Skin Deep

Heard about this web site run by the not-for-profit group Environmental Working Group today. I was horrified to learn that fully one third of personal care products contain at least 1 ingredient linked to cancer. I also didn't know that the government cannot mandate safety studies of cosmetics, and only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients FDA has documented in products have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry's review panel.

So what is a mother to do? Well, I promptly searched for all the products we use on Jude. I am obsessive about using organic and natural cleansers on him and was stunned that even our "Green" bodywash contained some shady ingredients such as methylparaben, which is considered a "potential endocrine disruptor, raising concern for impaired fertility or development, and increased risks for certain cancers".

How did we fare? Our California Baby Super Sensitive Bodywash got a score of 0.6 (5 being high), our Eucerine Plus Intensive Repair Lotion got a score of 1.7 and the Cetaphil cleanser got a 1.8.

I'm afraid to look up my own products since the only thing I use to determine quality for myself is "Does this smell good AND get rid of lizard skin?"

I guess it never occurred to me that my body lotion might cause breast cancer and kill me.