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24 Best Baby Face Creams & Lotions: Review Guide

by  Katie -  Last updated on December 16, 2020
bestzbaby scream & lotion

Last Updated on December 16, 2020

A baby’s skin is delicate.

You know this, and you want the best for your little one.

That’s why you’re searching for the best babyface creams and lotions.

Contents

Quick Comparison

If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.

Top Baby Face Creams & Lotions

1. Mustela Stelatopia Emollient Face Cream, for Eczema-Prone Baby Skin

Every parent has heard of Mustela. It’s the ubiquitous brand of high-end skincare products for infants.

But I’m telling you right now that you need to read the label before you make the purchase.

Several of their lotions and creams contain sunflower oil, this one included.

Perhaps they didn’t get the memo and is best for baby’s face.

On the other hand, there are plenty of parents who post rave reviews about Stelatopia.

This face cream relieves itching and dryness due to eczema. It’s gentle enough to use around the eyes.

Other active ingredients like avocado perseose, licorice extract, ceramides, sweet almond, and shea butter are included.

If you’re like me, you want to understand more about what you’re putting on your baby’s skin.

Most of these natural ingredients are easy to look up online. It’s the avocado perseose that‘s harder to define. Every research paper I found was locked behind a paywall, although Mustela’s site was helpful.

It turns out that it’s a patented ingredient that strengthens the skin and prevents environmental damage.

And fortunately, the formula is free of fragrances, parabens, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, and mineral oil.

2. Mustela Soothing Moisturizing Cream for Very Sensitive Skin

Happily, Mustela’s cream for sensitive skin DOES NOT have sunflower oil.

It’s fragrance-free and doesn’t have parabens but phthalates, or phenoxyethanol, either.

Ninety-seven percent of the formula is plant-based.

One of the key ingredients is schizandra, a berry extract packed with antioxidants.

3. Mustela Nourishing Baby Face Cream for Dry Skin

Unfortunately, Mustela’s cream for dry skin contains sunflower oil.

It also has cold cream, a skin remedy that’s existed for over two thousand years. The recipes for it vary, but in general, it’s an emotion of fats and water.

The label lists coconut oil, beeswax, and shea butter plus ceramides. The ceramides help the skin develop and maintain a healthy defense for your little one.

Of course, there are no parabens, but phthalates, or phenoxyethanol, although there is an artificial fragrance.

4. Mustela Hydra Bebe Face Cream for Normal Skin

The face cream for normal skin the classic Mustela fragrance, but it’s free of parabens, but phthalates, phenoxyethanol, and silicone.

Sadly, it’s not free of sunflower oil.

But the avocado perseose, Vitamin E, and jojoba oil should do a good job of conditioning your little one’s skin.

5. The Honest Company Purely Sensitive Face + Body Lotion

Jessica Alba didn’t get the memo either, or at least her Honest Company didn’t. This best bay lotion has olive oil in it.

On the other hand, it’s designed to protect sensitive skin.

It features organic shea butter, jojoba oil, and safflower oil plus calendula, chamomile, and aloe.

It doesn’t have parabens, perfumes, silicone, artificial colors, mineral oil, or phthalates.

6. Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream for Sensitive Skin

Aveeno is a top choice for new parents. I scanned the label with my fingers crossed and didn’t see a cause for alarm.

That’s no surprise as many of their products meet the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance standards.

Then, I checked the EWG Skin Database. Hooray, it has a number two rating for low hazard.

This fragrance-free moisturizer continues to keep the skin hydrated for twenty-four hours after it’s applied.

It’s free of parabens and phthalates, too.

7. Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream

Aveeno’s eczema cream is on the approved list of the National Eczema Association.

It was developed with dermatologists to heal and prevent eczema.

That’s a big job as eczema, or atopic dermatitis can be triggered by many different things.

Like other products from this company, this one features colloidal oatmeal to calm the skin. It’s also free of artificial fragrances, parabens, and phthalates.

8. CeraVe Baby Lotion

CeraVe’s baby moisturizer has been accepted by the National Eczema Association.

It’s free of parabens, phthalates, and artificial fragrances.

It’s rich in three essential ceramides that strengthen the skin to keep moisture inside. The benefits continue for twenty-four hours after it’s applied.

