soaps for babies?

[peacefrog]

Yesterday there was a news item about bad chemicals from shampoo being found in babies' urine after having their hair washed. As parents to two eight-month-olds, my wife and I are a little concerned. Although we only wash our girls' hair once a week, we use baby shampoo on their bodies every day. So my wife suggested I ask here for good baby soap. Any suggestions? It needs to be gentle and non-irritating to the eyes.

[moviemaniac]

I'd use Issy's 80% or 100% olive oil soap, it's natural and quite gentle to the skin.

[tjgriffin]

What was the bad chemical?

We used to use a soap free baby wash. I forgot the brand. I don't know if it was bad chemical free, or just soap free.

Our kids use Johnson's baby shampoo for washing in the shower. They are 4 1/2 and 6 years old.

[jbcohen]

No matter what you do there will be bad chemicals in anything and everything you use. A few years ago my wife and I used Landers from the dollar store and it did an excellent job out son is none the worse for wear for the soap. Don't go around thinking you have to have a high end soap becuase of the chemicals used. Dollar soaps do the job eualy as well and don't cost anywhere near what the high ends cost.

These days we use Lucky's brand on him and it does great.

[Sejanus]

No matter what you do there will be bad chemicals in anything and everything you use. A few years ago my wife and I used Landers from the dollar store and it did an excellent job out son is none the worse for wear for the soap. Don't go around thinking you have to have a high end soap becuase of the chemicals used. Dollar soaps do the job eualy as well and don't cost anywhere near what the high ends cost.

That is not true whatsoever. There are many choices out there that are chemical free and perfectly safe. Also I am going to say it now, Dollar store items RARELY if ever beat out alternatives you can get in the normal Drug store or speciality shops. They are cheap for a reason, mostly due to quality sacrifice. They may work well, but they do not beat out most quality items. This is not to say all expensive things are good.. but that is a discussion for another time.


Going back to the original topic, I hope Issy catches onto this topic and offers his advice. I would have to echo what was said earlier though and I don't think you can go wrong with a 100% OO soap like Issy offers. Issy himself only makes very good quality items and I know for a fact he avoid industrial/commercial products so the natural factor is extreme. For a young child I would think one of his bars would last a good long time too!

Also just a side note on my own personal thought on the constant medical reports streaming out, pay attention but don't go wild over them most of the time. Sadly we live in an age where things that work amazingly well and have for many years are all of a sudden unsafe for who knows what reason. It is always great to look for new options, just don't stake everything on a single report.

[qhsdoitall]

Here is a good example of something that was just released. Don't give yourself a heart attack.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/02/05/healthmag.creams/index.html

Like everything, moderation is required. I would add that I think Issy's 80% or 100% soap would be fine but maybe Issy should confirm that.

[moviemaniac]

That is not true whatsoever. There are many choices out there that are chemical free and perfectly safe.

I do have to disagree there. Everything's chemical in life and even natural products can be hazardous/dangerous or cause allergies. There are even people who are allergic to olive oil (soaps). No matter what, there'll always be someone somewhere ;)

[Queen of Blades]

I do have to disagree there. Everything's chemical in life and even natural products can be hazardous/dangerous or cause allergies. There are even people who are allergic to olive oil (soaps). No matter what, there'll always be someone somewhere ;)

I think what Ken was disagreeing about was the use of the word "bad". Bad as in evil, harmful, the boogey man! :eek:

Yes people have allergies and such, but an allergy doesn't make a chemical "bad" in general.

[Sejanus]

I do have to disagree there. Everything's chemical in life and even natural products can be hazardous/dangerous or cause allergies. There are even people who are allergic to olive oil (soaps). No matter what, there'll always be someone somewhere ;)

Allergies are obviously not in the equation. You are just being difficult.. :angry037

;)

[moviemaniac]

Allergies are obviously not in the equation. You are just being difficult.. :angry037

;)
Well, I didn't only mean allergies, but "natural" substances that can be harmful too. Think almond-oil for instance. Sounds natural but it's highly toxic.

[Queen of Blades]

Well, I didn't only mean allergies, but "natural" substances that can be harmful too. Think almond-oil for instance. Sounds natural but it's highly toxic.

Correction; bitter almond oil. :(

Almonds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond#Almond_oil) and info on the differences.

[peacefrog]

Here's a link to the news story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22979800/

It does say there's no direct evidence of the chemicals (phthalates) causing harm to humans, but if it's easy to avoid this stuff then we'll do so.

[moviemaniac]

Correction; bitter almond oil. :(

Almonds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond#Almond_oil) and info on the differences.
that's what I meant :)

[tjgriffin]

Here's a link to the news story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22979800/

It does say there's no direct evidence of the chemicals (phthalates) causing harm to humans, but if it's easy to avoid this stuff then we'll do so.

Yeah, I was a blurb on this in the paper when I got home last night. We went with soap free cleanser because both our kids got very dry skin with soap, even Gerber baby soap and the like. This isn't EO soap, mind you. I don't know if it had phthalates or not.

[moviemaniac]

@tjgriffin: "soap free cleanser". Well, you know, those tensides in these soap-free liquid soaps can be harder to the skin than industrial soap, drying it out in an instant. Especially bad are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. They have to put tons of artificial moisturizers in these products which ain't exactly what you want to let sink into your skin.

Superfatted soaps are far better for the skin than that. But, of course, each to his own ;)

[tjgriffin]

@tjgriffin: "soap free cleanser". Well, you know, those tensides in these soap-free liquid soaps can be harder to the skin than industrial soap, drying it out in an instant. Especially bad are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. They have to put tons of artificial moisturizers in these products which ain't exactly what you want to let sink into your skin.

