Q:

Say it ain't so! A friend told me that there are really toxic ingredients in Johnson & Johnson's No More Tears. Is that true? I've been using it over a year with my baby. And how bad can it be if it's what my mom used for me? Also, what alternatives for bath soap do you suggest?

A:

It's true that the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released a report a few years back showing that Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo contained toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, which are known carcinogens.  J&J did pledge to clean up their act, although I am not sure what the status of that effort is.  There is no sense in worrying about past use of a product, but instead to put your attention on using your new awareness to make healthy choices for your family and yourself moving forward.  The good news: there are many organic, non-toxic baby products out there that are safe for your child.  A handy online resource for reviewing toxicity of personal care products, including baby shampoos, is the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database.  You can search a variety of products, read their ratings and reviews, and then make a choice that works best for your family.