When I was pregnant My first childmy friends and relatives gave me literally 11 bottles of baby lotion. The smell reminded me of my own childhood. I especially liked that it was prepared for children, so of course, the ingredients must be natural and safe. right?
… and then I read the ingredients.
What’s in Baby Lotion?
Substances such as petroleum, artificial fragrances and so on propylene glycol It wasn’t something I wanted on my baby’s skin. I searched for natural balm options and found a few great ones. If you’re not in the DIY mood, there are now even more options.
This Baby Balm every day From Motherlove or This is from Badger Have clean ingredients and they will work well. I prefer making my own balm because I can easily customize the ingredients and it’s a lot cheaper.
Choosing natural ingredients for baby balm
I decided to make my own from food-safe ingredients. And I even had a lot of ingredients on hand. Homemade lotion bars and other beauty products.
This baby balm recipe uses the following
- Cocoa butter – High antioxidant and skin moisturizing fatty acids. It forms a barrier on the skin to prevent moisture loss and things like urine from irritating sensitive skin.
- Shea butter – Shea butter, a natural source of vitamin A and other nutrients, is very nourishing and protective for the skin.
- olive oil– It draws moisture to the skin and repairs damaged skin. It’s also a great source of plant-based squalene, the oil our skin cells make to lubricate and protect the skin.
- Castor oil– High in ricinoleic acid and skin barrier.
- Essential oils – You can use any diluted baby-safe essential oils you want, but I use Frankincense, Chamomile and Rose.
An important note about essential oil safety and children
I love essential oils and Use them every day For cleaning, aromatherapy, skin care and more. Although it is widely available, not every essential oil is safe or suitable for every purpose.
Frankincense, lavender, chamomile, and rose are all gentle options and are generally considered safe for babies three months and older. Essential oils should always be diluted for small children and should not exceed .25% in general recipes. This recipe translates to about 7 essential oils Total.
Vegetable oil
If you have a baby under 3 months old or just choose to skip the essential oils, herbal baby oil is a great option. Here are detailed instructions on how to do it. Vegetable oil.
Many herbs work in baby balm, but here are some of my favorites. They have natural skin soothing and healing properties and are safe for babies (prevents any allergies).
Here’s how to make my favorite homemade balm!
Homemade balsam recipe
This moisturizing baby balm helps protect baby’s delicate skin with natural ingredients.
Product: 5 oz
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Heat all ingredients (except essential oils) in a double boiler or glass pot or bowl over a little boiling water.
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Stir carefully until it melts.
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Remove from heat and add essential oils if using.
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Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate for several hours or until firm.
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Store at room temperature and use sparingly as needed on baby’s skin (or adult skin).
If desired, use vegetable oil to prepare the recipe. Check out the article for ideas on what to use.
Shelf life and storage
Because this baby lotion is oil-based, it has a longer shelf life than baby lotions with water-based ingredients. It should last 1-2 years when stored away from direct light and heat.
The baby oil takes a few minutes to penetrate the skin and you only need to use a small amount. I’ve had friends say it’s amazingly helpful for eczema and skin problems too.
What have you used on your little ones? Have you ever made your own? Share below!
