Newborn Skincare Products to Avoid: 3 Warning Signs

Choosing safe skin care products for a baby is a parent's responsibility. It would be a shame for a baby's soft skin to suffer problems like irritation and little bumps. So do you know which newborn skincare products to avoid? Curious? Here is the full rundown.

Signs of Skin Care Products That Aren't Good for Babies

1. Contains Alcohol

The first products to avoid when choosing skin care for a baby are those that contain alcohol. This ingredient isn't inherently dangerous, but a baby's skin is still vulnerable and easily irritated by it. It is also a popular ingredient in adult skin care products.

You can tell whether a product contains alcohol by reading the ingredient list. Sometimes alcohol is listed under another name, ethanol. The percentage varies, and it is most common in liquid products, where it helps the product dry faster on the skin.

2. Contains Added Fragrance

The second sign of a poor newborn care product is added fragrance or perfume. As long as the scent comes from natural ingredients, it isn't much of a problem. But if the scent comes from chemicals, the chance of skin irritation goes up.

Irritation takes many forms. It usually starts with itching and a red rash. These symptoms appear more often in skin folds such as the neck. Irritation also often shows up on a baby's back, because that area is always covered by clothing and gets damp with sweat.

3. pH That Is Too Acidic

You should also avoid products with an unbalanced pH, whether too acidic or too alkaline. An unbalanced pH is another reason a baby's skin develops problems. A product may not irritate adult skin, but a baby's skin is far more vulnerable.

Look for newborn care products with "pH neutral" or "pH balanced" on the front of the package. Moms are often confused about the difference between neutral pH and "mild" or "ultra mild." A product labeled "mild" has a pH close to that of a baby's skin, but that doesn't guarantee the pH is neutral.

That's a brief look at the 3 things to avoid when choosing products for a baby. As your child gets older, you can gradually try more general products. The goal is to let your child's skin slowly adapt to ingredients it has never touched directly before.