Share Your Skin Deep Database "Safer" Cosmetics Finds!

[Taurus]

Do you use the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to research "safer" health and beauty products? I'd love to share our finds! I love the database, but it can be very time consuming to comb through the results and then find out where to buy them, and at what cost. For some time now, as I run out of a product, I research a possible replacement.

The database can be found here (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php).

If you use the EWG's cosmetic database, what have become your favorite products, and what do you consider an acceptable "score"?

I'll start with one of my favorite finds and will come back with more when I have more time:

Full product name: Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30
Product it replaced: nothing in particular
Skin Deep "score": 2
Where you've found it: drugstore.com, Target, drug stores
Price: $14.99 for 2.5 oz. on drugstore.com
Add'l info: non-greasy, lightweight moisturizer

[Sevilla]

My favorite part of the database is that you can enter your own ingredient lists for products not on there already - it's really customizable. I won't use any product rated over 3 for our family, so that's the standard we've followed. When I first started looking at these things, I wouldn't use anything over 5 but as I've gotten better at finding options, we've lowered our threshold. For DS we don't use anything over 2.

We use California Baby shampoo/bodywash for DS's shampoo, and to wash him we use plain olive oil bar soap by kiss my face.

DH and I both use olive oil bar soap or another Kiss My Face bar soap instead of liquid shower gels.

For hair, I use a mix of Burt's Bee's Grapefruit and Sugar beet shampoo and conditioner (the other BB's typs had a lot more unsafe ingredients surprisingly), Aubrey Organics conditioner, and Lush Shampoo bars (only a few like Seanik and New - the cinnamon one that have safer ingredients). For my face I use Lush's Dreamwash or Fresh Farmacy.

We use plain Colgate toothpaste and DS uses Tom's of Maine fluoride-free strawberry (at 2, he's too young to spit out toothpaste on his own).

The hardest thing for me has been finding acceptable liquid handwash. Right now we're using Kiss My Face's foaming liquid but i'd like more options. Bar soap is easier to get 'safe' but it's more annoying to use in the bathroom.

[KiKi'sMommy]

Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap in one of those foaming hand soap bottles works well.

I also tried the CleanWell products at Target. They are an all natural antibacterial soap. Here is the link to their website.

http://www.cleanwelltoday.com/


I got the one in a dark blue bottle and I actually got compliments on how nice it smells from two different people.

[Taurus]

DH and I both use olive oil bar soap or another Kiss My Face bar soap instead of liquid shower gels.

Good to know--I was just thinking about trying this. It has even a lower rating than the Dr. Bronner's bar soap we switched to recently. We also stopped using liquid shower gels. I felt they were costly and create much more waste than bar soap, even if you recycle the bottle.

ETA: So, Sevilla, you use a non-"baby" toothpaste for DS? I guess that makes sense if it's non-flouride. I hate that all the baby toothpastes are so sweet. Makes DS1 just want to suck, not brush. Also, on the database all the baby toothpaste options don't show up when you select Baby Care-->Toothpaste. The Weleda Child Tooth Gel doesn't show up, but if you search for it, it's a 1. We were using First Teeth, but with better options, I want to switch. Has anyone found the Earth's Best/Jason baby toothpaste anywhere other than Whole Foods? Mine was out of stock today.

ETA again: Sevilla, do you mean you just enter ingredients from unlisted products one-by-one into the Search?

[Sevilla]

I can enter ingredients one by one if i'm curious about a particular chemical, but I do the option on the far left side bar where you can enter a complete product in - category, full ingredient list, percentages of chemicals (if it's listed on the package) and get a whole read-out just like in their product lists. I do this especially with LUSH Products since they're not in the database but some of them are safe to use (and some have ingredients i'm not comfortable with).

[mamax2]

This isn't a find, but a question. I just started using the database and I'm on the market for some new sunscreens. Do any of you have good recommendations out of the database? It needs to be waterproof too. I do have their list but I'd love some actual reviews too - esp. from those of you w/kids. Thanks!

[moderngal]

Do any of you have good recommendations out of the database? It needs to be waterproof too. I do have their list but I'd love some actual reviews too - esp. from those of you w/kids. Thanks!
In everything I've researched, it appears that Bagder Balm is the safest sunscreen on the market. That an UV Naturals. There are pros and cons to each though (the smell, UVN is greasy, etc)
But because DS and I are very fair and I had skin cancer when I was a child, Badger Balm only goes to SPF30 and for my comfort level, that's not enough. I'm still looking but in the meantime, BB is a good (and safe) choice.

