Baby Life with baby

6 gentle ways to care for baby’s skin

Livia Gamble

07 Apr 2021

Babies have sensitive skin, so they need a little extra TLC. In fact, when they’re born, the outer layer of skin is around 30% thinner than adult skin – and as a result, using harsh skin care products can lead to a range of problems.

To help you avoid this from happening, we’ve put together some gentle ways to care for your baby’s skin.

Sponsored by Gaia

1. Bathing your baby

Bath time is not only relaxing for babies, it’s also a great bonding experience for parents. How often you bathe your baby is a personal choice and might depend on how dirty they are – but be careful not to over do it. Overbathing your baby can cause their skin to try out. On days where the baby isn’t having a bath, a simple top and tail is all they need. This means gently washing your baby’s eyes, face and hands with something soft like GAIA’s Natural Baby Organic Cotton Cleansing Pads. They are perfect for gently wiping the face, skin, body & nappy area, making them a must have product for every change table.

One Tell Me Baby reviewer wrote: “They are super soft, and such an ideal size for cleaning bubs and my toddler’s face in between baths/showers. I have used them to clean bub’s delicate eye area, but also in those other areas that get milk buildup like behind their ears and neck folds where you can wet it and use the textured side to gently clean it all away.”

2. Choosing the right baby wipes

Some baby wipes can contain hidden nasties that could upset bub’s skin. While your baby is most likely going to experience nappy rash at some point, the key is not using anything that will further irritate the skin. GAIA’s Natural Baby Plant-Based Water Wipes are everything their name says they are: formulated with 99.4% pure water and with as few ingredients as possible, these baby wipes are mild and gentle for cleansing your newborn’s sensitive skin.

One Tell Me Baby parent said: “There a few things I look for in baby wipes when buying, that there fragrance free with no nasty ingredients and GAIA have covered this and with the added bonus of them being plant-based, biodegradable, compostable and formulated with 99.4% pure water.”

3. No nasties

Less is more when it comes to baby skin, so once you’ve got the bathing and baby wipes sorted, it’s a good idea to consider eliminating soaps and other harsh chemicals from the other baby skincare products. Look for baby skin care products that contain natural and organic ingredients for everyday use.

4. Keep baby safe from the sun

For many families, living in Australia means lots of time spent outdoors. While it’s definitely important to get outside with your baby, parents should take extra care to look after and protect baby’s skin from the sun. It’s recommended that babies under 12 months are kept out of direct sunlight when the UV Index is three or higher.

5. Massage

Giving your baby a massage is perfect for relaxing and getting ready for sleep (fingers crossed). But it can also help to keep their skin hydrated. Just make sure you’re using an oil or moisturiser that contains as few ingredients as possible, and free from mineral oil or paraffins that don’t allow skin to breath the way a natural baby massage oil would, like Gaia’s Natural Baby Massage Oil.

6. Cut their nails

They may be tiny but your baby’s nails can cause some not-so-nice scratches on their face and body. Keep an eye on baby’s nails and trim them while they are asleep or relaxed to make the job a little easier.