Children learn about the world around them every minute. Tactile sensations are one of the first things a baby has to face every day, so choosing the right hygienic soap is mandatory. Let’s consider what the composition of baby soap should be so that you can wash your child with it without fear.
Let’s define the parameters that a good baby soap corresponds to:
- hypoallergenicity;
- moisturizing the skin;
- no unpleasant effect on the eyes (does not sting);
- safe in case the child decides to lick the soap or foam from it;
Based on these characteristics, the components that make up soap for children are determined:
- Vegetable oils;
- Animal fats;
- Glycerin (lanolin);
- Fatty acids;
- Spermaceti;
- Boric acid;
- Beeswax;
- Plant extracts.
Bactericidal baby soap additionally includes triclocarban, triclosan.
This list, as one of the most potentially useful for a child, provides soap with the necessary qualities. For example, glycerin, boric acid, lanolin and vegetable fats make children’s skin soft. Plant extracts moisturize. Beeswax acts as a nutrient, and extracts in the form of chamomile, sedum, St. John’s wort, and sage are anti-inflammatory.
Read the label before buying
The first and main recommendation when buying baby soap is to carefully read the composition, because there are fakes on the modern market, and preliminary preparation is simply mandatory.
- The first thing to consider is the expiration date. As with products, you also need to pay attention to them. If the soap is natural, then its shelf life does not exceed one and a half years.
- If you see active substances, dyes or synthetic additives in the list of soap ingredients, then put it back on the shelf. Such soap can spoil children’s skin and even cause an allergic reaction.
- The pH indicator is less than 8.
- The indicators of the plant extract make up no less than the main composition. They are often the last in the list of fakes, which may mean the minimum degree, in which case you should not buy soap.
- The sense of smell plays the role of checking the chemical composition of the soap. It is correct if the soap does not smell at all or has a barely noticeable aroma. A sharp smell is a sign of chemistry.
Four types of soap: how to choose
In order to avoid unpleasant consequences when buying soap, you should know which condition is right for your child. There are four types of soap:
- liquid
- solid
- cream,
- antibacterial
Liquid soap has a neutral pH value. Thanks to the convenient dispenser, it is most convenient from the point of view of hygiene. It is easier to introduce useful components into the composition of soap, moreover, the term and their properties are preserved longer. The soap foams perfectly, both in purified water and in hard tap water.
When solid soap interacts with running water, it forms an alkaline solution that leaves unpleasant sensations on the skin – irritation, dryness.
Children’s cream soap includes vegetable oils. Here you need to be careful and beware of fakes. Honest manufacturers make cream soap moisturizing for the skin, and fakes are similar to the result of the indicator of hard soap.
Antibacterial, as noted earlier, most often has two components in its composition – triclocarban and triclosan. You should know that when interacting with the skin, they kill not only harmful bacteria, but also useful ones. Some leading companies have completely abandoned these elements, arguing that they negatively affect reproductive function.
There is also a so-called household baby soap, but it practically does not differ in composition from ordinary household soap.
Cute for all ages
From 0 to 1 year, it is absolutely contraindicated for a child to use soap, even children’s soap. In this case, foams or gels for the specified age, without dyes, allergens and fragrances, are used as hygiene products. Usually, these products include plant components: chamomile, sedum, St. John’s wort.
From 1 to 3 years, children’s skin is very sensitive, and children’s soap, according to the advice of pediatricians, should be used no more than once a week. A big role is played by pH – it should be neutral (up to 8). The recommended period of use of soap for a child is usually indicated on the tube or package.
From 3 years and above. Limits of restrictions at this age are very wide. Now you can use both liquid and solid soap, but do not be careless about the choice, even if the age for use is indicated on it. Buy it in branded stores or even better in pharmacies, and be careful in the market and carefully read the composition.
Be careful when choosing natural soap for your child, because development and surrounding sensations are interconnected.