I decided to go try going organic to combat my daughter's allergies. I realized just how many perfumes, dyes, and chemicals were in even the mildest of baby washes and shampoos. I spent a lot of time looking up these chemicals and thier potential hazards. From what I've read, the things you want to avoid most are Parabens and Dimethicone, DEA. These should be listed right in the ingredients list.  Some of these have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals. Other common chemicals in shampoos, soaps, and beauty products can cause allergic reactions, asthma, and possiby eventual hair loss. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is one that is commonly thought to be dangerous, but from my research I concluded that it is only a mild eye irritant.  What it is, is a small amount of a very powerful detergant type cleaner.  If you tend to have very sensitive skin you may want to avoid it, but if not,  it's probably fine, just avoid getting the product in your eyes.

The thing you want to keep in mind when buying organic, is that not just any organic will do. Don't be fooled. The regulations right now call for 70% organic material in order for a product to be labeled organic. They can still add 30% chemicals and non-organic material, so it's best to be sure you go with a product that states it's own percentage. Next, read the ingredients. Just because a product is labeled organic, doesn't mean it is free of strong dyes, perfumes, or irritating chemicals. I have even found some organic products with the above mentioned chemicals in them, so always read the label!  I try to buy ones that are scented with mild herbal extracts, or aloes, and with ingredients that I can easily identify without getting out a chemistry book.

Finally, there are other things you may want to consider. Unfortunately, not all organic products come from cruelty-free companies. Most do, but a few, like L'oreal, don't. If it doesn't state whether they do or not, you may want to try a different product.  Or, you can always call the company and ask.  Many products have toll-free numbers printed right on the bottle.   If you are a vegetarian, you may also want to make sure that there are not animal materials or by-products in the product. Most of the time I buy organic products online, and only from people who are willing to list ingredients in the description. But if you have any questions, you can always ask the seller.

Organic products do tend to cost more, so once you find a producut you like, shop around for the best price by entering the product name into a search.  The more people that start buying organic, the more the cost will go down.

I hope this was helpful and that you are able to stay clean and fresh with some organic products you love.