Are Your Beauty Products Safe Around Your Newborn?

Taking a baby home is a gamechanger—and so is your beauty routine. You find yourself doubting every single product that you pick up. Is your favorite perfume excessive? Does your skincare cause problems for the sensitive skin of your baby? They are not merely the paranoia of a new parent. They are serious questions that should be answered.

Let us take a closer look at what you should know about applying beauty products near your new baby and how to still make your self-care routine less of a stress factor.

Newborns are more sensitive for several reasons.

We should discuss why babies are more susceptible to chemicals and fragrances as compared to adults before we discuss particular products. Babies possess extraordinarily thin and permeable skin that takes in substances more easily. Their immature respiratory systems are also more susceptible to air pollution and heavy smells.

Also, babies spend most of their time in close proximity to you—breastfeeding, lying on your chest, or in your arms. Whatever you put on your skin can be so easily transferred to theirs. This intimate proximity means the products that you are using no longer just affect you.

The Fragrance Factor

Fragrance is one of the biggest offenders as far as possible irritants are concerned. Whereas that fancy perfume may be a welcome relief when you feel put together in those early weeks when you are sleep-deprived, the heavy smell of perfume can overwhelm the sensitive system of your baby and could create breathing problems or skin allergies.

It does not mean that you need to go without any scent till the next year. Rather, you can switch to fragrance-free or naturally scented items. In the case you are a perfume lover, then you can apply the perfume to your clothes instead of applying it directly to your skin and use lighter concentrations. You can also save it for when you are going out without the baby.

Nail Polish and Nail Care Guidelines

When it comes to polishing nails, the primary concerns are the fumes (air quality) and drying time. Traditional nail polish fumes have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which may be irritating—particularly indoors. In case you are at home painting your nails, do so in a well-ventilated place, preferably when someone is present to take care of the baby in another room.

You can avoid some of the most toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate, by switching to 3-free or 5-free polishes. Better still, in case you are having manicures done on a regular basis, you can make appointments when you do not have your baby with you and the polish can dry and off-gas before you are back to carrying your infant.

Hair Products: What to Be Aware Of

Your hair care routine may require some changes also, especially when using products that have strong smells or harsh chemicals. Hair sprays, styling mousses, and heat protectants usually include alcohols and propellants which can irritate the airways of a baby.

When buying hair care products, you will find the items that are marked as hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, or made using natural ingredients. These are mostly the safer alternatives when you are close to a newborn. Particularly watch out when it comes to aerosol products - the spray can linger in the air and be breathed in by your baby.

Use these products when your baby is not in the room. Avoid picking up your child until the product has dried or settled. When you are dealing with chemical straighteners, dyes, or perms on your hair, the best thing to do is to get these treatments done at a salon, or if at home, schedule it when you can avoid spending time with the baby several hours after doing the treatment.

Makeup: Less Is Often More

The good thing about makeup is that the majority of the products are not that harmful once they have dried on your skin. Nonetheless, powders can be problematic as they can become airborne and inhaled. When you are using loose powder, apply it carefully, away from your baby.

Lipstick especially should be mentioned since during kisses with your baby, you will inevitably touch its skin with your lips. Only stick to products that have food-grade colorants and that avoid harsh chemicals or heavy fragrance. Most parents opt for tinted lip balms in the infancy period—it is softer and still provides some color.

Skincare Simplification

Maybe it is time to streamline your skincare process. Those elaborate ten-step regimens with acids, retinoids, and active ingredients? It's time to simplify them. Your child does not need the exposure to such chemicals and frankly, you would most likely not have time for them anyway.

Concentrate on soft, odorless essentials: a gentle cleanser, an uncomplicated moisturizer, and sunscreen during the day. Find products with ingredient lists that are as short as possible - the fewer ingredients there are in the product, the fewer things that can irritate you, as well as your baby.

Developing Safeguarding Application Habits

In addition to buying safer products, how you use them also matters. The following are some of the practical habits:

Use products in a well-ventilated restroom with the door shut.
Wipe your hands after applying any product before touching your baby.
Allow products to dry and become thoroughly absorbed.
Keep all beauty products locked up and in a closed container.
Consider using stronger products at night when the baby is sleeping.

Trust Your Instincts

Each baby is unique and what worked for another family may not work for yours. If you see that your baby is getting rashes, he or she is not breathing properly, appears more fussy than normal, or appears to have irritation in his or her eyes, then listen to your intuition. Try removing one of the products at a time in order to find possible offenders.

The Bottom Line

The application of beauty products around your newborn is not always an all-or-nothing affair. It is all about making proper decisions and paying attention to what you are putting on your body in those close contact hours. You do not have to quit all your routine but simply change it in a wise manner.

Keep in mind that you should care about yourself as well as you care about the baby. And even in the pandemonium of new parenthood, when you feel more like yourself with some makeup on or styled hair, then that is worth something as well. The goal is to achieve a balance which ensures the safety and comfort of both you and your baby.