Yikes!!! The Chemicals in Our Personal Care Products!!!

[mommabear207]

So I was checking out Skin Deep's Safety Reviews and OMG! Its seriously scary. The chemicals that are found not only in the products but also in residual amounts in US are numerous and dangerous. And a lot of the products I looked up were supposedly natural etc. i'm going through all my stuff tomorrow and tossing a LOT of it.
Skin Deep tests products for chemical with connections to:
Cancer; Developmental/reproductive toxicity; Violations, restrictions & warnings; Neurotoxicity; Endocrine disruption; Allergies/immunotoxicity; Persistence and bioaccumulation; Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive); Miscellaneous; Multiple, additive exposure sources; Ecotoxicology; Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs); Contamination concerns; Occupational hazards; Mutations; Biochemical or cellular level changes
and while would prefer not to have to shell out $ for products I "already have" I don't want to keep putting these things in my or ds's body!It feels so wasteful on one level.But I can also use the shelf space
if you want to check it out:
http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/
you can search by product, ingredient or company and you can also search of products that are free of these chemicals too.

[kittygrrl523]

I read this book and found it fascinating and disturbing at the same time.

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Just-Prett.../dp/0865715742

It pretty much tells the story of how and why that database was formed.

[bigeyes]

I've been squawking about this for a long time. Perfumes and air fresheners are the most toxic things out there, and they are so difficult to avoid. :

I want to see cosmetics and colognes treated the same way cigarettes are.

[Drummer's Wife]

It is scary, I always check our products with skin deep's database. I think it's important and even more natural brands such as JASON have toxic levels that should be avoided.

[mommabear207]

i know i couldn't believe it ! I just purged our bathroom I maybe kept 5 things and got rid of 40 (and have more to look up)! and while some of that was the more mainstream stuff that my mom that too much of a lot of tit was supposedly natural and good for you. on the other hand the site does tell you what ones are ok so from now on i'm checking with them out first- that should also help me not spend so much as i have to go home and check it out first.
plus i'm going to try to check back on the number of products i use. and as dummerswife said even kids supposed ok stuff like jason isn't actually ok and here i was thinking i was washing ds with a good for him and the enviroment product

[columbusmomma]

Thanks for the links

[YoungandProud]

Thanks!

Thanks for posting this link...my oldest suffers from eczema and severlely sensitive skin. I'm going to go through everything we own!!

[Porcelain Interior]

bigeyes, you might be encouraged to hear that people are listening and do care, I threw away at least 10 name brand expensive fragrances after getting b*tched out in a fabric store one day by a lady having a severe reaction to the perfume I had on that day.

It was really upsetting and embarrassing. I didn't even have on that much, and it was so horrible.

She stood very far from me and when I turned and saw her holding her hand over her face at first I didn't understand why, and then she said "It's your perfume, it's making me very sick." And I started tearing up and getting really embarrassed for hurting her unknowingly and she just kept on and on with her diatribe.

I was just so upset. I have asthma, and I have a child that doesn't like perfume or scents, that is why I always wore light amounts and chose what I thought were non chemical/headachey scents.

Anyway long story short I got home and read about the chemicals, and how certain people have to suffer never knowing when they'll encounter someone who triggers a reaction and I thought to myself that must really suck.

So I decided not to wear any perfume until I can settle on maybe an essential oil blend or something entirely natural. I'm very sensitive to those with allegies, I have life threatening ones myself so I just couldn't live with myself knowing I was bombing people every day.

I threw all my perfume away. And those "air fresheners" are really toxic. I bought some of those plug in ones and then thought to myself hmm I feel funny, I can't breathe and I read about those (before the perfume thing happened) and learned that they are basically cancer, and they disrupt our hormones or something like that, very bad.

[Blucactus]

Yuck, I didn't know that about air fresheners! I have always hated their chemically fake icky scent!

