Ideal for dry, sensitive and mature skin, baby skin and hair buys are the underrated staples that can make all the difference. Here’s what to borrow from the baby aisle
Babies have got it good, haven't they? From being pushed around all day to near-constant naps, they live the life of Riley – and their skincare is pretty good too, with soothing, barrier-strengthening formulas that often smell ultra-comforting. Big-name brands such as Tropic and Barbara Sturm sell products for babies and even Kylie Jenner has a kids range in the making, teasing the launch of her baby care collection, Kylie Baby, on Instagram earlier this year. So popular is the category of baby skincare, Cult Beauty recently launched a mother and baby section on site.
Don't be too jealous of the little ones though; bath, body and skincare designed for babies can benefit adults too, particularly if you have delicate skin, fine, tangle-prone hair or suffer from inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema . Swapping out some of your more pungent, active products for barrier-strengthening , softening and pH balanced baby ranges can pay off and they often come in cheaper than full-grown equivalents too.
Here are the baby skin and body care buys we're stealing for ourselves.
The baby oil / makeup remover hybrid: Tropic Little Roary Baby Oil, £28
Tropic launched a collection of baby care earlier this year including nappy cream and a body wash, but it was this jojoba oil that we fell head over heels for – and our ten-month-old tester baby Theo (and his mum!) felt the same. Not only does it soothe the skin, it also works as a makeup remover and a massage oil. "Theo loves his post-bath masssage with this," his mum said. "Because it doubles up as a makeup remover I could multi-task and have a little pamper, so it's great for busy mums."
The celebrity-approved bath milk: Dr Barbara Sturm Mini Molecular Baby and Kids Bathing Milk, £25
Barbara Sturm is one of the biggest names in skincare, with fans including models Hailey Bieber and Ashley Graham , so when the news broke that she was creating a range for baby skin back in 2018, it was very exciting. Named Mini Molecular (in reference to her Molecular collection for adults), the whole range is fragrance free. This bath milk is is great if you like to hop in the bath with your baby when they're newborn; we're advised against using essential oils in the bath as it aggravates the vulval microbiome, so scent free bath buys such as this are a great purchase.
Jessica Alba's baby lotion: Honest Baby Gently Nourishing Sweet Almond Face and Body Lotion, £7.99
Created by actress and model Jessica Alba, this baby lotion is surprisingly affordable for a celebrity brand. Jessica created her clean beauty brand Honest in 2011 to create effective formulas that work and are good for you. Though this thick lotion was meant for babies, our tester loved applying it to her legs post-shave for an ultra-rich, cocooning feeling.
The baby-friendly bath bombs: My Little Coco Sleep Head Bath Fizzers, £6.99
My Little Coco is presenter Rochelle Humes' collection of baby care, comprising of everything from shampoo and conditioner, to belly masks for pregnancy and baby oil. These fizzing bath bombs are our pick from the collection and Rochelle says they're a part of her bedtime routine each night. They're made from organic coconut oil and delicately scented with soothing lavender, chamomile and vanilla for a soothing post-bed treat to get you in the mood for sleep.
The massage oil: InLight Baby Massage Oil, £36
Whether you're massaging your baby post-bath or indulging in some self-care, this is a lovely oil to add to your routine. For your baby the massage relieves discomfort from wind, constipation and teething and for you, the oil makes for a skin-nurturing treat.
The sleep-inducing pillow spray: Bloom and Blossom The Very Hungry Caterpillar Baby Pillow Spray Duo Pack, £15 for 2
We tried Bloom and Blossom's Calming Sleep Spray, £18, last year during our Get The Gloss Beauty and Wellness Awards so were pleased to learn the brand has one specifically for children too. It's scented with sicilian lavender, ylang ylang and jasmine and not only will it help send your baby off to the land of nod, it will smell lovely in their room if you pop in to check on them. Everybody wins!