It also has hyaluronic acid to attract extra moisture and niacinamide to calm irritation.

9. CeraVe Baby Cream

The main difference between this baby cream in the lotion above is one important ingredient. It’s a dimethicone.

Dimethicone is a silicone that forms a barrier on the surface of the skin. It makes the skin feel silky soft while it prevents water loss. We feel this is one of the best baby lotions out there.

This is another product with the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.

10. Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Cream

Eucerin’s eczema relief cream for babies is okay to use on infants as young as three months of age.

User surveys found that most of the children using it every day avoided flare-ups.

One of the primary ingredients is colloidal oatmeal, which soothes the skin. Then, there are ceramides and licorice root.

The licorice calms irritation and redness.

11. Eucerin Baby Body Lotion

Here’s a solid choice for normal to dry skin.

Eucerin included shea butter and pro-vitamin B5 to condition and fortify.

We feel this is one of the best baby lotions out there.

There are no artificial fragrances, colors, drying alcohols, or parabens.

12. Sebamed Baby Cream Ultra Mild Moisturizer for Delicate Skin

German-made Sebamed Baby Cream is a popular product on both sides of the Atlantic.

It has a pH of 5.5 to help the baby skin develop normally and avoid infection.

While it’s not fragrance-free, it has important components like vitamin B5 and shea butter.

We feel this is one of the best baby lotions out there.

13. Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion

I’m sorry to report that Cetaphil proudly includes sunflower oil in this lotion. It’s the third ingredient on the label.

This baby skin lotion also has organic calendula, a natural remedy for sensitive skin.

On the bright side, there are no artificial dyes, parabens, or mineral oil in the bottle.

But there is an artificial fragrance. We feel this is the best natural baby lotion out there.

14. California Baby Super Sensitive Everyday Face and Body Lotion

California Baby skin lotion offers a satisfaction guarantee on this lotion.

It’s USDA-certified 100% Bio-based and vegan. It has no gluten, oats, dairy, soy, or nuts besides coconut.

Moreover, there are no parabens, petroleum products, or artificial scents. We feel this is one of the best baby lotions out there.

The magic ingredient is calendula, a time-tested remedy for distressed skin. Plus, there are other plant-based ingredients like evening primrose oil and rosemary.

15. California Baby Calendula Moisturizing Cream

The same company also makes a cream that sinks in fast for quick diaper changes.

It’s an award-winning product with a natural scent of clary sage and French lavender.

It’s been tested to be free of common allergens like gluten, soy, oats, dairy, and nuts, too. We feel this is the best lotion for baby.

16. Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Moisturizing Baby Body Lotion

Here’s a baby lotion from a brand name that you’ll recognize. It’s free of dyes, phthalates, parabens, and perfumes.

While it does have an artificial fragrance, it’s labeled as “hypoallergenic.” The company says it was tested by pediatricians.

Apply it at bath time to protect the baby’s skin.

17. Johnson’s CottonTouch Newborn Baby Face and Body Lotion

I’m not a scientist, so I can’t tell you for sure if the sorbitan olivate in the bottle is a problem. It’s derived from olive oil.

Otherwise, this is the best baby lotion that is pleasant to use. It contains cotton to help the dry skin feel extra soft and retain moisture better.

It’s also pH-balanced to prevent irritation. We feel this is the best lotion for sensitive baby skin.

18. Johnson’s Moisturizing Dry Skin Baby Lotion

The main difference I see between this baby lotion and the one above are the two extra ingredients. It has cocoa and shea butter, which soothes the dry skin.

These are both excellent natural moisturizers that rarely irritate.

19. Johnson’s Bedtime Baby Lotion with NaturalCalm Essences

If you don’t need to worry about eczema, you might love this nighttime moisturizer.

It has a pleasing scent that soothes the baby and the parent getting them ready for bed. The fragrance is a blend of jasmine, rose, lily, apricot, and ivy.

20. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Lotion

The Baby Dove baby lotion is also better for normal baby skin as it contains a fragrance.

Fortunately, it’s free of artificial colors, phthalates, and parabens.

This is a formula that relies on water, glycerin, and petrolatum to get the job done. There’s also dimethicone to lock in moisture.

