Personal hygiene of the newborn baby

Learning to read labels

The first advice we give you is to always read the labels of the products you buy. This way you will be sure to make the right choice for you and your children.

As a basic rule, try to avoid detergents or other products that contain these components:

Surfactants surfactants are derived from petroleum refining. The main ones are: Sodium laureth sulfate, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Ammoniun lauryl sulfate.

Other petroleum derivatives are other types of ingredients also derived from petroleum. The main ones are: Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG and PPG, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum.

Silicones are harmful agents for environmental health, as they contribute to water pollution, but the bottom line is that they are not even useful for personal hygiene! In fact, Silicones create a patina, on body or hair, that only produces the illusion of cleanliness and softness without really acting on the nourishment and hygiene of skin and hair. In the labels you will find these Silicones listed as Polyquaternium-80, Dimethicone, and Amodimethicone.

In any case, remember that, in general, ingredients are listed on labels in order of quantity: this means that you will find written first those contained in larger quantities and then those contained in smaller quantities. Adjust accordingly.

Prefer natural alternatives

It is possible to care for children’s skin with natural products, thus safeguarding the health of the little ones as well as that of the environment.

Here are some practical tips:

Sweet almond oil commonly used to keep skin moisturized and supple is an excellent remedy for delicate baby skin: applied immediately after bath time, it allows for full hydration without having to add creams. Just make sure it is pure and organically sourced. Sweet almond oil can be spread all over baby’s body, massaging it gently so that, in addition to naturally moisturizing, it also becomes a cuddle and a special moment between mother and her baby.

Rice or corn starch , already known and used by our grandmothers, is a valuable all-natural aid for moisturizing baby skin: just add a few teaspoons of it to bath water for softening, soothing and anti-inflammatory action. Rice starch is also useful as a diaper changing product. In fact, experts are divided between two currents of thought: some remain in agreement with grandma’s old methods (which involved using talcum powder to dry the skin, while others advise against it. As a natural alternative to talcum powder, we recommend using corn or rice starch, which has excellent absorbent qualities but, unlike common talcum powder, does not clog pores. Only caution: buy pure rice starch and not products “made from” rice starch.

A little-known but highly prized Aleppo soap, Aleppo soap is composed of olive oil and laurel oil and is an excellent natural product for cleaning baby’s hair. Aleppo soap exerts a soothing, antibacterial, antiseptic and cooling effect and is in fact recommended in psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis as it restores the natural ph of the skin. Always choose an Aleppo soap with a laurel oil content of no more than 30 percent, since this ingredient-although of plant origin-could be aggressive to the infant’s skin. If there is milk crust on the baby’s head, however, we recommend using only olive oil.