Sarahu says…I think this is an old urban legend that has been going around for years. People keep saying that Johnson & Johnson ‘No more tears’ baby shampoo contains secret numbing agents so that a baby’s eyes won’t sting if the shampoo gets in them. I think that any numbing agent would be required to be listed in the ingredients label. They keep insisting that numbing agents are in there, despite all evidence to the contrary. Can you settle this once and for all? Is there anything in J&J baby shampoos that would numb a baby’s eyes?
The Beauty Brains respond:
There are no numbing agents in the J&J’s baby shampoos.
One of the key attributes in producing a no-more-tears formula is the micelle size (micelles are aggregations of surfactant molecules), the bigger they are the less irritating they are The theory is the bigger micelles can not penetrate the eye membrane and hence cause irritation. The pH of the product, salt content, and impurities in the raw materials are also critical.
When I first heard this urban legend the “numbing” properties were attributed to the ingredient benzyl alcohol. I believe it was part of the preservative system in J&J baby shampoo at one point in time but it’s no longer used in this product. It is, however, still contained in a few of J&J’s baby lotions.
So, the bottom line is: myth busted! (Thanks to Alchemist for the micelle discussion!)
J&J No More Tears Baby Shampoo Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG 80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, PEG 150 Distearate, Fragrance, Polyquaternium 10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Quaternium 15, Citric Acid, Yellow 10, Orange 4, Sodium Hydroxide (may contain).
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People are so paranoid about what they put on their bodies I’m sure the EWG would be burning down shampoo factories by now if they really did have big amounts of numbing agents.
Thanks for the enlightening article! Moms have all the reasons to be overly cautious on what product they use for their little ones. By revealing the mystery behind ‘No More Tears’ baby shampoo, you put a smile on very mom’s face reading this right now. But this shampoo doesn’t just get into the eyes, how harmful is it once taken in during baths?
If you reference EWG’s Skin Deep database, you can see that several of the ingredients are still harmful – the ingredients listed are from the 2009 product, some ingredients may have changed.
The PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate can form 1,4 Dioxane – a well-known carcinogen (cancer-causing).
“Fragrance” is a general term applied to various chemicals used to make the product pleasant to smell – however the ingredients generally contain phthalates, which are toxic to the immune system.
It also contains D&C “colors,” which are shown to accumulate in the body, and according to the EWG “are continuously tested on animals due to their carcinogenic qualities”
The Cocamidopropyl Betaine can cause nitrosamines to form in the product, which are also known carcinogens.
Some of the ingredients were also listed as irritating to the skin.
I personally wouldn’t recommend this product – there are tons of organic – and safe – alternatives. The EWG’s skin deep database is a great resource that I use constantly, you can reference just about any skin-care product.
The EWG cannot just knock down doors – they do what they can to inform the public of these types of toxins in our products and in our food.
CC: Don’t believe everything you read by the EWG. As one example, the cosmetic industry keeps 1,4 Dioxane levels below levels of concern. So despite what the EWG tells you that’s a non-issue. Same deal with nitrosamines. EWG is just out to scare you with their own agenda – and it’s not supported by the best, most current scientific findings.