When it comes to the beauty and well being of your baby, you will never worry about spending a few extra bucks over it.
As such, there are so many advertisements targeted at you to sell their baby products and make themselves a good living. Are the claims from these ads backed by sound science? Are baby oils any different from regular oils? Let us go through this question and find out its answer.
Apart from its name and the fancy packaging, baby oil is basically mineral oil only. They may add some fragrance to it so as to entice the parents to this product. A nice fragrance can temporarily bring about the feeling of freshness on your baby.
Mineral oil is generated from crude petroleum through the application of chemicals as well as heating. Through this process, kerosene, gasoline, hydrocarbons present etc are removed from the crude oil. By this nature, mineral oil is not good for human consumption. This would be a major disadvantage for baby oils to be used as massage oil. Your baby is likely to put his oily hand in to his or her mouth. As mineral oil does not have any food value and it is considered to be harmful for the baby’s health, this is not a good situation.
In addition to this, mineral oil contained in the baby oil is going to be absorbed in to the system through the skin pores as well. As the baby’s brain and other vital organs are still in the developing stages, absorption of mineral oil in to his or her system can be dangerous. Hence, an appropriate massage oil for your baby should be made with an edible oil. Cold pressed vegetable oil or fruit oils would be ideal for this purpose. Oils commercially created through the application of chemicals would not be appropriate for your baby’s delicate body.
Many people are known to be sensitive to petroleum based products. The risk of the same happening with your baby can be much higher due to the young age and tender nature of him or her. Headaches in certain babies are known to be due to the use of baby oils.
As baby oil molecules are comparatively bigger size than edible oil molecules, they are not going to be easily absorbed through the skin pores. As such, the mineral oil content in the baby oil is going to clog your baby’s skin pores. This will prevent the normal functions of your baby’s skin like sweating, breathing, absorption of certain items etc.
Grapeseed and safflower oils are the best vegetable and fruit based oils suited for babies. They are easy to be obtained from the department stores we frequent as well. Any other natural oils used for cooking can provide great results as well. Your baby’s soft skin would appreciate the oil in its natural way, without any added perfume or flavoring. The oil used by your baby should be some thing that you would be comfortable to use in his or her food.
Great info, thanks. Mineral oil also makes baby skin even drier when absorbed.
[...] Finally read one of these tips as a bonus Which is the best massage oil for your baby? [...]
[...] Finally read one of these tips as a bonus Which is the best massage oil for your baby? [...]
baby skin is so beautiful and smooth. wish i still have my baby skin.
baby skin is definitely the softest and smoothest skin
the best skin is of course baby skin, it is very smooth and very smooth.