Yeah, Free Stuff For You! (Plus some other info you should really check out)

The Bad News:

The Environmental Working Group is again sharing shocking news. After surveying 3,300 parents, comparing the baby products they use to lists of chemicals known to cause allergies, hormone disruption, damage to the nervous system, and cancer, the group found that children are exposed to 27 chemical ingredients on a daily basis that have never been assessed for safety. Not by the industry, nor by the government.

Read more here.

The Good News:

I am having a giveaway!

This was inspired by my slightly obsessive compulsive need for my children to be using the safest and most healthy products out there.

All you need to do to be entered in this giveaway is leave a comment!  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in approximately 7 days!

And (drummroll please) here it is!

In this fabulous gift valued at over $40, you will be receiving Robathal,  California Baby Calming Aromatherapy Bubble Bath, and California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Bodywash.

RoBathol-Highly refined cottonseed oil supplements the protective action of the skin's natural oils as it soothes, lubricates and moisturizes dry, chapped skin. Use in the shower or take a long bath. Whether you have hard or soft water, this bath oil really works. A refreshing alternative to often irritating skin products, RoBathol contains NO perfume, lanolin, dyes, or mineral oil and is safe enough for infants.

This product is free of common chemical irritants. This product may be used by those with either normal or sensitive skin.

This product is routinely recommended by dermatologists and other physicians for patients with dry, irritated skin, such as "winter itch" and other dermatologic problems including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema), contact dermatitis, and ichthyosis.

California Baby Calming Bubble Bath

 California Baby® Super Sensitive™ Bubble Bath eschews essential oils in favor of pure, unscented bubbles. This bubble bath has been specially created for those who love bubble baths but have very sensitive skin or cannot tolerate any fragrance. No fragrance means allergy sufferers and those following homeopathic regimens can enjoy bubble baths safely. California Baby® bubble baths are free of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, DEA, synthetic fragrances or synthetic additives for no tears, non-irritating, biodegradable bubbles.

California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Bodywash

California Baby®'s concentrated, extremely mild, no fragrance formula is made to gently cleanse and soothe the most sensitive skin. California Baby®'s Super Sensitive™ Shampoo & Bodywash may be used for hair, face and body. Leaves hair noticeably shiny, soft and manageable. Our customers have reported excellent results with this shampoo & body wash in their fight against eczema, perioral dermatitis and other skin sensitivities.

 

Benefits & Features:

• Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients
  
• No fragrance, scent masking agents, clear formula chemicals, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, or DEA
  
• Safe and gentle, no tears; no numbing agents.
• Non-irritating and non-chemical formula

This list is something that all these products have in common. 

When using a non-organic product, or a product that does not specifically come free of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, DEA, chemicals, numbing agents, harmful if ingested toxins, you are unknowingly putting yourself and your child at risk for many painful and lifelong side effects.

I don't know about you, but my children are always trying to drink the water in the bath... just think about all the chemicals and toxins they are ingesting if I do not use an organic product!  Not to mention that are absorbed through the skin and orifices.

Even if none of this seems important to you, just take a moment at bath time tonight and read the ingredients on your children's bubble bath.  Or shampoo.  Or soap.

It is important to recognize that whatever you spread on your skin has a very real chance of being absorbed into your blood stream, with the potential to cause serious damage in your body.

For example, Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo: (Get full report here)

Ingredients in this product are linked to:
	Cancer
	Developmental/reproductive toxicity
	Violations, restrictions & warnings
	Allergies/immunotoxicity
	Other concerns for ingredients used in this product: Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns

Check the Label!

Are the products you use free of ingredients such as . . .

Dyes D&C yellow #11 FD&C blue #1 FD&C yellow #5 (tartrazine)		Lanolin & Derivatives anhydrous lanolin hydrogenated lanolin lanolin alcohol wool wax alcohols
Parabens benzylparaben butylparaben ethylparaben methylparaben propylparaben		Formaldehyde Releasers bronopol diazolidinyl urea DMDM hydantoin imidazolidinyl urea MDM hydantoin quaternium 15
Fragrance colognes herb extracts masking fragrance perfume plant, fruit and nut oils

Check out these articles for more information:

Washing Your Hair May Be Dangerous to Your Health

Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep

Lets all make an effort to be informed and objective when it comes to the products we use!  I know I have a few I could toss... (but I soooo love my Burberry perfume!)...

Many blessings to you and yours!

Amanda

Comments

[BP]

Interesting. I wasn't aware of this.

[Tracie]

I love all the natural choices for baby things now...from bath products to organic baby food.
I am scared to check my stuff...I am a product junkie...from Bath&Body works usually.
Cute idea for a give-away...if I win my sister will be getting it.

