Wishing it was spring? I am!

Well I have learned some new stuff and wanted to pass it on.

The first thing is about the plug-in gels. Do you use those? If you do, stop reading and go pull them out of the wall and throw them in the trash then come back. It really is that important to your health.

Basically what they are is perfumed formaldehyde once you learn how many things have formaldehyde in them it is no wonder we have so many more cases of cancer each year. From vehicles to personal care products, to carpeting to “make your house smell good” and more.

Of course, since manufacturers can call it any number of things it is hard to identify.

Also baby wipes, sadly a large number of them are filled with chemicals you would never use on you, much less a baby.

Here are some facts on one example of what to look for and why – compliments of the Environmental Working Group.

If your wipes contain – HYDROQUINONE who knows what that means right? And after all it is in Huggies Natural Care Wipes so that sounds safer right? Nope sorry.

Hydroquinone is in fact ranked a 10 or high hazard ingredient. The scale starts at 1 meaning things like water as an ingredient and 10 the highest or worst offender.

Why? Well for a number of reasons, it is considered to be a fragrance ingredient, and a skin bleaching agent (you also find it classified as an antioxidant and hair colorant).

So you will find it in anti aging products, and hair colors, skin fading and lightener products and more – and baby wipes.

It is a known human immune system toxicant (National Library of Medicine) and there is strong evidence that it is also a human skin toxicant (Cosmetic Review Assessments CRA); but allergies and immune toxicity are not the only concerns.

In fact the CRA says well it is safe IF you use it for brief discontinuous use and follow with a through rinsing.

Now when I have used baby wipes, I use them to clean up a mess, and be the whole cleaning and rinsing process. I do not use them to clean a baby’s bottom or hands and face, and then take them to a sink and do a full rinsing to clean the wipe off their skin.

Do you?

Also if you use a wipe with this in it on the face you need to be aware that this is a product that is both an eye and respiratory irritant. So if you have a child that is prone to sniffles, ear or sinus infections and you are “washing” their face with wipes you are adding to the problem.

It is also linked to cancer and to developmental and reproductive toxicity, neuro-toxicity, and endocrine disruption.

Some of the over the counter products that receive the BEST rankings on that 1-10 scale are:

Seventh Generation Unscented Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E (1)

Tushies Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera, Unscented (1)

Mother Nature Wipes Unscented Natural Formula Flushable Wipes (2)

Avalon Baby and Avalon Organics Flushable Biodegradable Baby Wipes (2)