What wet wipes for a newborn?

Wet wipes are extremely convenient to use and have a wide range of applications. They allow you to quickly wipe or change your child even in not very convenient conditions, e.g. on a walk or while traveling. They allow not only to quickly cleanse the skin, but also to moisturize it at the same time. In this text, you will find the answers to some very important questions, but the most important of them are: Which baby wipes are the best?

Not everyone is aware that wipes - initially soaked in olive oil, milk or even cream - have been with us for over 30 years. The first wipes were assessed by the Institute of Mother and Child in 1991. Over the years, the composition of the soaking liquids has changed, and the non-woven fabric is also becoming more and more perfect. Olive wipes have lost their popularity, just as the use of baby oil is now rare due to its allergenic effects seen in some children.

Composition of baby wipes

Why is it not easy to evaluate the composition of wet wipes for newborns and older children? First, manufacturers put their product compositions on the packaging in small letters. Secondly, the compositions contain difficult, chemical names, written in addition to not in Polish.

We will try to bring this knowledge closer by discussing the most valuable substances in the liquid that soaks the tissues, as well as those that should not be there.

What ingredients of wet wipes are good?

Are you wondering what ingredients in moisturizing wipes will be good for your child? Below we list the most desirable ingredients of wet wipes for babies.

Substances with moisturizing and oiling properties

This is how they work, for example natural oils vegetable about the effect of emollientsthat nourish the skin and rebuild the lipid layer.

We can mention among them: sweet almond oil (Prunus Amygdalus Sweet), rapeseed (Brassica), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), linen (Linum usitatissimum), avocado (Persea gratissima) or jojoba (simmondsia chinensis). Due to their beneficial effects, these oils are also used in cosmetics for children with atopic skin.

Some plant extracts

Plant extracts o safety confirmed by long-term use.

A good example would be extracts from chamomile flowers (Chamomilla recutita), from marigold flowers (Calendula officinalis), from aloe leaves (aloe barbadensis, but the raw material  must not contain aloin), cotton seed (Gossypium herbaceum), olive leaves (European oil).

Substances strongly moisturizing

Such substances include, for example, glycerin (Glycerol), silk protein hydrolysates (hydrolyzed silk), milk protein hydrolysates (Hydrolyzed milk protein), oat protein hydrolysates (hydrolyzed oat protein), as well as substances that, in addition to moisturizing, have a regenerating, softening and soothing effect (allantoin, panthenol, bisabolol).

Surfactants (washing)

These are substances with a very mild effect on the skin, e.g. from the group of sugar derivatives (such as Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside) or amino acid derivatives (Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate).

Preservatives

The liquid soaking the wipes must contain preservatives due to... ease of microbiological superinfection.

Benzoic acid and its salt are considered the safest for children (Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate), sorbic acid and its salt (sorbic acid, Potassium Sorbate), levulinic acid and its salt (Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate). A combination of phenoxyethanol with ethylhexylglycerin (Ethylhexylglycerin), which makes it possible to reduce the concentration of both of these preservatives.

Non-woven handkerchief

It is also important non-woven handkerchiefs - its size, thickness, softness and tear resistance, as well as the appropriate degree of saturation with the liquid. It would be an advantage if it was biodegradable.

Wet wipes: what should you avoid?

Time for list of undesirable ingredients in wet wipes for babies:

• Avoid handkerchiefs that contain several preservatives (sometimes even 4-5!).

They should no longer be used in baby products preservatives releasing toxic and sensitizing formaldehyde, such as Diazolidinil Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea, DMDM-Hydantoin. Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) was also withdrawn from use, which, due to its extensive use, often caused allergies. It replaced parabens withdrawn by cosmetic manufacturers, but it turned out to be a much worse solution than them.

• Fragrance compositions - fortunately, manufacturers are increasingly resigning from fragrant wipes, because the fragrances can strongly sensitize you.

Controversy about parabens

methylparaben i Ethyl paraben are still approved for use in baby cosmetics. However, the permissible concentrations were reduced Propyl- i butylparabenwhile prohibiting their use in cosmetics applied under the diaper.

There has been debate since 1997 as to whether it has been shown in animal studies pro-estrogenic effect Some parabens may also occur in humans. This effect is approximately 10 times weaker than that of phytoestrogens found in many plants (e.g. soy) and 000 times weaker than the effect of estradiol produced by the female body.

