When it comes to choosing products for our families, there’s a growing sense that those made with natural and organic materials are better—in virtually every way. While that’s often true, buyers should beware. Automatically accepting organic and natural ingredients as always safe and preferable can sometimes lead to dangerous outcomes.
 
Everyone likes to use poison ivy as a prime example of why nature isn’t always safe. But clearly you’re not buying PI cream for the kids. More to the point? Ingredients like the grain derivatives and bioactive compounds now appearing in skincare products intended for infants and even newborns.
 
Hydrolyzed wheat protein sounds harmless, but it actually has the potential to cause an allergic reaction in very young children. Given the rise of gluten sensitivities and conditions like celiac disease, caution around unnecessary topical products that contain wheat seems wise. While largely safe for tolerant older kids and adults, using them on newborns and babies whose allergy profiles are still unknown can be risky. They aren’t being eaten, but they are being absorbed through the skin.