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NO Nut Oils, Gluten, Soy, Oat and Dairy
NO Sulfates, DEA, Colors, Dyes, Synthetic Fragrances or Numbing Agents.
All California Baby products and packaging are phthalate free: Phthalates in skin care products are found in synthetic fragrances. So if a company lists their fragrance as anything other than essential oils, they are using synthetic fragrances, even when listed as 'natural fragrance.' California Baby only uses pure essential oils to scent our products. We use HDPE bottles and packaging because they are phthalate free and highly recyclable.
Animal testing: California Baby® does not test on animals.
Organic & Sustainable: Our products contain organic & sustainably grown ingredients. Many of the plants and flowers that are grown for essential oil distillation are very hardy, do not need pesticides or fertilizers and are by default organic and/or sustainably grown.
Preservatives: Because cosmetics are subject to contamination and growth of bacteria, mold and other microorganisms (and children regularly have cuts, scrapes and put all sorts of things in their mouths), we created a broad-spectrum preservative system to help ensure the integrity of California Baby® products. Formulas are tailored to the needs of each product and contain higher than average concentrations of antioxidants & essential oils, which help to preserve our products.
We utilize a coconut-derived phospholipid (fos´fo-lip´id) that works to develop our products’ own self-preserving properties dramatically minimizing the need for preservatives, along with polyaminopropyl biguanide (by-GWAN-ide)—an extremely gentle, NON-INVASIVE, non-formaldehyde, non-paraben preservative. The molecular size is too large to migrate into the skin, penetrate to the dermis or reach the blood stream. The ingredients that comprise our preservative system are gentle, yet effective. So gentle, that they can be found in ocular (contact lens) solutions that are put directly into the eye!
* At the beginning of 2005, California Baby® reformulated all products and removed parabens from our ingredients. Please note that we are still updating our labels so some reformulated products may have labels that do not reflect this change. Our products are run in small batches and turnover very quickly. We feel confident that our products in the marketplace are paraben free.
Sunscreens: All of our suncare products are PABA free. California Baby® utilizes coated micronized titanium dioxide (TiO2 for short) as the active ingredient for our sunscreens. In its raw state, our TiO2 particles are first coated using a proprietary process and then suspended into a base that further encapsulates the particles, keeping the size uniform, even and stable. California Baby then adds this stable solution into a natural wax base, which further encapsulates, suspends and helps to make the product water resistant. This process ensures that our products provide high SPF broad-spectrum protection, without the telltale whiteness of regular non-chemical sunscreens. Our non-penetrating formula is topical (non-migrating) and sits on top of the outermost layer of the skin, the Stratum Corneum. This is the layer that is constantly being sloughed off by the body. Many sunscreens (chemical) need to be absorbed by the skin in order to be effective—ours does not.
We never use chemical sunscreens such as Oxybenzone, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Octyl Salicylate, etc., which are UV absorbers that penetrate the skin. California Baby® sunscreens create a protective layer (like a band-aid) that blocks out the UVA/UVB rays. Our non-chemical sunscreens are non-invasive and do their job by sitting on top of the skin scattering and reflecting dangerous UV rays.
Bug Repellents: As a natural alternative to toxic chemical bug repellents such as DEET, we use traditionally recommended essential oils that are safe, gentle and effective. We use citronella, cedar atlas and recently added oil of lemon eucalyptus which is EPA registered and tested in accordance with EPA guidelines. In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes found in the USA, it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET.
No fragrance: Our Super Sensitive products do not contain any scent, scent masking agents to make them smell like nothing, or clear formula chemicals (for many other products to be completely clear, chemicals must be added to cut through the natural cloudiness of the formula).
Essential oils: We use only pure aromatherapy quality essential oils that are tested for purity and guaranteed pesticide free. Because of the quality of our oils you will notice that our blends actually work! Calming does indeed calm...
Cleansing & Bubbling: California Baby® pioneered the use of Decyl polyglucose, a non-invasive cleansing/bubbling agent that we use exclusively in our bubble baths and shampoo/body washes. Soapbark and yucca are added to our bubble baths for extra bubbling power. Our cleansing/bubbling agents are non-stripping of delicate membranes, no tears, non-toxic and sustainably grown.
Vegetable vs. Animal: The developer of California Baby® is a vegetarian, as are her children (beginning in the womb). All products start with a vegetarian point of view. We make two products that utilize animal ingredients, our diaper rash cream contains lanolin and our sunblock sticks contain beeswax. The choice was made to use lanolin and beeswax as water barriers instead of the typical (cheaper and cruder) petroleum and fish oil alternatives. Lanolin is extracted from the wool of the sheep and is not considered a body fat. Beeswax is hypoallergenic and is considered acceptable by many vegetarians.
Vegetable oils: We use only pure cold pressed vegan oils in our products.
Active ingredients: We use botanicals that are known for their safety and use them at active levels. If certain herbs or minerals are not used at an "active" percentage, the botanical will not perform.
Some terms to be aware of:
Natural fragrance: This is a synthetic copy of a scent found in nature. For instance, many times a synthetic chamomile is listed as “natural chamomile” or “natural chamomile fragrance.” This is a very expensive essential oil and many companies like to try and use it because while the marketing aspect of chamomile is attractive, the cost is not. California Baby® uses only pure essential oils. Ingredient statements: Such as no SLS. Manufacturers may claim that their products do not contain any Sodium Lauryl Sulfate because they know many consumers do not want that harsh cleansing agent. Check out the other ingredients and you will see they are just as cheap and just as invasive, but they have a different name! California Baby® uses Decyl polyglucose (a non-invasive cleansing/bubbling agent) exclusively in our shampoo & body washes and bubble baths.
About Us: California Baby® was developed to meet the standards of a very particular mother. Jessica's son, Ian, was just a few months old when she realized the products available for his skin and hair were loaded with potential toxins. "People say, 'oh it's a small amount, you can rinse it off,' but I couldn't accept that," recalls Jessica. She resolved to make something at home just for her son, Ian. But her expertise grew beyond her immediate needs. After three years of research and testing (and the birth of new son, Miles), she introduced CALIFORNIA BABY® to consumers in 1995. Although developed for children, the products are just as effective for adults and will be especially appreciated by anyone sensitive to chemicals and skin irritations and conditions such as eczema.
For Jessica, less is more, "I use the best quality ingredients I can find, and leave out the junk." Jessica pioneered the use of Decyl polyglucose (and combines it with Soapbark and Yucca in the bubble baths) to take the place of the more typical Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and DEA, which can be damaging to the skin, retinas and stripping of delicate membranes. Decyl polyglucose, a blend of corn, coconut and palm oil extracts, was developed because of the work of the GREEN PARTY in Germany, which pressures manufacturers of raw ingredients to develop and use sustainable and biodegradable alternatives.
Like many parents, Jessica gives her children credit for motivating her to try and make a difference. "When people have kids, they want them to start life healthy, and that includes skin care because the sun and harsh chemicals start their damage on day one. Our parents didn't have products like this for us, but they are available for our kids-and we can enjoy them too!”
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