Figuring out what skincare products to use with a newborn can feel a little scary, especially if you are a mom who studies the ingredients label on the back of every baby lotion bottle.
Today I am going to share with you some great resources and general information on how to find the best baby skin care products for you and your little one.
Newborn skin care can be a very delicate matter. As your baby’s immune system develops in the early months, you want to make sure you are using very mild soaps and a small amount of lotion. Your newborn baby will need dye-free and fragrance-free skincare products.
Some things you should look out for when shopping:
- Read labels carefully
- Baby products can contain dyes, fragrances, and chemicals that could irritate your baby’s skin and breathing.
- If you have allergies or asthma in your family, your newborn may be sensitive to botanicals and herbs in some products.
- Look for labels that are Phthalate-free and Paraben-free. These chemicals can be harmful to your baby.
- “Hypoallergenic” can be misleading. This term means that it is less likely to cause a reaction, but it still might not be the most gentle option on the skin.
If I am being honest, I didn’t do a lot of research into this with my son, and we were very fortunate that he didn’t have any reaction to the soap brand we used. We also lathered him up with lotion, which in hindsight was not the best idea. Not to mention he initially HATED bath time for the first 5 months of his life. He would scream most of his bath and again when we tried to lotion him up. It became a challenge to see how fast my husband and I could get him ready for bed so he would only cry the shortest amount of time possible. We also would give really big cheesy smiles when we had to clean his chubby neck folds because that was what made him most upset …We lovingly called it the lost city of “Atlantis” because it was hard to find and keep clean.
Dry skin, eczema, and diaper rash are other skin reactions you may need to treat for your newborn. Make sure you are treating them right away. You should always talk to your pediatrician about when to start using products for those types of rashes.
My son had eczema on and off since he was a newborn. We first tried the Aveeno eczema night cream and it didn’t work very well for us, so we tried the Eucerin baby eczema cream after my friend who is a pediatric NP suggested it. It worked wonders for his breakouts and we have been using it ever since. Once in awhile we have a little flare up, but it has pretty much resolved at this point.
Some of the natural diaper rash creams I have tried include:
(These are affiliate links. They are all products that I have bought with my own money and tried with my son.)
Tom’s of Maine Fragrance Free Baby Diaper Cream
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste: Natural
The Honest Company Rapid Relief Diaper Rash Cream
Out of these options, Toms and Boudreaux were the best brands for my son. They both had a good paste consistency and worked well creating a barrier on the skin and healing the rash.
The consistency of the other two brands I did not like as much. The Cetaphil cream was too thin and the Honest Company was a little too oily and felt a little gritty too.
Other baby skin products to think about are:
- Baby Oil and Baby Powder:
These are classics and were probably used on you by your parents. They have since become more irrelevant. Baby oil is better used as a massage oil for newborn skin because newborn skin does not absorb it well. I used baby oil to massage into my sons scalp when he had cradle cap and it worked very well for loosening up his dry skin and keeping his scalp from drying out. Lotion didn’t work for him.
Baby powders are not recommended to use anymore. The talc in baby powder can cause breathing problems. Make sure to read up on it and consult your pediatrician before deciding to use on your newborn.
Last but not least…
Let’s talk baby detergent. Make sure to use a detergent that is free of perfumes and dyes. Normal detergents are harsh for baby skin. Same rules apply for dryer sheets or fabric softeners.
Additional Resources for all natural baby skincare:
https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/natural-baby-care-products
https://www.whattoexpect.com/baby-products/organic-baby-skincare-products/
https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/safe-product-guides/baby-wash
Free products and samples for soon to be moms:
https://aeroflowbreastpumps.com/blog/8-pregnancy-freebies-every-mom-should-know-about
For an in depth directory of cruelty-free products check out:
Stay Resilient <3 Mika