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cGivers know: You slather your baby with ointment, protect her from winter weather, and dress her in only the most breathable (and utterly adorable) cotton onesies… and yet every day a new skin flare-up seems to arise. What gives?
Baby care can feel like the Wild West, especially during the colder months. If you’re feeling completely overwhelmed by an ever-changing array of skin concerns, swamped by all the bath and body options out there, and not sure what to try, rest assured: there’s one ingredient that controls all the skin-soothing properties. boxes – and it’s kid-tested, parent-approved, and doctor-recommended.
Board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, FAAD suggests scanning your baby skin care products for calendula. It is a plant-based ingredient with skin-soothing properties that gently soothes all kinds of conditions. To make it even easier for you, NOW® Baby has a collection of calendula-infused baby essentials made from high-quality, natural ingredients, including everything from gentle shampoo and bath detergent to lotion and (a just-dripped) diaper paste.
So before you (literally) throw in the towel and resign yourself to yet another bout of childhood irritation, let Dr. King tackle some common skin concerns and stock up on soothing, calendula-infused essentials to help alleviate them. (PSA: They’re 20 percent off for the entire month of March.) Oh, and while you’re navigating this whole healthcare thing? Be gentle with yourself – and with your children.
Buy soothing baby skin care
Why do babies have such sensitive skin?
First of all: why all the irritation? “Baby skin is thinner and has a lower lipid content [than adult skin]and the skin barrier function is less robust,” says Dr. King, which “means that transepidermal water loss increases and there is a greater risk of irritation and infection from environmental toxins, irritants and microbes.”
According to Dr. King, dryness, flakes, redness and bumps – in different shapes and on different parts of your baby’s soft, cozy body – can affect up to 70 percent of babies. Although a mother’s hormones sometimes contribute to these conditions, environmental factors almost always play a role. And if you live in a place that experiences winter weather, you’ll likely experience more irritation throughout the season.
So yeah, it’s hard out there, but not forever. The skin barrier matures within the first five years of life, and most little ones grow out of these common ailments. Until then, you can give your little peanuts some big relief with natural, nourishing ingredients. Dr. King’s advice? “Avoid essential oils, parabens, alcohols, sulfates and other harsh surfactants,” and look for gentle, hypoallergenic formulations instead.
What are the benefits of calendula?
When it comes to gentleness, calendula is queen. “Calendula is a flowering plant from the marigold family,” says Dr. King, whose petals have been used in foods and traditional herbal systems for centuries. (Fun fact: The flower, native to the Mediterranean region, got its name from the ancient Romans, when they noticed that it bloomed at the beginning of each month, or ‘calends’.)
“Calendula is often found in skin care products because it is soothing…moisturizing, [and] antioxidant properties,” says Dr. King, making it useful in relieving skin conditions – in one simple step. And when you combine the powerful extract with the other plant-based, functional ingredients in NOW® Baby and children’s supplies—like organic aloe, lavender, and chamomile (hello, sweet sleep)—herald in some seriously soft cuddles.
So stock up on soothing baby care products from NOW, dive deep into a super splashy bath routine and enjoy the benefits of calendula. Your skin will thank you too.