A surprising number of mothers will buy expensive lotions and soaps for their sensitive skins, and yet bathe and shampoo their baby in cheaper, chemical-ridden products.
Even those moms who believe they are being very careful about the products they use on their baby are likely not being careful enough.
An article in Clinical Pediatrics reports that over three out of four infants suffer rashes within the first few months of births. Sadly, the reason for such frequent breakouts appears to be the skin care products parents use to keep their babies’ skin moisturized. A baby’s skin, like all organs, is not fully developed and isn’t as effective a barrier against toxic substances. Natural skin care products are much, much safer than the chemical-heavy conventional ones.
The Danger of Over-The-Counter Products
Many products supposedly designed for infants’ sensitive skin are the same harsh cleansers for adults, just put in a cute package with a higher price. Reading labels to see what is really in the bottle is even more critical for your baby than for yourself.
Many bubble baths destroy beneficial bacteria on the baby’s skin. In fact the problem is so bad that infant bubble bath carries an FDA warning against excessive bathing. These products often contain known carcinogens and irritants such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
Shampoos are no better. Ingredients to avoid include quaternium 15, imidazolidinyl urea, and parabens. Of course you should also stay away from artificial colors and fragrances.
Baby powders are one of the most common treatments for diaper rash. Many moms use cornstarch, and treat rash with whipped-up egg white that’s allowed to dry and form a protective barrier.
Lotions and oils that contain petrochemicals, artificial colors, or artificial fragrances should never be used on a baby.
Natural Skin Care Products
Although most of the skin problems that babies face are due to dangerous ingredients in mass-produced skin care products, this is not the only concern. Even organic skin care products can cause problems if used excessively.
During the first year, babies do not need to be bathed frequently or even at all. An occasional wipe of the genitals and buttocks with a damp cloth is usually all that is needed. If a bath is needed, a small amount of warm water should suffice. Babies don’t sweat like children and adults so don’t need soap most of the time. If necessary, use a mild soap containing palm, coconut, or olive oil and use as little as possible. Never use antibacterial soap.
Shampoo is also seldom, if ever, needed during the first year. If needed, use a very mild organic shampoo.
Lotions that contain soothing or healing natural skin care ingredients such as chamomile or aloe can be beneficial. They moisturize well and a gentle massage can help a fussy baby sleep.
By: Christine Harrell
There are plenty of products filling up the market these days, advertising themselves as the best baby natural skin care for your little one(s). But there are lots of shortcomings in these ads especially since many of what these products claim to do just never happen or they fall short of what they are supposed to do. Eventually this leads to your baby suffering from skin irritations, rashes and allergies because of the chemicals and other irritating ingredients found in these baby products. If you are really looking for the top-of-the-line products for your baby, make sure that the products you buy don’t contain anything which would irritate your baby’s skin. The first step for you would be to go for products with natural ingredients rather than those with chemicals.
As you turn towards natural ingredients, remember to avoid ANYTHING (no matter how good it is) which has petrochemicals. Take care when buying lotions and moisturizers because these are the ones which usually contain petrochemicals. This means that you have to take off petroleum jelly from your baby skin care products’ list too.
To keep your baby’s skin as smooth as petals, go for baby lotions made from natural oils. Many of the best baby natural skin care products contain aloe which is an important ingredient in moisturizers and looks after irritations too. Another natural ingredient that you want to be looking for is chamomile. Chamomile is known for its soothing effect on the skin. Watch out what essential oils you buy and if in doubt, consult your pediatrician about prospective products.
Just because you want the best doesn’t mean it has to go out of your budget. There’s absolutely no necessity for you to buy expensive products just because you want good quality products. There are plenty of products out there which can fit snugly within you budget AND look after your baby’s skin too. Start looking from your local health food store!
Smaller companies might actually be the best providers of baby natural skin care. This is because smaller companies are more committed towards making sure that the products you get are of high quality and packed with all the right ingredients. It’d be ideal for you to support a local company as you are more likely to know where all the ingredients came from.
If you still have little or no idea about what might be best for your baby, look for a board or guide that ranks organic and natural products. Read the labels and pick products which don’t have any artificial fragrances or colors.
The more natural the product is, the better it will look after your baby!
By: Susan Hutson
The sensitive body of a newborn baby is the most important concern for many parents. Because of the sensitive parts of the body, it is very important for you to take note of some guidelines to help an infant maintain a healthy glowing skin. How to take care of a baby’s skin?
There are many products on the market that are intended for baby skin care use. However, not all of them are actually advisable or safe for all types of skin. You should always be aware of the sensitivity of your newborn to some chemicals or substances in commercially available products.
For bathing procedures, a gentle soap can be used. Even though water is perfect as the gentlest type of cleansing agent, soaps may add to the overall cleansing process for a newborn baby. You can choose to use a very gentle soap that contains organic substances. Soaps with natural oil extracts such as olive oil, coconut oil or palm oil are highly recommended. Most pediatricians do not recommend the use of antibacterial soaps for they may be too harsh for the baby’s sensitive skin.
In terms of shampooing, you should consider the amount of hair that your baby has. Also, you should be able to determine if it is oily or not. Shampoos can contain strong chemicals that may irritate the scalp of your infant. Mild shampoos are the best to use for newborn babies. You can tell by looking for brands that do not contain alcohols, fragrances, and artificial colors. Babies do not need these substances for shampoos only intended to cleanse dead skin cells on the scalp of a baby.
For additional , you may use lotions and oil for babies. These substances provide a soothing effect to a baby’s irritated skin. Moreover, lotions provide a certain kind of moisturizing effect to keep your baby’s skin free from dryness and chafing. In using lotions and oils, you should get the brand that is free of petrochemicals.
Another skin care product for babies is powders. If you are going to use this for your newborn, be sure that the brand name is specifically intended for infants. Apparently, powder contains fragrances and tiny particles that may induce allergies. Even though these products are used to soothe the skin, there are some cases where inappropriate use can lead to allergic reactions in babies. You should stay away from powders that contain talc. There have been some studies that relate this substance to cancers.
There are a number of ways to make your infant’s skin healthy and glowing. You may opt to choose the mentioned products above to help you provide an efficient way of skin care to your baby. However, you should always be careful in choosing the brand as this factor may cause certain health problems. Over the counter products may be convenient to purchase, but you should regularly consult your pediatrician to make sure they are safe for your baby.
By: David Yu