WHY IT MATTERS?
Baby skin is much more sensitive than adult skin and we need to be especially careful with baby skincare products because
- Their delicate skin is thinner and more permeable compared to adult skin and therefore has a higher risk of absorbing toxins from skincare products
- Their tissues, brain and organ development is still in process which means they are more susceptible to harmful chemicals and toxins that can cause organ damage
SAFE SKINCARE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR MOISTURIZING
Baby lotions and creams no matter how organic and natural they claim to be will always contain a preservative. This is because water is an essential component of lotions (most lotions are about 65% water) Because there is water in the product, it must be preserved, as bacteria and mold WILL grow in water over time without preservation. We’ve discussed how preservatives such as paraben and phenoxyethanol can be harmful for your baby in our previous blog post.
Instead of using lotions we recommend using 100% natural oils such as virgin olive oil or apricot kernel oil. Massage on baby’s damp skin so you can create a lotion like emulsion as you rub which is both hydrating (water) and moisturizing (oil) without the risk of harmful toxins
FOR BATHTIME:
We recommend Earthly Essentials Milk & Honey Baby Soap (sheep) or our Honey & Oats bar especially formulated for baby skin and sensitive skins. There are absolutely no essential oils in these bars as even those can be irritating to baby skin.
For the sake of comparison, here are the ingredient lists from a popular, commercial baby soap and body wash and the ingredient list from our Milk & Honey Baby Soap (sheep) and Honey & Oats bars.
X Brand Baby Soap
What’s in it?
Sodium Tallowate, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Pentasodium Pentetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Fragrance
Sodium Tallowate = Saponified Tallow (comes from animal fat)
Sodium Cocoate = Saponified Coconut Oil
Sodium Palm Kernelate = Saponified Palm Kernel
X Brand Baby Wash
What’s in it?
Water, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, PEG-150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance, Polyquaternium-10, Ethylhexylglycerin
Milk & Honey Baby Soap by Earthly Essentials:
What’s in it?
Saponified Oils/Butters (Almond, Olive, Coconut, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Castor), Glycerin (naturally produced during the saponification process), Raw Goat’s Milk, Honey & Water- That’s it!
Honey & Oats Soap by Earthly Essentials:
What’s in it?
Saponified Oils/Butters (Olive, Coconut, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Castor), Glycerin (naturally produced during the saponification process), Raw Goat’s Milk, Oats, Honey, Vitamin E & Water- That’s it!
Its best to educate yourself on the harmful effects of all the chemicals we are exposing our children to. So research, compare for yourself and decide what’s good for your baby. We’ve discussed top 5 toxic skincare ingredients here to help you get started.
Great article. I am going through some of these issues as
well..
Excellent post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Very helpful information particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such info much. I was seeking this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.