What we put on our baby's skin matters even more than what we put on ours. A baby's skin is more vulnerable, susceptible to skin irritations, and permeable to chemicals; thus, newborn baby skincare needs gentle formulations. The products that market themselves as the 'safest' and the 'best baby products in India' are not necessarily safer for babies.
Some of the ingredients of baby products contain harmful ingredients like skin allergens, carcinogens, irritants, etc. It can be not easy to find these names on the product labels because many of them may not require to be listed. Hence, there are some ingredients to avoid in baby products, and among them is Phenoxyethanol.
What is Phenoxyethanol?
Phenoxyethanol is an ingredient in the skincare range of products that acts as a preservative. In baby care products, you will find it in baby sunscreen, shampoo, lotion, soap, bubble baths, and in diaper rash creams.
Is Phenoxyethanol safe for Babies?
Phenoxyethanol is used as a preservative in baby skincare products, and it kills bacteria and extends the product's shelf life. It is generally manufactured synthetically by reacting phenol with ethylene oxide.
A high concentration of Phenoxyethanol preservative is considered to be dangerous, and it is linked to reactions that can be harmful to skin. Furthermore, Phenoxyethanol may develop rashes on your baby’s skin. Babies with eczema can further suffer from the use of Phenoxyethanol, which irritates the skin leading to itchiness and inflammation.
Moreover, during pregnancy, Phenoxyethanol should be avoided.
Some developed countries like Japan and France have stopped their usage in Nappy cream and restricted use to a minimal % in other baby products. |
Where can we find safe and chemical-free baby products?
The lack of transparency in baby skincare products’ manufacturing makes it challenging to understand what is safe and what's not.
We must know what we are using on the baby's skin, and it should not be based on advertisement only. Being new-age parents, it is essential to have awareness about Phenoxyethanol free baby products.
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