Looking for Hypoallergenic Baby Shampoo

It is a nornal thing for baies to get acne, but it could also be from the products you use. Many companies do use tons of chemicals and dangerous things. I also recommend the cosmetics database that a few others have mentioned. It rates companies on how safe their products are.

The only store-bought brand that I know of that is natural is California Baby, I know Target carries it. Be careful of some brands that claim to be natural or pure. They really aren't. Make sure you read labels. I also recommend a company called Lemongrass Spa. (Disclosure - I also sell it because I love it so much). They are based in Colorado and make natural products. They have baby products as well as unscented items too. www.lemongrassspa.com is their website.

Good luck getting to the bottom of that hamper! : )

We also use California Baby Super Sensitive. This web lets you check out different products http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/ind...

D.,

The J&J stuff has too many synthetic and hazardous chemicals that many people are allergic too. It's good you're looking out for your daughter's health.

I've been using Koala Pals Shampoo as well as the Koala Pals body wash. Both are tearless and safe for baby. Both my children have sensitive skin. I've been using the products on my daughter since she was born. You can only get it online.

I know you'll find a solution with all the mom's on here giving such awesome advice!

Tricia
www.4OurFamilysWellness.com

I just use a little bit of Dr. Bronners bar soap from the Health food store. They have a scent free version for babies. Also, I only wash my babies about once a week so they can keep their natural body oils on to help their skin.

Aveeno baby wash was recommended by our daughter's pediatrician for a similar reason. It did work much better and subsequent skin problems cleared up. Hope that helps! Sometimes stores will sell their version of Aveeno (same ingredients, half the price), so read the ingredients.

I just used some left over Johnsons as bubble bath for my boy and his legs came out of the tub all red. For washing we use Aveeno or Burt's Bee's Baby Wash. I am now using that for bubble bath too, and I love them both. We haven't had a problem since. I'm all for natural, which these are, but I would hesitant to go to the most extreme gentle ones only because if she does end up still being sensitive, you have no where to go.

Also, baby acne at that age is so normal. My son had so much, but it peaked when the doc said it would and then went away. I think (sorry, pregnant brain) the peak was 8-9 weeks, but you may want to ask your doc. We would use a warm washcloth morning and night to wipe his face, and that seemed to help too. But a less chemical wash is always good in general.

I know California Baby is good stuff - but horribly expensive! However, the last time I was looking at Target they had a couple of different choices. Didn't really price check, but maybe you could find something there? It was with the other bath stuff, they just put the natural stuff on one side.
I think baby acne is normal, but we didn't have too much of that problem. Sorry!
Good luck!

I love all natural Shaklee products. Go to www.HealthyEarthWellPeople.com click on Personal Care, then Baby Care then Shakleebaby Gentle Wash. Note the directions call for an “itty bit”. Shaklee products are very concentrated… no added water/fillers, so they seem “expensive” but they end up being cheaper in the long run… just be sure to use only an “itty bit”!

Sounds like you've heard it elsewhere, but just wanted to reiterate that baby acne around 6 weeks is totally normal. Googling it will bring up all sorts of articles with timeframes and reasons. I do love California Baby and Paula's Choice, too. Also, if you ever want to check the irritation/toxicity levels of something you're using, a great website is the Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety database at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

We use Burt's Bees baby wash; you can buy it at Target for sure.

None of my boys did well with the Johnson's/huggies baby washes or lotions either. I used both Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer for sensitive skin for my boys. They are extremely gentle. I also used Aveeno baby products and they did well with them too. And Arbonne makes a pretty gentle wash and lotion, but I think the Cetaphil ended up being more economical. Mine also react to laundry detergents and my pediatrician recommended All Free and Clear. It's amazing what a difference that made. Doesn't sound like your little one is having trouble with what you're using in the laundry, but in case it come up in the future! I tried a lot of the "natural" laundry soaps and the boys reacted to them as well.

My youngest had REALLY sensitive skin and it's getting better, but at that age it was ridiculous so I can understand your frustration. Mine broke out in the hospital using the hospital blankets washed in bleach.....yucky! I had to get my husband to bring blankets from home that were washed in baby soap. As for the baby wash....we didn't have a problem with Johnson's, but I've really loved the Huggies Baby Wash....it's hypoallergenic and doesn't have any fragrances and dyes so it's clear....you might give it a shot. I used it for wash and shampoo. I think at Walmart it's not too expensive and if you get any Huggies coupons (which I think most new moms do) it really cuts down on the cost. I also have tried Johnson's baby wash that is in a tan colored bottle with the green lid (can't remember the name.....) but it seemed to be a bit pricey though.....Good luck and hang in there.....I'm sure things will get better!