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

I threw all my perfume away. And those "air fresheners" are really toxic. I bought some of those plug in ones and then thought to myself hmm I feel funny, I can't breathe and I read about those (before the perfume thing happened) and learned that they are basically cancer, and they disrupt our hormones or something like that, very bad.

ugh, air fresheners like the aerosol or plug in's make me ill. and i don't even have asthma; I am extremly sensitive to chemicals, though. Instant migraine and I feel like I cant' breathe.

Your story was touching because I think a lot of people woud get defensive and not care about how their 'personal hygiene' -- specifically perfume -- impacts others. Very considerate of you.

[bigeyes]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

bigeyes, you might be encouraged to hear that people are listening and do care, I threw away at least 10 name brand expensive fragrances after getting b*tched out in a fabric store one day by a lady having a severe reaction to the perfume I had on that day.

It was really upsetting and embarrassing. I didn't even have on that much, and it was so horrible.

She stood very far from me and when I turned and saw her holding her hand over her face at first I didn't understand why, and then she said "It's your perfume, it's making me very sick." And I started tearing up and getting really embarrassed for hurting her unknowingly and she just kept on and on with her diatribe.

I was just so upset. I have asthma, and I have a child that doesn't like perfume or scents, that is why I always wore light amounts and chose what I thought were non chemical/headachey scents.

Anyway long story short I got home and read about the chemicals, and how certain people have to suffer never knowing when they'll encounter someone who triggers a reaction and I thought to myself that must really suck.

So I decided not to wear any perfume until I can settle on maybe an essential oil blend or something entirely natural. I'm very sensitive to those with allegies, I have life threatening ones myself so I just couldn't live with myself knowing I was bombing people every day.

I threw all my perfume away. And those "air fresheners" are really toxic. I bought some of those plug in ones and then thought to myself hmm I feel funny, I can't breathe and I read about those (before the perfume thing happened) and learned that they are basically cancer, and they disrupt our hormones or something like that, very bad.

: I think I love you.

I had a friend who got sick from the one essential oil I could tolerate. Sometimes you just can't win.

I've often asked a waitress to move our table if someone comes to close with perfume, or even had to leave and sit in the car while the dcs finished dinner with dad, just to avoid a headache. I'd give anything to not react, because it is embarrassing to have to explain, and you never know how people are going to react to your moving. On a few occasions I know people thought I was being racist or something when I moved, but it was their cologne. And then it's just more awkward.

[mk12]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

bigeyes, you might be encouraged to hear that people are listening and do care, I threw away at least 10 name brand expensive fragrances after getting b*tched out in a fabric store one day by a lady having a severe reaction to the perfume I had on that day.

It was really upsetting and embarrassing. I didn't even have on that much, and it was so horrible.

She stood very far from me and when I turned and saw her holding her hand over her face at first I didn't understand why, and then she said "It's your perfume, it's making me very sick." And I started tearing up and getting really embarrassed for hurting her unknowingly and she just kept on and on with her diatribe.

I was just so upset. I have asthma, and I have a child that doesn't like perfume or scents, that is why I always wore light amounts and chose what I thought were non chemical/headachey scents.

Anyway long story short I got home and read about the chemicals, and how certain people have to suffer never knowing when they'll encounter someone who triggers a reaction and I thought to myself that must really suck.

So I decided not to wear any perfume until I can settle on maybe an essential oil blend or something entirely natural. I'm very sensitive to those with allegies, I have life threatening ones myself so I just couldn't live with myself knowing I was bombing people every day.

I threw all my perfume away. And those "air fresheners" are really toxic. I bought some of those plug in ones and then thought to myself hmm I feel funny, I can't breathe and I read about those (before the perfume thing happened) and learned that they are basically cancer, and they disrupt our hormones or something like that, very bad.

Aw, bless your heart! Aren't you sweet for handling it so nicely!

I get terrible migraines from people's fragrances... but usually tend to just try to keep my distance from a toxic offender. I would hate to embarrass someone, but at the same time I wish I had the nerve to speak up instead of just suffering in silence.

Chemical fragrances are just so nasty and toxic. I don't know how people can stand wearing them, walking around in their own personal toxic cloud.