Need a Recommendation on a Good Soap for 18 Mnth Old

Updated on August 20, 2008
S.N. asks from Baltimore, MD
36 answers

My daughter is 18mnths old. She has sensitive skin, I used to use Aveeno creamy baby wash on her when she was an infant, which I loved. But I switched over to Dove sensitive skin once she turned one, because I figured that she needed a cleanser that was a little more effective. But, I've found that I don't like the Dove. It irritates me and my Mom. Just something about it that I don't like. I was wondering if the Aveeno baby is still cool to use on an older baby. Or is there some other effective but mild soap or wash that I can try on her. I use safeguard on myself but way to harsh for her. What kind of soap do you guys use on your older babies?

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So What Happened?

I read every ones comments and what I found is that I will stick with my good old Aveeno baby and my cetaphil, and also open my mind to organic products.I always loved the idea of organic products, I just didn't know if they would be convenient to purchase or too expensive. But I do see Califonia baby in Target and there is a whole food store in downtown Baltimore,now. I also had no idea that cetaphil was so popular. I use cetaphil on her face with the recommendation from her pediatrician, since she was a newborn. I use it because no matter what breakout she may have on her face from her eczema, the cetaphil always works. But I never thought to use it on the entire body, I didn't know if it had anything in it that would irritate her vaginal tract, but I now realize how gental it is. I'm never using store brand bar soaps agagin (Dove, safeguard, dial etc). Thanks ladies

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S.A.

answers from Washington DC on

Look in to soaps that do not have chemicals and parabens in them.

I use Earth Mama Angel Baby products.
Feel free to contact me.

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L.W.

answers from Grand Junction on

Hi, My daughter is the same way. She's 20 months now and I still use her baby soap. What I found to be the best is "Lil Goats Milk Petite Chevre Shampoo and body wash" You can get it on amazon.com. They also have a great body butter. I also don't use any detergent or dryer sheets that have fragrances. Those seem to bug her too.

And if you still want to stick with her baby stuff, why not, I would if it works.........Good luck!

L.

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

Hey, Moms, I've heard both LAVENDER and TEA TREE OIL mentioned in these replies. USE WITH CAUTION! Both of these ingredients have been implicated in abnormal growth of breast tissue in boys. Google this, or go to WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/131/118124

I have multiple chemical sensitivities (PLEASE ladies, if you must wear perfume when you go out, I hope you will use a very light touch!!!) and have to be very alert to all kinds of ingredients, including many scents, or I risk illness severe enough to affect my sleep and breathing for several days. So my ears perked up when I began hearing about these two ingredients a year or so back. They are both very popular right now - I don't know how long it will take for the producers to get the message that they might disrupt boys' hormonal systems. I would be inclined to avoid them altogether. They might have subtler, but still undesirable, effects on girls, too.

Great suggestions, by the way. There are some cleansers listed that I might try for my exceedingly sensitive skin. Thanks, all, for the helpful information!

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R.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi S.,

I don't use any product on myself or my baby without first checking it on Skin Deep the cosmetic data base website. Most stuff out there is toxic in some form or another. This site will tell you what is what and to what extent. I also only use organic with the baby and mostly with myself too. We love California Baby and it smells really good too.
http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com

3 moms found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Louisville on

Hey S.,
I'm an arbonne indepent consultant... and I don't know if you've ever heard of arbonne, but all of our products are pure, safe and beneficial. We have a line called baby ABC (Arbonne Baby Care), which includes a hair and body wash, body lotion, body oil, diaper rash cream, and sunscreen. The products are great and I have clients who have used it on their newborns to kids up to 15 years old. You can check out our website at www.arbonne.com. If your interested let me know and I can start you off with a few samples to try.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.B.

answers from Benton Harbor on

S., please check out Jordan Essentials skin care products at www.jordanessentials.com/8783. It is a safe,affordable, natural solution for skin care. All American made, and none of their products have any harmful chemicals..ie(Mineral oil, Isopropol alchohol, or DEA). Their products have helped my skin immensely as well as many others. Besides liquid soaps with aloe added, their Oatmeal Milk & Honey soap or the unscented oatmeal/glycerin soap may be just what you are looking for.
Glad to help, R. B

1 mom found this helpful
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D.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I have been shopping with Melaleuca for the past 3 years, their products are very gentle and safe, no harmful chemicals or solvents. You may even want to switch your laundry detergents, to help her skin. Please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Thanks, D.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi S., I'm not really sure where you are from but a lady in Leesburg, Va has started her own businees with just this in mind because her babies were all allergic to all Soaps......The name of the business is Lavender Moon Soaps located on King St. in Leesburg. I believe she also has a businees in Winchester, VA . I love the soaps for myself and give them to my friends for gifts, which they adore and when they see the wrapping from Lavender Moon, they just smile. Hope this helps. R. Brown

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N.C.

answers from Norfolk on

S.,

My daughter is 17 months and was diagnosed at 9 months with extra sensitive dry skin. Her pediatrician recommended the Aveeno Soothing Relief Creamy Wash and we still use it. I don't think the type of soap matters as long as she is having a bath every day. I hope this helps.

