People have a hard time wrapping their mind around the fact that Johnson’s Baby Products are not as gentle as they thought. But I brought my camera back to Target and snapped a picture of the Baby Cream to post another pictorial highlighting all the unnecessary chemical additives in it. Parabens? Check. Phthalates? Check. Possible carcinogens? Check.
I’ve highlighted in red all the additives that are a high hazard to humans, according to Cosmetic Safety Database. In Johnson’s Baby Cream, these are:
FRAGRANCE.
Ah, our old nemesis. We meet again. Unless otherwise noted, fragrance=phthalates, which are an endocrine disruptor, among other things.
according to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrance is the number one cause of allergic cosmetic reactions. Phthalates are added to help fragrances last longer, according the American Chemistry Council.
CETEARETH 6.
Otherwise known as 1,4 Dioxane. SafeMama has a great blog as to why this is a no-no in cosmetic products, here:
Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory irritant and is suspected of causing damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Accidental exposure to people working with it has been known to cause deaths. Dioxane is classified by the IARC as a Group 2B carcinogen: possibly carcinogenic to humans due to the fact that it is a known carcinogen in animals.
BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE.
Restricted in Japan and Canada, this is linked to immunetoxicity and is a skin allergen.
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I’ve highlighted in yellow all the things that are a moderate hazard to humans, according to the Safe Cosmetic Database.
ALL THE THINGS ENDING IN -PARABEN.
So Organic has this to say about parabens:
Parabens are antimicrobials; preservatives used to give products an extended shelf life and to prevent them going bad.
Parabens are everywhere; they are not only used as a preservative in cosmetic products, but also in food. A 1995 study showed that they were present in 99% of leave on cosmetic products, and 77% of rinse off products. (Rastogi et al., 1995 cited in Darbre et al 2004) (1). Parabens are easily absorbed through the skin.
There is debate as to the carcinogenic effects of parabens in humans. Parabens have been found in breast cancer cells, and regardless of if it caused cancer or not, this indicates that they can easily get into skin cells and remain intact for a long period of time. Ash and I limit our exposure as much as possible, and because our Serendipity Bath products are made in the same month they are sold, we do not need or want to extend shelf life.
TETRASODIUM EDTA.
This actually is a low hazard in the database; however, I bumped it up as a moderate hazard because it is a penetration enhancer…it literally piledrives all the other additives deep into your skin. These are not things I really want deep in my skin, or in my baby’s skin either. We shun this ingredient.
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I’ve highlighted in purple all the things that are Ashley and my pet peeves. Ingredients that we see and cringe at.
This is the reason cosmetics can be sold so cheaply. The commercial cosmetic companies use mineral oil as a filler to take the place of other natural, moisturizing, skin friendly oils that we use exclusively in our soaps and other bath products. It’s the difference between eating a piece of fruit versus eating a processed fruit snack.
CETYL/STEARYL ALCOHOL.
These may be animal byproducts, which we stear away from. And, speaking of animals, did you know Johnson & Johnson still tests on animals? Yeah. Nice. No thanks.
RED & YELLOW DYE.
Ash and I personally don’t like to eat this stuff, and we don’t like to put it on our skin either.
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So, there you have it. Johnson’s Baby Cream is not so good for baby. In fact, a whopping 85% of the baby moisturizers listed on Cosmetic Database have lower hazard concerns than this lotion. 100% of our Wild Child Baby products are better than Johnson’s products, for sure!
Other Helpful Articles:
Clean Up Your Soap! A link to our other blogs about what other things the FDA approves in commercial soaps.
I have been using the same products for my kids. Thanks for the information. I think I would rather buy organic products for my kids.
By: Stephen on March 31, 2008
at 6:58 am
Great post, I hate Johnson and Johnson with a passion, mostly because of their animal testing policies. I know quite a bit about the various nasties in commercial toiletries, but its awesome you’ve taken the time to mark them all up and explain!