Cetaphil. There's even a generic version now. It's about the most gentle thing out there. My little boy struggled with really bad eczema and the ped told us to use cetaphil. Now my daughter has super sensitive skin too so I only use cetaphil on both kids. You can even use it to wash their hair. It's not like babies' hair gets greasy anyway, right? Cetaphil is perfect for babies but it's good for everyone. My sis used it in college when she was having super problem skin and the dermatologist recommended it. Seems pricey but it lasts so it's totally worth it.

We love the Burt's Bees around our house.

I've been known to use Cetaphil. It's not a baby cleaner. However, it is made for people with dry skin. The reason I love it for baby is because you don't HAVE to rinse it all the way off. You can gently wipe most of it off with a towel. or just poorly rinse. The part that's left just gets absorbed like lotion. My boy has eczema and needed a non-drying soap.

Whenever I do sponge baths, I always use Cetaphil.

Also remember that you don't have to wash a baby very often - once a week should be plenty unless she messed or spit on herself. Sometimes spit ups can be cleaned up with just a sponge bath on the offending parts, too.

Sometimes I only soap the butt and under the chin.

HI D.,
Even though we all love the smell of J&J it is VERY harsh. Also it contains mineral oil, synthetic dyes & fragrances. All which contribute to allergic reactions & breakouts. I have used Arbonne on 3 of my 5 babies (I didn't know about it before then ;). Botanically based, Vegan, no mineral oil, hypoallergenic, ph correct, no synthetic fragrances or dyes. It's awesome. A bit more expensive but a little goes a LONG way. You can also save 20-80%, they will deliver it right to your door...:) you can see about it at www.naturallylovely.myarbonne.com please feel free to message me if you have any questions. PS they make a great organic herbal baby oil, diaper rash & my fav. baby lotion. Hope you baby feels better soon, G

Hi D.,

We use California Baby. It's a bit pricy, but goes a long way.

To find the safest products out there, go to skindeep.org.

L.

Baby acne is normal but, you are rightg, Johnson's Baby Wash is not a great product. This one is: BOUDREAUX'S BUTT BATH moisturizing Body Wash and Shampoo. A little goes a long way. They sell it anywhere, but I think I bought mine at Baby's R Us. Aveeno products are good, too. Normal acne is on the face, neck, chest area. It goes away when your baby's pores start opening up. Never try to squeeze anything. Skin conditions can come from your hormones being passed to him through the placenta. This is all normal and goes away by 3 months or so. Hope this was helpful. Oh, wash baby's clothes in a natural, unscented product.

I have an all natural super pure organic... everythign shampoo that is made in Boulder. I bought it at the Green Monkey baby on Pearl street. Not only is it super pure, it is super great and leaves my babies hair totally soft and perfect.
Trouble is, that I cannot ever remember the name. I will go hoem and look and modify my answer to add it in. meanwhile, you can go there and buy it if you are desperate!! You may also try Whole Foods... I have tried most of their organic baby shampoos and not been impressed though.
Good luck!

Dump the Johnson's! We had problems with it as well. Try something unscented - some that have worked of us (all baby products): California Baby (unscented), Jason's products, Kiss-My-Face Products. These are now available in most supermarkets (in the health/natural section) and even Target carries some.

We use either Gentle Naturals products or Vanicream products. Vanicream is harder to get. Most any pharmacy carries the cream, but a lot of places don't carry the other items. Ivory or Dove unscented soaps are also good. GL!

HI--
It really depends on how natural you want to be. Johnson's baby wash has incredibly toxic ingredients in it so it's not surprising that she would break out from it. The most inexpensive wash you can get that is totally natural is Dr. Bronner's baby mild soap. You can find it at all natural food stores and I think King Sooper's carries it as well. We love, love Angel Baby Body wash, which you can find at whole food's, vitamin cottage, and vitamin shoppe, but it is a little more pricey.
Good luck!
J.

My daughter had very sensitive skin, and I ended up using unscented Dove body wash on her, even for her hair! It worked great, she smelled clean, it didn't hurt her hair one bit and she stopped breaking out. It's cheap, too! :)

My first baby had "baby acne" for over a month. My pedi said they just grow out of it eventually, and it didn't seem like anything I did really made it go away. But, that being said, I like the Burts Bees tear-free baby wash/shampoo. They also have an apricot baby oil, and when the babies used to take sink baths I'd put a cap of the oil in the warm water and it would help keep their skin nice and soft. Good luck!

