One of the best beauty advice which will unfortunately come too late for many of us, is to start young.
The earlier you start on a good skincare routine the better.
This is something I’ve already instilled in my girls. While my youngest is only eight years old she already understands the importance of daily use of sunscreen and moisturizers.
My 16-year-old daughter who’s going through the usual skincare challenges that come with hormonal changes, knows how to care for her skin to avoid damage. No picking at those monthly pesky pimples being just one of the big no-nos.
These are just a few basic rules I wish were instilled in me when I was younger. I could have avoided the permanent sun damage and the wrinkles that are forming way too early for my liking.
While starting young is obviously the best thing to do for your skin, some parents are now getting their little ones on a good skincare path from the moment they are born, even if it means spending as much money on their skincare products as they would on their own.
Most moms are happy to use your everyday, basic baby products that one can pick off the shelf from any supermarket. Baby aqueous cream, perhaps some baby powder and bum cream are pretty much the standard goodies new moms would stock up on.
However now moms have a much wider range of products to pamper their babies with, and to give their skin the best start.
Skincare products, in general, have come a long way and there is a great shift towards the use of natural, vegan and sustainable products as consumers become more conscious of what they put into and on their body.
Consumers are more informed and are now inclined to carefully study the labels on a product before putting anything in their cart.
And when it comes to buying products for their little ones, moms are even more critical and happy to spend much more money to ensure the best for their children.
Skincare brands are seeing a need for top quality baby products and are now expanding their lines to include child-friendly products and there’s been a steady growth in brands specialising in baby skincare.
In September reality TV star Kylie Jenner launched her own baby skincare range called, Kylie Baby.
24-year-old Jenner who has a daughter Stormi, 3, and is currently pregnant with her second child, more famous for a make-up line, Kylie Cosmetics and her iconic lip kits, as well as an adult skincare range Kylie Skin, saw a gap in the market and came up with the baby care range inspired by Stormi.
“I know we all want the absolute best for our kids so making this line completely vegan and hypoallergenic was very personal to me!" she said.
"I'm so proud of these products and couldn't wait to share this with you and your family!” the multi-millionaire businesswoman told People Magazine.
Here are a few other luxury baby care products on the market right now.
Chantecaille Bébé
Before Kylie Jenner, there’s also another mother who was motivated by the lack of high quality, well-formulated natural baby products in the market. So she added a baby and kid line to her luxury green beauty empire: Olivia Chantecaille.
The New York-born, French-bred creative director of her eponymous brand brings her beliefs in ground-breaking scientific innovation, meticulous formulation, and purest ingredients to Chantecaille Bébé.
All her products are allergy and dermatologically tested, gluten, soy, and wheat-free, PETA certified cruelty-free, and made without any fragrances, chemical additives, phthalates, SLS, or dyes, making them ideal for anyone with sensitive skin especially your babies.
Barbara Sturm baby skincare range
Dr Barbara Sturm, a German aesthetics doctor, has brought her healing touch to baby products. The most popular is the Baby and Kids Face cream which is specially formulated to protect kids’ sensitive skin from the elements. The star ingredients include marigold and almond blossom extract, chamomile, calendula and jojoba oil.
Little Aurelia
The pioneer of innovative probiotic skincare Aurelia taps into the baby and kid market with Little Aurelia. Their range includes a comfort and calm rescue cream and a sleep time massage oil which is registered by the Vegan Society.
Regardless of how much you’re willing to spend on your baby’s skincare products here’s what to look for when looking to buy any.
It should not contain ingredients such as harsh soaps or alcohol as these can cause allergic reactions and discomfort.
Ensure that the products do not contain parabens (a preservative often found in cosmetic products). There are concerns that parabens could be absorbed more by infants than adults, making them more vulnerable to any potential harmful effects.
Also look out for dyes which are an unnecessary addition to baby products.
Phthalates are also potentially dangerous ingredients that research has linked to a range of disorders such as asthma.
Natural might not always mean best. Products labelled ‘100% Natural’ are not necessarily free of preservatives or harmful additives.
Research unfamiliar ingredients before purchasing to make sure the product is safe for infants and young children.
Use products that are hypoallergenic – these products are formulated to have the least possible risk of allergic reaction.
Use pH-neutral baby lotions. Products that are not neutral in pH balance can cause the skin to dry out and develop rashes or become itchy and irritated.