Find Safe Products By Reading Labels

By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer

Ten years ago, I had no idea what was in the products I was using. Granted, I didn’t care what was in my food, personal care products or cleaning products. I was young, healthy … and blissfully ignorant. I (incorrectly) assumed that most products were safe.

Then one day I stumbled across information that many shampoos were made with dangerous ingredients. After I realized that sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate weren’t the safest for humans, I discovered that cosmetics also could be hazardous. Some mascaras were made with mercury. There used to be lead in lipsticks.

As I learned that products were unsafe, I researched how it was possible – it’s possible because of lax safety regulations in the U.S. (In America, manufacturers aren’t required to disclose what’s in their cleaning products or personal care products.)

Very quickly, I discovered my first step in healthy living: know what’s in my products. When I don’t make my own products from scratch, I need to know  the ingredients.

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Read before you buy

This is as easy as reading ingredient labels.

But it’s also tricky. Exactly what are all the ingredients – especially the ones I can’t even pronounce? Are they safe – or unsafe?

As a simple solution, I try to stick to products that have ingredients I know and can pronounce – and only a few ingredients are used. Take my bottle of unsulphured blackstrap molasses, for example. I looked at the label and the one and only ingredient is – you guessed it! – molasses.

Know your personal preferences

Over the years, I’ve also developed my own personal preference list of ingredients that are acceptable – and ones I also avoid.

I’ve made mental notes and know what I want to avoid in my food.

This, by no means, is my entire list, but for starters I choose to not buy food with:

• Artificial food colors,
• Annatto,
• Artificial flavors,
• High fructose corn syrup,
• Hydrogenated oils and partially-hydrogenated oils,
• Preservatives,
• Soy.

(One FANTASTIC resource for specifics in food labeling and ingredients is Stephanie’s recent post.)

I also know what I want to avoid in personal care products and cosmetics:

• Parabens,
• Phthalates,
• Quaternium-15,
• Retinyl palmitate/retinyl acetate, and
• Oxybenzone.

When in doubt, I check with the Environmental Working Group’s recommendations.

On the flip side, I also know what I want to look for in ingredient labels – particularly anything that’s non-GMO or certified organic.

I know that every single product I choose to use isn’t completely safe. But my current product choices are radically different than when I didn’t care about my health.

I love using safe products – and being willing to try new products that are safe for my family. These safe products enter my home after I’ve done my research … and that all starts by reading labels.

Do you read labels? What ingredients do you choose to avoid?

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