A baby’s skin is sensitive, and baby barrier balms play a vital role in protecting delicate skin from nappy rash, irritants and exposure to chemicals and harsh weather.
These products create a protective barrier that safeguards against moisture and friction, and loss of moisture when necessary, reducing the risk of nappy rash and dryness while healing any skin discomfort.
Benefits and Importance
They typically contain nourishing ingredients like beeswax and soothing botanical oils (plant oils), making them safe for even the most sensitive skin. Their versatility allows them to be used not only for nappy rash but also to shield the baby’s skin from the elements, such as wind and cold.
Baby barrier balms provide numerous benefits that are vital for maintaining healthy skin. They create a protective layer that prevents moisture loss and shields against irritants, such as wetness from nappies or cold weather. They can significantly reduce the risk of nappy rash and other skin irritations and heal rashes and irritations already present.
However, not all barrier balms are the same as you’ll see further down.
Skin Barrier
Regular use not only soothes and repairs, but it moisturises dry skin, locks in moisture and keeps the skin hydrated and protected from bacteria. By doing this, it heals and protects the important skin barrier, the layers of skin that keep our organs in place and keep bacteria and fungi out. It is the shield against the sun, pollutants and irritants. It should be taken care of throughout life as it promotes overall skin health.
Key Ingredients and Their Properties
The effectiveness of good quality, natural baby barrier balms lies in their carefully selected ingredients, such as:
- natural beeswax (or other natural wax) which forms a natural barrier, keeping moisture in while protecting against irritants
- shea butter known for its moisturising, nourishing and soothing properties
- coconut oil which hydrates the skin and has antibacterial properties, which can help prevent infections
- borage or calendula oil known for their healing and anti-inflammatory properties
These ingredients work synergistically to provide protection and nourishment as well as healing of the important skin barrier. Understanding these components allows for the right choice of balm that aligns with the baby’s specific skin needs, ensuring optimal care.
Factors to Consider When Selecting
The most important factor when choosing a baby barrier balm is the list of ingredients. People tend to look at the price or the marketing line on containers rather than the often long and incomprehensible list of ingredients on the back. Many of the words are gibberish to most unless you’re a chemist or have specialist knowledge of the area and companies know that.
- Expense: The less expensive options are often the products that have the most ingredients that increase the volume of it and that contain the most preservatives and chemicals. Perhaps the most well-known baby barrier balm, and used by adults too, is Sudocrem.
- Ingredients: Who knew that it contains at least three listed allergens, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate and benzyl cinnamate? It also contains lanolin (a potential allergen for some), sodium benzoate (a preservative that some studies have shown may increase the risk of inflammation, ADHD, allergies and other conditions), paraffin wax (derived from petroleum i.e. fossil fuel oil) and heavy liquid paraffin as well as, amongst other things, synthetic beeswax. It is effective as a barrier balm but at what cost to the child’s skin? The question is, would you willingly put petrol-linked and allergenic ingredients on your baby’s skin, day after day? Adults use it too for conditions such as eczema which may be worth reconsidering as allergens and paraffin are known skin irritants and can exacerbate the condition.
- Natural Compounds: The aftereffects of using chemicals and parabens, amongst many other ingredients, on the skin are becoming increasingly concerning. Products containing non-allergenic natural components like beeswax, shea butter, and certain botanical or plant oils are far gentler on the skin and encourage repair and protection of it.
For instance, our Baby Barrier Balm features premium oils and beeswax, as well as zinc which is excellent for wound healing and protection. It contains grapeseed oil which is a natural antibacterial and antifungal oil, as well as borage, coconut and olive oil which are known to possess anti-inflammatory properties. In all, it’s a soothing and nourishing product that repairs and protects the delicate skin of babies, as well as adults who may have incontinence or need a gentle protective layer over their skin without the use of petroleum, paraffin, allergens or preservatives. It’s all-natural, allergen-free, nut-oil-free, chemical and preservative-free, paraffin-free and generally free of any harsh, irritating or harmful ingredients.
If you care about a baby’s skin health, then ensuring products are free from harmful chemicals is essential. - Cost: This is what most often determines what people buy. It’s unrealistic to say cost shouldn’t matter because it does especially for those who simply cannot afford more expensive items. One thing to consider though is that natural products often go much further and can mostly be used for far longer as they don’t contain filler ingredients (i.e. less expensive ones that add bulk and volume, such as water and less expensive oils). A product like Life Happens Skin Rescue Baby Barrier Balm is waterless, meaning that it is concentrated (and environmentally friendly) so a far smaller amount is needed at each application.
It’s worth keeping in mind that large companies can mass-produce products at a fraction of the cost compared with a small craft business. The aim of large corporations is to make large profits; the aim of a small enterprise like this is to make some profit while educating the public and providing a high-quality product that serves a good purpose.
Whatever you choose, choose wisely.
