Gentle, Natural Skincare for Kids: What to Use and What to Avoid

We know more parents than ever are paying closer attention to what goes onto their children's skin, and we think that is a good thing. Children's skin behaves very differently to adult skin, and with an increasing shelf of products now marketed at younger age groups, it can be harder than ever to know what is genuinely gentle and what simply says so on the label. As herbalists, we have long formulated with short, recognisable ingredient lists, so we wanted to put together a proper guide to what we would look for, and what we would avoid, when choosing skincare for a child.

How Is Children's Skin Different From Adult Skin?

We always explain to parents that a child's skin is thinner than an adult's and has a larger surface area relative to body weight, which means it can absorb more of whatever is applied to it. It also loses moisture more quickly and has a less developed protective barrier, making it more prone to dryness and irritation. This is why the NHS recommends simple, fragrance free products for babies and young children rather than products designed for adult skin.

Ingredients We Would Encourage You to Be Cautious Of

Synthetic fragrance

Added fragrance is one of the most common triggers for skin irritation and allergic contact dermatitis, and the British Association of Dermatologists has specifically warned that many products marketed as hypoallergenic still contain known fragrance allergens. We think this makes it especially worth checking labels carefully for children, particularly those with eczema or generally sensitive skin.

Harsh soaps and sulfates

Foaming cleansers containing strong sulfates can strip the skin's natural oils, leaving already delicate skin drier and more reactive, which is one of the reasons we favour gentler, non foaming formulas in our own range.

Alcohol based products

Many antibacterial sprays and wipes rely on high alcohol content, which we find can be drying and uncomfortable on young or already irritated skin.

What We Would Look for Instead

• Short ingredient lists built around recognisable botanicals rather than long chemical names
• Fragrance free or very lightly scented formulas
• Products specifically labelled as suitable for sensitive or young skin
• Gentle, non foaming cleansers rather than strong soaps

Natural Ingredients We Would Look For in Children's Skincare

Once you get past the marketing language, a handful of genuinely well studied botanical ingredients tend to come up again and again in gentle formulas for children. These are three we would point parents towards.

Calendula

Calendula has long been used in traditional herbal practice to soothe delicate skin, and it has one of the better evidence bases of any botanical used specifically in children. A randomised comparative trial in children with nappy rash found that topical calendula performed well against a comparison treatment, supporting its traditional reputation as a gentle, skin soothing option for babies and young children.

Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil is rich in fatty acids that help support the skin's natural barrier and reduce moisture loss. A randomised, double blind clinical trial in children with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis found that twice daily application of virgin coconut oil improved skin hydration and reduced eczema severity more than a mineral oil comparator over eight weeks. As with any new ingredient, it is worth checking with a pharmacist or health visitor first if your child has a known nut or coconut allergy.

Chamomile

Chamomile has a long history of use in calming preparations for both skin and digestion, and its flavonoid content, including a compound called apigenin, is thought to give it its soothing, anti inflammatory effect. A systematic review of randomised clinical trials found a consistent anti inflammatory effect for topical chamomile, which fits with its traditional use in gentle skin and scalp preparations for children.

We would still recommend patch testing any product, however natural the ingredients, and speaking to a pharmacist or health visitor first if your child has known allergies or a diagnosed skin condition.

Our Gentle Formulas for Young and Sensitive Skin

We make our Napiers Hypochlorous Spray as an alcohol free mist, formed from a naturally occurring compound made from salt and water, and many parents choose it as a gentler alternative to harsher antibacterial sprays for cleansing the skin. As with any product used on a child, we would always ask you to follow the label instructions carefully and speak to a pharmacist or health visitor first if you are at all unsure, particularly for babies and very young children.

Our Napiers Starflower Baby Cream is formulated specifically for newborns, babies and children, and is free from fragrance and essential oils. We combine starflower or borage seed oil, naturally rich in gamma linolenic acid, with chamomile, chickweed, aloe vera, and shea and cocoa butters to help soothe and moisturise very sensitive or eczema prone skin. As with any product, we recommend applying it to clean, dry skin and patch testing on a small area first, particularly for newborns or where a skin condition has already been diagnosed by a GP or health visitor.

A Simple Routine We Recommend for Children's Skin

• Keep bath time short and use lukewarm rather than hot water
• Choose a fragrance free wash and avoid vigorous rubbing when drying
• Apply a simple, fragrance free moisturiser while skin is still slightly damp
• Always patch test a new product on a small area before wider use
• Protect children's skin from strong sun, since the NHS recommends a sunscreen of at least SPF15 with four or five star UVA protection for children

When We Would Suggest Seeing a Doctor

Most mild dryness or occasional irritation can be managed with a gentle routine, but we would always echo NHS advice to see a GP or health visitor if a rash persists, spreads, looks infected, or if your child seems generally unwell. Conditions such as atopic eczema in children often benefit from a proper diagnosis and a tailored treatment plan, rather than home remedies alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients should I avoid in children's skincare?

We would suggest avoiding or minimising added fragrance, strong sulfates and high alcohol content, particularly if your child has sensitive skin or a diagnosed condition such as eczema.

Is natural skincare automatically safer for children?

Not automatically, in our experience. Natural ingredients can still cause a reaction in some children, so patch testing remains important. We would still say choosing products with short, recognisable ingredient lists is a sensible starting point.

Can I use my own skincare products on my child?

We would advise against using adult products, particularly anything containing active ingredients, on a child's skin. Products formulated for sensitive or young skin, or advice from a pharmacist, are the safer route.

When should I take my child to see a GP about their skin?

If a rash persists, worsens, shows signs of infection, or you simply are not sure what is causing it, we would always recommend speaking to a GP or health visitor rather than waiting to see if it clears on its own, in line with NHS guidance.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are concerned about your child's skin, please consult your GP, pharmacist or health visitor.

References

• NHS, Washing and bathing your baby
• NHS, Atopic eczema
• NHS, Sunscreen and sun safety
• British Association of Dermatologists, Warning to consumers as more than a third of hypoallergenic products feature common allergens
• British Association of Dermatologists, Contact Dermatitis, Patient Information Leaflet
• A Randomized Comparative Trial on the Therapeutic Efficacy of Topical Aloe vera and Calendula officinalis on Diaper Dermatitis in Children
• Evangelista et al, The effect of topical virgin coconut oil on SCORAD index, transepidermal water loss, and skin capacitance in mild to moderate pediatric atopic dermatitis
• Anti-inflammatory effect of chamomile from randomized clinical trials: a systematic review and meta-analyses

Explore Our Gentle Skincare

To find more of our gentle, naturally formulated products suited to sensitive skin at any age, visit our Children's Health collection.