Is Castile Soap Better for Children?

Many parents are vigilant about shielding their children from unhealthful and possibly harmful ingredients in food as well as the everyday products they̵7;re exposed to. Products with all-natural ingredients are high on the list of what parents want their children to use, and Castile soap fits that category. For both children and adults, it̵7;s touted as a healthier choice -- because of what it doesn't contain -- than conventional soaps.

Castile Soap Ingredients

• ̶0;True̶1; Castile soap, which originated in Spain, is made from olive oil and contains no artificial ingredients. Today, although the name ̶0;Castile̶1; encompasses any soap that̵7;s made from vegetable oil ̵1; coconut and jojoba are commonly used ̵1; it̵7;s still free of chemicals and animal fats. It̵7;s used to wash skin and hair in bar form. In liquid form it's used as shaving cream, laundry and dishwashing soaps and pet shampoo.

Conventional Soap Ingredients

• Conventional soaps incorporate chemicals to create lather.

  Conventional soaps, including those designed specifically for babies and children, contain additives and preservatives. Two of them -- parabens and phthalates -- may have an effect on the body̵7;s hormone levels, according to early-childhood expert Dr. Harvey Karp, who notes that parabens and phthalates are absorbed through the skin and have been found in children̵7;s urine.

Scientific Data on Harmful Ingredients

• There̵7;s no scientific evidence that the chemicals in conventional soaps affect children̵7;s development. Whether they can irritate children̵7;s sensitive skin is a different matter. Chemicals also used in heavy-duty cleansers and engine lubricants are used in conventional soaps. Possible side effects of these chemicals -- anionic surfactants -- include eczema and rashes. More often than soap, shampoo is the culprit in many allergic reactions. According to the Natural Health Care Centre, the Food and Drug Administration receives a significant number of complaints about eye and scalp irritation and swelling of the face, hands and arms that are possibly caused by the sodium lauryl sulfate used in shampoo -- and soaps -- to increase lather.

The Chemical-Free Choice

• Unless they're allergic to its ingredients, Castile soap is a safe choice for your children, and if you don̵7;t want to expose them to potentially harmful chemicals, it's a better choice than conventional soaps. Whatever soap you choose for your children, dermatologists and pediatricians recommend that it be used sparingly. Babies don̵7;t need to be washed more than three times a week, and to get older children clean, it̵7;s not necessary to soap the entire body. Use soap only in ̶0;cracks and crevices̶1;: under the arms, the groin area and between the toes; the rest of the body can be gone over with a wet facecloth. And because Castile soap in bar form can be used to wash hair, you̵7;ll decrease the likelihood of allergic reactions caused by conventional shampoos.