Baby toiletries – those cute soaps and baby lotions always sound so nice to use and parents automatically buy them, thinking that if something is labelled for use by a baby then it should be soft and gentle. There are even toiletry brands which sell themselves as helping to promote sleepiness and calmness – very tempting for parents to pick this type of bubble bath in preference to others.
Unfortunately a newborn’s skin is so sensitive and susceptible to rashes you may have to think again about using baby toiletries. A baby can have an allergic reaction to what looks to be the most simple of cleansers, even those labelled just for a baby or sensitive skin. Your skin absorbs around 60% of products applied to it and Green People estimates that the average woman will absorb about 2kg of chemicals through toiletries and cosmetics over one year, up to 75,000 different chemicals! We all know how sensitive a baby’s skin is and rates of eczema are rising fast with almost a third of babies now suffering from it.
Many people think that the chemicals in the potions and lotions that we use are to blame. Even some so called “natural” products contain a range of chemicals that are believed to cause or exacerbate skin conditions or be carcinogenic, even if they are originally plant derived.Worryingly, a product needs to have only 1% natural ingredients to be legally labelled “natural”.
Natural baby skin care products including natural baby oil and chemical free toiletries are no longer the preserve of the health food shop but are widely available on the high street or from specialist internet companies. The Soil Association estimate that there will be a 20% increase in the number of licensed organic manufacturers this year, reflecting the huge surge in demand for natural skin care, especially amongst families with young children.