Did you know that September is Baby Safety Month? It is, and it began in 1983 by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. Each September, it stands to increase awareness surrounding consumer baby products — the good and the bad, and how to protect your baby with all the products you use.
And honestly, we can all benefit from gravitating toward a more natural lifestyle that is free of chemicals and synthetic ingredients, but it’s even more important when it comes to your baby. Because this month is dedicated to the awareness of what’s good for your baby, here’s a few reasons why natural skincare and organic ingredients are beneficial for your baby and their soft, delicate skin.
- A baby’s skin is new, fresh and more permeable than an adult’s. Not only are babies more prone to infections and illnesses, but they’re also more susceptible to reactions and adverse effects from products that contain harsh chemicals. Their health and the health of their skin will benefit more from very gentle and nourishing ingredients.
- Skin is our largest organ, and it’s on the outside of our bodies — it’s constantly exposed to toxins and environmental elements that we can't always control. What we can control is what we choose to use on our babies' skin. It just makes sense to use harmless, nourishing and natural ingredients to protect the body’s largest organ.
- Parents often err on the side of caution when introducing new foods to their babies, so as to avoid allergic reactions or at least precisely pinpoint what caused a reaction. We should act the same way with the types of skin care we use on our babies. The fewer ingredients, the better, especially if they’re ones you can identify and pronounce! Natural ingredients can cause reactions too, sometimes, but the fewer ingredients in a product, the easier it will be to identify which one is irritating to your baby’s skin.
- Babies’ skin gets very dry, very easily. Using products full of chemicals defeats the purpose of keeping skin properly hydrated. Many of the chemical ingredients in baby’s skin care is drying to the skin. Rather, look for gentle, nourishing, natural ingredients that will moisturize skin the right way.
- Natural products exist more seamlessly in the environment — it’s a no-brainer. So choosing natural products for your little one is just another way to do your part in being eco-friendly.
- Synthetic, chemical ingredients can be endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors can interfere with hormones in the human body and can disrupt a body’s natural functional abilities. When this happens, hormonal processes that are interrupted can lead to a number of diseases like diabetes, obesity, learning and cognitive disabilities and fertility issues. We’re all at risk when exposed to endocrine disruptors, but children and babies tend to be even more vulnerable.
So now that you know about some of the risks involved with using chemical, synthetic ingredients on your babies’ skin, here are some of those ingredients you should look for and absolutely avoid.
- Parabens (artificial preservatives)
- Phthalates
- Fragrance
- Dimethicone
- Petrochemicals, often in the form of mineral oil, paraffin or petrolatum
It’s more than just “playing it safe.”
Choose skin care for your baby based on what you know is safe for them, and make informed decisions to avoid what we also know to be harmful to their delicate skin. Nurture My Body’s baby care is EWG certified, contains certified organic ingredients, is cruelty free and is eco-friendly. It takes special care of their delicate skin and delivers hydrating, nourishing ingredients their skin needs.
Shop all Nurture My Body Baby Care products — give them the best in natural, gentle hair care.