The Search For The Perfect Baby Skincare

My husband, son, and I have a long and sordid history with skin care. When he was just five months old, his sweet, soft, perfectly unflawed infant skin grew enflamed and rashy overnight. Nothing in his diet had changed. He hadn’t been exposed to any new clothes or soaps or detergents. We spent the next seven weeks desperately, frantically trying everything we could to ease the itch that was keeping him up all night long and leaving him red and raw by day.

Three months, several prescriptions, and three dozen products later, it was better. Maybe we landed on a secret combination of skin care regimens, maybe he outgrew the eczema, maybe it was a dietary allergen that we were finally able to avoid. The reality is we’ll never know for sure.

What we do know is baby skin is sensitive, and caring for it is complicated and unique to each child. When we finally found a combination of products that were safe to use and worked with our little one’s sensitive skin, we clung to that routine and never looked back. Here are a few of our favorites which we always keep close.

Coconut Oil

Price | $20

No matter how many expensive organic lotions with all natural ingredients that we tried, good old fashioned coconut oil works best for our little guy. I like that it’s just a single ingredient product so I know exactly what is being put on his skin and we prioritize organic and unrefined varieties so that it has the most nutritional value. He gets a full rub down after his bath each night, it soaks in quickly, and he smells delicious!

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Babyganics Bubble Bath

Price | $15

What would a childhood be without a good evening bubble bath? As the mother of a child with sensitive skin I was always nervous to expose him to any other unnecessary products, but when my toddler begged for bubbles I finally tried Babyganics Fragrance Free Bubble Bath and haven’t looked back. Easy to find, affordable, the organic plant-based product does not have any parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, petrolatum, artificial fragrances or dyes.

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Dr. Bronner’s Baby Wash

Price | $16

In an effort to further soothe his skin, we settled on a castile baby soap. Unlike many soaps made from petrochemicals or surfactants, this fragrance-free castile soap is made with coconut and olive oil for intense moisturizing properties. The product is not tear-free but it is so gentle on his skin and our little one has never seemed to mind. Dr. Bronner’s products are certified organic.

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Alba Child’s Sunscreen

Price | $9

Alba produces a line of safe sunscreens that are tear-free, water resistant, biodegradable, and gluten-free. Their ingredients are better for the environment and met my safety standards for our little one’s skin. The product rubs in easily, has no parabens, phthalates, or harsh sulfates, and is not tested on animals.

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Everyone Baby Chamomile + Lavender Lotion

Price | $7

When our child was a newborn, we used a soft silky lotion on our baby after his bath each night and fell in love with this one’s sweet lavender scent. Everyone is a certified B-Corporation, and its baby products are gluten-free and cruelty-free. Their lavender lotion is designed to soothe the senses and is especially gentle on brand new baby skin.

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Burt’s Bees Diaper Rash Ointment

Price | $8

Burt’s Bees was founded by a Maine artist and a local beekeeper, she produced products from his left over beeswax. Today their focus on a triple bottom line—people, profit, planet—has resulted in the creation of a wide range of natural and high quality skin and beauty products. Their diaper rash ointment is a natural and effective formula that does not contain any phthalates, parabens, or petrolatum. Its active ingredient is 40% zinc oxide which is balanced by sweet almond oil, creating a gentle but effective treatment for our little one time and again.

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Kassia Binkowski is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade and the Founder of One K Creative. She grew up in Madison, WI and traveled her way around the world to Boulder, CO which she now calls home. Nestled against the Rocky Mountains, Kassia supports innovative organizations from Colorado to Kathmandu tell their stories of social change through writing, photography, and design. Kassia is an eternal optimist and forever a backroad wanderer.

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