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Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste: Should Sodium Laurel Sulfate Be an Ingredient In “Natural Care”?


We spend a lot of time thinking about the products we put on our face, hair, and skin, but when it comes to oral care, we tend not to experiment much: A toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss are requisite elements of personal hygiene. No question. In recent years, however, consumers have begun opting for natural toothpastes in lieu of brands that contain scary colors, flavorings, and chemicals that we don’t feel quite right about. In fact, Tom’s of Maine, a brand who’s slogan is “natural care”, has become so popular that it’s widely available in chain grocery and drug stores — not just niche natural markets and expensive pharmacies. But when we flipped over our tube of Tom’s to check out the ingredients, we found one that didn’t sit well with us — Sodium laurel sulfate (or SLS) — making us wonder of Tom’s is really all that it’s cracked up to be. … More »

Post from: BlissTree

Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste: Should Sodium Laurel Sulfate Be an Ingredient In “Natural Care”?

Bad news: Even your carefully-chosen organic peanut butter could be bad for the environment. Peanut butter, like several other “good” foods, can contain palm oil — an oil that’s a much healthier alternative to hydrogenated oil, but one that’s pretty hard on the environment. (In short, the growth of palm oil trees, primarily in Malaysia and Indonesia, has required clearing large swaths of rainforest, displacing communities and leading many species toward extinction.)


– Blisstree Deputy Editor Briana Rognlin on the perils of palm oil, from her post: Your Organic Peanut Butter Is Hurting the Environment: 10 “Good” Foods With Bad Palm Oil Habits (and What You Should Buy Instead)
Post from: BlissTree
Bad news: Even your carefully-chosen organic peanut butter could be bad for … More »

Post from: BlissTree

Bad news: Even your carefully-chosen organic peanut butter could be bad for the environment. Peanut butter, like several other “good” foods, can contain palm oil — an oil that’s a much healthier alternative to hydrogenated oil, but one that’s pretty hard on the environment. (In short, the growth of palm oil trees, primarily in Malaysia and Indonesia, has required clearing large swaths of rainforest, displacing communities and leading many species toward extinction.)