There are many ingredients we won’t use, so when we discovered that many baby products – even the ones that seem very natural – use them, we were quite surprised.

Here is the list of ingredients we found in many popular baby products that we won’t use (and why we won’t use them):

Coco-betaine – this is used as a foaming agent in MANY products.  Companies claim it is derived from coconuts but that is only partly true.  It is also derived from synthetic ingredients and causes irritation in some people.

Sulfates – this includes sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate but also it close relative sodium coco sulfate.  Sulfates are known irritants. They won’t irritate all skin, but why risk them on pure baby skin?  More info here.

Phenoxyethanol – a really common preservative that you will find in many supermarket stocked brands. It is synthetic (usually sourced from China), cheap and there are increasing reports of irritation or illness from it. More info here.

Synthetic fragrance – a cocktail of chemicals that do not have to be listed but many of the ingredients are not very nice.  It is a cheap and easy way for companies to scent their products.  More info here.

Sodium hydroxide – a synthetic ingredient contained in the world's most famous baby lotion but is also used for unclogging drains and removing paint.

Methylisthiazolinone – a preservative often used in baby wipes or washes that can cause nasty irritation.  More info here.

You might be wondering why companies DO use these ingredients and why they are not regulated.  The main reasons are these ingredients are cheap, readily available and help extend the shelf-life or improve the foaming or other feature of the product.  Regulators only get involved when enough evidence of irritation, damage or side-effects is presented – so companies are free to use them right now.

Always feel free to email us with any questions of feedback – hello@bondiwash.com.au