Ingredients You Should Avoid In Your Child’s Skin and Body Care Products

Ingredients You Should Avoid In Your Child’s Skin and Body Care Products

Unless you have a serious evil stepmother complex, you want the best for the children you’re raising. You want to give them the best nourishment you can, and this means making sure their getting the best care from their skin and body products. You want ingredients that work, but are also safe for their skin.

I feel you, and with this shared sentiment in mind, I’ve compiled a list of ingredients you should look to avoid when buying your child’s skin and body care products.

Parabens

Most skincare brands proudly assert themselves to be paraben free, but a few still try to sneak in these perturbing preservatives. Parabens inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria in the product, but they also disrupt your child’s hormonal balance. Parabens are most notably known for their ability to mimic estrogen, which causes major disruptions to your child’s natural production of this vital hormone. The result can be hindered communication between the cells in their bodies, which can cause premature or delayed hormonal changes.

Polyethylene glycol (a.k.a PEG compounds)

Polyethylene glycol is an ingredient used to thicken and soften lotions. While it enhances moisture transmission, many PEG compounds can be harmful carcinogens (cancer causing agents) such as ethylene oxide.

BHT and BHA

Here’s another preservative. These ingredients are known to disrupt hormones, like parabens, and are thought to be carcinogenic.

Mineral Oil

Also known as paraffin oil, liquid petroleum and liquid paraffin, mineral oil is a notable cause of many skin irritations. As a byproduct of petroleum distillation, it’s no surprise that mineral oil isn’t exactly easy on the skin. This product is most commonly found in baby products, so if you have a wee one, read ingredients carefully, and by baby shampoos, washes and lotions from the best brands.

Fragrance

While there’s nothing wrong with products that smell lovely, when a product as ‘fragrance’ listed as an ingredient, something isn’t above board. ‘Fragrance’ can contain thousands of chemically based ingredients that are known allergens and hormone disruptors.

Avoid these five ingredients, and you’ll be setting your children up for a healthier, happier life where their minds and bodies can grow with as little negative interference as possible.