What to avoid in ingredients list?

[Beauchamp]

Okay, I know that parabens are bad. Plus DMDM hydantoin. Fragrances. What else? I am trying to find natural products, plus go through my cabinets and assess what I have that is okay and what to get rid of. The internet is SO full of info that it's overwhelming.

What is the really "bad stuff"?

[MaxMommy]

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php

I use the EWG Skin Deep data base to search products, it's very helpful.

Hope this helps.

[maxwill129]

Anything I can't pronounce!

[BaBaBa]

sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate
parabens
non plant (ie, petroleum based) oils

all come to mind

[Isamama]

I just discovered and started to use the above data base (cosmetics data base). It is pretty eye opening. A lot of the "health" food store brand (yes, even the organic ones) are high risk. So, there are a few things I need to get rid of....I basically looked up every brand I own (that I could think of)...getting rid of a couple of things.

What I like about the data base is that they actually give you information about every ingredient, then you can decide what is comfortable for you and your family.

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

wow, thanks for the linkey. that site is cool, some of the things i was surprised about, the pullups wipe for ds was only a 4, i expected them to be higher like a 6 or 7 and some type of satin care shave gel that i don't have atm, but used in the past was a 10, omg! we are using more conventional products in the beauty dept. at home, but some things are surprising! I'm going to try to only buy things under 4-5 for now, hope to get that number under 3 when we are able to afford those better products eventually!

[SophieAnn]

Yeah, I really like that site too!

I recently discovered (from a recommendation on this site) Whole Foods' 365 brand (newly reformulated to higher standards). It's not in the database, but according to their website, they've identified 300+ ingredients as harmful or potentially harmful and set quality standards to not include those ingredients.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/prod...-body-care.php
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/pdfs...e-bodycare.pdf

The products seem quite affordable too. Too bad we only have a couple Whole Foods stores in the whole province of Ontario.