Phenoxyethanol in baby products - Is it really safe?
Parenting overall can be a combination of delightful, fun, frustrating, exhausting, demanding, and fulfilling experiences. Despite the constant challenges, you might be facing as a parent, it might have never occurred to you to give up on trying and searching for the best for your child. That parental feeling to be the best and give the best, is perhaps what keeps every parent on toes.
It’s not even funny, the amount of planning and research we as parents do. And it starts even before the baby is born. From planning the child's nursery to planning for their future, a parent is constantly on the lookout for ‘the best’. If we look at the larger picture of why we as parents do so much research, it’s because we want our kids to be safe and happy. And by safe, we mean both mentally and physically.
Coming to safety, there has been a huge revolution in terms of how conscious today’s new -age parents are when selecting skincare products for their babies. However, with the market filled with so many products, it can be overwhelming to shop for skincare products for the little one. Especially when there is a long ingredient list with scientific names or absolutely no ingredient list at all.
There are so many ingredients like phenoxyethanol that are potentially harmful to your baby's health. Let us understand the world of phenoxyethanol and why it’s a big no-no.
About Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is an ingredient used in cosmetic products serving as a preservative. It’s an olily sticky substance. Though considered as a safe product, for it prevents fungi, bacteria and other yeasts growing in the product. There has been a lot of discussion, questioning it’s safety in skin care products.
Phenoxyethanol and it’s adverse effects
In 2010, Journal of Investigation Allergology and Clinical Immunology, had published a case study of a woman, who developed allergic reactions in the form of hives and anaphylaxis after using a skin care product with phenoxyethanol. There are also quite a few cases and reports of phenoxyethanol causing contact dermatitis i.e common skin irritation.
In 2008 there was a warning issued by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for nipple cream containing phenoxyethanol and other preservative. Evidently it can cause a high risk of respiratory depression and also effect central nervous system of the nursing infants. Time and again, research papers and reports have tried to highlight the negative effects of phenoxyethanol, marking it at the top of the list of harmful ingredients.
It’s extremely important to be a well-researched parent and select products for yourself and your child carefully.
Conclusion:
It’s extremely important to read ingredients list of baby skincare products and do an in depth research about it. As the world is shifting towards more sustainable journey, there are now a lot many clean brands.
It’s time we say goodbye to chemicals like phenoxyethanol and be more mindful about not just what babies eat but also what we pamper their skin with.
Much love and more to come!
TKV
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