Consider me 'Baff'led

On Christmas Eve my husband and I were sitting and enjoying some fun conversation with the family when a commercial came on the television that grabbed our attention....

I nearly died from laughter and the need to tell you all about it.

Please, enjoy!

Now you can turn your water into squishy goo! 

Turn your bathtub into a gooey adventure with Squishy Baff!

Environmentally Friendly (LMAO!!!  For real?)

No Artificial Fragrance (What about the color?)
Won't Clog Drains (Yea, the drain is what concerns me here.  Thanks for clearing that up!)
No Preservatives (I won't even go here.)

No Irritants (Oh this one is GOLD!)
Make in the UK (Junk made in the UK is apparently better than junk make elsewhere.  Good to know?)

Not Tested on Animals (Oh sweet, so it's tested on... our kids?)

Bonus point if you already know what this is made of before I tell you....

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Yep! It's Sodium Polyacrylate - a.k.a. The stuff they put in disposable diapers to absorb a baby's urine.

Sodium Polyacrylate is a polymer that starts out as a powdery substance, when introduced to moisture, it can absorb 400-500 times its own weight.  The FDA has labeled it as GRAS, Generally Recognized As Safe, though I think most of us here can appreciate the fact that the FDA doesn't always get it right.  

*cough*All off the crap in standard products and foods that we have to work to avoid.*cough*

Okay, silliness aside, Sodium Polyacrylate isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's certainly not something you want on your child.  SP is a skin & eye irritant to start with.  Who wants to play in skin & eye irritants?

Did you know that SP was once a component in tampons, but was outlawed due to the substantial increased risk of TSS (want to know more about TSS, visit You-Are-Loved.org).  As I mentioned before, it can also be found in disposable diapers and has been implicated as a contributor to staph infections.  I'm not saying it will cause one, but it could contribute, and staph infections are serious - deathly serious.

According to EWG (Cosmetic Database) SP is classified as expected to be toxic or harmful. It lists an organ toxicity risk due to contamination concerns with Methacrylic Acid, Acrylic Acid & 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate.  It also lists it as 'considered safe based on assumption of low absorption' - keep in mind that they are relating this to the tiny amount found in cosmetic products, not what's found in a diaper full, nor a 'baff'tub full.

This product has me half cracking up at the insanity of it all (Honestly, who thinks "Hey this idea is a winner!"?), but more seriously, it has me concerned for parents who may not realize what this product is made from, nor how their child's skin may react.

I would love to hear your impressions!