The day that I gathered up my newborn baby and drove them home to our little house was one of the most frightening days of my life. Mixed in with excitement and joy of course, I soon realised that we were 100% responsible for the well-being of this tiny human.
Since then I have had to make countless decisions about how to best care for them … what food and drink will they need, what products to buy and how to raise them. All mums (and dads) want the best for their little darlings and the idea of unintentionally hurting them is why we all spend so much time researching and asking friends before we dive in. I have to admit that I sometimes go over the top thinking about these things haha
One of the issues is that in our modern world there are just so many options. Imagine our mums or grandmothers who were lucky to have any shampoo or skin products let alone a choice or access to any information about the products. I am thankful that we have the luxury of options and can make informed choices.
At my local high school there is a weekend market. Among the handicrafts and second-hand ‘treasures’ there are a bunch of stalls selling ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ remedies for all sorts of things. Some of them sound and look great but I am always cautious about what is actually in those products and how do know if they are safe to use on my child. If something went wrong, who would I even contact?
What is in a Product?
Fortunately, many companies make it easy for us to find out which ingredients are contained in their products and in what quantities. I know that reading the scientific names of ingredients can be mesmerising and confusing but it is actually better for us all to be able to dig into the contents of a baby shampoo or baby skincare product so that we can research them.
Many companies such as Johnson’s go to great lengths to give that information to the public and they follow the INCI labelling system which ensures that we know exactly what is in the bottle. They also meet or exceed government standards in all of the countries where they are sold so that is another confidence builder.
Is Natural Best?
Words like ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ have different meanings in different situations so although it sounds like it could be good for your baby, it may not mean what we think. These products are made up of chemicals and those chemicals come from nature. Sometimes the ingredients are directly from a plant and sometimes they are mixed in a laboratory but in the end, the strict labelling system means that you should be able to know exactly what is in the product before you use it on your child’s skin.
Research Time
Once we know the ingredients that are contained in a product, it is time to look into the chemicals. It can be amazing to look at the fancy names even of the ingredients in a common vegetable! I know that there are some chemicals that I am definitely wary of so I will scan down the list to check for those, but in most situations I just don’t have time to research them all.
I end up relying on the fact that brands like Johnson’s baby have spent years testing and researching to ensure that their products are clinically proven mild & gentle. They have a 5-level safety process that each product must pass to be sold which includes; sourcing raw materials, assessing ingredients, testing formulas, monitoring usage and continuing evaluation (you can learn more about it
I know that if the product has passed this process, then it is much less likely to be dangerous for my baby than something I buy at the local market and am not sure about.
Test it Yourself
Another super important step that many overlook is to use the product sparingly at first on a very small area of your child’s skin. It is important to check that your child responds well to the product and that there aren’t any issues for them specifically. Once you find that all is well, then you can feel comfortable using it and you have one less decision to make haha
As mums, we are right to take this all very seriously. It is important to take the very best care of our little ones and while it’s good to research things, we need a basis for accurately doing that. Some companies like Johnson’s are equally committed to making it easier for us to make good choices by publishing research and ensuring that their products are tested & are gentle & mild for delicate baby skin
If you would like to know more or read about particular ingredients, head over to The Simple Truth.
