Cosmetics for children - what to look for when choosing?

The skin of newborns and infants is very thin and delicate. The epidermis is not very elastic and has a different reaction than the skin of adults, so you need to pay special attention to the care and selection of cosmetics. The most important thing is to take care of cleanliness and prevent flare-ups, abrasions and allergic reactions. For older children, too, choose mild baby cosmetics - cleansers and care products.

Some of the most important rules:

• the less cosmetics at the beginning, the better
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• natural means
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• allergologically and dermatologically tested preparations
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• preparations with certificates, e.g. from the National Institute of Hygiene or the Institute of Mother and Child
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• only cosmetics intended for use from the first month of life
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• best organic, certified cosmetics
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• welcome vegan
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• moms should use gentle cosmetics designed for pregnant and nursing women, because the bean will also come into contact with them
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What to pay special attention to in caring for a newborn baby?

Bathing

Bathing a newborn is an important part of newborn care, and should be an almost daily ritual. If the baby isn't sweaty and the heat isn't reigning outside, it can sometimes be skipped, as long as the bottom area is thoroughly cleaned at each diaper change and the skin folds and neck are washed daily. The toddler should be bathed for about five or ten minutes. At the end of the bath you can add a little mild newborn wash to the water. In general, during the first month of a toddler's life, it is not recommended to use any cosmetics.

Emollients are used only if there is a need, for example, the doctor or doctor found atopic dermatitis. A drop of such an agent will help lubricate the skin. The skin may peel a few weeks after birth and this is a normal physiological process. The baby is getting rid of the epidermis from fetal life and there is no reason to worry. Especially at the toes, the skin may peel more.

Paradoxically, clean water is the most important cosmetic for a baby from birth to two years of age. Wash a few-day-old and a few-week-old bobo with clean water, even on days he is not bathed. Gently wipe the skin with cotton balls soaked in warm water (it can be boiled) and bathe in water with an additive (only if there are problems such as AD, emollient). Wipe the eyes from the outside to the inside. Do not rub, just dry them gently. After bathing, you do not need to lubricate the baby's bottom area with anti-burn cream at all. Use it only when necessary, i.e. when a flare-up occurs. The cream with panthenol and calendula extract soothes and regenerates the skin. We recommend Linea MammaBaby: cream with panthenol Crema Pantenolo. We advise against backfill and talc. They are on our no-no list.

Instead of giving the baby a bath

It is important to wash the face, folds and, of course, the baby's bottom with water every day. Wash it with water every time you change it. For outings, choose disposable water-soaked wipes, such as WaterWipes. Do not wash the skin of toddlers with wipes with other agents, because the thin skin does not tolerate them as well as in adults, and possible harmful substances penetrate more easily into the body. In addition, other ingredients can cause other unwanted side effects.

Toddler bath cosmetics

Baby cosmetics with emollients are second only to pure water. Use them very little, and preferably not at all. Even the best baby products can sensitize babies. An emollient should be used in case of skin problems, such as when a newborn's skin is peeling. However, it should not be used if there is seborrheic dermatitis, as it will further clog the pores.

The baby's skin will be protected already with the use of a minimal amount of bath lubricant. You will then not allow irritation. The infant needs to be a few to several minutes while changing without a diaper and clothes, so that the skin can breathe freely. Remember, however, not to let it get cold, and cover it gently with a loose diaper or airy blanket.

Immediately after bathing, you can, if necessary, apply a special diaper cream to prevent diaper rash, such as Azeta Bio: organic diaper cream with Inca Inchi oil.

A good option created with 95% organic ingredients is a product from the brand Azeta Bio: rice starch bath emollient for babies. This is a vegan cosmetic, so it will appeal to parents who also have the welfare of animals at heart. Alternatively, regular potato starch will also work.

If flare-ups have appeared we lubricate the bottom with anti-burn cream with panthenol. Tis the most important active ingredient of such specifics. Doctors do not recommend prophylactic use to prevent problems, as the skin needs to breathe). Creams with zinc oxide can sensitize children, so use them with caution and only against flare-ups after medical advice. There are quite a few brands to choose from that have such creams in their range. The safest is to use ordinary potato flour for flare-ups and hot weather. Flour is organic and completely safe, it is not allergenic, and it absorbs moisture well.

