In most cases, washing a baby’s skin with warm water is enough, or use a mild soap. There is no need to coat a baby’s skin with chemicals (or essential oils) nor block pores with mineral oils. Avoid talcum powder, it’s linked to ovarian cancer and increasingly banned in many countries.
Coraline Skincare makes soaps for sensitive skin (there are two scent-free versions in Nettle or Chamomile that are suitable for babies from 3 months plus). This company was founded after the parents of a baby born with Down Syndrome found conventional skincare was too harsh. So they developed their own soaps. Store the soaps on a dry facecloth (or slatted soap dish) between uses, to dry them out between uses, to avoid them going soggy.
It’s not true that ‘soap dries your skin out’. That holds true for commercial soap, the kind sold in chemists and supermarkets. These are mostly made with palm oil (sodium palmate) or beef fat (sodium tallowate) and have the moisturising glycerine removed to sell to industry (or are made into those translucent fruity bars, which won’t dry your skin, but won’t clean it either). Switch to proper handmade soap for a month, and notice the difference.
Green People Baby Wash & Shampoo is scent-free and sold in easy-to-recycle packaging. With no harsh foaming agents, a little goes a long way of this product that can also be used as an organic bubble bath. Ideal for babies with skin allergies, eczema or cradle cap, it also contains healing aloe vera and yucca (for lather). Keep zinc oxide away from pets.
For dry skin, try rubbing in their organic softening baby lotion (also scent-free) that again contains healing aloe vera plus calming calendula (also good for expectant mothers).
cold-pressed raw coconut oil (for babies)
Kokoso Coconut Oil is made from quality cold-pressed raw coconut oil, ideal to calm rashes and eczema-prone skin (which often has a dietary cause, even from breastfeeding mothers). You can use it to nourish dry skin, soothe nappy rash, apply to cradle cap or use on yourself as a rich skin cleanser or after-sun lotion. Coconut oil melts in warm weather, so store in the fridge upright, and it resets. These coconuts are harvested by humans (not monkeys).
Use with a silicone baby bath brush to gently brush away flakes for cradle cap. The Konjac baby sponge is made from Japanese potato fibre and can be cut up and composted after use. Perfect with plain water or create a nourishing lather with scent-free baby soap.
an organic baby balm (from Isle of Wight)
Earth Conscious Baby Balm (Isle of Wight) is made from organic virgin coconut oil, shea butter, almond and apricot kernel oil. Packed with fatty acids, it’s ideal for dry patches or nappy rash cream. Also good on adult chapped lips. Discontinue if irritation occurs. Do not use on broken skin, avoid eye area.
a calming multi-purpose face & body powder
Novapure Naturals is a face & body powder made with organic oats, arrowroot, kaolin clay, chamomile and calendula. Ideal to prevent rashes, there are before/after photos on the website of people who have been healed in weeks or days (sometimes hours) after use.
Keep this powder away from water and open flame. Keep away from pets, as it contains zinc (also found in sunscreens, wash off before letting pets lick you!) Although vets may wish to look at this site, as there is a before/after healing of a canine wound, perhaps taking out the zinc for a pet version?
The product was created by a mother who found through feedback that it was giving incredible results for people with psoriasis, spots and acne, and also work on eczema, chafe and athlete’s foot. It has a shelf life of 12 months (store out of direct sunlight and heat and avoid getting wet or soiled). Sold in travel tins with refills, so nothing goes to landfill.
