The first thought that comes to my mind when I hear Johnson’s is always the sweet and gentle fragrance that I was so familiar with, while growing up. I was a Johnson’s baby throughout my childhood and by the time I outgrew their products, I had a baby sister who was using them. To most of the folks born in the 80s in India, like me, Johnson’s baby products will always bring back memories from their childhood years, the times when the retail industry hadn’t boomed to its extent today. And the best possible form of marketing was word of mouth. I remember my mother recommending Johnson’s baby products to all the new mothers in our close and extended family and when the no tears shampoo arrived in the market it made the mothers jump in joy.
So when it was my turn to start shopping for my baby’s skincare products, Johnson’s was my obvious first choice. The Johnson’s oil, soap, shampoo, and moisturizer were my usual picks. I was also introduced to a few more new products as a part of the gift sets that my baby received. And our trust in Johnson’s baby products grew. However, of late there has been quite a bit of buzz in the media about the safety of Johnson’s products. Some products have been said to contain harmful chemicals that can adversely affect your health in the long run. Also, there have been talks about animal testing for the products. All this information is quite heart wrenching especially for mothers.
So Johnson’s Baby India recently conducted an event in Mumbai, India called ‘Johnson’s School of Gentle’, so that they could share their side of the story. Johnson’s has recently undergone a reformulation exercise and they wanted to talk about the revised ingredients and improvements in their new products. We were lucky to be invited to this 2-day workshop and what an insightful trip it was! We had asked our readers to send in their questions before the seminar and here are the answers to their questions :
Q. Why do Johnson’s products have chemicals and why can’t they just use natural derivatives?
A. All products use chemicals if they have a shelf life. The reason that Johnson’s uses synthetic ingredients instead of naturally derived ingredients is that the synthetic ones are safer with higher quality than the natural ones. Johnson’s says that all of their ingredients are 100% gentle for your baby’s skin, eyes and hair and have passed stringent quality tests of the highest order.
Q. Why has the fragrance of Johnson’s changed through the years?
A. Johnson’s fragrance has become iconic to baby love and gentleness however the smell seems to have become milder through the years. The fragrance is believed to enhance the bond between the mom and the baby is believed to reduce infant distress. Through the years, Johnson’s has removed potential allergens from its product fragrances and hence the fragrance has become subtle.
Q. What does clinically proven mild mean?
A. Johnson’s products undergo four very strict clinical tests to claim the stamp of clinically proven mild. These tests are –
- Irritation
- An allergic reaction
- Irritated skin when exposed to sunlight
- An allergic reaction when exposed to sunlight
Q. Why did Johnson’s products change and how have they improved?
A. Based on the scientific advancement and changing preferences of parents, Johnson’s has ensured that reduce the number of ingredients in their portfolio by almost half. This has made sure that all of Johnson’s products are clinically proven mild and free of paraben, phthalate, sulfates and dyes. The new formulations are more gentle and the packaging is better.
Q. Can adults also use Johnson’s products?
A. Yes, it is quite safe to use Johnson’s products for adults with sensitive skin.
Johnson’s School of Gentle was a wonderful experience for us into the world of Johnson’s. Did you enjoy reading about our experience?
