From the "What were they thinking" files.

Presuming I wasn't hoping to steer clear, by a margin of miles, of the fairy princess brainwashing that seems to be a rite of passage for so many toddler girls, there is just absolutely no way I would buy this, or anything remotely like it.

If you can get past the marketing, so clearly aimed at small people (there are Pixar Cars counterparts to these and they were displayed in a happy little pint-sized shelving unit overloaded with disney characters), then you might be tempted to sling one into your trolley. Kids would no doubt love the fizzing and frothing; the bright colours. In fact, they might love it almost as much as their non-toxic bath toys, or the sensation of being surrounded by warm, splashy, splishy water.

But you might want to think twice about what you surround your little ones' naked body with. Skin is the body's biggest organ, and it is porous, absorbent. To be sold in Australia, products have to guarantee a certain level of safety, and I am not saying this doesn't meet it. I am sure they are safe...

But with the plethora of chemicals we are all exposed to in our daily lives, it's hard to pinpoint which product in particular is at fault, and there is a sort of credible doubt that can be relied on. Is it baby shampoo that some kids react to? Laundry detergent? Pesticides used in farming? Living under powerlines?

Well. It is a mine-field, that is true. What particularly concerns me with this happy little cocktail of chemicals you are being invited to warm and douse your child with is the inclusion of the colour Blue 1, aka brilliant blue. According to wiki, Brilliant Blue has been banned throughout western europe, though it is now legal in most countries. It is a known allergen though, and a study published in the journal "Food and Chemical Toxicology" shows that the dyes "can enter the bloodstream via the skin or through the digestive tract.... The finding is troubling because several studies show that these dyes might inhinit cell respiration."

It is a controversial study, and many oppose the findings, but this brings me back to my original thought. Why bother? Where there is risk, and no compelling reason to take that risk..... Why would you?

Oh, ps, check out the "CAUTION" label that speaks for itself... Because young kids and toddlers NEVER drink bath watr by mistake, or splash the water into their, you know, eyes. Gulp.