Chemicals in baby shampoo? Stink! documentary has changed my life – Hayley Matthews

Watching the Stink! Movie has prompted Hayley Matthews to have a massive clearout of products and go on an expensive shopping spree for the sake of her family’s health.

Changing nappies doesn't need to be a toxic process. Picture: PA

Recently I’ve had a bit of a Netflix obsession, binging on documentaries and filling my brain with facts. Many of these facts have been helpful – and many have left me wanting to literally get my root canals removed, go and live in a forest and never use wifi again (yes these have been real thoughts after watching many of the lesser known documentaries on the online streaming service).

I would tell you the titles of these documentaries but I’m pretty sure all the dentists out there wouldn’t thank me for spreading the word on the root canal findings, as hundreds of us demand our dentist take them out to cure our arthritis and urine infections. Plus, can you believe everything that you watch on the telly?

Well, one documentary that I did take on board, that has been making waves in the selfshot era, is the Stink! Movie. I think it’s changed my life.

The documentary starts off with the bad smell on a pair of kids’ pyjamas and the father, director Jon Whelan, trying to find out what that smell was.

He suspected chemicals. However, instead of getting a straight answer from the company from which he ­purchased them, he stumbles on an even bigger problem in America which then leads him on a toxic journey. He discovered the problem that some products on our store shelves are not safe and are filled with chemicals – but somehow it’s legal.

Jon is widowed after losing his wife to cancer and looks after his two kids, (hence how he came to buy kids’ PJs online) and he talks in the documentary about how his wife rid their house of all chemicals on finding out she had cancer.

She must have had a sixth sense that what we’re pumping into our bodies and putting on to our skin, is not filled with roses and delicate ­perfume.

The documentary shows how the chemical industry doesn’t want us to know what they are ­passing off as “safe” to be in products – in reality they are just a bunch of cheap petrochemicals to dilute products so the big guys make more wonga.

So, after researching every hashtag to do with chemical-free, toxin free, green living, I have decided to embark on a new world of fewer chemicals. Why? Well, if there is anything that I’ve learnt from the documentary it is that the labelling ‘perfume’ on an item such as baby shampoo, body lotion, deodorant etc can be hundreds of petrochemicals. Would you pick up a container saying ‘chemical toxins’ and rub it all over your baby’s head? I bet not!

I’ve had a massive clearout of ­chemical products and a very ­expensive shopping spree in Real Foods to start my new life as a ­chemical-free warrior. It won’t be a cheap solution, but isn’t our health worth it? I think so.

I’ve discovered a few brands that I’ve switched to instead of using the popular baby shampoos. Sukin baby range can be picked up in many stores and my absolute favourite, Harry and Rose (www.harryandrose.com), which you can get in Boots or online.

I’ve been letting all the mums at the baby massage group smell the nappy spray which, I have to be ­honest, I sometimes spray on myself just because it smells incredible. I never thought I would admit to wanting to smell like my baby’s bottom, but I do!

It’s so lovely to see an eco brand win various awards for their efforts. Well done to them on being an eco consumer award winner.

More like Harry and Rose please and less chemicals and cancer thanks.