5 Ingredients To Avoid For Baby, And For You!

Photo by: Clare Bloomfield

Baby's first bath can be an exciting as well as daunting experience, especially for us new moms. While we can't always control exactly how our babies will react, we can do our best to make it as enjoyable as possible.  That includes picking a baby wash that will not leave behind harmful chemicals. Nearly all baby products use words like "gentle" and "tear-free" on their packaging. Just looking at the list of ingredients can be overwhelming! Which ones are safe and which should be avoided? To help you out, here are 5 ingredients to avoid when choosing a baby body wash for your little one:

1. Ingredient listed as: “fragrance” - Since fragrance formulations are proprietary, companies do not need to disclose exactly what chemicals are in the fragrance. Besides, why would you want to cover up that wonderful new baby smell with something artificial? Unscented is best, but some natural products contain essential oils that provide anti-bacterial action as well as give a wonderful scent.

Wild Natural Happy Baby Soap Review

Wild Natural Beauty was started by four women all interested in healthy alternatives to conventional beauty products. The Happy Baby Organic Bar Soap is a olive oil based soap with mild essential oil fragrances. I used it on myself in the shower directly on skin, without and shower poofs or wash cloth. It did not produce as rich a lather as did Dr. Bronner 's Organic Mild Baby Soap or Zum Soaps. The scent is very mild and barely noticeable. I have to hold it up to my nose, and even so I barely smell anything.

Overall its a nice mild soap and lasts a couple weeks with two people showering everyday.  I would recommend it for people with sensitive skin or for children and babies. Each soap is 3.5 oz, and costs $7.00 for two from Amazon.com, and qualifies for Super Saver Shipping and Amazon Prime.

Ingredients (from packaging):
Saponified organic oils of palm, coconut, olive, and palm kernel, natural lavender essential oil blend, organic lavender oil, organic aloe vera, rosemary extract

Rating by Skin Deep Cosmetic Database: 0, Low Hazard

Made in USA and Cruelty-Free 

Note: The product name contains the word "organic", but there is no USDA organic symbol on the product packaging. 

Pure Castile Soap - Extra Virgin Cleaning Goodness

Soap making is one of the oldest and simplest chemical reactions known to man. In fact, the first soaps were accidentally made by fat dripping into the ashes of cooking fires. The saponification process is the combination of animal or vegetable oil with an alkali (sodium hydroxide for solid soap, potassium hydroxide for liquid soap). The result is soap, glycerin, and water. Most commercial, mass produced soaps are based on low cost animal tallow and includes synthetic fragrances, preservatives, moisturizers, coloring agents. Castile soap originates from the 1500's from the Castile region in Spain where it was first made and contains at least 80% olive oil.  Most natural soap makers add small amounts of other oils such as jojoba, coconut oil, hemp oil for a luscious lather and optimum moisturizing effects. They may also add natural moisturizers such as goat or sheep milk, shea butter, essential oils for fragrance, and mineral colorants.

Indigo Wild- Any more natural you'd be naked

Indigo Wild is a quirky, down-to-earth shop based in Kansas City, Missouri with the following philosophy: "Before Indigo Wild touches your body, it touches our bodies" and is home to a cult favorite: Zum goat's milk soap. The nourishing goat milk formula leaves skin silky smooth and a delicious variety of flavors such as: "Frankincense Lavender", "Lemon Sage", and "Rosemary Mint" stimulate the senses. The list of ingredients is simple and toxin free: saponified 100% food grade olive, coconut, palm, and castor oils, goat milk, pure essential oils, and mineral pigments.