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Is Your Natural Personal Care Safe?

NapiNol's Booty Balm & Beyond is our favorite diaper ointment,  at Sprout, made up of only five organic ingredients. We asked Jen Scattereggia from NapiNol to explain the company's view of the multitude of “natural” products out there. Here are her thoughts:

There is a huge market for natural and organic skincare products. Recognizing this demand, many companies are developing products that they label “natural.” However, there is no regulation of the term “natural” and many products are not truly natural.

For some excellent examples of “natural imposters”, you need look no further than the baby skincare market. All skincare products, especially those you use on your baby, should be truly natural, safe, and include only ingredients that actually have a benefit for your skin.

Disappointingly, many of the major “natural” brands don’t use ingredients that meet these three requirements. For example, some of the common ingredients used in “natural” diaper rash creams listed below are not natural, are potentially dangerous, and don’t have a proven functional benefit for the skin.

Zinc oxide is often used in diaper rash creams and sunscreens. It is usually synthetically produced and can contain nanoparticles. It is also highly occlusive and does not allow the skin to breath.

Potassium sorbate is a synthetic chemical preservative that can have toxic effects on the reproductive and development systems.

Cetyl alcohol, although derived from coconuts, is manufactured using toxic chemicals and carcinogenic catalysts. The process also produces trans-fatty acids, which inhibit prostaglandins and can create free radicals that cause cellular mutations.

Lanolin is derived from sheep’s wool, but is often contaminated with DDT-like pesticides, which are carcinogenic and can cause reproductive issues.

Castor (Rincinus Communis) seed oil is a major skin irritant and increases the absorption of other chemicals across the skin.

We all want to do our best to protect our children. Choosing natural skincare products is important, but the challenge is now to ensure that you can recognize the ingredients being used and can understand why they’re in there. The Environment Working Group (EWG) is a good resource for checking unfamiliar ingredients, but also do your own research. Skincare doesn’t have to be overly complex. Less is more.

Jen Scattereggia is a brand manager for NapiNol® Nursery Therapies. The company has an ever-expanding line of skincare products and only uses ingredients that are 100% natural, safe, and have a benefit to the skin. Learn more at www.napinolnurserytherapies.com

NapiNol's Booty Balm & Beyond comes in a tube or a jar; also be sure to check out their Boo Boos Be Gone.