Baby Skin and Baby Skin Care
I’ve written more often in my blog about baby skin and baby products and the fact that as a brand new mum (or dad) you really need to have strong will power so as not to give in to the temptation of all the purple, yellow and blue bottles and jars. I am still convinced that all those strongly perfumed and irritating baby products are one of the main reasons for the increase in a number of skin problems in young children. Because amazingly but true: more than 67 percent of children up to the age of one, and around two thirds (77 percent) of children up to and including the age of five experience skin problems. What’s more twenty percent of new born babies develop eczema within six months (Arch Dis Child, 2006).
Baby skin – 5 x thinner than an adult’s skin
We need to be careful with our own skin, but even more so with our children’s skin. Baby skin is 5 times thinner than an adult’s skin. This not only means that the babies skin becomes irritated more quickly but also potentially damaging substances can enter the body more easily. If you add to this that the ratio of skin to body in babies and children is much higher than in adults, you know how important it is to look critically at the contents of those eye catching bottles. For although we don’t have to start worrying straight away if we weren’t so particular about what we used in the past, it is better to avoid ingredients which are under discussion in the future. Just to be on the safe side!
Baby skin – which skincare products?
I know from experience that it isn’t easy finding suitable baby skin products. Because, as a brand new parent, you can find better ways in which to spend your time (a short nap for example….), I have put together a list of suitable baby products below.
Baby care and talcum powder…
One more last, but important, tip; avoid talcum powder! Luckily it is not very common, but if talcum powder is accidentally inhaled by a baby it can have major consequences. A scientific article has just been published in an Italian magazine for paediatric medicine which warns against the use of talcum powder on babies. If you click on it you can read the whole article…
“The use of talcum powder is incorrectly part of the traditional care of infants. Acute aspiration of baby powder is a very dangerous condition in childhood and several fatalities have been reported . Talcum Powder consist of about 90% talc (anhydrous magnesium silicate), the remainder being mainly magnesium carbonate or zinc oxide according to the preparation. Many inhalation accidents have been reported to have occurred during a nappy change.”Read the whole article here.
Zarqa Baby 3 in 1 Wash
Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium PEG-5 Laurylcitrate Sulfosuccinate, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-18 Glyceryl Oleate/ Cocoate, C12-C15 Alkyl Lactate, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Maris Sal (Dead Sea Salt), Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Panthenol, Citric Acid.
Zarqa Baby Sensitive Face & Body
Ingredients: Aqua, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Canola Oil, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Caprylyl Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Panthenol, Maris Sal (Dead Sea Salt), Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide.
Neutral Baby Badolie
Ingredients: Glycine Soja Oil, Canola Oil, PEG-25 Glyceryl Trioleate, PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Tocopherol en Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate.
Neutral Baby Crème
Ingredients: Aqua, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Cera Microcristallina, Dicocoyl Pentaerythrityl Distearyl Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tocopherol, Zinc Sulfate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aluminum Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Isostearate en Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate.
Neutral Baby Washgel
Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide en Sodium Benzoate.
Neutral Baby Huidolie
Ingredients: Glycine Soja Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Lecithin en Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate.
Urtekram Baby Olie No Perfume
Ingredients: Prunus amygdalus dulcis oil, simmondsia chinensis oil, brassica oleracea italica seed oil, tocopherol.
Urtekram Baby Body Lotion No Perfume
Ingredients: Aqua, simmondsia chinensis oil, prunus amygdalus dulcis oil, glycerin, butyrospermum parki butter, prunus armeniaca, kernel oil, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, glyceryl stearate se, zeamays starch, cetyl alcohol, citric acid, tocopherol.
Urtekram Baby Bad No Perfume
Ingredients: Aqua, glycerin, sodium cocoyl glutamate, coco-glucoside, glyceryl oleate, xanthan gum, citric acid.
Urtekram Baby Zink Zalf No Perfume
Ingredients: Shea butter, water, zinc oxide, almond oil, jojoba oil, vegetable fatty acids, glycerine, plant-based emulsifier, broccoli seed oil, cetyl alcohol, citric acid, vegetable vitamin E.
Urtekram Baby Shampoo No Perfume
Ingredients: Aqua, glycerin, coco-glucoside, sodium cocoyl glutamate, cocamidopropyl betaine, glyceryl oleate, xanthan gum, citric acid.
Bepanthen Baby Zalf
Ingredients: aqua, lanolin, paraffinum liquidum, petrolatum, panthenol, prunus dulcis, cera alba, cetyl-, stearyl alcohol, ozokerite, glyceryl oleate, lanolin alcohol.
Bbie Cosmetics Huitjeskrem
Ingredients: Aqua, Distarch Phosphate, Glycerin, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Stearic Acid, Orbignya Oleifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Glyceryl Stearate, Octyl Dodecanol Hydroxypropyl Guar, Macadamia Ternifolia Oil, Squalane, Phospholipids, Beta-glucan, Chitin, Palmitoyl PG-Linoleamide, Glycine Soja Sterol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Lactic Acid.
Bbie Cosmetics Haarloosjon
Ingredients: Aqua, Inulin, A
lpha-glucan Oligosaccharide, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate.
Bbie Cosmetics Oolie
Ingredients: prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil, Squalane, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene.
Dr. Bronner Magic Soap Baby Mild Vloeibaar
Ingredients: Water, Saponfied Organic Coconut Oil*, Saponified Organic Olive Oil, Organic Glycerin, Organic Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol.
Dr. Bronner Bodybalsem Baby-zacht
Ingredients: Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Persea Gratissima Oil, Organic Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Tocopherol
Nature Babycare ECO Wash
Ingredients:Aqua, Disodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid.
Nature Babycare Baby Shampoo
Ingredients: Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid.
Nature Babycare ECO Baby Lotion
Ingredients: Aqua, Sesamum Indicium Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid.
Nature Babycare Bath
Ingredients: Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Peg-8 Cocoate, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid.
Erbaviva Baby Lotion
Ingredients: De-ionized water, sweet almond oil, cetearyl wheat bran glycosides and cetearyl alcohol, avocado oil, algae extract, shea butter, jojoba oil, sodium PCA, stearyl alcohol, allantoin, potassium sorbate, organic mandarin peel oil and organic chamomile flower oil, tocopheral (vitamin E).
Weleda Calendula Every Day Oil
Ingredients: Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract.
You’ll find more information about baby skin care and children’s skin care in ‘Babycare‘ and ‘Perfume in (Too Many) Baby Products‘. Good luck!
Regards Jetske
(Dr. Jetske Ultee- Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)
Go to the page ‘Product advice’ here.
You can also read the blogs:
‘Sensitive Skin’,
‘Your Children in Direct Sunshine’,
‘Babycare‘ and
‘Help with Choosing Your Sun Cream’.