How to choose other baby cosmetics

• Purchase and choose only unscented and infant formulas. Most importantly, make sure they are tested, approved for use and preferably contain only natural ingredients.
• In our opinion, you should choose cosmetics that are approved for infants. This basic one is certified by the National Institute of Hygiene, you can also look for additional recommendations from the Institute of Mother and Child or the Children's Health Center.
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• Check the composition of products. Despite the fact that petroleum jelly and cosmetic paraffin are well-purified, they are not natural products, and they are not air permeable, so try to avoid them.
• Cosmetics for the youngest should be without all perfumes, dyes and other unnecessary ingredients. They can sensitize or cause other side effects.
• The percentage composition is easy to determine, as the manufacturer is required to list it in quantitative order from the main ingredient to the one with the least percentage. Therefore, it is worth checking whether the beneficial substances are sufficiently abundant.
• Do not use adult formulations, as they irritate the baby's skin. Check from what age a particular cosmetic is allowed to use. Never bend this rule.
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• . Also pay attention to how creams and lotions are stored in the store - they should be away from heat sources, not exposed to direct sunlight. It is best to find something that stood in a shady, cool and dry place.

Certifications regarding the origin of products are also an important indicator of the quality of cosmetics. Well-known and recognized certifications include, for example, ECOCERT, COSMOS ORGANIC, NaTrue, BDIH, Soil Association or the EU green leaf signifies. An organic cosmetic that meets the green leaf requirements is one whose composition consists of at least 95% organic ingredients. It must also meet other strict conditions for the remaining 5% of ingredients. A cream or oil with one or more of the above certifications does not contain synthetic ingredients or artificial ingredients.

If the bean has skin problems, such as atopic dermatitis, only cosmetics designed for babies with such problems should be used. Otherwise, the problems will intensify. If the toddler has sweats, let's check that he doesn't overheat, that clothes and diapers are only made of natural fabrics. Also consult a pediatrician.

For easier selection, there are ready-made nursing kitsfor babies available on the market. We recommend, for example, "Welcome baby" by Hagi:

• Natural oil with poppy seed oil
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• Natural face and body cream with apricot oil
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• Natural baby soap with rice oil
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• Natural body and hair gel with sweet almond oil
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• Products dermatologically tested
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• Natural diaper cream with hemp oil
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Almond oil is a good ingredient, versatile for the whole family and mild. Rice oil, apricot oil and hemp oil are also good choices for toddlers. Also a good choice is the gentle brand Lullalove face and body cream which can be used from the first days of life.

Lullalove brand MammaBaby has prepared several products that are completely sufficient for the care of a small child.

You can possibly use a bathing set consisting of a facecloth and a towel, but that's later. The flannel should be washed at a high temperature after each bath. If the skin peels, you can gently try an emollient or face and body cream, such as Linea MammaBaby: face and body cream Crema Viso Corpo.

Greater rascals may benefit from a gentle spray to detangle tangled hair, such as from Dandydill Way. It can be used from the age of six months, but will probably be useful a little later.

What remedy for painful teething

If erupting teeth are a painful problem, you can relieve the pain with special gels. You can also massage the gums gently, and use a so-called first brush to spread the gel. An example of organic and certified specifics is Alphanova Bebe: organic teething soothing gel. which contains soothing chamomile, honey, valerian and other natural ingredients.

For gel application and first tooth brushing, we recommend mini adult finger brushes, such as Jack N' Jill: 2 x silicone finger brush.

What else to keep in mind when choosing cosmetics for children?

From the age of two, children already tolerate more, so we don't have to be as careful as at the beginning, but continue to buy only cosmetics for the youngest. Washing agents should be mild, so that they do not excessively dry the skin or cause irritation.

The rules mentioned above continue to apply, but slowly children can begin to choose cosmetics for themselves. Soaps should be gentle and designed for children. A lot of soaps dry out the skin and sometimes promote the formation of eczema, so bar soaps with precious oils are better. From the age of three, you can start adding variety to baths with colorful and lubricating bath salts, or bath balls. Such peculiarities often contain cleansing and lubricating agents such as avocado or grape seed oil.

We especially recommend:

• Dirty Birdy bath set Dresdner Essenz
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• bath salt with bee pollen Lullalove
• attentiveness bath house Dresdner Essenz.
• Cosmic Bath Bomb bath ball Nailmatic.
• canned bath set Naimatic

• children's soaps Nailmatic

Specially recommended are:

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  Bukowy Las: Montessori from Birth - a book by Simone Davies, best-selling author of "Montessori in your home"which provides practical tips to help understand the needs of children who cannot yet speak. Designed for parents who want to replace anxiety and stress in parent-child relationships with mutual respect and understanding. The authors draw extensively on the principles developed by Maria Montessori.

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  Beech Forest: Montessori in Your Home - the first part of two books by Simone Davis that will help introduce the principles developed by Maria Montessori. It will come in handy especially when your child has already outgrown infancy. Thanks to it you will learn about the reasoning of a two-year-old and a two-year-old, and it will be easier to raise a child who is brave and curious about the world while setting boundaries.

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When writing we used:

1. Children Without Cost. A guide to not buying, Cozza Giorgia, year of publication 2014, publisher: Relation Publishing Group
2. Practical Medicine Portal
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