Take Earth Mama’s “How Low Can You Go?” Challenge & Win Prizes!

by moonmavis828 on August 1, 2011

It’s Toxic Limbo time! Sing with us, “All around the natural world, gonna get the toxins out!” How low can YOU go when it comes to safe, natural personal care products? Take the Earth Mama How Low Can You Go Challenge to find out!

It’s a surprise for most people to learn that cosmetics are not regulated by the FDA. Did you know that cancer-causing chemicals are commonly added to everyday products like baby shampoo and hair-straighteners? Current research shows that these multiple low-dose chemical exposures add up to damage our health. And, even worse, the timing of exposure at certain points in your baby’s development may have even stronger effects on their health.

Here’s the challenge:

Gather some of the most common pregnancy and baby care products you use regularly on your pregnant body or on your baby. You can include shampoo, lotions, soaps, diaper cream, stretch mark oil, hemorrhoid cream, etc. Go to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ Skin Deep database and enter a product name in the search field (for example, Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash). Look for the Hazard Score for that product. The Hazard Score tells you the toxicity rating: 0 is lowest, 10 the most toxic. Click the product if you want to see specifically which ingredients add up to create that score. If your product isn’t listed, ask yourself why. Is there something in the ingredients list that the company might not want you to see? If your product isn’t listed, you can enter individual ingredients to check their toxicity rating.

Add up the Skin Deep toxicity rating for all the personal care products that you use on a daily basis on your pregnant or nursing body, or on your baby, to find out what your score is. Then answer these questions.

1. What was your Skin Deep toxicity rating score?
2. Were you surprised with the score and/or ingredients?
3. What would you like your score to be?

Don’t worry – there are no right or wrong answers, and everyone wins when mamas are informed and empowered. The biggest surprise is how high the toxin score can be, even for products that are labeled “natural” or “organic.” The only way to lower your score is to know what to look for, and there’s a whole tricky business trying to trick busy mamas with unclear labeling. That’s why Earth Mama supports the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.

Here’s the action:

The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 needs your support! The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359) is designed to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients and that ingredients are fully disclosed. It’s pretty simple, right? Earth Mama Angel Baby is hoping you’ll use this handy action tool from our friends at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to tell your rep to close the loopholes that allow “cancer-causing chemicals in baby shampoo, hormone disruptors in fragrance and lead in lipstick.”

Enter to Win the Prize!

Visit any participating blogging mama’s website and complete the following steps to be entered to win Earth Mama’s A Little Something for Baby, filled with zero toxin essentials for an angel on the go:

Take the How Low Can You Go challenge
Use the Action Tool to contact your representative
Leave a comment on their blog post (not this one) sharing your score to enter to win A Little Something for Baby (includes naturally safe Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, best selling, rash busting Angel Baby Bottom Balm, soothing Angel Baby Lotion and pure, virtually scent-free Angel Baby Oil)

Also keep in mind that the Skin Deep scores change as products are reformulated and new data emerges, so they are not fixed. We recommend you visit the database often and sign up Campaign for Safe Cosmetics email updates on their Get Involved page.

Participating Bloggers

Mkokopelli (Contents ends August 31, 2011 at 11:59pm EST)
SafeMama (Contest has ended)
Green and Clean Mom (Contest has ended)
Practically Green (TBA)
Many, many more to come!

P.S. If you’re a blogger and want to join the Challenge, share your results, and host a giveaway of your own, please contact our Blogs Mama at blogsmama@earthmamaangelbaby.com.

P.P.S. Want to help Earth Mama promote the Challenge? Grab a banner to pop in a blog post or in your sidebar.