Why you want to avoid chemicals on baby’s skin

5.05.2022

I’ve just returned from a wonderful weekend retreat for entrepreneurs. The head of the company made a brief appearance to introduce us to his newborn child – a mere 7 days old. He summed it up when he said something along these lines….

“Men, having just watched what a woman goes through giving birth, and the magic and agony of that experience, I realise that women are indeed Goddesses, and they deserve to be respected and revered. Without them, human life on our planet would not exist. They are indeed the matriarchs of our Planet.”

And that beautiful statement leads us into the topic for the next few bulletins, which is all about how to help the youngest addition to the family get the best headstart in life with Young Living’s Seedlings Range.

But wait! Whilst this range is designed for newborns and infants, its gentle and effective formulas have nevertheless become a favourite for many adults too….so never think you are too old or too young for this information. You’ll find some wonderful tips on how adults can also enjoy this range of products. Enjoy!


Why you want to avoid chemicals on baby’s skin


Whether you are a Parent, a Grandparent or a Godparent, when you look on that beautiful new addition to your family, you want the very best for them. They are this effervescent spark of life, and so receptive to everything around them. They are fully engaged in the present moment, and every instant they are learning new things. You want to make sure they get the foundations that they need in order to live a healthy, happy and vibrant life, full of everything that life can offer them.

But did you know that gram for gram, babies and children consume more food, water and oxygen than adults? That in turn means they are exposed to proportionally more toxins, and they expel some toxins at a lower rate than adults.

However, the structure of a baby’s skin is also different to that of an adult. In babies, the top layer of skin (the stratum corneum) is thinner, and the other layers of the epidermis aren’t yet fully formed. This allows more product to be absorbed through the skin and into their bloodstream and tissues, and it also means that a small amount of product goes further.

Add to this the fact that anything you pop on their skin and hands is likely to end up in their mouth, and you understand why it’s soooooo important to use completely clean, green products on your baby’s skin…..and nothing else.

And if you happen to be thinking, “Oh, it’s such a small amount that I’m using. I’m sure it’s OK”, think again. Bioaccumulation refers to the cumulative effect of these toxins on our body, and a small amount compounded over days, months and years can most definitely take a toll on even the most healthy body – big or small.


The Dirty Nine – do not use!

The Environmental Working Group has developed a list known as The Dirty Dozen, comprised of 12 harmful chemicals commonly found in personal care products and household products that they recommend people avoid. The following ingredients are part of that list, and frequently found in baby products. These are the ones you definitely want to avoid.

  1. Synthetic fragrances. These use synthetic chemicals to mimic nature. Synthetic is NOT the same as natural. Synthetic fragrances are often based on Phthalates (pronounced “Thalates”), which are powerful hormone disrupters and can trigger allergies, asthma, and other health issues.
  2. Parabens, benzoic acid and propyl ester. These are used as preservatives in baby products, and may interfere with reproductive organs and hormonal balance.
  3. 1,4-dioxane, ethylated surfactants. According to the Environmental Working Group, 57% of baby soaps contain 1,4-dioxane, although it is never listed as an ingredient. This potential carcinogen has been linked to organ toxicity. Avoid ingredients that contain the letters eth, in addition to oxynol, -xynol, and PEG.
  4. Propylene glycol is a petroleum-based chemical that is found in baby wipes and is used to absorb liquids and maintain moisture levels. In high concentrations, it can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis.
  5. Mineral oil is a cheap byproduct of petroleum processing, and the main ingredient in most baby oils. Eeek!!!
  6. Triclosan is a hormone disrupter and a potential carcinogen. If the product is labelled “antibacterial”, it’s likely to contain triclosan.
  7. BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical that may cause damage to the brain, reproductive system, heart, and liver.
  8. Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are foaming agents and potential human carcinogens.
  9. Talc is a powdered mineral added to baby powders, which acts as a lung irritant and potential carcinogen.


Why Seedlings?

Now that it’s clear why you want clean and green products for your ever-so-precious bundle of joy, why would you choose Young Living’s Seedlings range?