[jimmysgirl424]

I just bought Baby Blanket sunscreen SPF 50, rated a 2 on Skin Deep. I'll post back once we try it out on DD.

[Taurus]

Great question, Mamax. Product recs are precisely what I started this thread for.

For sunscreen, last year I tried the Calif Baby Stick for DS' face, but I hated it. It was so hard to rub in to DS' face. I just ordered the actual Calif Baby sunscreen lotion from drugstore.com and I'll see how it goes. I do expect it to be harder to blend in than others, but I think that is the price to pay for a healthier sunscreen (??). Not sure what I'll use yet this year for myself...

Looking forward to your review, jimmysgirl!

Thanks Sevilla for your tip on using the database.

[mamax2]

I have used the Baby Blanket brand in the past and IIRC, it was just a little thicker/whiter than average sunscreens. Unfortunately, I can't find it anymore. :( I'm going to the organic market this afternoon to see if they have the California Baby brand. They previously ordered me the bug repellent from CA baby (which is useless!) Hopefully they'll have some sunscreens in stock with spring/summer here.

[moderngal]

I do expect it to be harder to blend in than others, but I think that is the price to pay for a healthier sunscreen (??). Not sure what I'll use yet this year for myself...

I've used CA Baby in the past and I don't think the lotion is hard to rub in. I do think the stick is a PITA though. I still keep the stick in my bag as a just in case, but I prefer not to use it. I'll use whatever I put on DS for myself. I find the natural baby lotions, etc are much gentler and I have excema prone skin, so it's usually better for me, too. :)

[Taurus]

I guess I just feel like we'd need to buy Ca Baby by the case if I used it on DH and myself as well!

[moderngal]

I guess I just feel like we'd need to buy Ca Baby by the case if I used it on DH and myself as well!
LOL! Yeah. We go through a lot of sun block each year. We're a very fair family and I had skin cancer very young and my dad has it now. So I'm super fussy about always wearing it. Even my make-up has SPF protection so at least my face is always covered even in winter. I have ordered it through a local co-op so at least it's a bit cheaper. I'd still really like to find something a bit stronger though- yet still as safe. Hard to find though, so it looks like I'll be buying even more.

[Taurus]

I got my CA baby sunscreen from drugstore.com yesterday and I think I thought I was buying a fragrance free one, but it is scented. I really try to go all fragrance-free on my boys, especially the baby, and I am not sure I want them smelling of gardenia flowers (I really hate perfume-y scents even for myself), so I might just take one for the team and use this one for myself and order them the fragrance free. I just noticed the one I bought is sold out on drugstore.com so I think I will hurry up and order the fragrance free before it's gone, too. It seems to rub in pretty easily.

ETA: Sevilla, got the olive oil soap. Interesting smell! I'll have to see what it smells like in the shower. DH says it smelled like a musty cabin, but that he "loves it." LOL

[Sevilla]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of how the OO soap smell at all, but it's not too strong so I got used to it and consider it a fair trade-off since I feel safe about the ingredients.

[karlatta]

For our family, I try to choose products that are 2 or under. The more use a product gets, the pickier I am about the rating. For example, DD's hair only gets shampooed about twice a month, so I'm not as particular about her shampoo as I am DS's lotion, which I apply twice a day.

We use Dr. Bronners liquid soap for our hand soap. I also use it in the shower sometimes, and as a general household cleaner (diluted and mixed with vinegar). We use UV Naturals for sunscreen. It's greasy, but I don't mind, and the kids don't really know any better. :)

I'm still looking for a good facial moisturizer with SPF. I have incredibly oily skin, and everything I've tried has made my face feel even greasier.

[Taurus]

karlatta, check out the one i listed in my first post. i have combo skin and it works well for me. not sure how it would for oily, but maybe it's worth a shot?

[karlatta]

Taurus - I have that and it works during the winter, but in the summer, it's too greasy.

[Sevilla]

My skin has been breaking out horribly now that the weather is a lot warmer/more humid. My current face soap isn't cutting it so I need another safe choice for oilier skin.

[karlatta]

Sevilla - I use African Black Soap (I get it from Kindhearted Women, but it's available lots of places) on my super oily skin and I love it. I follow with witch hazel.

