CAIRO: Between the experts constantly warning you of the health and environmental hazards in your bath cabinet, and manufacturers hammering you with new products; what happens to the size of our cabinets and their contents when we decide to go eco-friendly? One of our readers has little ones that love playing in their bubble baths, and being a concerned mother, she has asked us to look into it. Bubble baths. We're alarmed at what's out there (and relieved by the eco-alternative) and we're bringing the facts to the table The widely available supermarket-aisle bubble baths are highly fragranced and have the potential to cause headaches, skin irritation and allergic skin reactions. In the U.S., brands have to stamp their products with a health warning alerting buyers to the chance of getting skin irritations as well as urinary tract infections. The problem is that all body washes, gels and bubble baths contain chemicals which you'd rather not have on your skin. Unfortunately, soaking for a prolonged period will increase the contact with these chemicals and thus increase the chances of their absorbance by the skin and lungs. I'm cringing and would rather say, have a shower and make it a five minute one at that, using 20-40 gallons instead of the 40-60 that bathtubs usually hold. Sometimes, however, you want to fill up the tub for dirty kids or a stressed out mother and let the lot have their fun. We're all about alternative bath products in Eco Options Egypt and we're always alarmed by the wince inducing sodium laurel sulfates, petroleum by-products, formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane combo. Why soak in those when you can MAKE YOUR OWN BUBBLE BATH! The mixture you want consists of: - 1 cup of natural liquid soap; Nefertari sells this in their City Stars and Maadi City Center stalls as well as in their Maadi and Dokki shop branches. - ¾ cups of water - 1/2 or 1 tsp of glycerin (the bubble infusing ingredient!) - 5 drops of scented oil or oil extract Mix the liquid soap with the water and glycerin then add the scented oil of choice (lavender, peppermint etc.). Pour mixture into a re-usable storage bottle after thorough washing. Don't you sometimes wonder what made us run to the nearest aisles for every little thing? Making your own products guarantees you know what's in them. Also, with all the eco-friendly information around, you do not have to skimp on quality! It's summer time though, and some of us will travel to places where they perhaps sell less commercial and harmful products. So if you must go to an aisle, use these guidelines to choose the eco-friendliest and least health hazardous bubble bath our there. - Choose organic and if it's an American product look for the USDA organic seal. - Choose manufacturers that don't test on animals - Look for plant based and/or biodegradable ingredients (not petroleum derived ones) Enjoy your bubble bath wince free! Eco Options Egypt
