Jun 14

Jun 14 Non-Toxic Kids' Shampoo & Bodywash

*Updated 10/5/2022

I no longer recommend Alaffia Kids’ Shampoo & Bodywash as the formula has changed, and now includes phenxyethanol and piroctone olamine.

With so many products labeled gentle enough for kids, its difficult to find those that are truly safe and effective for little ones.

Ingredients To Avoid In Kids’ Bodywash

Unfortunately, many kids’ soaps contain ingredients that are potentially harmful and/pr irritating to their skin. Avoid kids’ soaps with artificial coloring and added fragrance. Other potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in kids’ soaps include the following:

Parabens - antimicrobial preservatives that are immune and skin toxicants. Parabins can mimic estrogen and disrupt the endocrine system, are toxic to the developmental and reproductive systems, interfere with gene expression, and are associated with cancer. Methyl paraben exposure has been associated with earlier thelarche, pubarche, and menarche in girls. Studies suggest methyl paraben increases breast cancer tumor proliferation.[1][2][3][4][5]
Phthalates - associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer.endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and cancer. Studies link exposure to reduced testosterone and sperm quality in men and birth defects in baby boys. Phthalates may not be listed on the ingredient label, but have been found in “fragrance.” [6][7][8]
Fragrance – mix of fragrance and chemicals associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system. Can contain unnamed toxic ingredients like phthalates which are associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer.[9][10][11][12]
PEGs (polyethylene glycols) - penetration enhancers that may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide which are associated with reproductive, developmental, and endocrine effects, cancer, and DNA damage. [13][14]
Cocamidopropyl betaine – associated with allergies and contact dermatitis. It has sensitizing potential due to the presence of 3,3-dimethylamino-propylamine (DMAPA) and fatty acid amidopropyl dimethylamine (amidoamine) which are impurities. CAPB has the potential to form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic, when in the presence of nitrosating agents. [15][16][17]
Phenoxyethanol - skin, eye, or lung irritant. In 2008, the FDA warned consumers not to use Mommy’s Bliss Nipple cream because it contained phenoxyethanol which was harmful to infants. The statement indicated phenoxyethanol could “depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants.” Phenoxyethanol remains a controversial ingredient and even “green” beauty products continue to use it as a preservative.[8][19][20][21][22]

Switch

Johnson Head to Toe contains PEGs, fragrance, phenoxyethanol, & cocamidopropyl betaine.⁠

Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo contains cocamidopropyl betaine & fragrance.

Recommended Kids’ Soap

Kiss Kiss Goodnight prebiotic bath jellies are gentle on skin and fun for kids to use in the bath. The jelly to milk formulas can be used to create a milk bath or as a cleanser directly applied to skin. The three different colors come from blue spirulina, pink hibiscus and orange sea buckthorn. Save 15% on your first Kiss Kiss Goodnight order with code SWITCH15.

Shop Kiss Kiss Goodnight

References

[1] https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jat.3027@https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/34/1/109/5204432

[2]https://news.berkeley.edu/2018/12/03/prenatal-exposure-to-chemicals-in-personal-care-products-may-speed-puberty-in-girls/

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0303720718301060?via%3Dihub

[4] https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1796

[5 ]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5338571/

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4097177/

[7] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/di2-ethylhexylphthalate-dehp#:~:text=DEHP%20is%20on%20the%20Proposition%2065%20list%20because,pregnancy%20may%20affect%20the%20development%20of%20the%20child

[8] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960076013000125?via%3Dihub

[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26310707/

[10]https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/allergens-cosmetics

[11] https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/perfume-allergies/en/index.htm

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093181/

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14572300

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4505343/

[14] https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/potential-contaminants-cosmetics/14-dioxane-cosmetics-manufacturing-byproduct

[15] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1091581812447202

[16] https://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredients/cocamidopropyl-betaine/

[17] http://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/amidoa022012SLR_forposting.pdf

[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2017213/#:~:text=Nitrosamines%20form%20a%20large%20group,induce%20cancer%20in%20experimental%20animals.