5 essential ingredients in babycare

1. Bisabolol

It is found in the Chamomile plant (Matricaria recutita) and can be used in creams in order to reduce redness and irritated skin. It can also be used for bacteria and fungi. We've used Chamomile in our Baby Balm, for example.

2. Zinc-oxide

We use Zinc-oxide in our products, a powder which is made through the processing of mineral zinc. Zinc-oxide skin-protecting characteristics, which is perfect for diaper rash. You'll find zinc-oxide in some of our products, like the Diaper Cream and Sunscreen. You'll recognize products that use zinc-oxide by the fact that they leave a bit of a white protective layer on the skin.

3. Oils

Think soothing macadamia oil, protective sweet almond oil, and moisturizing avocado oil. You'll find those in our Body Lotion and Diaper Cream, among others. Nut oils are often very similar to our own skin oils and therefore offer good nutrients in creams, serums, and lotions.

4. Glycerin

It is the naturally occurring substance in the body that keeps the skin soft and supple. Therefore, this ingredient is perfect for sensitive baby skin. Glycerin is contained in our cooling After Sun and Nurturing Cream.

5. Cottonseed oil

In soap cottonseed oil has a strong cleansing and moisturizing effect. It is also a foaming agent and the oil itself is hypoallergenic. People who can't use classic soap due to skin reactions often tolerate soap made with cottonseed oil well. Our Nourishing Shampoo, for example, contains cottonseed oil.

Ingredients that we stay away from...

At Naïf, we don't use any ingredients, that we wouldn't use for our own kids. You can read which ones here:

• Mineral oils (also called petroleum, paraffine, or mineral oil) form a layer on the skin and can clog pores. This blocks the skin's circulation of moisture and oxygen. Not to mention, mineral oil is based on the fossil fuel industry. That's something we prefer to stay away from.

• Microplastic gives products a thicker consistency so that they can be applied easily to the skin. But this ends up in nature and later in our food chain, no thanks.

• Perfumes with allergens and essential oils. Natural perfumes and essential oils contain allergens. These can cause allergic reactions. That is why we use a synthetic fragrance that is free from the 26 most common allergens.

• PEG and synthetic emulsifiers can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and are not suitable for damaged or irritated skin.

• Ingredients like SLES are widely used in shampoos for their cleansing and foaming properties. However, for some they can cause eye irritation, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff, and allergic reactions. 

• Parabens are a group of substances that can be added to personal care products as preservatives. There is debate within Europe among both scientists and consumers about the safety of using parabens in products. This discussion concerns the possible hormone-disrupting effects of parabens and, for example, on the possible development of breast cancer. It is important to mention that there is insufficient information to establish that parabens are actually endocrine disruptors, nor has the relationship between the use of parabens and breast cancer been proven (source: RIVM). We prefer to be on the safe side, which is why our products do not contain parabens.