What You Need To Know 

Having a child is both thrilling and, at times, exhausting. When you’re running on little sleep and pulled in many directions, sometimes taking a few minutes to pamper your face can give you the emotional lift you need. We're here to help you find safe face and body care products during those much-needed times.

AVOID  

• Synthetic antioxidants, like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), are ethoxylated ingredients and can contain trace amounts of carcinogenic by-products, notably 1,4-Dioxane. They can be tricky to spot on a label, but checking for polyethylene glycol compounds (PEGs) or ingredients such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and chemicals that end with ‘-eth’ (like laureth, ceteareth or steareth) is a good start. SLS derived from petroleum can cause skin irritations in sensitive populations.  

• Certain preservatives, like parabens, and many antimicrobial agents work to prevent microbial growth by releasing formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen (a substance capable of causing cancer).  

• Chemical UV filters, often found in facial cleansers and lotions, can filter out UV rays, but can cause dermal sensitization, persist in the environment and be harmful to aquatic life.  

• Fragrances that contain phthalates to boost the scent’s staying power on your skin (be cautious if you simply see ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient).  

• Retinyl palmitate, a derivative of Vitamin A, has been associated with increased risk of cancer in mice exposed to sunlight. It’s not clear if it can impact humans the same way, but it's probably best to avoid it.  

• Ethanolamine compounds (MEA, DEA & TEA), like triethnolamine, are amino alcohols that are used to balance pH levels in personal care products. They are also used as emulsifiers and foaming agents. Studies suggest these may irritate skin and respiratory system and may raise the risk of cancer with chronic exposure.  

• Synthetic fragrances contain phthalates to boost the scent’s staying power. The phthalate commonly used in fragrance products is  diethyl phthalate, or  DEP. Sometimes this won’t be listed, so be cautious if you simply see ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient. Some phthalates are known to be carcinogenic and others may contribute to reproductive and neurodevelopmental problems. 

BETTER CHOICES 

• Pure shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil (without additives or fragrances) with any chemical additives. Note that the production of these butters and oils can have adverse environmental impacts. 

• Fragrance-free products.  

• Vegetable-derived sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) doesn’t trigger skin irritations like petroleum-based SLS can for some people.  

• Facial lotions with sun-protection that use mineral UV blockers like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide instead of chemical UV filters. 

DIY 

Online recipes for cleansers and lotions generally include one or more type of oils or butters, such as jojoba oil, almond oil, shea butter and beeswax. Just make sure you use pure ingredients without additives and fragrances.

There are also dozens of different facial mask recipes suggesting everything from oatmeal to avocados to egg yolks. See what works for you!