When you were a baby, I’m sure your mother used Johnson and Johnson baby products on you. Bubble bath, powder, lotion….I know my mom did! It’s just convenient to use all the same products from the line as it’s readily available and cheap. As you grew older, the tradition continued with No More Tears. If you have a baby or young children now, you probably still use it.  Did you know No More Tears contains toxic cancer causing ingredients? Yes, a “trusted” product we’ve been using for years on our most precious family members contains damaging chemical ingredients. Now, this toxic situation is finally being brought into the light.

What kind of chemicals are we exposing our children to?

No More Toxins

J&J as well as the stores who carry their No More Tears Shampoo (or make a comparable product) are being sued.  Accusations have been made that methelyne chloride is contained in their shampoo. What the heck is methelyne chloride? Sounds like something in motor oil…but it’s not. It’s a compound linked to cancer and has already been banned by the FDA. In addition to MC, No More Tears also contains sodium trieth sulfate, a relative of sodium laurel sulfate, another carcinogen (causes cancer.) What else takes up residence? Contaminents not even listed on the label such as 1-4 dioxane and formaldehyde (the same substance to embalm dead bodies!)

Curious about the rest of the ingredients? They are:

Water, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium
Trideceth Sulfate, Glycerin, Lauroamphoglycinate, PEG-150 Distearate,
Sodium Laureth-13 Carboxylate, Fragrance, Polyquaternium-10,
Tetrasodium EDTA, Quaternium-15, Citric Acid, D&C Yellow #10, D&C
Orange #4.

Why should you be concerned? Go to the Cosmetics Safety Database for a detailed description of each ingredient and what it can do (it’s not pretty!)

You Can Make a Difference

J&J has been making this formulation since the 1950s. Isn’t it about time they recognized the health dangers of their product and started making their ingredients safer? Hopefully, the lawsuit will open a lot more eyes on this matter and we can start seeing some real reform.  Want to take action? Ask J&J to make their products safer by sending them an e-mail.

On a related note (and to bring a little lightheartedness to an otherwise dismal situation), one of my favorite shows is Family Guy. It’s my guilty pleasure!  I was watching one day when they had one of their “flashback” scenes. Sometimes their jokes, although silly, ring scarily true. Check out this clip when they poked fun at No More Tears.

Stay natural…stay beautiful…go green!