Non-toxic baby bath and skincare swaps
What to look for on baby wash, wipes, balm and lotion labels, and what to skip.
Baby skin is thinner than ours and absorbs more of what touches it. The good news: the bath and changing table are some of the easiest places to make a difference, because the swaps are simple and cost about the same.
Scented baby wash and shampoo
Swap for: An unscented, short-label wash
"Fragrance" on a label can stand in for dozens of undisclosed ingredients. Look for "fragrance-free" and a short ingredient list. Newborns honestly need very little soap, and plain water works for most baths.
Scented wipes
Swap for: Water-based wipes
Wipes touch your baby's skin many times a day. Water-based wipes with just a few ingredients are gentle and easy to find. Skip ones with methylisothiazolinone, a preservative known to cause skin reactions.
Petroleum-based diaper cream and balm
Swap for: A simple plant or tallow balm
If you do use petroleum jelly or mineral oil, make sure it's USP or cosmetic grade. Otherwise, balms made with ingredients like shea butter, beeswax or tallow are simple and work well.
Long-label lotion
Swap for: A fragrance-free lotion with few ingredients
If you can't pronounce it, look it up first. Watch for parabens and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15.
Baby powder with talc
Swap for: Skip powder, or choose a talc-free one
Talc can be contaminated with asbestos, and loose powder is easy for babies to breathe in. Most babies don't need powder at all.
How to read a baby product label
- Look for "fragrance-free," not "unscented."
- Shorter is usually better. Scan for words you don't recognize.
- Check the preservatives at the end of the list. That's where formaldehyde releasers hide.
Want to look something up fast? Use the ingredient list on my homepage.
Want me to just tell you what to buy?
The Non-Toxic Baby Cheat Sheet has 200+ room-by-room swaps, the Dirty Dozen, and a registry list that's already checked.