Products formulated for babies are made with gentle, natural ingredients that soothe, nurture, and cleanse without harsh soaps, artificial fragrances, or sulfates—and the truth is, there’s no reason not to take the same approach to your own skin.
If you’re a grown-up with sensitive skin, or you’re prone to allergies and eczema, you might benefit from switching out some of your products for ones made for kids. Unfortunately, not all of these creams and washes are created equal, so don’t assume the best about every single jar or tube that has “baby” on the label. You’ll often find allergens and synthetic fragrances lurking on the ingredient list, so it’s worth being choosy even in this category (no matter how precious the baby on the label is).
To get you started, check out the following products with simple, natural ingredients chosen for sensitive baby skin, but are great for adults. All are free of sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial fragrances and dyes (so you can still smell like an adult and not like fake baby powder), and most are hypoallergenic, to boot.
1. A Nourishing Cream Stick For Chapped Lips
Though it’s intended to keep tiny cheeks rash-free, the Happy Baby Soothing Stick from Mambino Organics is an amazing moisturizer for adult lips. Unlike traditional chapsticks, this cream stick has a clean ingredient list free of petroleum, parabens, synthetic preservatives, and added fragrance. Instead, the cream is formulated with certified-organic plant oils, like moisturizing jojoba, soothing chamomile, and skin-healing evening primrose oil. In addition to healing dry skin, the cream forms a moisture barrier, protecting skin from the elements.
2. Natural Baby Shampoo That Can Soothe Irritated Scalps
This fragrance-free baby shampoo is specifically made for extra sensitive and eczema-prone skin, reducing symptoms like irritation and itchiness. The shampoo’s naturally-sourced ingredients include aloe leaf juice, oat protein, and chamomile extract. It’s also hypoallergenic, free of perfume, petroleum, parabens, and sulfates. Because it’s sulfate-free, you won’t see the lather we’ve come to expect from grown-up shampoos, and washing away heavy product build-up is definitely not this gentle cleanser’s strong suit. If you read the label, you will see some scary-sounding ingredients—mainly sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate and lauryl glucoside. Like sulfates, these two ingredients are surfactants, but unlike their harsher counterparts, the glucosides are derived from sugar and won’t further irritate your skin.
3. Hypoallergenic Bamboo Washcloths
Rather than using brushes and sponges from synthetics to wash your face (and body), try these washcloths made from organic bamboo and cotton. The cloths are hypoallergenic and super soft. Bonus: since bamboo is a fast-growing grass, it’s a more sustainable resource than other fabric sources.
4. Swap Out Your Body Wash For Castile Soap
Made with just eight ingredients, this liquid soap is formulated to gently cleanse and nourish sensitive skin. The formula uses olive oil, vitamin E, and coconut oil to leave skin hydrated and soft, no matter your age. The soap is certified hypoallergenic by the Consumer Product Testing Company and is free of fragrance, sulfates, and all other nasties.
5. Baby Lotion For Sensitive Skin
Apart from a clean ingredient list that won’t irritate sensitive skin, this lotion has a divine sweet orange scent that won’t kick up allergies. It’s made with plant oils and extracts like aloe, calendula, shea, and—naturally—sweet orange. The lotion is certified organic by NSF International and scores as squeaky-clean in EWG’s cosmetics database. The lotion is free of petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, and artificial fragrance, but it does contain alcohol. Though alcohols always carry some risk of irritation, cetearyl alcohol (used here) is a fatty alcohol, which has far fewer adverse reactions, and won’t dry out skin.
6. Baby Wipes For A Quick Refresh
It’s a solid idea to keep a pack of baby wipes nearby for late nights when washing your face feels like an impossible task—or for a quick refresh after a workout or a day in the sun. These dermatologist-tested baby wipes are free from alcohol, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial dyes, and fragrances. Apart from their cleansing properties, these wipes have additional skin-loving ingredients like chamomile, sunflower seed, and raspberry seed oils.
7. A Plant-Based Laundry Detergent
Given how much contact our skin has with fabrics day and night, a hard-working but hypoallergenic laundry detergent can be a great addition to a nurturing skincare routine. This one uses stain-fighting enzymes, rather than sodium lauryl sulfate, to get clothes clean—and is free from artificial fragrances and dyes. Plus, it’s even promoted by the National Eczema Association.