Saturday, January 22, 2011

Carcinogenic Toxins in Baby Shampoo?

I was appalled when I recently discovered the plethora of harmful, even carcinogenic, ingredients that are bountiful in products that we all use on an everyday basis. From make-up to bubble bath to lotions and especially, baby products. One ingredient in-particular, Quaternium-15, is abundant in over 400 products that we all use, or have used at some point.

Quaternium-15 is a quaternary ammonium salt used as a preservative and acts as a Formaldehyde releaser. Formaldehyde has been classified as a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I find it scary that there are not any government regulations
on products manufactured in the beauty and cosmetic industries.

According to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety database, 403 of the 407 products that contain Quaternium-15 are classified with a hazard rating of 3-10 with 3 being a moderate hazard and 10 being a high hazard. Exposure to this ingredient is known to cause cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, contamination concerns - FORMALDEHYDE, and organ system toxicity (non-productive).

Some of the name brands that contain this harmful ingredient include, but are not limited to, Johnson & Johnson baby products, Aveeno lotions and washes, Mr. Bubble bubble bath, Maybelline, CoverGirl, Almay, and Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil. Now, since there are no regulations on labeling ingredients by our government, manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients as they are AND can claim them to be "all natural" even if they are not. It is up to us, the consumer, to educate ourselves as much as possible to try to avoid these toxins. Keep in mind, that I have only pinpointed ONE of many harmful toxins that we are exposed to on a regular basis.

In closing, I hope this helps alert as many people as possible to just become more aware of what we put on our bodies and the toxins that these products contain. Here is a list of other names that Quaternium-15 may be listed as in the ingredients:
N- (3-CHLOROALLYL) HEXAMINIUM CHLORIDE; CHLOROALLYL METHENAMINE CHLORIDE; 1- (3-CHLOROALLYL) -3,5,7-TRIAZA-1-AZONIAADAMANTANE CHLORIDE; METHENAMINE 3-CHLOROALLY LCHLORIDE; METHENAMINE 3-CHLOROALLYLOCHLORIDE; 1- (3-CHLOROALLYL) -3,5,7-TRIAZA-1-AZONIAADAMANTANE CHLORIDE; DOWCO 184; DOWICIDE Q; DOWICIL 100; DOWICIL 75; QUATERNIUM 15.

To learn how you can use safer, healthier products that DO NOT contain harmful toxins visit www.switchingstores.com/luckymama

Tara



3 comments:

  1. wow! thats crazy!~\
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    i found you on social moms fb discussion wall. plz follow my blog too
    http://1caseycolette.blogpsot.com

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  2. Hi, I am a new follower…I found you through SocialMoms.com, if you get a chance I would love to have you check out my blog. Thank you.
    ~KerrieLynn
    KLsCupboard.blogspot

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