Really Pants

Not So Essential Oil

For Christmas I was given a pregnancy sleep pillow from Mothercare, to aid my comfort during the night the further I progress in this pregnancy. I was very grateful for the gift, and noticed that the pillow also came with a little pocket in which to stuff a lavender scented pad to aid relaxation. The lavender oil came in the pack, and was titled ‘Essential Aromatherapy Lavender Oil’ and being a big fan of essential oil blends for their medicinal benefits, I thought no more of it. That was until my other half casually looked at the label of this ‘essential oil’ that is….

‘Good Grief! ‘ he exclaimed as I lay in bed reading our daughter a bedtime story…‘You won’t believe whats in this oil!‘ and he proceeded to read out the rather shocking list of ingredients…

‘Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Methylparaben, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Alpha-isomethyl Ionone, Eugenol, Hydroxyisohexyl-3-cyclohexene-carboxaldehyde, Citral, Cl 15850, Cl 47005.

Phew! All that for just a Lavender oil? What happened to Lavender Oil consisting of good old 100% pure erm….Lavender Oil?! Why the need for all of these extra chemicals (or should I say potentially very harmful chemicals) in any product, but particularly one designed to be breathed in by a pregnant woman throughout the night?!

Taking a closer look at this ingredients list you will note the presence of a number of parabens (Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben). Now as a family we are very conscious of these compounds and steer well clear of any products that contain any of them. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with them, parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in many household products, and all commercially used parabens are synthetically produced.

Parabens have caused great controversy in recent years largely due to several peer reviewed studies reporting a direct correlation between parabens and breast cancer, with one UK study finding high concentrations of parabens in 18 out of 20 sampled breast tumors (Harvey et al., 2004) Now although these links are likely due to direct skin contact with the compounds rather than inhalation (although high levels of airborne parabens have been commonly found in the home, likely due to the prevalance of parabens in household and cosmetic products (Rudel et al., 2009)) it is important to be aware that these chemicals can be very regularly found in your everyday skincare, haircare, cleaning and baby care products. That being said, Methyl and Butyl Paraben, alongside Benzyl Benzoate which is also present in the oil, do share the potential health effect when inhaled of causing irriation to the respiratory tract, and symptoms may include coughing, and shortness of breath. Nice!

Now to briefly look at some of the other listed ingredients:

* Phenoxyethanol-  Descrived by the FDA as “a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea”. In Japan its use in cosmetic products is restricted

*Hydroxyisohexyl-3-cyclohexene-carboxaldehyde (commonly known as Lyral) is a known allergen, and has been shown to have a direct effect on allergic contact dermatitis and eczema.

*Alpha-isomethyl Ionane - now this is a particularly interesting one! Alpha-isomethyl Ionane was reportedly banned from being added to any fragrance product by the International Fragrance Association (IFA). Although we currently do not know a lot about this compound, or the reasons behind its banning, we are curious as to whether this ‘Essential Aromatherapy Oil’ would be classed as a fragrance product (I can’t see why not), and are currently investigating this one! Will keep you posted with any info…

So again, I ask the question, WHY were any of these added ingredients necessary to this product? In terms of preservation, Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed) Oil serves this purpose,  and I am at a loss for why any of these others were present. Fortunately, I had yet to use this ‘Essential Oil’ and it will be subsequently viewing the inside of our rubbish bin… think I’ll stick to my 100% Pure Lavender Oil if I feel the need for some Relaxation thanks Mothercare…

Avoiding Parabens:

Parabens can regularly be found in shampoos, moisturisers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, topical pharmaceuticals, toothpaste and perhaps most importantly, baby care products. Here are some tips on how to avoid them:

* Opt for natural and organic deodorants , or try our personal favourite- Bicarbonate of Soda!

* Avoid most high street baby care products,  opt for natural and organic baby products instead

* Spend that little bit extra on natural skin and haircare where you can to avoid any nasties

* Have a go at making your own natural and homemade solutions!

* Avoid most commercial baby wipes. Instead opt for natural organic baby wipes, or better still, washable wipes

* Most importantly, read all labels carefully before purchase!