Skin care for infants and young children is an area of special concern for many people, and for good reason. There are many products and ingredients that are potentially harmful to young skin, and my goal here is not to provide a complete overview of what to buy and what to avoid, but rather to highlight some key facts and ingredients to consider before applying anything to your skin. baby. skin.
Baby’s skin is much finer and more delicate than that of an adult and most of the unnatural substances applied to it can damage it or be absorbed internally through the skin and interfere with internal metabolism. Some of them are called endocrine disruptors and mimic human hormones that upset their balance. In babies they can be quite harmful. Others are indirectly related to cancer.
Therefore, only organic ingredients such as vegetable oils, some safe herbal extracts, or talc-free powders should be applied to a baby’s skin. Vegetable oils are very similar to the skin chemistry of babies (and adults too!) And will act as deep penetrating moisturizers without damaging it. Petroleum jelly and other petroleum products (it will read “petroleum jelly” on the INCI label) should be avoided due to their ability to cover and clog skin pores along with most man-made chemicals that are added to cosmetics for different purposes, for example, sodium lauryl sulfate. (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), Parabens, Fragrances (can cause skin reactions, allergies …), Formaldehyde, etc.
Although there are some rules and regulations for the sale of baby skin care products, in my opinion they are inadequate: many products on the market, such as so-called “Baby Oils”, are made from petroleum.
Instead of petroleum-based products, I recommend that you choose baby products made with light organic vegetable oils such as almond, sunflower, olive, etc. Interestingly, these ingredients are present in the popular traditions of many countries.
Ideally, if you are pregnant, you should also take into account everything you apply to your skin: this is such an important moment for both the mother and the future baby. All the new cells produced to build the new body, like bricks, come from the food the mother eats and from her internal chemistry. It goes without saying that unnatural ingredients applied to the skin can interfere with this wonderful process, even cosmetics that can be partially absorbed through the skin into the system. Why would you want more than the best possible start to life for your baby?