Parabens & Phthalates

Don't those two words just make you cringe?
If they don't then you haven't been asking enough questions. I was going to do a post awhile back on each of these things, but the folks at Soapchix have done a more fantastic job than I could have, so I'm going to point you their way. Check out their post on the dangers of and differences between parabens & phthalates.
Basically, you need to be aware of these things for yourself, but also if you have children...or are going to have them in the future. Soapchix say that children absorb up to three times as much stuff through their skin as adults do. So even if you're not concerned about the estrogen and carcinogenic nature of parabens for yourself. Or you don't really care what phthalates do to you because you've been using products with them your entire life. Still be informed about what's going in to your little one's body.
In a nutshell, they're both in just about any store bought bath & body or cosmetic product. Parabens are used as a preservative, while phthalates are typically used as a binding agent. And while you might not find phthalates listed in the ingredients of some products, if it says "fragrance" the phthalates are there.
For some products and providers that I've found helpful, you can check out my posts on RMS and Simple Soapworks. Two other companies that I do use, but haven't done posts on are Aromaleigh and Chagrin Valley. Check them out! (I think I should totally be paid for advertising these puppies!)