Baby skin care follows many procedures which consist of protection from infections, nourishments for skin, skin hydration, skin immunity and skin beautification.
Newborn babies have a natural protective layer over their skin called vernix. This is fairly thin in nature, yet strong enough to withstand the assault of infectious elements.
It takes some time for the vernix to get peeled off the baby skin. Once this happens the baby’s skin will be left exposed to the external elements. This is when your role for her skin care starts.
In this section you can read about various homemade recipes used for baby skin care apart from some simple tips for total baby skin beautification.
Baby Skin Care After Bath
Some of the recipes in this section include ingredients like honey. They are expected to be used only for external applications and not for internal consumption for the baby until she is one year old.
1-3 Months
At this stage your baby skin is soft and tender. According to dermatologists you need to apply homemade recipes which consist of ingredients like milk, honey, essential oils and yogurt.
Avoid synthetic or chemical products which can damage the baby skin texture. Some of the simple recipes for baby skin care include
- Shampoo: – Add one teaspoon of honey, whole milk, beaten egg white, coconut oil and henna into a bowl. Mix the ingredients well and apply it onto baby hair. Ensure that roots and tips are covered. Let it soak her hair for about 1 minute. Then you can wash with warm water. Avoid overheating the bathing water to the point of boiling as it causes severe skin dryness and irritation at this stage.
- Soap: – Making of baby soap is a simple process. Add one teaspoon of Shea butter, rose essential oil, 1/4th teaspoon of lemon syrup, ½ mashed banana and 1 teaspoon of clear glycerine. Beat the mix in a bowl and heat it in low flame. Keep stirring the mix until it becomes a thick paste. Now you can store it in the refrigerator until thickens into a solid mass. Your baby soap is ready to use.
- Moisturizer: – The basic ingredients for baby skin moisturizer include 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil, rose essential oil, honey, glycerine and coconut oil. Add ½ teaspoon of milk and mix the ingredients well in a bowl. Apply onto entire skin. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes until the ingredients get absorbed by the baby skin. Now you can wash with warm water. Avoid using cold or hot water as they can lead to dryness or skin irritation.
3-6 Months
You can continue using the same combination of ingredients for shampoo, soap and moisturizer as listed above. You need to add a sunscreen into this list since you may take your baby out for strolls now.
Protective clothing is the first thing you need to provide. Cotton is the most recommended material as it can absorb heat and sweat without causing any side effects to baby skin. Avoid nylon, polyester or other types of synthetic materials.
- Sunscreen: – Preparation of sunscreen requires ingredients like ½ cup of whole milk, 1 teaspoon of vitamin C powder, vitamin E oil, essential oil, ½ teaspoon of Aloe Vera liquid and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. Mix the ingredients well in a bowl and apply onto baby skin. Now you can put on her protective clothing and take her out. Avoid exposing her skin to direct sunlight between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.
- Immunity: – Since your baby skin is now open to external elements the probability of catching skin infections is more. So the baby skin needs adequate immunity. Consult your child specialist about giving her vitamin C capsules. They help in forming an antiseptic and antioxidant layer over the external skin layer. Optionally you can also prepare a homemade immunizer and apply on your baby skin regularly. For this you need ½ teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel, lemon syrup, water, vitamin E oil, vitamin C powder and essential oil. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and apply on your baby skin. Let the mix soak for about 30 minutes. Then you can wash with warm water. These ingredients get absorbed by the outer layers and get carried till the dermis and Subcutis layers. Now your baby skin is relatively protected from common skin infections.
- Skin allergens: – If you (mother) have any skin allergic issues you need to discuss with your child specialist and take measures to protect your baby skin from such allergens. It is because of the probability of some allergic reactions being passed onto your baby from you due to genetic reasons. Once you discuss about these issues with the specialist she will be able to provide you with most apt solutions.
- Footbath: – This one of the most relieving exercises you can provide for your baby skin. Add a few drops of essential oil into a large bowl and pour moderately hot water into it. Let your baby soak her feet in it for about 15 to 20 minutes. Following this procedure everyday can keep her skin and nerves fresh and lively.
Baby Skin Care Advice For 6-9 Months
Now it is time add some skin care ingredients into your baby food. Vitamin rich goat milk is advised by most of the skin care experts. Wheat flakes, soybean milk, potassium broth and oatmeal gruel are some of the other preferred ingredients for your baby food.
Avoid wheat, onions, cabbage and garlic, broccoli and Brussels. They can cause severe skin irritations and stomach problems to the baby. If you are breastfeeding it is better that you also avoid these ingredients as they may get passed on from you to the baby.
Baby Skin Care With Ayurveda
The Indian system of skincare Ayurveda has many herbal preparations and formulae for baby skin care made from chemical and synthetic free elements. Consult your child specialist about the suitability of them to your baby and ask them to recommend a few.