The answer is simple. Each of the Seedlings products uses natural, plant-based ingredients, formulated with a baby’s delicate skin in mind. The line is:

  • Dermatologist tested
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Non-greasy & perfect for everyday use
  • Pediatrician reviewed
  • Vegan friendly (except for the Diaper Cream, which uses plant-based ingredients and beeswax)
  • 100% naturally derived ingredients, based on Young Living’s Seed to Seal® commitment
  • Formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, synthetic preservatives, synthetic fragrances or synthetic dyes, so you know it’s safe for baby and for you


And best of all, it includes the calming and soothing benefits of Young Living’s “Calm” essential oil blend. This is an added bonus, because of how the limbic region of our brain responds to smell.

The Limbic Region of our brain is where we store memories and their associated emotions, and smell is our one sense that directly access the limbic region of the brain (without first being processed through the conscious brain). By creating positive first experiences for baby using these products, they will unconsciously associate the Seedlings Calm oil blend aroma with relaxation and pampering. Then whenever they are having a stressful moment, bring out the Seedlings Calm oil (or any of the Seedlings Range, as they all share that aroma). The aroma will help to calm baby, and remind them of happy times and beautiful connections with you.

Let’s now take a tour of the Young Living Seedlings Range. In this bulletin we’ll cover the Calm oil blend, Linen Spray, Baby Lotion, Baby Oil and Baby Wash & Shampoo, and next week we’ll cover the Tender Tush, Diaper Cream and Baby Wipes. But regardless of which Seedlings products you choose to use, you can’t go wrong with this range. As Joanna L. writes:

“I love them all! I have used the Seedlings Range for two babies now, and won’t use anything else.”

Seedlings Calm Oil

This blend has a soft, gentle aroma based on Lavender, furanocoumarin-free Bergamot (meaning it’s not photosensitizing, and therefore there is no UV warning associated with this oil blend), Coriander, Geranium and Ylang Ylang oils. Simply add 5 to 6 drops to your essential oil diffuser. We love our Feather the Owl diffuser (and also Snowy the Owl and Happy the Penguin, which are available on special occasions through Young Living). All 3 of these diffusers are designed especially with children in mind.


Racquel C. writes:
 I have used the Seedlings Baby Wash, Lotion and Diaper Cream for my little ones, but the Seedlings Calm oil blend is one of my favourites from the range. My kids have a really good night’s sleep whenever I diffuse it, and I even use it myself for sleeping.

Courney H. writes: The Calm blend is my daughter’s favourite to diffuse for bedtime. It has a nice, calming, subtle aroma. I also love to diffuse it in the lounge room in the afternoons.

Huong N. writes: My favourite in the Seedlings Range is the Seedlings Calm oil. I often use it to relax my mind so that I can go to sleep easier, and have a deep sleep. I use this product whenever I run out of Lavender oil.

Chelsea J. writes: When pups go to a new home, I gift a bottle of the Seedlings Calm oil to the new owners, as it is a scent that the pups are already familiar with, so it helps reduce stress as they transition into their new environment. The oil can also be stroked over their coat.


Seedlings Linen Spray



Store-brand linen sprays list only three ingredients: alcohol, odour eliminators, and synthetic fragrance.


Compare this with the Seedlings Linen Spray. ALL of its ingredients are plant-based…

Even though some of the names may sound like a chemical, they are in fact plant-based compounds and NOT synthetic toxins.

That’s the Seedlings difference.




The Seedlings Linen Spray is so versatile, it doesn’t just need to be used for baby. It:

  • Adds a calming aroma to any linens that it’s sprayed onto – so use it to freshen bedding, car seats, clothing, towels and other fabrics
  • Is safe to use around infants and breastfeeding mums
  • Spritz some onto baby’s bed linen to create a calming nighttime routine

Its alcohol-free formula contains fractionated coconut oil and the Seedlings Calm essential oil blend.

Veronica B. writes: I used the Seedlings Linen Spray today, in the drawers where I store the towels for my clinic. It smells terrific, and I think the towels will be impregnated with the beautiful aroma as well. It’s my favourite product in the Seedlings Range.

