Baby skincare

What products should I use on my baby’s skin? 

There are so many skincare products out there. It’s hard to know which ones to go with and which ones to avoid, especially when we are talking about our baby’s delicate skin. My biggest piece of advice would be to look at the ingredients. This is easier said than done because when you’re out shopping with your little one, you may not have time to stand there reading the ingredients.   

In general, I would recommend going with all natural ingredients and if you can, then buy organic. I would also suggest you avoid any fragrances as these could irritate your baby’s skin. 

A lot of us like to use lavender, so here are a few tips:  

• Choose a product that uses a lavender essential oil and not a lavender fragrance oil 
• Get yourself some lavender buds, pop them into an organza bag and hang it on the door handle 
• Mix 0.25 – 1g (depending on the age of your baby*) of organic lavender essential oil with 100g of carrier oil (sweet almond oil is a good option). You can then use this homemade lavender oil as a bath oil  
• Make your own DIY lavender body butter (recipe below)  

*It is advised that you should not use essential oils on babies under 3 months. Between 3 – 12 months you are best using 0.25% concentration. Between 1 and 3 years, a concentration of 0.5% and 1% should be ok. Always follow the instructions on the product you are buying.  

Look at the ingredients list

Next time you take a look at a baby eczema cream for your little one, have a look at the ingredients list. It is likely a long one, filled with names of things that you might not recognise.

A lot of the ingredients appear to be there to improve the texture of the product and there will be quite a few preservatives added. Preservatives need to be added to all products that contain water. All the ingredients should have been approved safe however some of them can lead to skin irritation.  

This is a list of the ingredients used in our Calendula Balm:

Organic calendula oil, organic unrefined shea butter, unrefined beeswax, pure vitamin E oil, organic manuka essential oil, organic lavender essential oil 

All of these ingredients are chosen for the benefits they have to the skin. My concept is to keep it simple and only add ingredients that need to be there.  

What is the difference between natural, organic, vegan, and synthetic?  

I have been asked this question a lot – “your products are organic so they must be vegan right?” Wrong…  

Some of my products contain beeswax due to the amazing properties it has. Beeswax is not vegan therefore not all of my products are vegan, however most of them are.  

All of the products I sell contain 100% natural ingredients. I use 100% organic ingredients where I can. The only time I do not use an organic ingredient is when it is not organically possible; salt being an example as it is a mineral, not an agricultural product so cannot be certified organic.  

Key terms

Natural – A natural ingredient is a compound that comes from the plant, mineral, animal, or microbial kingdom. 

Organic – An organic ingredient is grown without artificial pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. Organic meat, eggs, and dairy products are obtained from animals that are fed natural feed and not given any food containing artificial ingredients.  

Vegan – A vegan ingredient must not contain animal products or by-products, and it must not be tested on animals.  

Synthetic – These ingredients are not natural. They are man-made in a lab. 

Which products do I use on my daughter’s skin and why?  

When it comes to washing my daughter, Lily’s, skin, I use an oat and milk powder mix. It contains organic finely ground oats, organic coconut milk powder, and organic cow’s milk powder. You simply pour a little powder onto your hand, sprinkle some water on top and rub your hands together to form a paste. That paste is then used instead of soap for washing. It’s a great natural alternative that you can buy or make yourself. 

When Lily was a baby, she developed eczema from an early age. The doctor prescribed emollients and steroid creams, however after looking at the ingredients and doing some research, I didn’t want to put them onto her delicate skin. Using all my experience in aromatherapy and skincare, I decided to create my own eczema balm, and it worked! Not only did it work for Lily, but it has worked for hundreds of others too and it is my best seller. If you want to know more, you can find my Calendula Balm here.  

I also use a lavender body butter on Lily. I don’t currently sell this, however I am going to give you a really simple recipe, so you can make your own body butter at home.  

DIY lavender body butter  

Ingredients

• 70g unrefined shea butter  
• 20g olive oil  
• 10g coconut oil  
• 1g lavender oil  

Method

• Melt the shea butter in a double boiler* 
• Add the coconut oil and mix until melted  
• Add the olive oil and mix for 1 minute on a low heat  
• Pop into the freezer for 45 minutes or the fridge for around 6 hours  
• Add the lavender essential oil and whisk  

*You can make a simple double boiler by filling a saucepan up with 2 inches of water, then add your metal or glass bowl so it sits on top (or you can use two saucepans – one small inside one medium one).

Click here for more DIY skincare recipes.