The does-everything balm: Evereden Multi-Purpose Healing Balm, £20
When Cult Beauty launched the mother and aby section on site this summer, Evereden was a star of the show. Housed in pretty pastels and created by doctors (who are also mothers) the brand believes that there's no such thing as being too careful when you're caring for your family's skin. This is made of five essential oils and can be used everywhere from elbows to lips, heels to hands. It's a good dupe for Elizabeth Arden's Eight-Hour Cream and really is a does-it-all product. The pump applicator is particularly pleasing if you're keeping this in your bag as it keeps it clean.
The 2-in-1 wash: Mini Bloom Fresh N' Clean 2-in-1 Body and Hair Wash, £24
Admittedly, this is more than we normally spend on our own haircare, so it seems a lot for a product designed for babies, but it has a seriously impressive founder behind it. Mini Bloom was created by Lauren Wolk-Goldfaden, who is the co-founder of cult skincare brand Goldfaden MD. She created this collection so that mums and mums-to-be who love her other brand can still buy into her skincare prowess when they're pregnant, safe in the knowledge it's of free of ingredients that are unsuitable in pregnancy and for little ones. This was another hit with baby Theo and his mum, who told us: "This lathers without dripping, leaving Theo's eyes dry and happy. The pump is easy to use with one hand and because it's a two in one, it frees up more space in the bathroom for other products. His hair was so soft and shiny after using this, plus it teased out the knots in my own hair."
The cult skin salve: Moo Goo Sensitive Skin Balm, £12.50
This squalane , centella asiatica , aloe vera and sweet almond oil rich ointment is hailed as incredibly reparative by eczema and psoriasis sufferers. It’s not a cure, but many with dry, flaky and inflamed skin find it soothing and effective when it comes to conserving moisture and relieving the pain of chapped skin.
For the bubbliest bath: Bramley Little B Bubble Bath, £14
Bramley was created so that you could recreate the feeling of a break in the countryside even when you're in the centre of the city and Little B has the same transporting powers. Despite being sulphate-free, this sweet orange and lavender scented bubble bath foams up beautifully for a fun bath time. The packaging is 100 per cent recyclable, if you're looking for something with eco credentials.
The award winner: R&R Shea Oil Ori-Nku, £18
This won the Mum and Baby Hero award in our Get The Gloss Beauty and Wellness Awards last year, with our judge writing: “My baby has very dry skin and I use it on her face, hair and all over her skin after a bath. It's the first oil I have found that's not sticky or greasy. I use it on myself too. I love that it’s natural, just a single ingredient, and benefits communities in Ghana where it's made."
The ultra-luxe body cream: Little Aurelia Sleep Time Top to Toe Cream, £26
Definitely not cheap, but a little goes a long way where this buttery body lotion is concerned and the vegan, bioorganic ingredients tick multiple boxes. Rosehip oil, shea butter, oat kernel oil and aloe vera provide immediate and intense hydration while lavender, chamomile and linden blossom are added to promote relaxation and deep sleep at the end of the day. It feels velvety and rich yet sinks in quickly. It's almost *too* lovely to use on babies.
The high-end baby oil: Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Nourishing Baby Oil , £9.15
Not only does this softening apricot and grape seed oil-based unction give limbs a nice sheen but you can also add a capful to your bath to make your money (and moisturising regime) go further. It smells fresh and non-sickly and makes for a brilliant baby/ adult massage as part of a wind-down routine too.
The super-rich moisturiser: Weleda White Mallow Mother & Baby Face Cream , £10.72
Designed to treat extremely dry skin, this balmy cream helps to alleviate rough, tender skin while locking hydration in. With beeswax and coconut oil, it’s extremely emollient so not the one for oily or combination skin, but if your skin becomes sore and chapped with the mere hint of an autumn wind, this mild yet effective fragrance-free lotion will take the edge off.
The detangling hair spritz: Childs Farm Hair Detangler , £4.50
Fine, knot-prone strands? This award-winning grapefruit and tea-tree based detangler will help you to smooth a brush through your lengths and add shine while glycerin and sunflower seed oil help to revive parched ends in particular (although it’s no substitute for a split end trim). The accessible price point means that you can douse it on all the family.