Juan left a comment in a previous post about skin lotions that contain sunblock that provoked some thought in me. Here’s Juan’s comment:-
I have this weird theory that whatever is safe for a baby, would be safe for adults and provide the best protection too. therefore, whenever i go on a holiday at the beaches, i would definitely look for banana boat’s baby block… there are those that contain as low as 35spf and there are those that are as high as 55spf i think. the smell is lighter and i don’t develop allergies to it. the best part is, it works like a charm… for me, that is.
First off Juan, I don’t think its a weird theory at all – usually products made for babies have the most gentle of formulas – and its great that you’ve found a product that works for you 🙂
Not all commercial baby products are safe
My interest in this comment was piqued mainly because I was wondering if baby products are really all safe and I was quite nonplussed to find out that not all commercial baby products are safe whether for you or for baby.
Despite labels carrying such reassuring claims as “extra gentle” and “safe for Baby’s delicate skin,” dozens of top-selling children’s bath care products contain trace amounts of the toxins 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, according to a buzzworthy report from a consumer watchdog group, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Far from safe and gentle, both substances are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as “reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans.” (source)
The problem really lies in the fact that baby skin is very thin compared to adult skin so what might not pose an irritation to adult skin can potentially irritate baby skin. This link about toxins in baby bath products is a quite a good read whether you have babies in the house or not.
Also, I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but many commercial baby products have strong fragrances. Sometimes, I wonder if its even stronger than products for adults. I find that a little strange if baby products are supposed to be more gentle.
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