 

Seedlings Baby Lotion

This beautiful, non-greasy moisturizing lotion is extremely popular not just for the bubs in our life, but also for our own skin. Because its soft, hydrating formula is specially formulated for baby’s delicate skin, it’s suitable for the most sensitive of skin types. It absorbs easily, and provides an effective moisturizing barrier, preventing dryness by soothing and moisturizing the skin.

In addition to fractionated coconut oil and the Calm essential oil blend, the Seedlings Baby Lotion also contains:

  • Mango butter – an exotic and sought-after butter known for nourishing the skin. It is harvested from the seed kernel of the mango tree.
  • Murumuru butter – from murumuru palm trees native to the Amazon. It’s highly moisturizing, absorbs easily into skin, and helps support the skin’s moisture barrier. The tree produces a natural fruit, and the butter is extracted from the seed of the fruit.
  • Cocoa butter – extracted from the roasted seeds of the theobroma tree, which is native to the Americas.
  • Apple fruit extract – added to the formula as an active ingredient to retain skin hydration
  • Annatto oil – comes from a tree/shrub found in tropical climates, and is soothing to the skin.
  • Calendula flower petals – used since the 12th century, these have been added for their moisturizing effects.

Kim K. writes: Aubrey started to get extremely dry skin behind her knees and on her face and on front of her ankles. After 3 days of using the Seedlings Lotion, her skin is looking lovely and nourished again!! I also love this lotion as a facial moisturiser for myself, and I add a drop of Cedarwood.

Helen D. writes: I use the Seedlings Baby Lotion as a hand cream, and recently loaned some to my hairdresser for her to try. Her skin gets so dry from all the chemicals she needs to use. She was blown away by the results!

Jessica F. writes: I buy the Seedlings Baby Lotion for myself as my daily moisturiser – it’s so soft and lovely.

Jenn F. writes: We love using the Seedlings Baby Lotion with our newborn when his new skin starts shedding, and it’s so beautiful on his skin. It’s soft, dewy plus it makes our hands soft as we massage it into his face and whole body. As an added bonus, we all smell great from the aroma of the oils in it!

Carla R writes: We love combining the Seedlings Baby Lotion and Seedlings Baby Oil in the bathtub for a ‘milky’ wash option for our 6 week old baby!


Seedlings Baby Oil

Store bought baby oils typically contain mineral oils and parfum (ie. fragrance).

In stark contrast to this, the non-greasy, vegan-friendly Seedlings Baby Oil is super clean, and the ingredients moisturise, soothe, and nourish the skin.

It contains NO mineral oil, and it’s fragranced with the uplifting aromas of therapeutic-grade essential oils (the Seedlings Calm formula, of course!).

Plus it contains the following plant-based ingredients:

The apricot kernel oil, safflower seed oil, and prickly pear seed oil are all considered dry and non-greasy oils. These “dry” carrier oils moisturize and absorb quickly and thoroughly into the skin, leaving baby’s skin soft, hydrated, and smooth after applying.

Apricot kernel oil and prickly pear seed oil have high concentrations of linoleic acid, which is one of the three essential fatty acids. They also contain oleic acid. The baby oil also contains plant-based, non-GMO tocopherols in the form of vitamin E.

Create some luscious bonding time with baby by giving them a gentle baby massage using the Seedlings Baby Oil. Because it is non-greasy and absorbs gently into skin, your baby won’t slip out of your hands after applying it!

Teresa R. writes: I love the Seedlings Baby Oil. We would give our little boy a massage straight after his bath each night and he always smiled during the massage, and it left his skin feeling so soft (even in those early weeks when his skin started drying out).

Jenn F. writes: Baby number 3, my first oily baby. Of all 3 of them, he sleeps so well as soon as we massage him with the Seedlings Baby Oil on his tiny feet.

Kylie B. writes: I love the whole Seedlings range and use them all in my home, but my fave is the Baby Oil. Both Glenn and I use it as our face oil base, and we just add our favourite essential oils to it to create the best face serum ever. I love that it’s non-greasy too.

