Caring For Your Baby's Skin: Products To Maintain Optimal pH
Caring for your little one’s skin is undoubtedly up there on every parent’s list of priorities. It is unsurprising that infant skin differs from adult skin. Besides being delicate and up to three times thinner than adult skin, did you know that the pH level of a baby’s skin is higher than adult skin?
If you would like to learn about how you may care for your baby’s skin and maintain its optimal pH level, keep on reading!
The difference between adult and baby skin
The differences between the skin of adults and babies have been clarified by recent studies. As compared to adult skin, a baby’s skin is regarded as more “active” since it is still in the midst of developing. What this means is that it is much more sensitive to irritants, temperature fluctuations, humidity variations and more.
A scale from 0 to 14 is used to express pH, which is the negative logarithm of the activity of hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution. Generally, the pH level of adult skin is between 4 to 6. On the other hand, newborn skin has a pH level of close to 7, which will eventually decrease to an average of 5.5 after a week.
Why is maintaining pH levels important for babies?
The acid mantle, a biologically slightly acidic surface, is present on healthy skin. This acid mantle serves as a barrier to help protect the skin against dehydration and environmental irritants. The development of the skin’s barrier and the activation of the enzymes responsible for digesting stratum corneum lipids (the outermost layer of the skin) both benefit from skin acidification.
This acidic mantle only forms on newborn skin a few days after a baby is born. If your baby’s pH balance is off, their skin may appear red, flaky and increase their chances of inflammatory skin conditions like acne and eczema. Moreover, it may also lead to a rash and be painful or uncomfortable for your little one.
In order to achieve an optimum level of protection, maintaining the skin’s natural barrier’s acidity level, which is an average pH level of 5.5, is crucial.
How to keep your baby’s skin healthy and happy
Gentle and non-toxic cleansing products (shampoos, cleansers and body wash)
Paediatric dermatologists concur that non-toxic and pH-balanced baby body wash, shampoo and cleansers that are hypoallergenic and have no added fragrance are excellent for cleansing your baby’s skin without compromising the skin barrier.
Check out our extensive range of Laboratoires De Biarritz’s range of highly gentle organic baby skincare products which are totally safe from birth. These include their Organic No-Rinse Cleansing Water, Organic Ultra-Rich Cleansing Gel and Organic Liniment Diaper Change Cleanser among others that soothes the delicate skin of your little one, cleanses and prevents irritations. The Gentle Oleo-Calcareous Liniment is a traditional formula made up of equal parts olive oil and limewater, which balances the baby’s skin pH, prevents irritations in the diaper area by neutralising acidity from urine and stools, and provides an additional layer of hydration. All Laboratoires De Biarritz’s range products are minimalist with no added fragrance and hypoallergenic.
Organic and natural wipes
As mentioned earlier, baby skin is far more sensitive and prone to irritation than adult skin. Baby wipes that are natural, fragrance-free and organic are preferable to chemically scented wipes that can irritate sensitive skin with extraneous substances.
CloverSoft’s Unbleached Bamboo Pure Water Organic Baby Wipes are unscented, non-toxic and free of alcohol and any other chemicals that may upset the pH balance of your baby’s skin.
Conclusion
The skin of your newborn will change quickly as he or she develops. It needs additional protection to keep it clean, moisturised, and healthy, since it differs greatly from adult skin. Remember, having healthy skin is more than just a nicety or for aesthetic purposes! Skin that is healthy acts as a barrier against bacteria and other conditions.
Check out the baby closet’s collection of online baby essentials for a wide range of baby skincare products that are specially formulated for the delicate skin of your little one. Our carefully curated products are so gentle that they are perfectly safe for everyday use!
Besides skincare products, we also carry products such as organic baby girl and boy clothes, reusable nappies, rattles, teethers, portable changing mats and more – essentially, we are your one-stop shop for all your needs. So, if you are looking to check off your baby essential checklist, we are the place you should shop at!
Feel free to contact our Customer Service team at info@thebabycloset.sg should you require any assistance.