[Missie]

What an awesome give-a-way! I hope I win! We're in the process of switching over all of our home products to all-natural/green products and you REALLY don't see how much you're subjecting yourself to unless you take the time to stop and think about it. Way to go!

[janis soule]

OHhh...Add me to the list. Always love to try new products! :)

Thanks for the email...I still can't get the alerts to work right....it will come! :)

Looking forward to Wed!

Janis

[Katie R.]

Love the California Baby products. When I use them on Anna I just sit and sniff her. Typically, we use the products from Melaleuca. I didn't see any "bad" stuff listed on their bottles per se but, it makes you wonder.

[ba]

Cool! I will give these a try and start reading ALL labels a little closer. Thanks!

[ElizaBeth]

I love the way babies smell, well most of the time! lol

[Laura]

I had heard of this before, and I think there is a lot of truth to it. I am going to look at lables a little closer:)

[Kristin]

This sounds like a great giveaway. I'd love to win...but I'd love to hear of someone else winning, too! :-)

[Tammy]

Awesome giveaway....I would love to try the products on my grandaughter who suffers from eczema.

[Linnea]

I have to give up my Lavender Bedtime Bath, I know. Looks like you did a lot of research, very informative. Don't think I can wait 7 days to see if I win though :)

[Terri in Iowa]

I don't have any babies, but can I still enter? I LOVE natural, organic products. Thanks for considering me!

[Terri in Iowa]

I don't have any babies, but can I still enter? I LOVE natural, organic products. Thanks for considering me!

[Kathleen]

I could not agree with you more. It's amazing how these companies (Johnson & Johnson, etc.) market this stuff as so safe and have those touching ad campaigns to back it up, when really, some of their ingredients are harmful. Especially since the skin absorbs a lot of what's put on it.

I have a 5 month old boy and I've sworn off most of the mass-marketed stuff. Sure, it costs more to do organic and natural, but in the end, isn't your child's health worth the extra hundred dollars or so?

I'd love to win as I haven't tried California Baby products yet. I've heard they're really good. Thanks so much for posting on this issue!

[Kathleen]

Oh, I almost forgot, stop by my blog for my giveaway--organic soap, bath salts, lip balm and a tote bag.

Here's the link:
http://katydidandkid.blogspot.com/2008/08/giveaway-skinnyskinny-organic-bath-and.html

[Karen@Surviving Motherhood]

Wow!

My kids are way past drinking the bath water, but I would love to be included in this drawing, too!

Thanks. *grin*

[rebecca]

count me in please. - I love the california baby, but as you know, it 4 times the price of johnsons, so I only buy it when I'm feeling flush.

blessings to you to x

[cathy]

count me in please. - your site radiates love and peace by the way. - very calming.

[stevie]

Fantastic - I wasn't aware of any of this - I am still in shock. - all those baby companies adverts are all about the good of the baby. some of them even they say they are a family company.

I have a young boy who suffers with skin rashes frequently -the doc suggested changing our clothes wash to dreft but didn't say anything about bathing him.

[Allyson]

I've always looked for some of those ingredients, mostly because I'm allergic to lanolin, but I never realized how many dangerous chemicals can be in baby shampoo.

[Rebecca C]

These look like great products! I would love to win these for my little girl!

legacyofbrutalitysa{AT}gmail.com

[Mama Zen]

Wow! Thanks for the information!

[Ingrid]

Thanks for good information. Great giveaway too :)

[Alexandra Hancock]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. I'm really striving to keep as "green" and non-toxic a house for my baby son. I've been lusting for some California Baby stuff too.

[Stephanie V]

I'm already using the body wash and the bubble bath looks fantastic!

[Pam]

Great info, and great giveaway.
Thanks.

[Go Amie]

Thanks for the giveaway - and the links to sites where I can learn more about what goes on (and then into) my body.

[Suzanne B. (Crunchy Green Mom)]

I love that there are companies coming out with "green" and healthier ways for us to care for our lovely children! Thank you for the giveaway!

[Elizabeth M.]

Even if they don't try to drink the bathwater, which they do, some of it inevitably gets in their mouths through all the water play. It's a shame that we went all those years being completely unaware of all the crap in our products.

[Katie]

I love the California Baby products, we've been using them since my son was born.

[Janet F]

These sound safe and wonderful.

I am going to read labels and pay more attention to what is in the products I use on my grandchildren.

Thank you!

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

[Kam A]

Wow! I had no idea! Thank you so much for the info and the giveaway! This would be perfect for my son who has eczema.

kerin0874 (at) yahoo (dot) com

[Marlena U.]

Awesome giveaway! I've been concerned about these issues since having my daughter. The more I read into it, the crazier I become! I've been wanting to try the California Baby line but just can't part with $8.00 for a bottle of baby wash. This just my do it for me and I'll be hooked! :) m_huston(at)hotmail(dot)com