Here’s why my prickly pear seed oil obsession continues and it’s now in all my face serums. Everything you’ve ever heard about prickly pear seed oil is true. One of the rarest beauty oils in the world, it is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamin E and vitamin K. This precious, nutrient-rich, fast absorbing oil is also high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that enhances elasticity, treats acne and penetrates to the skin’s deepest layers to hydrate.

Shayne C. writes: I love all the Seedlings products, and have used them all for the last 4 years non-stop for Grandkids (now 4 and 2)!! Seedlings Baby Oil is probably my favourite – I’ve used it for every nappy change, and on my watch there’s never been any sign of redness or rash, and it makes the subsequent nappy changes a breeze.

Liz N. writes: I use the Seedlings Baby Oil as a face serum for my clients during their facials.

Julie M. writes: 
I love Seedlings baby oil for removing my eye makeup. It works so well, and I follow it up with the ART Gentle Cleanser to remover the rest of my make-up.


Seedlings Baby Wash & Shampoo

Bath time gets your little one clean, but it is also very important for your infant’s well-being and development because it engages all of their senses.

According to Tiffany Field, Director of the Touch Research Institute and developmental psychologist, “Bath time is significant because it’s probably the time when babies get touched more than any other time during the day, and so it becomes a very important activity for the parents.”

But it’s not just touch that makes bath time special. It’s also the engagement of other senses, from watching bubbles burst to listening to the water. “Babies’ brains are built to really pay attention and really light up when there is multisensory stimulation. The more sense you engage, the better,” Tiffany explains.

And let’s face it, there’s nothing like the smell of a baby’s freshly washed skin. Now bath time can be even more soothing and sweet with the scent of Seedlings Baby Wash & Shampoo. Lightly scented with the Seedlings Calm blend of therapeutic-grade essential oils, this extra-gentle 2-in-1 formula leaves baby’s skin and hair clean, soft, and smooth without over-drying. It is:

  • Tear-free and non-irritating
  • Formulated specifically for baby’s delicate skin
  • Smooths hair and makes tangles easy to comb out
  • Rinses clean without over-drying the skin
  • Easy to pump
  • 100% plant-based, naturally derived ingredients

Seedlings Baby Wash & Shampoo can be used when bathing infants of any age, including newborns. It has a simple formula with only 16 ingredients in this product, including the five essential oils in the Calm essential oil blend.

Ingredient Comparison

Common Store Brand Baby Wash Ingredients:

Cocamidopropyll betaine, PEG-80 Sorbitan laurate, Sodium trideceth sulfate, Sodium laureth sulfate, PEG-150 distearate, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG-175 diisostearate, Glycereth-2 cocoate, Sodium chloride, Citric acid, Sodium hydroxide, Sodium benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
 


It is important to note that Seedlings Baby Wash & Shampoo contains sulfonates and not sulfates. Sulfates are potentially harmful, while sulfonates are natural surfactants derived from non-GMO corn and coconut oil. Sulfonates are compounds that possess a carbon-sulfur bond, whereas sulfates are aggressive detergents made from sulfur-containing minerals. To put it simply, sulfonates are natural, sulfates are synthetic.

Calendula was added to support baby’s sensitive, delicate skin. Calendula is native to the Mediterranean and has high amounts of flavonoids and plant-based antioxidants that nurtures your baby’s skin.

Eyebright (aka Euphrasia) is a herb that has been used for many years. It was added to the Seedlings Baby Wash & Shampoo for the skin-nourishing effects and to boost the tear-free formula.

You will also notice an EWG score column in the chart above. The EWG (the Environmental Working Group) score the toxicity of ingredients in personal care products. They test ingredients and give them a toxicity score of 1 to 10, with 1 being safest and 10 being most harmful.

Most ingredients used in the Seedlings line are rated at a 1 or 2, while many commercial baby wash and shampoo products on the market are given a very high EWG score. This is because the commercial products generally contain synthetic fragrance, parabens and phthalates as preservatives, ethylated surfactants as the base, and SLS and SLES to create a foaming solution.

Shayne C. writes: I have never had to worry about shampoo in the eyes when using the Seedlings Baby Wash and Shampoo. It’s so gentle and effective – have never had a scream!!!


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