Mommy Goes Green

I’m not a doctor, chemist, or scientist (nor do I pretend to be one)  -  I’m a concerned mom, wife and woman that wants to make sure that the food my family eats and the products we use are healthy and safe. We’re always talking about chemicals around here, particularly how to AVOID them.  One of the ways I find out what chemicals are being used, how they are used and how dangerous they are is to read Chemical of the Day.  It’s a blog written by Stephanie Greenwood, owner of Bubble & Bee Organic.  Stephanie is serious about chemicals used in cosmetics and shares her research findings daily. 

Any time I pick up a new product, I look at the ingredients.  I first scan for anything ending in ‘paraben’ like methylparaben, propylparaben, or ethylparaben (there are several others as well).   The reason I look for parabens first is that they are easy to identify – usually near the end of the ingredient list – and if they exist, I immediately put down the product.  I challenge you to go grab your makeup bag and look through the ingredients.  You likely have parabens in several of your products.  Why should you care?  According to Chemical of the Day, ”it has been proven that excess estrogen does lead to reproductive cancers (like breast and uterine cancer), and it has been proven that parabens act like estrogen and accumulate in the body.  Studies have also shown that parabens have accumulated in breast cancer tissue.”   Parabens are a hot topic right now – you’ll notice a lot of personal care products are starting to put “no parabens” or “paraben free” on their labeling.  That’s a good thing BUT there are many other chemicals besides parabens to look for. 

I know it can be overwhelming at first but with a little reading – at Chemical of the Day - you can determine the chemicals you want to avoid for yourself and your family.  Then find brands that are committed to not using those chemicals – a good place to start is at the Cosmetics Database.  A word of caution – the database isn’t 100% accurate – products are constantly changing formulations so make sure you check the product label when purchasing.  You’ll also find recommendations from Stephanie on the blog.

If you follow a blog that you think other green moms would love to know about, tell us by commenting!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.