Kate Tietje is the CEO and lead herbalist for Earthley. At Earthley, they believe that health is sacred and personal, so their mission is to empower people to take control of their own health and wellness through herbal remedies. Ms. Tietje and Earthley aim to promote products and education that help people to care for themselves through natural approaches.
I had a chance to interview her to learn about finding suitable baby care products.
What are some potentially troublesome ingredients that can be found in conventional baby products?
Many bath products, diaper creams, sunscreens, diapers, wipes, clothing, and other similar baby care items are often filled with a variety of ingredients that are best to avoid. Even common pain relievers and fever reducers like Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen can harm a baby's gut health, create risk of liver failure, and deplete glutathione. There are many synthetic and chemical ingredients found in these baby products that can cause mild as well as serious reactions:
Parabens are widely found preservatives, which are often used in cosmetics to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Parabens can irritate your baby’s skin, but the bigger issue is that they can also disturb hormone function.
Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible, as a gelling agent for certain beauty and household products, and to help lotions penetrate the skin. They can also potentially disrupt hormones and cause developmental and reproductive toxicity.
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) is a group of chemicals that are used on some clothing to repel water and stains. PFCs could potentially impact growth and development, reproduction, and liver health.
Mineral oil, made from highly processed petroleum, is found in a number of baby care products because it is inexpensive. However, it can cause issues such as clogged skin, digestive issues, potential harm on cell development, and increased risk for yeast infection.
Phenoxyethanol is another common preservative and has been linked to eczema, allergic reactions like hives, other skin irritations, and negative impacts on the nervous system.
What contributes to adverse reactions in babies and young children when using some of these conventional products?
Toxins and harsh chemicals like the ones mentioned above can cause mild to serious reactions to a child’s body both internally as well as externally. Also, it’s beneficial to pay attention to the dangerous side-effects of baby products as many of these effects can deter parents from purchasing these products. The negative side-effects listed may also be relative to the aforementioned chemical ingredients. Babies also have sensitive skin which makes them particularly vulnerable to topical solutions that can strip the skin instead of nourishing it. Many babies can also have certain sensitivities or allergies to particular ingredients causing a harmful reaction.
How can parents and caregivers be sure that natural and organic products are safe and work as expected?
Parents should ALWAYS read the back label. The front label of products often says "natural, clean ingredients," but if you look on the back, you'll often find many questionable ones and potential side effects. You can reach out to the company if you have any questions or concerns. Also, you can check out the reviews for these baby products online and see what other parents are saying about the effectiveness as well as any adverse reactions. You want to make sure the ingredients are words that you can pronounce and actually know what they are before giving them to your baby. You can also check to see if the brand has a parent company. Often, previously natural brands will get bought out by untrustworthy mega-brands like Johnson & Johnson, then the parent brand will start compromising ingredients to save money.
How can families wade through the research and advertising to find products that are right for their families?
It's hard to find 100% natural and honest companies, but luckily you don't have to look any further than Earthley. We disclose all of our ingredients used in our products on our labels and our website. All of the ingredients are ACTUALLY 100% natural, and many of them are also organic. All of the ingredients are easy to pronounce and recognizable.
We never use parabens, phthalates, fragrance, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, fillers, or artificial anything. Earthley is family-owned, and everything is made in house with no outsourcing to a third party. This allows us to make sure everything is made properly with no chance of a mistake involving our ingredients. Transparency, consistency, and quality are what make products like Earthley’s the right choice for your family.
Earthley is an herbal health and wellness brand that only uses all-natural and mostly organic ingredients. At Earthley, they want to be part of a change. It’s their goal to educate and empower people to take care of their own health. Also, because access to health-promoting products matters as much as education, they produce herbal remedies and body care that support health naturally. They are also completely transparent about their ingredients. Everything on their labels is recognizable, because it’s all about using whole and unprocessed plant materials. This allows them to produce remedies and body care that are extremely safe, as well as extremely effective for the whole family. Earthley does everything themselves, with absolutely no outsourcing to a third party, because it’s important to them to know that the products they are selling are truly clean — no surprises, no chance for mistakes, or accidentally using “wrong” ingredients. Since its start in 2016, Earthley has grown rapidly, as thousands of customers have found that their remedies and body care products are simple, clean, and they work.
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