Sodium Laurel Sulfate?

[heatherweh]

I'm sorta mint green I guess, I hadn't ever really thought too hard about the ingredients in my bath products, but now that I actually look- woah. So i saw on Oprah today that SLS is horrible (and there's also one called Sodium Luarel Sulphite I think that I found in some of my stuff). So, here's the q: if you find out an ingredient is bad, do you just go through your cupboards and dump everything with that in it or just keep using it and make a resolution to look more carefully next time?

I went to the bathroom and started chucking stuff, but then became overwhelmed because it is so much (and realized that I will have to dump all of it down the drain I guess, ugh also not eco-friendly I know, but in order to recycle the plastic bottles...). Even the baby products I have contain these ingredients, how disappointing! What do you suggest or what did you do. I'm one of those folks who has like 30 bottles of miscellaneous bathroom products stuffed in the cupboards BTW, though I am hoping to change!

[mamafirst]

so about six or so months ago my mom introduced me to all the info about sls stuff.... i did dump all the baby products and got burts bees wash, lotion and powder... but i as well as you have tons of stashed shampoo, lotion etc... the lotions im using up and no longer buying the ones with parabens... but i am using the rest of my shampoos, i feel guilty every single time, but i am on a strict budget in order to stay at home, my mom also bought me a gigantic shampoo and conditioner from aveda through ebay which is highly discounted...

there are tons of websites that have lots of info about the dangers of sls as well as propelyne glycol, anything that ends in "ene" is derived from fuels which is horrible for your body... be prepared though when you start looking into it, you will be a bit overwhelmed... but cheers to you for taking the leap!!!

[iamloved22]

Budget constraints don't allow me to "dump" all of our stuff either I am a "stocker-upper" so there is a LOT of stuff in the bathroom cabinet, I sold off all my extras of the baby products (something like 16 bottles) on ebay and started buying/making better stuff (my oatmeal bath has made a HUGE difference in my DD's skin) for everyone else we are just going to have to use up what we have and then move on to better stuff after that, but I'm selling off most of my "overstock" as we get ready to move anyway so hopefully that will help too.

[Attached Mama]

I gave some away, tossed some (which would have taken a long time to use up) and used up the rest.

FWIW, even Aveda is not totally natural at all. I learned the hard way to read ingredients on everything! Just because it's organic doesn't mean something isn't chock full of chemicals when it comes to cosmetics/toiletries. Aubrey Organics (not Alba, Aveda or the other one beginning with an A lol) tends to be the most natural thing around! Sometimes the other "a" brands are good, but read ingredients! Also, Burts Bees isn't totally natural either. Some has artificial (read petroleum derived) fragrances. I still have some anyway, but am trying to phase that out as well. If it doesn't say where the fragrances are from, it's prob not natural.

[moonmama22]

I can't afford to dump mine either, and the better stuff is way way more expensive! We're switching gradually, but I'm such a cheapskate, it's frustrating! I do use some Burt's Bees products, but I believe California Baby (obviously children's products!) are free of most bad stuff. There is a great website I found, I think it is skindeep.com, that rates everything you could think of. It breaks it all down, but I agree, it is very overwhelming. When I was looking through it I kept saying, "Oh, wow - I won't buy that anymore!" But throwing it away is too much for me to handle!!!
I have to say, though, my ds was getting hives on and off for a long time, and we couldn't find any cause. He has not gotten them since we switched to CA Baby, and Burt's Bees products!

"Mint green" - I like it - it fits me also!!!

[mamafirst]

its mainly the older aveda products, if you check out their website, this is their statement,AVEDA has converted 90% of total tonnage of essential oils purchased to certified organic; 89% of raw herbal ingredients are certified organic.
AVEDA has been phasing out parabens from its existing products and for the past 2 years all new AVEDA products have been formulated without parabens-AVEDA now has more than 350 formulas preserved without parabens
AVEDA established the Soil to Bottle™ traceability system, which allows AVEDA to progressively document and expand the source of its ingredients while promoting quality through its supply chain
AVEDA established programs to promote sourcing GMO-free ingredients
AVEDA is partnering with the EPEA Institute for ongoing evaluation of raw materials in AVEDA products by application of “Cradle to Cradle*” design principles; to date EPEA has reviewed over 600 ingredients for Aveda
AVEDA is phasing out EDTA and replacing it with naturally-derived alternatives
AVEDA pioneered the use of up to 100% postconsumer recycled content in its packaging and is looking at biodegradable or completely recyclable/ reusable packaging for its next phase
AVEDA will continue to find greener alternatives for certain ingredients in existing products applying EPEA Institute principles
AVEDA will continue to develop sustainable plantbased alternatives to replace petrochemicals



i know alot of the "natural" arent all natural but i like their philos on the issue, and i have dry brittle hair and their poo and cond are the best with my hair...

also i forgot to tell you, avalon organics has amazing handsoaps that are available at most targets now, the budget made me look into facial soaps instead of gel cleansers, and kiss my face olive oil bars (which last FOREVER) are great and have my skin amazing! earth friendly has a reasonably priced dish detergent i also use for bubble bath, that is sls free and made with coconut based surfactants... good luck!!

[Sharlla]

I didn't really have a lot of stuff to get rid of anyway. I was no pooing at the time and DH had a half bottle shampoo and body ash. I buy Jason products and mama made soap.

[aprilibarra]

i've slowly phased out stuff, but really decided not to buy the expensive other stuff. instead, we condition only, the kids only once a week, me 2x's. use less product on my face and try to make my own mixes for lotion or butters. i never really put baby lotions on babies but now will only use the base materials.

[abadine]

When my first daughter was born I started buying only organic products, and then I started reading more and read up on SLS & parabans. Being in Australia though we have heaps of options. There's a product here called MOPS or Modern Organic Products, and its all free from stuff & even has low allergy products like a pear & mint body wash for the whole family. We also have a low budget co called natural instincts which is free from almost everything, but I have to say the shampoo is worthless. I'm thinking of going no-poo but we'll see how we go.

[gwynthfair]

I didn't just dump everything. I phased things out gradually. The only I just totally got rid of was bleach and nasty cleaning products, because I didn't have a lot and I couldn't stand the vapors. Don't stress...just do what you can.

[alysmommy2004]

I didn't dump anything. Fortunately I didn't have too much stuff to get rid of. I put most of it in a box and let my teenage sister take what she wanted. She took almost everything, which is great for me. I don't want her using that stuff, but she's going to anyway and this way it saved my mom a few bucks. Anything she didn't take I saved. I've had house guests *coughmilcough* who refuse to use my weird crunchy products so now I have something poisonous to offer them.

[Raw Vegan Mama]

Originally Posted by alysmommy2004

I didn't dump anything. Fortunately I didn't have too much stuff to get rid of. I put most of it in a box and let my teenage sister take what she wanted. She took almost everything, which is great for me. I don't want her using that stuff, but she's going to anyway and this way it saved my mom a few bucks. Anything she didn't take I saved. I've had house guests *coughmilcough* who refuse to use my weird crunchy products so now I have something poisonous to offer them.

I had a "little party", put all the products onthe table and called all the women I knew (called the youngest ones first -- as they have the smallest income) and told them what I had. They all came running! LOL! It was all gone in two days. I did the same thing when I greened our kitchen and other aread. I put it all out, called people, and it was gone.

Oh course, I did donate the unused items to a local womens shelter.

I like to think of it as "planting the seed". The people come and take my free stuff, but I am really educating them. They always call me when they read or hear about toxic stuff. Slowing but surely, my mom is turning to natural products and more organic foods.