[bluhimmy]

My skin has been breaking out horribly now that the weather is a lot warmer/more humid. My current face soap isn't cutting it so I need another safe choice for oilier skin.

You might want to check out Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi. Before kids, my skin was pretty oily, and this was what I reached for during the summer. It did a good job keeping my face clean, and it's a 1. :)

[honeygirl]

Full product name: Avalon Organics Natural Baby Sunscreen, SPF 18
Product it replaced: na
Skin Deep "score": 3
Where you've found it: Sprouts
Price: not sure, I think $4.99 on sale
Add'l info: a little thick but minimal smell and works great, no parabens

[Taurus]

Yay, the thread is growing!

Any recs for everyday all-body moisturizer for me? I just finished up my NEUTROGENA NORWEGIAN FORMULA 24-HOUR MOISTURIZER FOR DRY SENSITIVE SKIN, FRAGRANCE-FREE (sorry for the caps, I copied and pasted) which has a score of '2' and now I need something not as thick for the coming months. SPF of any amount would be an added plus, but lightweight is a must. If scented, then something refreshing. I am so overwhelmed by super-long printout I have of all the moisturizers in the database that have scores of 0-2.

[Taurus]

Full Product Name: Almay Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Clear Gel; Fragrance Free
Product it replaced: Can't remember what I used before
Skin Deep "score": 1
Where you've found it: Drugstore.com or the only store I've seen it in is Wal-Mart (of all places!)
Price: $3 on drugstore,com; cheaper at WM
Add'l info: A few years ago while visiting my ILs I got my second rash in about a year from whatever deoderant/anti-p I was using. We went to Wal-Mart and I found this "hypoallergenic" one. I've never stopped using it, and now it turns out it's pretty "safe

Does anyone just use deoderant and not an anti-p because of concerns about ingredients?

[aloha]

Great thread idea!

Full Product Name: Trillium Organics Body Polish, Body Oil, Shea Body Butter, Daily Face Polish, Body Soap (Fragrance Free except Daily Face Polish)
Product it replaced: New
Skin Deep "score": Face polish=1, Body Soap=2, Butter=0, Body Polish=0, Body Oil=0
Where you've found it: Trillium Organics Website
Price: Fragrance Free Set for $52.99, Face Polish for $32.99. Not a cheap product!

Add'l info: I have very sensitive skin and I'm always on the look out for effective chemical free products. So far I love the face & body polish and use them in the shower. The body oil and body soap are nice, but not particularly unique for the price. The body butter is a bit hard to soften up even following their suggestions (it's grainy from the beeswax). However, it works great and provides deep moisturizing.

I'm still on the look out for a shampoo, conditioner and overall face moisturizer for dry skin. Prefer fragrance free or essential oils only. Has anyone tried the Keys products?

[aloha]

Full Product Name: Emily Skin Soother & Soap, both unscented
Product it replaced: New
Skin Deep "score": 0 for both
Where you've found it: Emily Skin Soothers Website
Price: $14 soother, $6 soap

Add'l info: I didn't notice any improvement in my skin which was fully broken out at the time I tried it. The soap worked fine as regular bar soap. I just tried the skin soother on my son's skin for the 1st time today.

[mamax2]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a facial cleanser for normal skin? It can be a bar or a liquid, but I prefer a liquid. Thanks!

Does anyone just use deoderant and not an anti-p because of concerns about ingredients?

Yes, but only in cooler weather and when I don't have anything important to do :o I wish there was a 'safe' anti-p, but it seems there just isn't :( I can't stand having sweaty pits though - even if they do smell like aloe or lavender :p

[junkinmytrunk]

Full product name: Aubrey Organics Natural Baby: Shampoo, Bath & Body Wash and Lotion (3 separate products)
Product it replaced: Burt's Bees Baby Wash
Skin Deep "score": 2
Where you've found it: VitaminLife.com
Price: $13.99 for 8 oz each of lotion and wash
Price: I think the shampoo was about $6 dollars.
Add'l info: Smells weird but really lathers and cleans nicely; my kiddo has wicked dry skin and the lotion was very emollient. I'll report back tomorrow on his hair and skin, the next morning. In all I do like it quite a lot. The scent will take some getting used to - sort of like really strong J&J Babypowder but the bottles say it is vanilla almond. NOT! :)