Soap Or Body Wash Which Is Better For A Baby?

Your little bundles of joy are the most precious individuals of your life. So, of course, you do not want to spare any expense regarding taking their complete care. During this tender stage of their lives, your young ones are susceptible to exterior stimuli. So, unique supervision methods should be followed when you’re nurturing them.

Keeping them clean and fresh is a primary step in ensuring that your little ones remain healthy all season long. Consequently, it is likely that you have wondered between soap and body wash, which is better for your baby. The answer, to simplify it, is manifold and multidimensional. First, both of these products are manufactured in kid-specific variations. So, there are ample positive impacts of them on your baby. Alternatively, the delicate skin condition of your little ones can react strongly to these products. 

So in this blog, you get an in-depth look at the positive and negative effects both soap and body wash can produce on your baby’s skin. Based on the data you get here, you can decide on choosing the care product best fitting for your child.

What Are The Positive impacts Of Soap On Your Baby?

Baby soaps do not contain any harsh chemicals, so they are safe for your young ones. Using these bathing soaps regularly moisturises and softens the tender skin of the youngsters. The organic ingredients of these products ensure that your baby can get a smoother epidermis without any harm.

These ingredients are also pivotal in offering the necessary nourishment your kid’s skin requires. Therefore baby soaps contain nutrients which make sure that the overall health of the little one is taken care of. For example, several baby soaps are enriched with milk protein. These Vitamin E-enriched milk proteins moisturise your little ones’ skin. 

Furthermore, soaps explicitly made for the tiniest members of your family are formulated to cause no or minimal irritation to their eyes or skin. The presence of components such as honey, glycerine, almond and olive oil reinforces the positive impacts baby soaps have on your toddlers.  

These products are also put together specifically not to cause any allergic reaction on your kids’ skin. A balanced pH level and a minimal scent are used to make certain they feel comfortable and at ease during their bath time. Moreover, some soaps often come with a no-tear composition. These products are ophthalmologist-tested not to sting the eyes of your little one as you clean them up.

What Are The Negative Impacts Of Soap On Your Baby?

Some baby soaps can contain harsher components, such as ethyl alcohol and propylene glycol. If you are using these products for an extended period, they can hurt the young ones’ skin.

On that note, several bubble bath soaps contain sodium Laureth sulfate [SLES] as an oft-used component. This foaming detergent can easily cause skin irritation for your toddlers. Note that these elements are not necessarily harmful in smaller portions. But as they have a far weaker immune system than adults, kids are susceptible to the side effects of these products in the long run. 

Moreover, further studies have shown that a number of baby soaps can contain elements like Cocamidopropyl betaine, coconut diethanolamide and propylparaben. These components can be toxic for your children, so it is better to avoid using products that possess them. 

Furthermore, baby soaps are a bit alkaline in nature. Hence, if the product you are using does not have a pH level close to your babies’ natural skin pH level, it can be detrimental to their overall health and cause irritation over prolonged usage. 

Some baby soaps may use fragrances with allergens or irritants in their contents. This becomes a significant issue if your children have sensitive skin. Moreover, using antibacterial soaps can be counterproductive for them. These products can have elements like triclosan which your babies do not need.  

Lastly, there is always the chance of your little ones swallowing a bit of the foam and water when getting bathed. The component present in the soap can lead to adverse effects like throat burn, nausea and vomiting. So, you need to be extra careful when cleaning the little ones. 

What Are The Positive Impacts Of Body Wash On Babies?

As body washes come in containers, they are not exposed to the potential manifestation of airborne bacteria. Naturally, these products are a comparatively more hygienic alternative for your children. Additionally, body washes are untouched, so there is no scope of contamination by the dirt from your hands. Finally, as most manufacturers use non-toxic, recyclable material for the packaging, you can rest assured about your little ones being secure on all fronts.

The change of temperature or the feeling of floating is some of the several reasons young children get afraid during their bath time. Hence, it is necessary to make them feel comfortable when you are washing them up. Body wash plays a key role in this aspect, as it can create a lather to help you in an all-around clean-up of your baby. So this bubbly bathing experience makes your child feel snug, cosy and relaxed during this time. 

Furthermore, some child-oriented baby washes contain nutritious product like oats which helps the delicate skins of your children in retaining their natural oils. These gentle skincare products can be highly effective in soothing the dryness of their skins. 

Most importantly, several body washes for children are created with a hypoallergenic component. So, they are guaranteed not to leave any adverse side effects on your young ones, even if they have hypersensitive skin. 

What Are The Negative Effects Of Body Wash On Babies?

Several body washes have Sodium lauryl sulphate [SLS] in them to make them lather. However, this component is able to cause coarseness, redness or dryness for your young one’s skin. Primarily recognised as a common skin irritant, SLS can especially cause itchiness during the colder months. As sulphates like SLS and SLES are also highly effective in cleaning dirt and oil, manufacturing companies are prone to use them in baby products despite their side effects. 

Additionally, much like soaps, body washes with added fragrance have a primarily counterproductive effect on your precious little ones. An artificial fragrant called phthalate esters are present in these products. This petroleum by-product is not chemically bonded to the polymer, so it can gradually migrate into your kids’ bodies. There can be longstanding health issues as a result of this action. 

Soap Or Body Wash – Which Is Better For Your Baby Then?

As briefly touched on before, the answer remains subjective. Both of these products have plus sides and their drawback. How they end up affecting your child depends mainly on how you choose to use them. 

So when you are buying a body wash or baby soap, make sure that checking all the ingredients remain your primary concern. In addition, it is necessary to not opt for products that contain any of the harmful elements mentioned above. 

In this context, a good rule of thumb is to buy only those products that medical professionals have approved. Check the labels of the soap or body wash when you are placing an order. Moreover, consult first with your dermatologist and paediatrician to ensure that these products are suitable for your baby’s health. 

 Whether you use soap or a body wash, always opt for the ones with all natural ingredients. It is also suitable for the baby to make the bathing period not more than 5-7 minutes, as overexposure to water can be detrimental to the skin. 

So now you have all the information needed at your fingertips to decide which is better for your baby, soap or body wash. As a parent, you have the enormous responsibility of caring for these delicate, innocent individuals who depend entirely on you. As everyone knows, no one fulfils that duty more charismatically and empathetically than you. So, when it comes to picking up what’s best for your baby, you remain the best judge of it.