At Cassie Kids we say we are: 100% cruelty free, non-toxic, paraben free, phthalate free, nanoparticle-free, gluten free, talc free, non-GMO, no synthetic fragrances and no artificial colouring and we are PEG-free…

That’s quite a list! But what do each of these mean in simple terms and why have we chosen to avoid them in all of our products.

Let’s start with Parabens. Many people might come across products that say “paraben free” – but what are parabens and what is wrong with them?

Simply put parabens are preservatives. Preservatives are needed to ensure that your product has a longer shelf life once opened. Any product that contains water (or aqua) is susceptible to bacterial growth and mold and that is why preservatives are needed.

However parabens can act like the hormone estrogen in the body and disrupt the normal function of hormone systems affecting male and female reproductive system functioning, reproductive development, fertility and birth outcomes. Parabens can also interfere with the production of hormones. They can also cause skin irritation.

So what do we use instead? We use broad-spectrum preservatives that are effective in a wide variety of formulations and pH environments, such as Liquid Germall Plus and Geoguard.

Next up is phthalates. What does Phthalate-free mean and what is wrong with them? In non-scientific terms, they are chemicals that make plastic soft and flexible. In cosmetics, you will often find phthalates in nail polish and also fragrances.

Phthalates have been linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and cancer, have been banned from cosmetics in the European Union, but still remain prevalent in U.S. products. So it was a no brainer to exclude phthalates from our products.

So we don’t include any phthalates in our nail polish and our fragrances and scents are all 100% natural!

Let’s talk about talc, what is the concern here?

Talc is a white powder that is often used for its ability to absorb oil and reduce shine. However asbestos often ends up in makeup because of poor regulations involving cosmetic-grade talc, which is also known as talcum powder. Talc and asbestos are minerals that form together. That means talc mined for commercial uses can be contaminated with asbestos — a known cause of lung cancer and mesothelioma. So once again this was an easy decision for us to make – no talc in our products. What do we use instead? We use organic arrowroot powder or cornstarch – thankfully both of these are very similar to talc.

What is Non-GMO and how would it be linked to makeup? Firstly, GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. A number of vegetable crops have been genetically engineered to be resistant to herbicides or to create insecticides themselves. Other foods may be genetically engineered to resist disease or drought, or to contain added nutrients.

At Cassie Kids, many of our ingredients are come from plants. This means that whatever plants have been grown could’ve been sprayed with potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides on the GMO crops.

We also state that our products are gluten free. What this means is that none of our products contain any wheat, barley, rye and other grains.

We use arrowroot in our eyeshadows, blushes and several other products because arrowroot is naturally gluten-free. In our Splish Splash set we use cornstarch which is also gluten-free. The majority of people don’t need to be concerned, only those with severe reactions to gluten. But we thought we’d rather stay away just in case some of our little customers might be allergic to gluten.

One of the biggest culprits that cause skin reactions and can aggravate eczema is synthetic fragrances. Many synthetic chemicals in fragrances are petroleum-based. Artificial fragrances contain numerous synthetic chemicals which are derived from petroleum. This means that these products can include gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, heating oil, jet fuel, waxes, lubricating oils, and petrochemical feedstocks. The next time you see “fragrance” listed as an ingredient, know that this synthetic scent is a mixture of many different unidentified ingredients which include carcinogens, allergens, and hormone disruptors. The toxins in artificial fragrances increase the risk of cancer, autoimmune disorders, asthma, infertility, certain neurological disorders, weakening of the immune system, allergies, and much more. Sensitive individuals can also experience common side effects of artificial fragrances such as rashes, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, hyper-pigmentation, and skin irritation. Definitely something we don’t want to subject our kids to!

So at Cassie Kids we use essential oils in most of our body products (we steer clear from any essential oils that go near the eyes or cheeks!). We also use natural fragrance oils in our perfumes. These are plant based solely from natural raw botanical pure essential oils and aromatic isolates.

When it comes to artificial flavouring, we take a similar stance as we do with synthetic fragrances – they are chemically created and we don’t know what’s in them. So although a lip balm may taste AMAZING for a little kid, we know that it is probably full of chemicals and that’s not something we want to subject our little customers to.

What on earth is PEG-free!? Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is found in many skin creams, lotions, soaps, hair products and shower gels. PEGs are petroleum-based compound that are often used as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture-carriers. PEGs can cause skin irritation and severe hypersensitivity reactions. PEGs often come with impurities like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, both of which pose some serious health risks. Both of these impurities have been classified a possible carcinogens. Our Frosted Mermaid Mousse Body Butter is made using shea butter, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and arrowroot – so there is no need to even consider using PEGs!

Finally let’s discuss what nano-particle free means. By making the ingredients “non-nano” it means that the particles aren’t small enough to penetrate the skin. This is considered safer for your body because the particles are potentially not absorbed into your child’s blood stream. The particles of our zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are large enough so that they cannot be absorbed by the skin. Regular nano particles do have the potential to enter the bloodstream, so that’s why it’s an important distinction for your kids’ products to be labeled “non-nano.”