I like the ‘may also contain’…nice quality control at Johnson and Johnson factories then…
By: monsterbeans on April 3, 2008
at 11:04 am
Ummm, I’ve used J&J products with all 3 of my kids, along with everyone else in my family with kids, with no ill effects at all! My youngest is a preemie, and he has no dry skin, no eczema, and I use it on him everyday. And my oldest is 20 now & still prefers to use J&J products over anything else, because she loves the way it smells & makes her skin so soft. So just because a product has INGREDIENTS in it doesn’t make it BAD FOR YOU!! I did receive some “organic” lotion (forget what it was called) when my now 3 yr old was a baby, and it irritated his skin, causing him to break out in a bad rash.
By: michelle on April 12, 2008
at 7:17 pm
This article is VERY biased and one-sided. Show us the facts!
When people make claims like these, they need to be backed with EVIDENCE. Nowhere in this article do I see references to high-quality, non-biased studies that indicate these products to be dangerous.
I want to see these studies. And if they are on lab rats, were they subjected to these ingredients in concentrations 100’s of times higher than what we would ever be exposed to in using products that contain them?
By: Mary on April 14, 2008
at 1:54 am
I think that was a great article and I do not need to see case studies in order for me to make up my mind that anything with ingredients named like that can be anything but nasty for a baby.
whats wrong with good old fashioned cold pressed olive oil? cant go wrong there…. no chemicals no preservatives, no carcinogens why would anyone want to question the integrity of this article? I do not think that it is biased at all, its a very well informed point of view, and here here to telling them to go stuff themselves, NO MORE ANIMAL TESTING!!!!!!!!!! Johnson and Johnson suck!
By: Star on April 26, 2008
at 11:16 am
[...] Baby Acne Johnson’s Baby Cream–not so good for baby. « Serendipity Soap Dish You can check any future products (or current ones you have) here: Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety [...]
By: Baby Acne - SheKnows Message Boards on August 12, 2008
at 10:26 pm
I think that it’s ridiculous that people are still so ignorant to what really goes on! If you think this article is so bias…. here’s an idea… use your brain and do your own research. All of the informations out there, but be prepared because the truth is scary! WAKE UP EVERYONE!!! Anyone who does testing on animals are no good in my book. Rock on soapchix!
By: casey on September 22, 2008
at 5:41 pm
Check the ingredients lists by researching through use of the Organic Consumers Association (who just this year has lawsuits against some companies for false claims) and also through Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website. The verdict is that nothing in this cream is good for humans. Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t continue to use something they know is questionable. Just because the “damage” hasn’t surfaced in a 20 year old, doesn’t mean the damage isn’t done. Neurological damage sometimes doesn’t show up for decades. I wouldn’t use Johnson & Johnson or anything commercial (except organic based stuff) on my grandkids any more than I would have used it on my own kids, who are now 33, 31 and 21. It might smell good, but if you wouldn’t eat it, I wouldn’t put it on my baby’s skin.
http://www.oca.org
http://www.mercola.com
Use the search feature and check out what they have to say on these ingredients. And they’re not alone in their findings.
NO ONE should be using that junk, IMO.
By: newgramma on December 23, 2008
at 5:26 pm
Well now… arsenic is all natural and organic, as are selenium and lots of other heavy metals. None of which are good for you in large quantities. Your body does require selenium though. So, is it bad for you or good for you? Or, does it matter in what quantity?
Just because something is “organic” does NOT make it safe. Testing is what determines if it’s safe in the quantity used. So, no matter who makes it, or what their (and their partners) beliefs are, if it’s not been tested it’s only a guess. But of course, that’s scientific thought not the religion of being “green”
By: Mark on February 7, 2009
at 3:10 am
[...] a blog loaded with great info: Serendipity Soap Dish Some entries you might want to check out: Johnson’s Baby Cream–not so good for baby What’s the difference between Phthalates and Parabens? Feeling ambitious? Make your own! [...]
By: Handmade, Phthalate-Free, All Natural Soap Review at Healthy Tot on April 15, 2009
at 2:20 am