Alexandra Ramirez
1. Johnson’s
Best Overall Baby Body Wash
5/5 Product Rating
Johnson and Johnson Head-to-Toe wash is much milder than traditional baby and is dye free, hypoallergenic and has been tested by dermatologists and allergists. It is also soap free which prevents over-drying of the skin.
This no more tears formula is gentle on the eyes even if they splash soapy water in them. Johnson and Johnson takes bath time to a whole new level with products that allow you to cleanse and soothe your baby in a way that has them loving bath time rather than dreading it.
You won’t have to worry about your baby’s skin becoming irritated or drying out. The Head-to-Toe wash is hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. It is gentle enough to use on your baby on its very first day in the world.
Since a baby has ten times more sensitive skin than adults, it is very important that the baby body wash you use on your baby is super mild and non-irritating. Washing your baby with this product is very easy.
You can wash them every day with it if you want to or wash them every other day and use it on a washcloth in between baths. All you need to do is wet the baby’s hair and body using warm, not hot water, apply the wash either with your hand or a washcloth, lather it up and rinse the, clean gently until all soap residue is gone.
– Linda Krantz
2. Mustela
Best Overall Baby Body Wash – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
It is the perfect baby wash and shampoo to take with you while traveling. Mustela 2-in-1 is soap free and perfect for all ages, even moms. Giving your baby a bath has many benefits including great bonding time with your baby.
It is soothing and relaxing to them so they sleep better, moisturizing their skin and getting them clean and smelling great. It is hypoallergenic, parables and phthalate free and smells good too.
– Linda Krantz
3. Aveeno
Best Budget Baby Body Wash
4.4/5 Product Rating
Pediatricians recommend this product due to the blending of natural oat extract that can lather up into a rich, soap-free lather that rinses clean and doesn’t leave the baby’s skin tight and dry. Aveeno Baby Wash and Shampoo is hypoallergenic and can be used every day, even on newborns.
Colloidal oatmeal has very hydrating properties which is why using this on your baby’s skin helps it, it doesn’t harm it. All of the Aveeno baby products are from the same moisturizing formula and are very gentle on even the most sensitive of skin.
Very young babies don’t need baths every night but giving them 2 to 3 warm baths a week is perfect. This is the best amount to give that will leave your baby’s skin soft, moisturized and healthy.
– Linda Krantz
Baby Body Wash Buying Guide
What is a Baby Body Wash?
Baby body wash is a super mild, gentle cleanser that parents use to bathe their babies with. It is almost always tear free and hypoallergenic since babies’ skin is 10 times more sensitive than adults. It’s easy to strip away the oils that keep the skin moisturized without meaning to. This is why babies will sometimes get that dry, peeling skin on their arms and hands after birth.
With the right baby body wash, the chances of this happening are greatly reduced. So how do you choose a baby body wash? There are several factors involved that will help parents choose the right baby body wash. We have outlined them below.
Characteristics of a Good Baby Body Wash?
- Tear free- This is an important feature because getting soap in the eyes hurts an adult, you can imagine how much it burns a little baby’s eyes. Check reviews to make sure that customers are saying that their children did not have any trouble with the baby body wash you are considering, irritating or burning the eyes. If it does not say tear free on the bottle, it is most definitely not, even if it says baby wash or shampoo.
- Hypoallergenic – Since a baby’s skin is so sensitive, you want to be sure that you look for baby body wash that is hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic means that it is not prone to cause allergic reactions in babies and will not usually cause any kind of irritations or problems. This is another ingredient that you will see listed on the bottle somewhere.
- All Natural – There are many baby body washes on the market that use more natural ingredients. Natural ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, has very nurturing properties for your baby’s skin. All natural baby body wash tends to be very mild, and have fewer chemicals if any. It is a great option if environmental friendliness is important to you.
- Lightly Scented – One of the wonderful things about giving your baby a bath is that wonderful “baby” smell they have afterwards. While body washes with heavy scents can be overpowering, not to mention filled with chemicals and fragrance, a lightly scented choice is not usually a problem and produces the same result. Some parents opt to use unscented baby body wash and just use baby lotion after the bath for that terrific smell.