As a result, the effects last for twenty-four hours.

21. Puracy Baby Lotion

Drat! This baby lotion has organic sunflower oil as the second ingredient.

But it won an award for “best BB skincare” from The Bump. Furthermore, it was developed by an MIT chemist and tested by dermatologists and pediatricians.

This organic baby lotion comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee as well. We feel this is the best organic baby lotion out there.

Other benefits include the fact that it’s vegan, plant-based, and biodegradable.

22. Burt’s Bees Baby Nourishing Lotion

I had just finished reading an article about baby skin-care where the doctor said that “less is more.” She was referring to choosing products with fewer ingredients to avoid problems.

Then I discovered Burt’s Bees baby lotion with a long ingredient list. Worse, the sunflower seed oil is fourth on the list, and olive oil is the twelfth also this is perfect for eczema-prone skin. This lotion is also perfect for babies with sensitive skin.

What’s good is that it doesn’t have parabens, but phthalates, petrolatum, or formaldehyde releasers. Even the fragrance is 100% natural. Keep in mind to not use any kind of lotions that contain harsh chemicals.

23. Just Hatched Soft Baby Body Lotion

Here is a lightweight baby lotion that’s mild enough for newborns. It’s described as hypoallergenic, yet it has a fragrance.

The pro is that it’s gluten-free. But the con is that it’s made with sunflower seed oil.

24. Baby Bum Everyday Lotion

Baby Bum lists sunflower seed oil as the second ingredient and fragrance as the last.

Maybe I’m too picky, but I prefer to err on the side of safety. I’d rather have a fragrance-free moisturizer and avoid problems in the first place. Babies smell nice without any extra help.

In case you’d like to know more, there are some good things here. The formula is vegan and free of artificial dyes and parabens.

It’s not greasy, and it’s plant-based.

Should you avoid baby lotions with plant oils?

Before we go any further, there’s something you ought to know.

It might be risky to put sunflower oil or olive oil on healthy newborns.

That’s because these plant oils could break down the natural skin barrier of the delicate baby skin, even as they soften it.

They might contribute to eczema.

And eczema affects one in ten people in the USA. It’s become more common over the past two decades.

To find the reason why so many more children are being affected by eczema, doctors did a randomized controlled trial in 2016.

One hundred and fifteen healthy newborns participated. One group received no oil. The other two groups received either olive oil or sunflower oil twice a day for four weeks.

They discovered that the babies treated with essential oils were slower to develop a healthier barrier against moisture loss and infection.

While scientists admit that more research needs to be done, it can’t hurt to avoid these two ingredients like olive and sunflower oil in the meantime. Wait until your child is a little older before you use products with them. Also, choose products that can free baby from dry skin and are clinically proven. Keep in mind to not use any kind of lotions that contain harsh chemicals.

For now, I’ll point out which popular babyface creams and lotions in the reviews below contain sunflower or olive oil.

Which cream is best for the baby’s face?

Babies are prone to skin irritation during the first few months of their lives.

Diaper rash, “baby acne,” cradle cap, and eczema are all fairly common.

But you can avoid most of these problems by the way you wash and moisturize the delicate baby skin.

Use mild body washes and lotions without artificial fragrances, parabens, dyes, or phthalates.

Even if the product says that it’s “hypoallergenic” doesn’t mean that it’s ideal for your child’s needs.

Apply the moisturizer while your baby’s skin is still damp from the bath to seal in the hydration.

Use a thicker cream to deal with chapped or dry skin on their cheeks or other areas.

Check with your doctor for recommendations if the problem persists or gets worse.

Conclusion

Don’t struggle when you shop for baby face cream and the best baby lotion.

Stick to trusted brands recommended by pediatricians and dermatologists.

The best moisturizer for your infant is the one that soothes her dry skin and keeps it healthy.

If you found a favorite and the best baby lotion today, tell us about it in the comments below.

Sources:

1. https://www.parents.com/baby/all-about-babies/why-you-shouldnt-put-olive-or-sunflower-oil-on-babys-skin/ by Hollee Actman Becker

2. https://nationaleczema.org/research/eczema-facts/.

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26551528 by A. Cooke, et al.,

4. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/ss/slideshow-baby-skin-care

5. https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150374605

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