I Use Toxic Bath Products on My Kids! Do You?

Toxic Bath Time Video

April Fools Day! Welcome to an emergency Green Moms Carnival where some very concerned and wonderful moms, women and bloggers want to educate, inform and empower others to learn about some potentially hazardous ingredients in our babies’ bath soaps and lotions. Women with different backgrounds and educational levels on the chemical compounds, laws and details but sharing a common thread of being passionate and dedicated to spreading an educated and insightful message that we hope you take very seriously (this means the companies too). This is not something we are taking lightly or throwing out there without research and strategic efforts to reach as many viewing eyes as possible so please don’t think us foolish.

First, let me begin by telling you that I am not better than anyone, I used Johnson and Johnson products on my son (he’s four now) but I did not know any better. My mom used it and I received bucket loads of it for my baby shower. Who would think that the FDA does not approve the ingredients and concoctions of chemicals put into bottles before they are put on the shelf, marketed to us and bought. The FDA has prohibits 9 ingredients and regulates color additives but the European Union prohibits 1,100. This just shows you how out of date we are in the U.S.

With babies having skin that’s 30% thinner and most parents use more than one personal care product on their child (soap, lotion, diaper cream, etc.). Add all of this exposure up over time and what we have is a toxic brew. We have a lot of unknown risk to our children. This is why when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report disclosed their findings of known carcinogens in baby bath products and I  discovered that Johnson and Johnson announced their  Big Bubblin’ Star YouTube Campaign promoting there products it became very real how misinformed parents are and how urgent it is for the Kid-Safe Chemical Act to pass. Note: I say  misinformed not at an insult or to the fault of any mother or parent.What Do These Women Bloggers Have To Say?

Jennifer our Smart Mama who knows the compounds, the details and the law she is angry. She is mad that Angie Harmon is behind a campaign but totes being an organic loving mama but then supports Johnson and Johnson and their Bubble Bath Campaign. Jennifer gives you the details on the ingredients, the background of the report and the fact the FDA does not protect us from the chemical concoctions put onto the shelf for us to buy.

Lynn of Organicmania.com points out toxins in our baby care products really is NO JOKE! This is serious stuff and it needs to be taken seriously. Lynn spoke to Johnson and Johnson and like she mentioned, this is not just their problem alone but standing behind the  FDA and their limits doesn’t give much of a shield. It is an excuse. Lynn does a great job at pointing out that from a marketing stand point those using safer ingredients and trying to stand on the right side of the line cannot spend what Johnson and Johnson does on marketing. I love how she wants to know what Johnson and Johnson  has to say about the Kid-Safe Chemical act. I certainly hope they leave a comment here!

Beth of Fake Plastic Fish pulls a prank and joins me in celebration of the day! Beth isn’t joking about the important issues involved here. She really hits the nail on the head discussing the J&J marketing technique using word of mouth marketing and other moms!

Jess from The Green Phone Booth admit to not knowing every thing about the ingredients but she know that she trusts the EWG and all the hard non-profit work they do to protect us and that the Kid-Safe Chemical Act is needed to protect our children from bathing in toxic chemicals. Her honest plea to Johnson and Johnson and list of want she wants from Johnson and Johnson and all companies so she can trust them is compelling. Jess goes onto write a second post passionately about this issue declaring transparency in our baby care products!

If you missed it, MaryAnne write at EcoChild’s Play a post about the flaws in the Johnson and Johnson Campaign and her plea for them to end the campaign after the EWG Toxic Tub report. Hmmm, do you think they’ll go through with it?

Perhaps not and that’s okay but I’m hopeful it could happen. I am hopeful that it will happen seeing that it is generating such a buzz and a company creating such a social media buzz should know that it isn’t cool to promote baby care products that have known carcinogens in them. I’m also hopeful when I read Jennifer of The Green Parent write about all the ways that Johnson and Johnson could win back her trust. How they tout being earth friendly and have some outstanding mission statements on their site but isn’t it all green washing?

Good friend, Katherine from the Safe Mama brings up a good point that the EWG report doesn’t even mention the other harmful ingredients such as phthalates, triethanolamine, and parabens and I love how she say’s that if  you knew what was in the products that are on the shelf you wouldn’t wash your car let alone your baby with them!

