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Consumer Reports: 'Concerning' ingredients found in baby lotions

CR says you should look on the bottle for phenoxyethanol and polysorbate, petroleum, mineral oil, and paraffin.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Few things are as soft as a baby’s skin. So you might think products made for them would be gentle and free from anything harsh or potentially dangerous. That’s not always the case.

Consumer Reports health experts say a baby’s skin can’t regulate moisture as well as an adult's, so parents often purchase special baby lotions to help meet their unique needs. CR and fellow nonprofit organization Made Safe examined the ingredients of several popular baby lotions to identify ingredients that are a concern to human health as well as ingredients that impact our air and water.

Of the 13 baby lotions—seven from these brands had the most concerning ingredients: Aquaphor, Aveeno, Burt’s Bees, CeraVe, Dove, Eucerin, and Johnson’s.

"Ingredients to avoid are preservatives like phenoxyethanol and polysorbate. Additionally, petroleum ingredients, including mineral oil and paraffin. Also, with petroleum products, they don't break down in the environment," said Amy Ziff, Made Safe Founder. 

Consumer Reports reached out to the makers of all seven brands but none responded. To be clear, all the brands are following FDA guidelines. 

Another potential issue: Fragrance and dyes in personal care products and cosmetics are considered trade secrets in the U.S., which means they can be kept confidential. 

Lotions with safer ingredients include California Baby Super Sensitive Everyday Lotion ($22)  and Earth Mama Simply Non-Scents Baby Lotion ($18) and Tubby Todd Everyday Lotion, Fragrance-Free ($46). 

These lotions may be pricier because natural ingredients cost more than synthetically produced ones. But since you only need to use a small amount of lotion, these bottles could last for quite some time. 

CR also tested ten of the baby lotions for lead and other toxic contaminants and found none.

    

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