My babies have dry sensitive skin all year round. Their faces and arms have those little red bumps and their skin always feels dry. I've tried creams of all sorts, but nothing did the trick. Between the wind and cold outside and the drying heat inside, I have to do more to moisturize, protect and nourish their skin.
I always prefer products with natural ingredients. I’ve found that in addition to not wanting chemicals on my children, the products with those ingredients make irritation worse long term.
Here are 4 things you can do to help keep baby’s dry and tender skin moisturized and irritation free in the harsh winter weather.
Baby Bath Oil:
I bathe my kids every day, even in the winter. A crucial part of the dinner-bath-bed routine, it helps calm them down even if they haven’t played in the sand or run around and sweat. But water does dry out skin, and especially for my baby, I want to ensure that the bath doesn’t exacerbate dryness and irritation.
All natural Baby Bath Oil makes a tremendous difference in the bath. Add about ¼ cup to the water and swirl around. The oil, made with plant-based oils such as Sunflower and Olive, coats the skin and softens, and the ones with Lavender make baby’s skin smell fresh as a bonus, too.
Body Lotion:
Body lotion is key when trying to keep skin soft and supple all year round, and especially in the cold winter months. Applying body lotion directly after bath allows the lotion to better penetrate skin. The thing to remember is that lotions with many additives and chemicals have the opposite effect, drying out the skin and taking nourishment away from the body. Try lotions with Avocado, Chamomile, Calendula and Sunflower oil. These plant extracts and oils maximize moisture and provide wonderful nourishment to skin and body.
This is my new favorite discovery! My kids have pink cheeks all winter long. When the wind is strong or temperatures drop the pink turns a deeper shade, and if I don’t take care of them, their poor cheeks become chapped. I rely on after bath facial cream (see #4), but have recently discovered that applying wind and cold
balm before going out helps protect their skin. I recently took them skiing, and even with strong wind and extreme cold they were more comfortable and skin stayed smooth.
A great tip for moms: My hands are dry all year round, and now I slather on Wind and Cold Protective Balm every night before bed. You would not believe the difference. Soft and smooth replaces rough and cracked. I call it the miracle balm!
Baby Facial Cream:
Does everyone’s house get a little crazy during the dinner-bath-bed routine or is it just mine!? I’m always looking for ways to help my kids relax during this hectic time and this winter I think I got it. After bath is now my favorite time of day. I put towels in the dryer to warm them up while the kids are bathing, so they’re welcomed to a warm cozy towel after a nice warm bath-oil bath. In assembly line fashion, we take turns to “lotion-up”. First I do the essentials with body lotion: arms, backs of legs. Then I give them each a glop and let them rub lotion on their own bodies (usually its bellies).
I’m especially careful to put cream on their faces, and I use specialized facial cream because it’s gentler, made of even purer ingredients, and had no greasiness so they can lie right on their pillows after applying.
Follow these tips and you’ll see marked difference in your children’s gentle skin. Good luck this winter!
For a list of these products: https://www.mommy-care.com/natural-winter-care