As Anna from Green Talk puts it, the J&J Bubble Bath campaign is just another “log on the fire” as to why we need the Kid-Safe Chemical Act. Anna spells out the FDA comments on personal care ingredients and just how blatant it is that the FDA isn’t protecting us like some might think because there is no premarket approval companies have to seek.

Alicia from The Soft Landing spells out exactly what you can do to take action and not just sit back and let big companies pull the wool over our eyes! Supporting the Kid-Safe Chemical Act and helping all of us to tell J&J that this campaign should stop until they make safer product for our children and that if they really want to lead the way then they should get behind the Kid-Safe Chemical Act!

I love how Karen from Best of Mother Earth voices a sincere frustration for being tired of needing a chemistry degree to understand labels and she lists some ingredients for moms and people in general to avoid. Karen is such a passionate writer and believer in all things good for our health and the environment. She so wonderfully points out how we have to look for alternatives.

Micaela from Mindfull Momma reminds us all how difficult it is to tell what a natural ingredient is and what is not and therefore we need to have trust because we aren’t all chemist. Micaela also outlines the steps for how to take action and writing your congressman is another way to support this cause!

Katy from Non-Toxic Kids spells it out like it is, we are angry, well researched and will be heard so companies listen up and moms get on board and start demanding transparency and support the Kids Safe Chemical Act! Katy draws attention to how China pulled all the products off their shelves but did the  U.S. react?

Diane from Big Green Purse and one of Glamour Magazine’s 70 Eco Heros flat out says, she will cease to be a Johnson and Johnson customer until they remove the compounds 1, 4 dioxane and formaldehyde. Diane urges all of us to contact our legislators Representative Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee because he is responsible for the oversight in the areas of pubic health, consumer protection, drug safety and the environment. Full details are at Diane’s website Big Green Purse.

Alline of Passion for Green Business writes so passionatly about the dangers of beauty products and cosmetics and her own concern over what she put onto her own face let alone a child’s body. She admits to the frustrations, confusion and offers to help however possible.

Christine Gardner of moregreenmoms has decided to tackle toxics in her community by organizing an Earth Day event where families are invited to drop-off cosmetic and personal care products that contain hazardous chemical ingredients.  The effort is called, The Girlcott (www.thegirlcott.com) and all participants will be offered the opportunity to not only responsibly dispose of unsafe items, but learn about healthier alternatives and support the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act to encourage federal reform to an industry that is not so pretty.

Tiffany of Nature Moms brings to attention how it was her friends who informed her about the dangerous products and how thankful she is that they did. It’s my hope Tiffany that everyone reading this can figure out that this is what all of us are trying to do. Not judge, condem or point fingers but be a friend alterting them to something. Tiffany also goes onto to refute some of the comments she is reading on the different carnvial posts here at Green and Clean Mom and how crazy the refuting of the EWG report is.

Call to Action

Don’t just accept that what your mom used with you was safe. Don’t just sit back and let companies get away with not being transparent. If we haven’t convinced you through all of our research, time and efforts then do your own investigation and reading and you will find we aren’t alarmist or moms that are just freaking out. This isn’t some emotional reaction but rather something we all feel you as mothers, parents, women, grandparents, fathers and concerned citizens would want to know about. Knowledge is power. So join us.

1. Sign the Declaration and tell your friends to sign the deleration to get the Kids Safe Chemical Act passed.

2. Write your legislator, as the Mindful Momma suggests.

3. Use safer products by using the Skin Deep Data Base and tell companies, such as Johnson and Johnson and the others listed on the report what you want as consumers.  Check out the Safe Mama and her hundreds of reviews and cheat sheets for safe baby care products and Healthy Child Healthy World for suggestions and tips. For reviews of products I have tried view my green cleaning category.

4. Promote this post anyway you can to get the word out there. #NoToxins a follow the Green Mom’s Carnival on Twitter!

5. Send any bottles back to the manufacture that aren’t used or half used but stop using them and demand for safer ingredients and full disclosure!