When Kim and I started bringing more natural remedies/solutions into the house, I noticed that we ended up having a bunch of products that we no longer use due to the toxic chemical properties associated with them. I know the easy way to get rid of them was just to throw them in the trash or the recyling bin, or donate them to a local charity or church.  I wanted to do better than that for a couple reasons: First, was because I didn’t want to put those toxic chemicals back into the earth in a landfill, nor did I want to pass them along to someone who is going to put those toxin on THEIR bodies. Second, I wanted to make a difference, albeit a small one. Grassroots efforts are what gets the ball rolling on a very important movement.  This movement is about Chemical Policy Change. This SOUNDS like a giant undertaking, and it is!!! Making the small changes in your life are what is going to help get that movement rolling.

 I gathered all of my 17-month-old niece’s toxic baby products and drove them back to a store that is known to sell them. It was not about getting our money back, it was about letting these companies know that we were not going to use their toxic products on our family any longer. We are voting for better products on the market with where we choose to spend our money. 

 Here are the 10 items we refuse to use due to their toxic chemical ingredients: 

I know what you are thinking… Those are the GO TO products for soooo many families. That is the exact reason why I returned them. I am aware of certain ingredients to avoid, but maybe you are not. So, here’s a side by side of what we no longer use and what we use exclusively:

  
  
Let’s go over some ingredients we avoid and why:

Top Picture:

-Quaternium-15: A formaldeyde releaser.  Found in most conventional personal care products.  Formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, joint pains and headaches, CANCER, and immune dysfunction.

-Fragrance: Legally, hundreds of ingredients can be hidden in “fragrance” or “parfum”, it’s a trade secret in the personal care and cleaning industry.  More than 75% of the time if you have fragrance, you have legally hidden phthalates (THAL-ates), which are known endocrine disruptors that are linked with birth defects, breast cancer, infertility, liver, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and now autism and ADHD in pregnancy by Dr. Philip Landrigan, Mt. Sinai, Children’s Environmental Health Center.

-PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate AND PEG-150 Distearate: PEG’s (Polyethylene glycol) are a petroleum byproduct.  During manufacturing process carcinogenic contamination is created: 1,4 dioxane (which is a known human carcinogen, with liver and kidney effects). You will never see 1,4 dioxane on a label, as companies are not required to list carcinogenic contaminants. 

Now let’s go over some ingredients we prefer to use instead:

Bottom Picture:

-Chamomilla recutita (organic chamomile) flower extract: Has very good antiseptic and antibiotic properties and does not let biotic (infections due to biotic factors such as bacteria, fungi, etc.) develop. The oil also wipes off infections already present.  Chamomile is effective in calming annoyance, anger and irritation, particularly in small children. It is popular in the world the cosmetics, as it deminishes scars, marks and spots on the skin and on the face and also protects wounds, cuts and bruises from getting infected. It is tonic in nature, so it tones up the skin.

-Cocos nucifera (organic coconut) oil : Coconut oil acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skin including dry skin. Coconut oil works wonders for dry and damaged skin, cuts, bruises, and speeds the healing while it fights infection. Coconut oil forms a protective barrier to hold in moisture while penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin to helping to keep connective tissue strong and supple. Coconut oil prevents dryness and flaking. It delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. 

-Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flower extract: Calendula has been used for centuries to heal wounds and skin irritations. Its therapeutic properties were known in ancient Egypt and Rome, and it was commonly used in Europe in the Middle Ages. Today it is widely recognized as a powerful healing plant, which promotes skin regeneration, has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties, is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal, aiding in fighting infections.  This versatile botanical is gentle enough to use for babies, children, or animals.

-Butyrospermum Parkii (organic Shea) oil: It has been known for centuries of African women to be superb moisturizer with exceptional healing properties for the skin. Shea butter is naturally rich in vitamins and minerals, that help to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin. Shea butter’s unparalleled moisturizing property is due to several natural moisturizers which are the same produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. 

-Lavender Essential oil (lavandula angustifolia): Lavender oil has a host of benefits and great value in helping the skin heal itself, stimulating cell growth, reducing inflammation, preventing scarring and balancing the production of oil while at the same time cutting down on localized pain – all perfect when fighting acne and problem skin.

I feel like it’s a no brainer to choose the non toxic product in the bottom picture. Worth paying a little bit more for a quality product.

The first place I tried to return the products would not take them because they were opened and slightly used.  They advised me to call Johnson & Johnson about my concerns about the ingredients.  So, I called their customer service number and talked to a customer service rep for 30 min. J&J said they would note their files about my concerns with their ingredients, and they are going to send me a check for the amount the products are worth. However, they would NOT take back their Aveno baby product nor give me a refund.  They did (ironiclly) offer to give me coupons for more Aveno baby products. I refused their offer and told them that I no longer support their company if they continue to use these ingredients in their products. I also told them that I found a non toxic substitution for all of my personal and home care needs. 

A couple days later, I brought the Aveno Baby products to another place that is known to sell those specific products.  They took them back after I told them about the toxic chemicals in them, and that I did not want my niece exposed to them. They gave me a gift card for the full amount.

SUCCESS!!  

Once I receive my Johnson & Johnson refund check in the mail, Kim and I will donate it and the gift card to the Church.  

-Jamie