California Baby is wonderful, and made with all natural ingredients. You should be able to find it at any good natural foods store. Even Target is carrying it now. I would go ahead and get the unscented version. (The scented versions use essential oils, not chemically created fragrances.) I would also *STRONGLY* recommend cutting down on how often you wash her. Rinse her diaper area daily with plain water (I just do it in the bathroom sink). Other than that, she doesn't actually need to be "washed" more than a couple times a week. Many of the skin problems we have are caused by too much soap drying out our skin, changing the pH balance, and introducing weird chemicals to our bodies. Even adults only really need to soap up their hair, armpits and genitals. The rest of your skin would do better with a simple water rinse.

Cheers,
S. L

My first born had the same issue with the Johnson's baby wash/shampoo combo. Johnson's makes a hypoallergenic baby wash, I think it is in a blue bottle. That worked for my son but I think it still had a scent so it may not work for every baby. My doctor recommended using a sensitive skin soap like dove that is free of dyes and perfumes. This is what I use now on both my kids. They may not smell all pretty like the baby stuff......but at least they don't have rashes :-) Oh, and my son did ok with the Johnson's baby shampoo by itself. You just have to try some new things and find what works for your baby.

My daughter still has very sensitive skin in this dry climate and she just turned 2. Her pediatrician recommended aquaphor baby wash. You can order it online but unfortunately you can only find it locally at Babies r us or Albertsons. He said it's essentially as gentle as Cetaphil but it's just for babies so it's tearless. I've also had pretty good success with Aveeno products. Your baby's acne is normal and will clear up on it's own. But the J&J products are really loaded with alcohol-based fragrances that can actually irritate the skin further. Also, babies that young don't necessarily get dirty like big kids do. Try to limit baths to every 3-4 days and in the meantime focus on really keeping the area around her chin and neck clean (where spit up tends to settle). Congratulations on your new addition!

My kids break out with Johnson and Johnson shampoo, too. Our pediatrician said most baby shampoos are too strong adn too fragranced for little ones.
Cetaphil is mild and good, but my *favorite* shampoo for my babies is from Paula's Choice. That's the best stuff I've ever used. They make a very hypoallergenic body wash/shampoo that is wonderful--you only need a speck so the bottle lasts forever and it rinses so clean with no residue. My hubby likes it, too. You can find it at www.paulaschoice.com. Their products have far fewer ingredients than others because they are committed to using only necessary ingredients that serve a purpose without being irritating. No gimmicks, no home sales, just excellent, no-frills, fragrance-free, research-based products for people with ultra-sensitive skin. I'm such a loyal customer, and nothing else tempts me anymore. (BTW, Paula's Choice moisturizer is what I use on both myself and my babies and it is also wonderful and eliminating dry patches and bumps.) Best wishes!

Cetaphil. It's safe for babies (my ped told me to use it on my little ones when they had exema) and it's basically fragrance and dye free - the 2 most common culprits in reactions to such products

I think Aquafor (not sure I spelled that right) makes a gentle baby wash, but I'm not sure how much it costs.

My daughter was born with a lot of hair, and I washed it with unscented Dove until her hair was about 3 or 4 inches long. Dove was really gentle on her hair, so I recommend trying it. Once her hair was longer, I noticed that she needed a shampoo that provided more moisture, so I switched to Burt Bee's Baby Shampoo and Body Wash. I have no complaints about it either, and I still use it. All of my friends said never use Johnson and Johnson. My pediatrician also gave the same warning. He said that is it too harsh for babies, and he recommended the following: unscented Dove, Eucerin (in the jar not the bottle), and Aquaphor.

I wish you luck and do enjoy every minute of your daughter and son. My home is a wreck too, and I only have one child. :-)

We had the same problem - and now use California Baby unscented supersensitive wash/shampoo. Our Target carries it for $10 per bottle. Kind of expensive, but I use it sparingly and one bottle lasts a really long time. And no more rashes or irritated skin, so we save on creams and Dr. visits. Another benefit is that it rinses so easily so bathtime is quicker and easier.

My son also has sensitive skin and our pedi said to use aquaphor body wash while bathing him (skin and hair done by one bottle). We have used it ever since (both the body wash and the jar for diaper area) and never have had a problem with it. We've recommended it to friends wh love it too!