Have you ever thought about the impact of the products that you are using on your children's skin? Do you assume that because a product is available for sale in a shop that it must have been proved safe by some authorising body? Are you confused about what products you need to use given the overwhelming abundance of options?
The cosmetics industry is currently self-regulating. Research has linked many of the chemical ingredients commonly used in skincare products to health issues such as: reproductive complications, tumours, skin and eye irritations, body development abnormalities (especially in children) and cancer. It is unwise to assume that a cosmetic product is safe because it is available for sale. Unless an ingredient is explicitly banned, then cosmetics companies can pretty much use anything in their products and are also not required to individually list all the ingredients that are contained in a product (this is so that they can protect trade secret formulas). Start reading labels. If what you read on labels makes little sense to you then a couple of really handy resources are a book called The Chemical Maze by Bill Statham and the The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic safety database. Both provide helpful information on the safety or otherwise of chemical ingredients. The book The Chemical Maze comes in a small size so you can easily take it shopping with you if you wish.
Many times advertising convinces us to buy products that we do not even need. Baby-care products especially fall into this category. Our skin is designed to naturally clean itself. This is the role of sebum, a waxy/oily substance produced by our skin. Most babies do not need to be washed with soap on a daily basis. Water is sufficient unless they have been playing in the sand/mud or exploring mum's make-up drawer. If you want you can add a couple of drops of olive oil to your baby's bath water as natural oils cleanse the skin. However, be careful to only use a very small amount or the bath will become slippery.
Alternatively, you can make up some chamomile tea, let it cool slightly and add that to the bathwater. Chamomile soothes and softens the skin and protects against bacterial and fungal infection. Both of these 'cleansers' are particularly good if your baby (or child) has any kind of rashes or eczema. As for moisturiser, it is only needed if baby's skin appears dry and then you can simply use a small amount of a light oil like almond oil. If you are going to purchase baby-care products to use then ensure they contain only natural ingredients and minimal or no fragrance. Babies smell beautiful just the way they are and they need their delicate senses to be unclouded so that they can breathe in the smell of their primary caregivers.
Older children do get a bit grubbier and often need a soap wash, although again not necessarily if they have just been inside all day. If they are not visibly dirty then just a freshen up with water is fine. Harsh soaps, chemical antibacterial cleansers and chemical shower gels disturb our skin's natural oils and acid mantle. It is good to try and keep the skin's natural oils and acid mantle as undisturbed as possible for as long as possible because they provide natural protection. Try using mild soaps made from natural ingredients and teach children to only use soap where they are dirty. This has the added advantage of making the soap last longer thus saving you money. The obvious exception to this is hands. Good hand washing habits are one of the best natural ways to protect your child (and yourself) from infection. However, normal soap and warm water are perfectly sufficient to do this job.
Once children hit their teens they may need to start using specifically designed skincare products for their face (and back) as teenage skin problems such as acne begin to arise. The key thing to remember at this time is to treat the skin gently! Although it may be producing excess oil harsh products that strip oils off the skin may seem beneficial for a while but will eventually make the problem worse as the skin produces even more oil to compensate. It is far more effective to cleanse the skin thoroughly but gently morning and night with skincare products that contain natural herbs and oils that work to balance sebum (oil) production. If your teenager does have moderate to severe acne then get them to avoid using facial scrubs as it is likely that they will spread the infection. The exception to this is blackheads, in which case a gentle scrub can be very helpful. Try adding a drop of peppermint oil to the scrub when it is used as it can help clear congested skin.
Simple skincare that causes the least disruption to the skin's natural systems is best for you and your child. All you really need is something to cleanse the skin when required, and something to lock in moisture and protect the surface of the skin i.e. a moisturiser. For best results, use minimal products, and use the most natural, pure products you can.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
The cosmetics industry is currently self-regulating. Research has linked many of the chemical ingredients commonly used in skincare products to health issues such as: reproductive complications, tumours, skin and eye irritations, body development abnormalities (especially in children) and cancer. It is unwise to assume that a cosmetic product is safe because it is available for sale. Unless an ingredient is explicitly banned, then cosmetics companies can pretty much use anything in their products and are also not required to individually list all the ingredients that are contained in a product (this is so that they can protect trade secret formulas). Start reading labels. If what you read on labels makes little sense to you then a couple of really handy resources are a book called The Chemical Maze by Bill Statham and the The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep cosmetic safety database. Both provide helpful information on the safety or otherwise of chemical ingredients. The book The Chemical Maze comes in a small size so you can easily take it shopping with you if you wish.
Many times advertising convinces us to buy products that we do not even need. Baby-care products especially fall into this category. Our skin is designed to naturally clean itself. This is the role of sebum, a waxy/oily substance produced by our skin. Most babies do not need to be washed with soap on a daily basis. Water is sufficient unless they have been playing in the sand/mud or exploring mum's make-up drawer. If you want you can add a couple of drops of olive oil to your baby's bath water as natural oils cleanse the skin. However, be careful to only use a very small amount or the bath will become slippery.
Alternatively, you can make up some chamomile tea, let it cool slightly and add that to the bathwater. Chamomile soothes and softens the skin and protects against bacterial and fungal infection. Both of these 'cleansers' are particularly good if your baby (or child) has any kind of rashes or eczema. As for moisturiser, it is only needed if baby's skin appears dry and then you can simply use a small amount of a light oil like almond oil. If you are going to purchase baby-care products to use then ensure they contain only natural ingredients and minimal or no fragrance. Babies smell beautiful just the way they are and they need their delicate senses to be unclouded so that they can breathe in the smell of their primary caregivers.
Older children do get a bit grubbier and often need a soap wash, although again not necessarily if they have just been inside all day. If they are not visibly dirty then just a freshen up with water is fine. Harsh soaps, chemical antibacterial cleansers and chemical shower gels disturb our skin's natural oils and acid mantle. It is good to try and keep the skin's natural oils and acid mantle as undisturbed as possible for as long as possible because they provide natural protection. Try using mild soaps made from natural ingredients and teach children to only use soap where they are dirty. This has the added advantage of making the soap last longer thus saving you money. The obvious exception to this is hands. Good hand washing habits are one of the best natural ways to protect your child (and yourself) from infection. However, normal soap and warm water are perfectly sufficient to do this job.
Once children hit their teens they may need to start using specifically designed skincare products for their face (and back) as teenage skin problems such as acne begin to arise. The key thing to remember at this time is to treat the skin gently! Although it may be producing excess oil harsh products that strip oils off the skin may seem beneficial for a while but will eventually make the problem worse as the skin produces even more oil to compensate. It is far more effective to cleanse the skin thoroughly but gently morning and night with skincare products that contain natural herbs and oils that work to balance sebum (oil) production. If your teenager does have moderate to severe acne then get them to avoid using facial scrubs as it is likely that they will spread the infection. The exception to this is blackheads, in which case a gentle scrub can be very helpful. Try adding a drop of peppermint oil to the scrub when it is used as it can help clear congested skin.
Simple skincare that causes the least disruption to the skin's natural systems is best for you and your child. All you really need is something to cleanse the skin when required, and something to lock in moisture and protect the surface of the skin i.e. a moisturiser. For best results, use minimal products, and use the most natural, pure products you can.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/