I love when my path to crosses with smart and savvy parents who have educated themselves on the importance of safe products for babies and children. Such interactions are far more frequent now than a few years ago and I am encouraged by the shift, as I see it as an indication that our culture is slowly changing. While people have always cared deeply about the health of their kids, today’s parents are more knowledgeable and discerning than ever before.
“Fragrance” is often a catchall for hidden chemicals. And while it might seem like a single ingredient, the term may actually contain dozens of toxins not listed on the label. Intellectual property laws allow companies to keep components of their fragrance private as a means of preserving trade secrets. Unfortunately, this regulation is often a legal loophole for consumers to be kept in the dark. Even companies that purport natural and organic products use this tactic to hide certain elements of their formulas.
In 2002, a coalition of environmental and public health organizations contracted with a national laboratory to test 72 beauty products for the presence of phthalates, a large family of industrial chemicals linked to permanent birth defects in the male reproductive system. Nearly 75% of the products tested contained phthalates though not a single label indicated the presence of such.
Questions about Hot Tot’s signature Cabbage Patch inspired fragrance are among the most common I receive. While I never tire of sharing the reasons I am comfortable including scent in our safety-focused products, I have come to conclude that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation floating around. All “fragrance” is not created equal. Below are the key safety features of our fragrance. I hope to put inquiring minds at ease when considering our products:
- Allergy Tested- Hot Tot’s products have been tested extensively by a third party lab to verify that our full line is hypoallergenic. Allergic reactions are among the most common concerns with fragrance.
- Phthalate Free- Our signature Cabbage Patch inspired fragrance is custom blended and certified phthalate free. Safe and healthy formulas for kids are of the utmost importance and we would never contaminate our products with toxins of any kind.
- Full Disclosure- We list the components of our fragrance according to The 7th Amendment to the Cosmetic Directive of the European Union (EU). While this isn’t required in the U.S., we want our customers to be fully informed and confident in our products! We also have an ingredient glossary on our website in the event that you are curious about anything specific.