Wet wipes: tests and opinions

On the Internet you can find opinions of parents-bloggers, avid chemists and cosmetologists, as well as fans of natural solutions who carry out baby wipes testsand in them they carefully analyze the compositions. What are the conclusions of such tests?

• Wet wipes of the most famous manufacturer or the most expensive are not the best. The price and brand recognition in this case do not translate into the composition.
• Cheap wet wipes for babies sometimes they win in tests! Even the own brands of supermarkets.
• It is considered safe in the composition chamomile and calendula flower extracts, aloe or rosemary. They soothe irritated skin.

• They are desirable in the composition natural oils, which nourish and lubricate the skin: linseed, rapeseed, sweet almonds.
• The shorter the wipes composition, the better. It's best to choose these no artificial fragrances, usually marked as Perfume. They can sensitize and irritate not only the child but also the parent.
• They can also irritate and sensitize preservatives, jak Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Imidazolidinyl Urea, DMDM-Hydantoin (my note - these preservatives are no longer used in baby wipes).
• Parabens, which you will recognize in the composition by the ending -paraben Research is ongoing around their potential harmfulness, so the internet advises you to do better limdo not use such handkerchiefs.

Dada: wet wipes with a Positive Opinion from IMiD

When choosing wet wipes for your child, it is worth paying attention to products that offer not only effectiveness, but also... safety and health protection from the first days of life.

Brand wet wipes Hobbyhorse – both line Everyday and Pure Care, have been specially designed for the delicate skin of babies. Their natural composition, enriched with 100% natural cotton fibers, organic aloe and natural oils, not only perfectly cleanses and moisturizes, but also supports a healthy skin microbiome.

Having a positive opinion from the Institute of Mother and Child, Dada wet wipes are an excellent choice for parents who are looking for ecological, biodegradable products adapted to the needs of sensitive skin.

What to pay attention to when buying and using wipes?

• Primarily do not abuse wipes in a newborn. Don't use them to clean your butt every time you change your nappy. Use them outside the home, and use water at home.
• If your baby has extremely sensitive skin, look for baby wet wipes for atopic skin.
• Comparing handkerchiefs, check unit price, i.e. for one piece.

Wondering what the best moisturizing wipes are? The forum is not the best place to find out - there are many promoted and advertising entries. You should also be careful with the recommendations of celebrities and bloggers who do not honestly analyze the composition and may advertise a given product.

• If you use your wipes from time to time, buy small packages - thanks to this, you will use up the wipes before they dry.
• Practical advice - if you prefer a large pack of tissues, cput the packaging upside down for some time. This will prevent the wipes from being unevenly soaked in the liquid. As a result, the wipes under the lid will not dry out as quickly, and the wipes at the bottom will not be too wet.

Or maybe natural wet wipes for babies?

On internet forums you can read that more and more moms pay attention to making products for children as environmentally friendly as possible. What are their options?

They exist reusable washers, which eco stores sell instead of wet wipes for babies. Opinions about them, however, are mostly negative, because such wipes are an additional problem for parents - they need to be washed. They are not very handy, and they do not contain any washing substances, because they simply need to be moistened with water. The price is definitely an advantage, and you can even make such wipes yourself.

There is also information on the internet about the organic brands they offer wipes moistened with water only and are preserved with, for example, plant extract. They can be expensive and unevenly moisturized (dry quickly or, on the contrary - drip with water). They do not thoroughly clean heavy dirt. Apart from that, however, it is quite a reasonable alternative to regular baby wipes.

At the Institute of Mother and Child, we assessed wipes moistened with a liquid containing water with the addition of grapefruit seed extract, which were rated very high by both the people conducting the study and the mothers using them.

Good wet wipes, which are what?

So what baby wet wipes are worth buying? Certainly these made of natural fabric, marked as biodegradable. If a statistical parent uses approx. 5 thousand. handkerchiefs, it is worth taking care of which wet wipes for newborns we choose. Cotton or bamboo Moreover, they will not stretch or irritate like plastic ones. Such good-quality wipes can also be used in many emergency situations: for removing makeup or wiping furniture and toys.