The Ultimate Guide to Zero-Waste Baby Skincare

Many babies don’t even need soap for bath time, but if used, use a gentle soap like soothing aloe vera. Look for bar soaps wrapped in paper or cardboard, not plastic.

Aloe calms red, itchy and sensitive skin, so is good for babies prone to rashes or eczema. Commercial baby washes often add harsh foaming agents, so avoid.

This aloe vera soap bar is ideal to keep little bottoms clean, without animal ingredients, palm oil or fragrance. And also good for adult sensitive skin.

Handmade in a Yorkshire village (and illustrated by local artist Louise Lockhart), it’s made with rapeseed oil and shea butter (not for latex allergies).

Unless there is pee and poo (!), babies don’t need a daily bath, just ‘top and tail’ (hold them on your knee or lay on a changing mat) to wash the face, neck, hands and bottom.

Safety for baby baths

NHS has a good 2-minute video by a midwife, on how to safely bathe babies. Never leave babies alone for a second (even with older children).
Do not use baby bath seats, these can quickly detach and drown babies, even in a few centimetres of water.
Run cold water first (then add hot water, testing with your wrist or elbow). Keep your baby’s head clear of water.
Don’t bathe straight after feeds, or if hungry or tired. Avoid baby oils in baths, due to risk of slipping.
Avoid talcum powder, it’s linked to ovarian cancer and increasingly banned in many countries. Don’t use cotton buds to clean baby’s ears (the cause of nearly all infections).

Kokoso Coconut Oil (pure moisture for babies)

Kokoso Coconut Oil is one of the better choices for baby skincare, which can be used for baby massage and dry skin patches. It locks in moisture, without blocking pores, or irritating delicate skin.

Apply a small amount of product to inside wrist and wait 24 hours, in case of reaction (if in doubt, talk to your GP).

Organic, cold-pressed coconut oil has a mild scent, and is better than commercial baby oils, which often contain unnecessary fragrance and mineral oil (a petroleum by-product).).

Coconut oil has natural anti-microbial compounds called lauric acid. These can help stop the growth of some germs and fungi.

Cradle cap shows up as dry patches or oily scales on the scalp. Rubbing a small amount of coconut oil into the scalp, can help loosen these flakes. Let it sit for a while, then brush off.

Often made worse by cold weather, cradle cap is common in babies, but usually goes away in a few months. Use a plant bristle baby brush to gentle brush away loose flakes.

Don’t worry if hair comes way on massage, it will grow back. Don’t pick the scales, this could cause infection. View this amazing before/after pic of a baby whose cradle cap cleared up in a week, using Kokoso coconut oil.

The Konjac baby sponge is made from Japanese potato fibre and can be cut up and composted after use. Perfect with plain water or create a nourishing lather with scent-free baby soap

Green People Scent-Free Baby Wash & Shampoo is clinically proven to be kind to sensitive skin, and fragrance-free too. A little goes a long way, and you can use it as a body wash, shampoo or bubble bath.Contains healing aloe vera and yucca for a light lather. Contains chamomile oil (recutita diluted version). Sold in a sugar-cane squeezy tube, that’s easy to recycle.Use for over 3 months due to chamomile (do a patch test by rubbing a small amount on the inner arm, then wait 24 hours to check for redness or allergic reaction).

Many zero waste beauty brands use cocoa butter and citrus oils in some skin creams (and zinc oxide) in sunscreen. Wash and rinse all of these ingredients off, before letting pets kiss you, as all are toxic. Read more on natural sun protection.

For dry skin, try rubbing in organic softening baby lotion (also scent-free) that also contains aloe vera and calming calendula (also good for expectant mothers).

Unless there is pee and poo (!), babies don’t need a daily bath, just ‘top and tail’ (hold them on your knee or lay on a changing mat) to wash the face, neck, hands and bottom.

Earth Conscious baby balm (in a metal tin)

Earth Conscious Baby Balm (Isle of Wight) is made from organic virgin coconut oil, shea butter, almond and apricot kernel oil.

Packed with fatty acids, it’s ideal for dry patches or nappy rash . Discontinue for irritation, avoid on broken skin. This is a multi-use product that can also be used for eczema-prone skin, chafing relief, tattoo aftercare and cycling bottoms!

Apply a small amount of product to inside wrist and wait 24 hours, in case of reaction (if in doubt, talk to your GP).

Avoid nut oils for allergies, and shea butter for latex allergies. Avoid essential oils for babies/pregnancy/nursing and affected medical conditions.

Sknfd baby balm

Sknfed baby balm is a mix of babassu oil, jojoba oil, shea butter and olive oil, with other gentle ingredients, including jojoba oil. Apply sparingly, a little goes a long way.

Talcum powder alternatives for babies

Babies don’t need baby powder. But if you do use it, Neal’s Yard Remedies Baby Powder is scent-free and has fab reviews, though it is expensive. Mummy’s Organics organic baby powder is scent-free, made with chamomile. This brand’s co-founder (a midwife) says to apply to your hands first (to avoid a cloud being inhaled by your baby), then gently pad into areas prone to moisture and irritation like the neck, armpits and nappy area. Made with tapioca starch, white kaolin clay and chamomile flower powder.
Choose natural cotton/hemp clothes and use plastic-free nappies and baby wipes (keep nappy rash creams with zinc oxide away from pets).

How to Treat Nappy Rash (without talc)

Choose natural cotton or hemp clothing and change nappies regularly.
Earth Conscious Baby Balm (made on Isle of Wight) contains organic coconut oil and shea butter (not for latex allergies), sold in a metal tin. Can also be used for adult dry skin.
Green People Organic Nappy Cream is made with water-repellent berry wax, anti-inflammatory chamomile oil and hemp seed oil (fatty acids). The squeezy sugar-cane tube is easily recycled. Contains zinc oxide, so don’t use near pets.

Keeping pets safe near bathrooms

Avoid pet-toxic plants in bathrooms or other rooms (read more on pet-friendly gardens – some indoor plants like lilies or sago palm can even harm, by a tail brushing past). Likewise, keep scented oils (esp. citrus) away from pets (never use xylitol toothpastes – or gums/baked goods containing it – in homes with pets).

Avoid facing indoor plants to outdoor gardens (and use curtains/blinds/screens over windows), to help stop birds flying into windows.