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It’s so difficult to know what the best products are to use on your baby’s newborn skin (and beyond). One of the most popular posts I wrote was about how we shouldn’t be using olive oil on newborn’s dry skin. It was what we used to advise for years before some new evidence was brought to light that it may damage their skin instead of protecting it. So, what can we use? We need gentle products with only natural ingredients that are proven to be best for their skin. I’m going to tell you about what to look for in your baby skincare products, and introduce you to one company that fits the bill in all categories, Odylique. I also have a discount code for you my dear readers for 20% off, just use the code MIDWIFEANDLIFE to get your discount.
Organic
Going organic is not necessarily essential when looking for baby skincare products, but with a company that is certified organic, you know that no pesticides have been used in the cultivation of ingredients, so there is no chance of trace chemicals in your product. Everything used in Odylique products is certified to strict Soil Association organic standards.
Not tested on animals
This is a personal choice, but I think it is an ethical one. I prefer all my beauty products not to be tested on animals, just for my own peace of mind. Odylique is NEVER tested on animals. Instead, they test on human volunteers who have sensitive and allergy-prone skin.
Therapeutic ingredients
It is helpful when your skincare not only does the job it is meant for, for example, a baby wash needs to cleanse the hair and skin, but it also has therapeutic properties. Babies get overtired and overstimulated throughout the day, even if they have napped regularly. By the evening they can get quite fraught and bath time can make all the difference to a good night’s sleep if the right product is used. I’m not saying it can work miracles and get your baby to sleep soundly, but every little helps!
Odylique uses its active ingredients – herbs and essential oils – in therapeutic concentrations.
Plant oils must be virgin and cold-pressed so that they have their full antioxidant vitamin-content intact (this more actively nourishes the skin and protects it from premature ageing). They don’t do synthetic chemicals. Ever.
Eco friendly
Odylique is big on doing the planet as many favours as they can. They make sure that the raw materials suppliers and all of the distributors follow the no-testing-on-animals rule, and they go out of our way to adhere to Fair Trade standards and use responsible, sustainable packaging.
Allergy-friendly
There’s no lanolin, wheat, dairy & soya derivatives, salicylic acid, peanut oil, sesame, common allergen tree nut oils and more. These are all the things that can upset sensitive skin and cause allergies to flare up. They also avoid less common allergens such as common food preservatives: potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and more.
To be as allergy-friendly as possible, these are some of the ingredients they avoid:
Artificial Colour
The colours in Odylique skincare come exclusively from the nutrient-packed botanicals that make them. The makeup uses pure mineral colour only.
Artificial Fragrance
Many Odylique products are entirely scent-free, and if fragrance is added they add only pure organic essential oils for their skin benefits and power to lift the senses. No fragrance oils or even absolutes are used. The products are entirely free from phthalates.
Artificial Preservatives
Odylique uses no synthetic preservatives. This includes parabens, triclosan, Methyl(chloro)isothiazolinone (MI or MCI). To maintain a reasonable product ‘shelf-life’, they rely on a combination of proven, safe antimicrobials found in nature and the broad spectrum of antioxidants naturally present in the plant oils and herbs we use.
Metals
The products do not contain aluminium, nickel, or tin, or any heavy metal contaminants such as bismuth, lead or mercury.
Sulphates
Sulphate detergents can be harsh on sensitive skin, so they don’t use any.
So that’s all the technical stuff out of the way, but what about the products, are they any good? I’ve been testing out the gentle wash and shampoo and the nipple balm for you.
First impressions:
I love the concept and ethos of the company as outlined above. I would have no qualms in recommending them for new parents to use on their babies and children, especially those with a history of allergies in the family. The packaging is simple and suitable for its purpose. I like that it can all be recycled and is made in an eco-friendly way. It’s also vegan.
The bottle for the gentle wash and baby shampoo has a cute bunny face on it with the main colours being white and yellow. It has a luxury feel to the packaging and branding and would look good in your bathroom or change bag. I like the pump action dispenser, it makes for easy hands-free bathing.
Scent
The baby wash has a delicious relaxing scent of Lavender and Chamomile, two scents that are known for their relaxing and soothing properties. It smells really nice and I love using it on the kids at bath time, no matter how old they are. The recommended age is for ages 3 months and above. I think it would work well as part of a bedtime routine to set the mood for a good nights sleep. My daughter, who is 9, loves it.
The gentle wash comes in 200ml or 500ml bottles. It not only washes the skin and hair but also moisturises too and contains Aloe Vera and coconut extract. It leaves the skin super soft and smelling gorgeous. I must admit I’ve used it myself too!
Organic Nipple Balm
This little pot is a little box of magic for your sore nipples! It comes in a pot and a box and is small enough to fit in your handbag or changing bag. It’s definitely a must for your hospital bag. Of course, you need to try and get your positioning and attachment right for breastfeeding, and always seek help if breastfeeding is painful. But, mistakes and poor attachment can happen no matter how hard you try. I had horrendously painful nipples with my first, third and fourth child that I almost gave up it was so bad, and I was a Midwife all of those times! I wish I’d had this nipple cream then, although it isn’t a miracle cure it would have helped. The soreness went after about 2 weeks and I was able to continue (you can read more about my breastfeeding journeys here).
The nipple balm contains calendula, extra virgin olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax. I found it didn’t really have a smell to it, but there is a slight smell of beeswax. It is not a cream, more of a balm, with the consistency of lip balm. This is the sort of thing you need to soothe and coat the sore nipples and protect them. It is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You don’t need to remove it or wipe it before or during feeding times, in fact, it will help if you apply it before feeding and after. It will speed up healing caused by damage, soothe and protect from further damage.
Although I haven’t been able to test the nipple balm out for myself, I can tell from the texture and ingredients that it will work well. I also like the size of it and the way it is dispensed in a pot rather than as a cream. It means you can easily get to it and get the exact amount you need. Again, the packaging is all sustainably sourced and recyclable. The little pot will last you a long time as you don’t need much on each application.
So, what do you think? Will you give Odylique a try? They also do natural makeup and skincare too, another personal favourite of mine is their avocado 24-hour replenishing cream. Remember to use my code MIDWIFEANDLIFE to get your 20% off.
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