Superfatted soaps are far better for the skin than that. But, of course, each to his own ;)

Yeah, you're probably right. Last time we used it was about a year ago. I don't know what was in it. It helped with the dry skin. But a 80% olive oil soap would probably have been better. They're pretty much over that problem at this age.

[Issy]

I'd use Issy's 80% or 100% olive oil soap, it's natural and quite gentle to the skin.
Both are gentle enough for a baby and ZERO chemicals. The superfatting is also great for the skin. I have given both to rad/chemo patients with flaky/cracking skin and if made all the difference in the world.

Issy

[moviemaniac]

Thanks for confirming what I've always thought :) As soon as I deplete my current stock of bath soaps I'll place an order with you :)

[JayKay]

I happened to be trifling through Target a few weeks back and saw that Burts Bees came out with a new line called Burts Babies (I think?). Either way, its a new line for babies. I know their products are all natural and rather wonderful. Maybe give them a try

[Queen of Blades]

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash (http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?categoryId=10008&subCategoryId=-18&productId=-8&catalogId=10051&storeId=10001&langId=-1)

Ingredients: Water, decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, coco-betaine, glycine soja (soy) protein, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, sucrose laurate, glycerin, betaine, vanilla planifolia (vanilla) fruit extract, illicium verum (anise) oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, eugenia caryophyllus (clove) flower oil, glucose, xanthan gum, glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidase, fragrance

[Sejanus]

Not too bad an ingredient list.. but there are a few that I find difficult to pronounce.. which is one of those rules that I like to use to test the natural aspects of a product. :rofl

[JayKay]

The ingredient list doesn't sound bad. Sounds like its worth a try.

[Sailinblues]

The ingredient list for the facial soap we use reads like this:
Palm Oils and Palm Kernel Oils, Olive Oil, Water, Glycerin.
Hypo Allergenic. No coloring. It's about the mildest thing I've found. My daughter used to have problems with eczema before using soaps like this, and changing laundry detergents. Good soaps = no problems.

[Queen of Blades]

Not too bad an ingredient list.. but there are a few that I find difficult to pronounce.. which is one of those rules that I like to use to test the natural aspects of a product. :rofl

I don't know why companies use the long, complicated names of ingredients. I much prefer an easy to read ingredient list.

That rule is kind of stupid. Just because you can't pronounce it, it is probably bad for you? :confused: That makes no sense.

[Sejanus]

I don't know why companies use the long, complicated names of ingredients. I much prefer an easy to read ingredient list.

That rule is kind of stupid. Just because you can't pronounce it, it is probably bad for you? :confused: That makes no sense.

First off I agree with you on #1. As for #2, perhaps I should have rephrased that as being 'comprehend' rather than pronounce since my pronunciation is quite good. Of course this is more meant to be towards the organic or biological or 100% natural products. Obviously long winded chemistry terms are not ALL bad.

[Queen of Blades]

First off I agree with you on #1. As for #2, perhaps I should have rephrased that as being 'comprehend' rather than pronounce since my pronunciation is quite good. Of course this is more meant to be towards the organic or biological or 100% natural products. Obviously long winded chemistry terms are not ALL bad.

I didn't mean "you" necessarily.

Most people have heard that rule before, and for the average person it is just a stupid rule.

Just because you can't pronounce "eugenia caryophyllus", doesn't mean it is a bad thing.

[Sejanus]

I didn't mean "you" necessarily.

Most people have heard that rule before, and for the average person it is just a stupid rule.

Just because you can't pronounce "eugenia caryophyllus", doesn't mean it is a bad thing.

No fair enough, though I will admit for certain products (we are going on a minor tangent here folks, so apologies) I can not think of a reason for the Chemistry Mumbo Jumbo. Take Ice Cream for example. If you look at a typical batch of Ice Cream in the super market (and I am not talking the ultra-expensive here) there are so much stuff in there that frankly I have NO IDEA what it is there for other than to avoid using what is required.

In any case, back on topic.. I'll just say that yes, companies should keep it simple when it comes to labels! Saves everyone trouble.

[JayKay]

I've recently took countless semesters of chemistry along with organic chemistry. Most of those ingredients you can pronounce are preservatives, colorings, flavors, and smells. If you check out a list of commonly used organic molecules along with pre/post fixes you could possibly get a better understanding of whats in what.

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/basicorg/conventions/names.html

P.s. I think companies do a good job with putting the names of everything they use on the label. We went through the days when people got mad because companies didn't list all the ingredients in products and people felt they were unsafe. At least now you know.... Well, at least you can google the ingredient names :)

[Queen of Blades]

Well, at least you can google the ingredient names :)

I don't tend to carry my laptop with me to stores. :ashamed001

Not that I'd get an internet connection if I did. :whacky011

[Sejanus]

Not that I'd get an internet connection if I did. :whacky011

Join the 21st Century and get yourself some Wi-Fi! :bounce017

[Queen of Blades]

Join the 21st Century and get yourself some Wi-Fi! :bounce017

Wal-Mart doesn't have Wi-Fi in my area. :rolleyes:

[Sejanus]

Wal-Mart doesn't have Wi-Fi in my area. :rolleyes:

Well yeah, you got me there.

[JayKay]

Well, if you really want to get into it, smart phones like the IPhone and Verizon Voyager have full internet browsers on them that work anywhere where you get cell phone reception. I mean if you really wanted to, you could check the label in the store :D This is the information age ;)