My Miracle Lotion

When our baby, Cole, was about 1 month old, he started developing cradle cap. Of course, when your baby has cradle cap, everyone tells you about it (as if you hadn't noticed) and they are always full of advice. According to the experts (other moms, doctors, magazines, websites, etc.) you are supposed to rub baby oil on your baby's head to soften the scales and then brush them off with a soft brush. So, we put some Johnson and Johnson's Baby Oil on his head and all over his little body. His cradle cap would seem better for about an hour, but then his skin would get red and break out in little hives. Surely it wasn't the baby oil - I mean, it's for babies, right?

So, I started experimenting with different brands of oils and lotions. I found one brand that seemed to work. He would look great if I kept him constantly saturated with the stuff. If I forgot to put it on him, his head would dry out and get scaly again, and his legs and arms developed dry, red patches. Cole's reaction to a couple of different baby lotions was horrible. He would scream as I rubbed the lotion in and his skin would immediately turn red and rashy. We both cried a couple of times. My baby was in pain! I decided to just leave his skin alone and hope that it would heal by itself, but he itched it so much that he had scratches all over his head and face. A well-meaning nursery worker put Vaseline Intensive Care lotion on him and boy did she get an earful from Cole!

My sister told me about an ingredient found in almost all baby lotions, oils and creams called Quaternium-15. (It is also found in many adult products.) Q-15 is actually formaldehyde, a preservative that is known to cause contact dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. We think we are moisturizing our kids, but we are actually making their skin conditions worse! Other names for Quaternium 15 include: Methenamine 3-chloroallylochloride; 3,5,7-Triaza-1-azoniatricyclo(3.3.1.13,7)decane, 1-(3-chloro-2-propenyl)-, chloride; N-(3-Chloroallyl)hexaminium chloride; Hexamethylenetetramine chloroallyl chloride(Household Products Database).

A couple of weeks ago I tried the Renew problem skin lotion. I started using it on Cole's head and he actually smiled at me as I was rubbing it in. I saw improvement immediately. I rubbed the scales off of his head with a washcloth and they have never come back. Even the dry patches on his arms and legs have gone away. If I forget to put the lotion on him, his skin remains soft and moisturized. I am amazed at the improvement!!

Since becoming a preferred customer, I have learned that a number of things might have been contributing to Cole's skin problems. Many of our everyday cleaning products were coming in contact with Cole's skin and the chemicals were probably being absorbed into his little body. Laundry detergent, fabric softener, baby wash, our hand soap, disinfectant spray, air fresheners and many more products contain harsh, toxic chemicals that are KNOWN carcinogens, and yet I was using them in my own house! My kids were breathing their fumes!

We bought a Home Conversion Pack and immediately went through the house switching out our hazardous products for the safe, non-toxic, environmentally friendly products. We filled up two HUGE boxes! Our home is now converted and we are NEVER going back!

Cancer runs in both sides of the family, so our kids are at a higher risk to get cancer. There is nothing I can do about their genetics, but I do have control over the chemicals I bring into my home.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I am just so passionate about this subject. I love my kids so much and I can't believe that I might have been contributing to the build-up of toxins in their tiny bodies that could lead to cancer, respiratory problems, skin problems, and many other scary diseases. I've just hit the tip of the iceberg in my research into this topic, but my mission is to help other moms see that there is an alternative to toxic store brands!