Survival Wellbeing
Say the words “natural products” to mothers and I’m sure “expensive” will be the first thought for most. However, just because a product is natural or organic, it doesn’t automatically mean pricey and mums may find it actually represents value for money as well as healthier and happier kids. By Rachel Goodyear.
The Lowdown on Natural and Organic Products
W
ith many mainstream synthetic chemical products, there are few (if any) therapeutic, active ingredients. There are however ingredients that
make the products appear to be effective; for example mineral oils in skincare. They leave a thin layer of oil on the skin which gives the look and feel of smooth skin but actually this ingredient is suffocating the skin, which means it cannot eliminate any toxins it needs to get rid of effectively. Natural products on the other hand call upon an arsenal of nourishing ingredients packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals all vital to skin health. Because of the inclusion of these effective and active ingredients in natural products, in most instances you will need to use less of the product compared to its mainstream counterpart. So whilst the cost is perhaps more expensive for the same volume of product, you will find that a little goes a long way and that the natural product outlasts the mainstream product over time.
WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE? A sad truth is that some companies masquerade as being natural and healthy options when really
their ingredients list is extremely undesirable and if mothers knew exactly what they were putting on their child’s skin then they would think twice before using these products.
Massage and Baby Oils
Most mainstream baby massage oils have Mineral Oil as their main ingredient, which is not healthy as outlined previously. One of the leading Baby Oils lists just Mineral Oil and fragrance as its ingredients. The word “fragrance” can mask the inclusion of one group of particular undesirables called phthalates, which have been linked to serious reproductive problems in studies of people and animals. There are so many natural oils available that are good to put on the skin that it really is beyond belief that we are still using petrochemical based products on our (and our children’s) skin. Organic Monkey’s Hello Mello Massage Oil (1) contains oils of Sunflower, Apricot Kernel, Sweet Almond, Olive and Vitamin E and is naturally fragranced with Sweet Orange and Lavender to help soothe and relax babies.
Haircare
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sul- phate can be found as the second ingredient in the list after water in most mainstream shampoos. SLS/
(1) Organic Monkey’s Hello Mello Massage Oil
www.organicmonkey.co.uk
WWW.MUMSSURVIVALGUIDES.CO.UK 57
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