There may be plenty of worrying headlines about children using adult beauty products from younger and younger ages, but what about the reverse?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been a beauty editor for more than a decade, but when I had my first child in 2020, I was immediately impressed with the body washes, bath products and moisturisers designed for babies, particularly as someone with eczema and sensitive skin. The products\u2019 gentler, often fragrance-free formulas are easier on my skin, tend to cost less, and result in a less cluttered bathroom, since we can all use the same things. These are the ones I\u2019m still using \u2013 on the entire family \u2013 five years on.<\/p>\n
The best baby toiletries for adultsWeleda baby calendula nappy change cream<\/p>\n
UK<\/p>\n
\u00a35.30 for 75ml at John Lewis<\/a>\u00a35.30 for 75ml at Boots<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $13.43 for 2.5fl oz at iHerb<\/a>$15.06 for 2.5fl oz at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: eczema flare-ups<\/p>\n This was the only nappy cream I ever used on my children as babies, since it seemed to clear up any hint of a rash before it got bad. But it also works miracles when dabbed on my and my son\u2019s eczema flare-ups (calendula is anti-inflammatory). The lanolin ingredient creates a barrier to lock in moisture, and the calendula and chamomile bring down redness quickly and effectively. It leaves a white cast, though, so avoid using it on your face.<\/p>\n \u00a32.10 for 50 at Boots<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: removing makeup<\/p>\n Beyond nappy changes in the first couple of weeks with a newborn, I never found much use for cotton wool when caring for a baby. I did, however, discover that these extra-large, rectangular cotton wool pads are perfect for removing makeup. You only need one for your whole face, and they\u2019re made from 100% Gots-certified organic cotton, meaning no dodgy chemicals.<\/p>\n UK<\/p>\n \u00a34 for 310ml at Morrisons<\/a>\u00a34.25 for 310ml at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $8.43 for 8.45 fl oz at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: washing my own hair<\/p>\n I remember a cherry version of this shampoo, which smelled like marzipan, that my sister and I used when we were kids, so I bought this mainly for nostalgia. But it\u2019s also a great shampoo \u2013 light, effective and delicious-smelling, leaving my hair silky and easy to comb through. (Although, as my son rightly points out, it actually smells more of peaches than mango.) I pack it for all of us when we go on holiday.<\/p>\n This Works baby sleep pillow spray<\/p>\n UK<\/p>\n \u00a325 for 75ml at Lookfantastic<\/a>\u00a325 for 75ml at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $33 for 75ml at This Works<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a gentle pillow spray<\/p>\n No amount of lavender and chamomile would have lulled either of my children to sleep in their first years, so when I was given this pillow spray as a gift, I immediately adopted it for myself. I\u2019m actually a pretty good sleeper (given the chance), but I find this helps me wind down when I\u2019m feeling wired. I like that the scent \u2013 a delicate lavender with a hint of lemon balm \u2013 is subtler than most sleep sprays designed for adults.<\/p>\n Mustela b\u00e9b\u00e9 no-rinse cleansing water<\/p>\n UK<\/p>\n \u00a310.50 for 300ml at Boots<\/a>\u00a39.20 for 300ml at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $19.50 for 10.14fl oz at iHerb<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: removing makeup<\/p>\n A French pharmacy favourite, the Mustela b\u00e9b\u00e9 range has long been available in the US but used to be difficult to find in the UK. Mercifully, it launched in Boots in 2024, when my youngest child was a year old. I quickly fell in love with the gentle avocado cleansing water, which I pump on to flannels to wipe away substances (jam and face paint) on my kids, but I also use it to remove my makeup every night.<\/p>\n Childs Farm OatDerma bath milk\u00a37.50 for 250ml at Boots<\/a>\u00a37.80 for 250ml at Ocado<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a skin-soothing soak<\/p>\n Since my eldest son has eczema, bubble baths tend to be drying, leaving his skin tight and irritated. I bought this oat-based bath milk, which has colloidal oatmeal and oat oil \u2013 both great for eczema \u2013 as a substitute, and it left his skin so soft that I tried it myself. I now put some in my own baths, along with a slug of Aromatherapy Associates deep relax oil<\/a>, and emerge with such silky-smooth skin I don\u2019t even need to moisturise afterwards.<\/p>\n Nivea Sun kids SPF50+ roll-on sun lotion\u00a36.05 for 50ml at Boots<\/a>\u00a35.95 for 50ml at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a non-greasy family sunscreen<\/p>\n During summer, at least one portable sun cream can be found rattling around in the bottom of my handbag at any given time. This broad-spectrum SPF50+ offers great protection and is free from ingredients that can cause harm to aquatic life<\/a>, such as oxybenzone. It also isn\u2019t greasy like some of the other kids\u2019 sunscreens, so I\u2019m happy to use it on the children and myself. <\/p>\n Aveeno baby soothing relief emollient cream\u00a35.59 for 150ml at Lookfantastic<\/a>\u00a37.99 for 150ml at Boots<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: dry skin<\/p>\n The Aveeno baby range is great, especially for dry and sensitive skin, but the oat-based creams are my favourite. There\u2019s an Aveeno baby dermexa<\/a> range designed for eczema-prone skin, but the classic emollient cream works best for my son and me, keeping our skin hydrated and flare-ups at bay. I apply a layer over my body every morning, then top up in the evening if my skin feels dry.