How to Read a Label Personal Products

We use products on our body's and children's body's all the time. What do the labels mean?? The US government does not regulate the words  "gentle" or  "natural", nor does it require safety testing.  So what does this mean to us??  Every product must list the ingredients.  Know what to look out for.

Avoid these perservatives listed at the end:

1.  all "paraben" 2. DMDM hydantoin 3. Imidazolidinyl urea   (even sounds nasty) 4. Methylchloroisothiazolinone 5. Methylisothiazolinone 6. Triclosan 7. Triclocarban 8. Triethanolamine (or "TEA")  9. at the start of the list look out for ingredients that start with "PEG" or have an "-eth" in the middle (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate). 10. Avoid  "FRAGRANCE," or "FD&C," or "D&C."

For our little ones avoid these 6 items as we must protect their growing bodies:
1. 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3 Diol
2. BHA
3. Boric acid and sodium borate
4. DMDM Hydantoin
5. Oxybenzone
6. Triclosan

These ingredients have been shown to cause harm.  While they are safe in one product our continued use of them over and over is what makes them a hazard we can avoid.

Angels Come when you least expect it

A few weeks ago, my daughter needed a medical test performed at a well know NYC Hospital. It was a non -intrusive test but would be very long. She was testing for lactose intolerance with a breath test. It was negative our search goes on. Prior to the test she was on a restricted bland diet. Little girls on restricted diets don’t do well. All the cartoons had a food theme that day. Little brother only wanted to talk about ice cream and very good foods. We had him on a restricted diet to limit the foods she saw.

Towards the end of the day it occurred to me that I was not sure if she could drink water in the morning. Could she brush her teeth with toothpaste? Simple questions but if I choose the wrong one I could invalidate a test and have to do this all over again. It is an hour and a half drive to NYC and we needed to leave before the testing center opened. I doubted that I would hear back from them in time.

I called and e-mailed my contact anyway. And would you believe it! I got a response right back. Our pediatric Nurse Clinician Aris A. sent me back a detailed e-mail and a text message. He was even able to accommodate us from our long trip. As soon as we got there we rested and freshened up and the test started. He knew children. She was very scared even though we all said that it would not hurt. He told her Daddy could try the drink first and then she would drink it all up. Daddy did and gave her a big smile and she ended up asking for more. I knew she was thirsty as not even a drop of water could she drink.

It was a long test, about three hours. We played on her DSI, read books, Mom crocheted a shawl and Dad read and read. Yet every time that Aris came by he would walk right up to her and explain to her what was happening. He taught her how to blow up the balloon and what a good job she was doing. He even thought to bring her books to read that were at her level.

His kindness and professionalism of answering a late placed email impressed me. Too often, we do not praise or acknowledge the little things in life. I call them the little angel acts. A kind word comforts a frightened child. A smile relaxes one. A return of an email or phone call comforts a distraught mother. Each action in and of itself is small and yet if even one were missing the result would not have been so good.

I have a little girl who knows she needs more tests and is not afraid to go back. She knows she will meet with friendly people and be safe. I only wish and hope that everyone she meets is as kind and professional as Aris. Thank you Aris for a job well done.

Whats in our Cosmetics?

As a Mom, I always worry about what ingredients are in the products I use. I did my research on the cosmetic and bath products that my family uses. I was shocked to discover that manufacturers can put any ingredient in their product and without any government review or control. That means that some products may contain harmful ingredients. I learned that personal care products, including children's products, may contain a cancer-causing ingredient, 1,4-Dioxane, and 60 percent of sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a potential hormone disruptor. There are reports of hidden substances in fragrance and preservatives in personal care products.


Recently there was a report that the increase in learning disabilities may be linked to all the chemicals we are exposed to in uterus and out. So I was glad to hear that the Congress introduced a bill to help solve this problem. The bill is Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (H.R. 5786). It is intended to expand the review and control of ingredients used in the cosmetic and bath products. It may allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit dangerous ingredients that have already been banned in Europe.

If you want to support this bill and I urge you to click on the link below. Thank you.




Click to support the Bill