful dyes to products because they are attractive and look fun, but the chemicals needed for these bright colors can be plenty harmful. Dyes used in foods and skin products are known to be harmful, yet they are still quite popular these days. Dyes have been linked to a variety of health issues such as tumors, hyperactivity, chromosomal damage, neurochemical effects, asthma, lymphomas, allergies, insomnia, and eczema. 

3. sulfates

Sulfates are very popular in cleansers and baby soaps you can find at the store. Their purpose in baby wash or shampoo is to induce an excess of bubbles or foam. These are so common because bubbles and foam often make people assume the product is more effective. You'll be disappointed to find that sulfates are actually very toxic to the human body. Various sulfates have already been linked to cancer, skin irritation, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and organ toxicity.

4. fragrances

Baby products often list "fragrance" as an ingredient. Instead of being a specific ingredient, this term often represents a category that encompasses hundreds of toxic chemicals. How do companies get away with hiding these chemicals? They are not required to reveal the actual chemicals they use to make the fragrance. This is particularly shameful since it keeps us in the dark when it comes to understanding how these products impact our babies. The chemicals behind the term "fragrance" are known for causing cancer, birth defects, allergies, nervous system disorders, and many other ailments.

5. Phthalates

Phthalates might look like it's misspelled, but it's a real word and you don't want it in your baby products. Phthalates are chemicals designed to soften plastics and are often used as solvents in skin care products like soaps and topical creams. Though phthalates are banned from plenty of children's toys, they are still common in baby care products. Phthalates have shown to be very harmful to our kidneys, liver, lungs, and reproductive systems.

Our Standards Are as High as Yours 

At Simpleaf, we understand how precious children are. That's why we are committed to creating products that contain no harsh ingredients. Our products are the definition of "high-quality" with a baby-centered approach.  

We carefully formulate our baby wipes to ensure no harmful or harsh ingredients are used. In addition to being perfect for sensitive skin, our wipes are hypoallergenic and contain soothing aloe vera and vitamin E. 

If your standards are as high as ours, you’ll love our baby-beloved products.