Hey...what's in my soap?

Not a hair or a toy, but really what's in there? Jessie & I chatted for a minute today & I was reminded that I needed to do this post. Someone special sent me this link of an awesome data base called Skin Deep (by Enviromental Working Group, or EWG) a long time ago & it has become an important one to look at when I need to purchase sunscreen, make-up, soap, shampoo, baby wash, etc.
If you want to know how "safe" your products are (or what you are really lathering your baby up in), type in a product name on the "search." This data base (along with a few articles) has helped me narrow the products I use down considerably.
In our shower right now: Dr. Bronner's soap in lavender & baby (which can even clean wood floors!), Jason Organics shampoo & conditioner in lavender, baby Avalon Organics shampoo & wash, & the random bar of Ivory or Dove sensitive skin for when I run out of my on-line products during low budget times. Now, the Ivory & Dove soaps still have the evil "sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate," but no fragrance or anything else, so the hazard is still a 3. EWG's rankings are based on all kinds of things: chemicals, irritants, whether or not the company tests on animals, etc. And you can check boxes to show what's most important, to you, in a product. They have these products ranked according to "safety" with numbers 0-10. Safest win a 0-2 ranking; 3-6 gets moderate; 7-10 means "time to switch," in my opinion!
I purchase some things from our local health food store, by it's just a small, 1-vitamin-lady deal, so it's impossible for her to fill our needs. I also order from Omni Supplements & Drugstore.com mostly. I think that Target & some other chain stores (which are not located in Macomb) sell some of these things.
Other awesome brands to look for are: California Baby, Burt's Bees (makes wonderful baby wash & chemical free sunscreen) Tom's of Maine (check out the barsoap, d.o. & toothpaste), Avalon (shampoo with yummy, essential oil scents). *I also started using all Bare Escentuals (Bare Minerals) or Larenim makeup...when I use makeup. :)
Oh! And while I'm thinking of essential oils in shampoos...let me say that if your loved one contracts head lice while at school or preschool this year DO NOT USE RID or any other dangerous chemical! There are a few combos of essential oils that will kill the little boogers without putting more pesticide on your baby's head than you'd use in your yard. I have loaned out my books on that topic right now (I'll post it later), but I know that lemon & ylang-ylang are two of the preventative oils in the mix (so I'm pretty sure they'll kill 'em, too). I also know that Avalon makes shampoos & conditioners with these oils in them. These items are on my shopping list for October. If I can just shampoo lemon-scented-prevention into Langston's scalp & not have to worry so much about bugs in his lovely locks...amen!