<\/p>\n La Roche-Posay baby Lipikar Syndet AP+ body wash\u00a321.50 for 400ml at Lookfantastic<\/a>\u00a321.90 for 400ml at Boots<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a daily body wash<\/p>\n Even before having kids, I loved the La Roche-Posay brand for its no-nonsense skincare, sun protection and body care. But since my babies were born, we\u2019ve all used this multipurpose body wash more or less daily. With glycerine and shea butter to protect the skin barrier, it\u2019s hypoallergenic and gentle enough to use from birth, yet still cleans effectively. The large bottle means it can last for ages, even with four of us using it.<\/p>\n My Little Sudocrem\u00a32.99 for 22g at Holland and Barrett<\/a>\u00a33.60 for 22g at Boots<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: bites and scratches<\/p>\n It\u2019s not exactly news that Sudocrem\u2019s classic antiseptic healing cream is great, but it was only when I had kids that I truly understood its brilliance, and also discovered the infinitely more convenient My Little Sudocrem. Much better than a massive tub which goes out of date (and kids are destined to get their hands on and smear everywhere), this compact pot is now my go-to for the whole family\u2019s insect bites, spots, cuts and grazes.<\/p>\n Neal\u2019s Yard Remedies organic pure baby oil<\/p>\n UK <\/p>\n \u00a310 for 50ml at Ocado<\/a>\u00a39.50 for 50ml at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $16 for 1.69 fl oz at Neal\u2019s Yard Remedies<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: removing sticky stuff and moisturising cuticles<\/p>\n I bought this oil when I did a baby massage course with my first son \u2013 it\u2019s a fragrance-free blend of borage, sunflower and jojoba oils \u2013 and while it did the job perfectly well for that, its greatest use has been as a general sticky-stuff remover. I\u2019ve found that nothing removes the residue left by plasters and dressings quite so well. It\u2019s a small bottle, but a drop of oil goes a long way for our purposes. I also massage it into my nail beds between manicures, and it works just as well as expensive cuticle oils.<\/p>\n Le Petit Marseillais cr\u00e8me lavante mains lait\u00a35.99 for 300ml at the French Pharmacy<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: dry hands<\/p>\n With all the nappy changes, snack preparation and medicine dispensing, I have never washed my hands more than I do now that I have kids. When we started getting my eldest to wash his hands at the sink, I quickly realised I\u2019d need a gentler product \u2013 our usual soap gave him red, itchy skin. I picked up a bottle of this mild Le Petit Marseillais soap on a trip to France and noticed an immediate, positive difference in the skin on my own hands too. I now stock up every time we\u2019re on holiday.<\/p>\n Kit & Kin magic salve\u00a39.99 for 100ml at Boots<\/a>\u00a310 for 100ml at Ocado<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: cracked skin<\/p>\n Due to the aforementioned constant hand-washing, I have permanently dry skin on my knuckles and between my fingers, which sometimes cracks when the weather gets especially cold. A mum friend gave me this salve to use as a nappy cream, and while I\u2019ve never used it for that (I love the Weleda<\/a> one), it is one of the few things that soothes the dry skin on my hands.<\/p>\n Kokoso natural konjac baby bath sponge\u00a37.49 at Kokoso<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a face exfoliator<\/p>\n Konjac sponges \u2013 natural sponges made from fibres of the konjac plant \u2013 are traditionally used in Japan to top-and-tail wash babies, as their naturally alkaline and mineral-rich fibres cleanse without the need for any product. I used them when my kids were newborns and still buy them for exfoliating my face in the shower. A word of warning: they\u2019re biodegradable, so will start to naturally break down after a couple of months.<\/p>\n Bioderma Atoderm cleansing oil<\/p>\n UK<\/p>\n \u00a324 for 1l at Lookfantastic<\/a>\u00a324 for 1l at Sephora<\/a><\/p>\n US<\/p>\n $33.99 for 38 fl oz at Ulta<\/a>$33.99 for 38 fl oz at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n Great for: a hydrating full-body cleanse<\/p>\n This incredible cleansing oil is a fairly recent discovery, but it may well give my beloved La Roche-Posay body wash a run for its money. Designed for the whole family, even newborns, its rich oil formula leaves skin hydrated, yet without a greasy residue, and is gentle enough to be used on the face as well as the body. Those without dry skin may even find it\u2019s hydrating enough that they can skip moisturiser afterwards.<\/p>\n Lisa Niven-Phillips is a beauty journalist with more than a decade\u2019s experience in covering everything from lipsticks to laser treatments, shampoo to skincare. With a good radar for snake oil, she prides herself on being able to see past fancy labels to discover the products that really work. A love of no-nonsense formulas, surprising beauty heroes, and anything that makes parents\u2019 lives easier made this article a delight to work on<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There may be plenty of worrying headlines about children using adult beauty products from younger and younger ages,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":863326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[64,63,99],"class_list":["post-863325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=863325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/863326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=863325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=863325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=863325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}