- Good Value – Look for bottles that are a good value. You will buy a lot of baby body wash in your baby’s lifetime, so choosing the right kind at the right price is important, especially if you are trying to be economical. Sometimes, baby body wash comes in two packs and gives you a reduced price for the second one because you bought two.
What if Your Baby Has Bad Allergies?
There are several ingredients that are in the lion’s share of baby products that have been linked to skin problems or at the very least, contributing to them. If your baby has super sensitive skin or major allergies, the ingredients below are the ones you will want to reduce or eliminate exposure to.
- 1,4-dioxane – This is usually added to baby wash to create suds and has been linked to causing cancer. Many of the baby wash companies have removed this ingredient from their washes, but a quick check on the label will let you know for sure.
- Quarternium 15 – This ingredient is a preservative that kills bacteria by releasing formaldehyde. This is not good to have around your baby at all so this is another ingredient that you don’t want to find on the label. If it is on the label of your baby products, reduce the amount of times per week that you use it on the baby.
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Phthalates – The medical community and environmental health advocates are warning parents about the potential dangers of this commonly seen ingredient. These ingredients are also know as endocrine disruptors and can cause negative effects to the body’s hormonal system. Phthalates have been shown to reduce the levels of sex hormones that are critical for the functioning and development of sex organs.
Messing with a baby’s hormonal systems can have really bad effects on the child as they grow up and cause serious problems. Babies are very susceptible to this ingredient. In the Journal of Pediatrics, a study was published that showed 81% of babies were found to have very high levels of phthalates in their systems after using shampoos, washes, powders and lotions that had phthalates in them.
- Fragrance is Another Word for Phthalates – The word fragrance is very misleading for parents. Many think that fragrance is just the natural scent, for example, lavender, but the truth is “fragrance” is just another word for phthalates. It can also contain other allergens, synthetic musks and hundreds of other chemicals. Look for products that are fragrance free, parables free and phthalate free if you are having trouble with your baby’s skin reacting poorly to products.
Steps to Reduce Bad Reactions in Babies with Sensitive Skin
We have listed some tips for you below that will help you choose baby body wash and other products that don’t have the harmful chemicals in them that can cause problems for a baby that has super sensitive skin or lots of rashes. These could be your culprits and it gives you a place to start checking.
- Fragrance free- Added fragrance unfortunately means added chemicals. Just because the product says fragrance free doesn’t mean everything is perfectly safe though, so pay attention to the other ingredients. If you find products with fragrance in them, minimize the amount of times per week you use it on your baby or go for the fragrance free varieties.
- No Baby Powder – There are studies that are linking powder to an increase in ovarian cancer and that link talcum to respiratory problems. Although it may make the baby smell good, the risks outweigh the risks.
- Don’t Bathe the Baby Every Day – Even though you may see indications that a daily bath is needed for an infant, the truth is the opposite. Giving your baby a bath maybe 2-3 days per week is so much better for the baby’s skin and will prevent it from drying out and getting flaky and scaly.
- Identify the Unsafe Ingredients – Learn to read the labels on your baby products and look for those ingredients listed above that have been linked to potential problems. Learning to identify the problematic ingredients can save your baby from having trouble with the products. This is especially important if your baby seems to be having a lot of skin rashes
- Reading Labels – If there’s a question as to whether you current baby products are safe, take a look and see if they have the ingredients we listed above that you should try to avoid as much as possible. We are not saying to walk around in terror, but with the babies being so little and their skin being so sensitive, reading the labels and looking for the worst ingredients is a good idea. And better for your baby too.
Conclusion
There are tons of baby body wash products on the market. Whether you are a brand fan and love the products simply because they come from the company you love, or you are open to different brands but have no idea where to start, we can help.
Parents use a lot of baby body wash every month on their children, so finding one that works well, doesn’t cause rashes and is a great value can be a challenge if they are first time parents. In this guide you learn about what to look for in a baby body wash, learn the names of some ingredients that can potentially cause infants to have skin allergies and also steps parents can take that have children with massive allergies that seem to have reactions to most products out there.
When you have the information you need, sorting through the different choices on the market and purchase the baby products that meet your baby’s needs the best. If your baby has bad allergies, you will need to watch out for a few things and we’ve got you covered there too. Be confident in the products you are using on your baby by learning what you need to know.
