In search for products that will be gentle on our skin, many of us reach for baby stuff. After all, a shampoo that is meant for a newborn's tender chicken-fluff hair must be the gentlest thing on earth, right ?
Not necessarily. In fact, many baby products aren't very different from the normal stuff, except of course for the words "tender and gentle"
and the smiling infant on the label.Other products may be gentler, but may will fall behind in comparison with organic and natural cosmetic products for adults.
But don't worry, there do exist products that are very gentle and fine to use, both on babies and on sensitive adult skin.
(However, I do advocate using home-made stuff on infants, for example whey water in the bath, or pure almond oil instead of "baby oil", water-wet tissue instead of baby wipes, when possible.)SO, how can tell which is which ?
The short way:Buy baby products from natural or organic companies, that way the chances are much higher that you are using stuff that is gentle and not harmful.
Germany has the "oeko test" labels on mainstream products that certify that a product is free from harmful chemicals. Many other countries have equivalent certificates.
The long way:inform yourself, and read the labels.
This is how you go about it:
- Watch out for added perfumes.
Perfumes make cosmetic products smell nice, make the user feel good, and increase sales. But most perfumes can irritate skin, so they should be avoided by anyone with sensitive skin, rosaceae (link here), and of course by infants. If a product does not say "free from added perfumes", stay away from it. If you want a delicate fragrance, you can add pure lavender essential oil; since it's exceptionally gentle.
- Baby shampoos may not be the gentlest thing on earth
Ever hear of cradle cap ? It's a kind of baby dandruff, and many shampoos are formulated to remove it, so they are not exactly the gentlest thing on earth. (FYI cradle cap is absolutely harmless, and is best left alone since kids grow out of it. Scrubbing it away in earl infancy may damage the delicate hair follicles.)
Update#: read
this fantastic post from Paraben-free princess on Johnsons&Johnsons baby shampoo
Most baby shampoo doesn't have it anymore, but you may never be certain untill you check the label. SLS is one of the most common irritating chemicals in cosmetics. Read my post on SLS
here.
- If it says "Mineral oil", put it away
Mineral oil is a common ingredient in baby oils, creams, and even bathing productc. The word “mineral” makes it sound like something natural, but in fact it is a crude oil derived from petroleum. Instead, look for
plant-derived oils, such as almond oil, wheat germ oil or olive oil.Read more on mineral oil and other "minerals"
here.
- Baby powder: avoid talc like hellfire
Talc is chemically identical to asbestos, and causes cancer. Look for cornstarch based products.
- Choose cruelty-free products !
If you need to know why, go
here.
More info:
Cancer-causing Chemical Found in Children's Bath Products
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