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L.F.

answers from San Diego on

I suggest that you try the products at San Diego Natural Soap Co (www.sandiegosoap.com). They make fabulous soaps for infants and kids; I've been using them on my daughter since she was very little. Check it out!

Good luck,
L.
author of What Haven't They Told Me? Practical Tips for Surviving and Thriving During Baby's First Year (www.offramppublishing.com)

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K.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

S.-

I just read your question today and thought I would give you one other product to look into if you haven't already. The product is from a company called Arbonne. THey have a fabulous baby line called ABC and within it they offer a Baby wash, lotion, diaper rash ointment and a Sunscreen. I use all of these on my children and love them. All the products are botanically based with no animal products or mineral oill in them. They are also recommended for adults with very sensitive skin. You can buy these as a set or individual. I am a mother of four (9,7,5,2) and have used these for my girls with positive results.

Best of luck-
Kathy M.

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N.O.

answers from Norfolk on

My dd is the same age and I still use Aveeno. It works for dirt, spaghetti and sweat. ;)

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D.G.

answers from Norfolk on

My daughter has sensitve skin and our Dr. recommended ivory. She hasn't had any problems since. Hopes this helps.

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L.P.

answers from Lynchburg on

I use Ivory (white ) on my 14 month old son. When my 19 year old daughter was born she had very sensitive skin so I used Johnson and Johnson plain baby soap on her up to when she started Middle School and she did very well with that.

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

There is a wonderful product line by Arbonne for babies. The body and hair wash and lotion have cured many children from their dry and sensitive skin, and even from eczema. I am a physician and have recommended it to parents with good results. The bottles run about $14 each, or there is a whole baby care set that includes--hair and body wash, lotion,body oil, a great spf 30 sunscreen (don't use on kids under 6 months), a diaber rash cream, and a GREAT rejuvinating cream that is a very mild facial moisturizer for moms (or bigger kids). The whole set is about $80 if you were to purchase it directly, but discounts are available, up to 35% off. They are botanically based and NOT animal tested. Please email me ____@____.com if you are interested. You can also check out their products at www.arbonne.com
K. Bradford, MD

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C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

I find ceraVe to be great. there is a cleanser, lotion, and cream. i use the cleanser and lotion on my son and i also use the lotion. it's a bit expensive though compared to the brands at tsrget. you can find this at walgreens.

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B.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hi S.. I also have used Melaleuca products in my home for the past 3 years. Both my son and husband have sensitive skin and using all of their personal care products has really helped. I also have found their products to be less expensive than some of the other natural products out there. Hope this helps.

Barbara Murtaugh
www.totalwellness-nj.com
###-###-####
____@____.com

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A.T.

answers from Norfolk on

I have issues with my children and cleansers, oils, and lotions. To be honest with you, even Johnson and Johnson breaks them out. The only things I have found to be effective is the organic cleaners. (They have reactions to the parabens and other ingredients you can't pronounce.) Try something that is pure soap. Look at your ingredient section on the bottle. On my bottle of Pantene I found that there was ether in it. So, I would use the Aveeno if that worked, and I would consider another cleanser without all the preservatives and foaming agents.(sodium laureth sulfate) There is a lot of controversy over these ingredients. You may want to check out safecosmetics.org. (It examines safe lotions and body washes)

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K.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Ivory soap is the most gentle "soap" you can use. I think for kids, though, a non-soap cleansing product is probably best. You can use Aveeno no problem through adulthood. Cetaphil is also a super gentle, very effective option for sensitive skin. We've had great luck with the California Baby bodywash (in the 16oz. concentrated pumps it's quite reasonably priced either online or at Wegman's). Dr. Bronner's is also gentle yet very effective. I mix a bit of essential oil in there to help my 15 m.o. wind down at the end of the day, I also use a different mix of that on myself to help me wake up in the morning.

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W.V.

answers from Tulsa on

If you have something that works why do you want to change? Keep using the products that work on your baby regardless of age. Also a bath every other day is sometimes helpful for sensitive skin especially during the cool months when they aren't as dirty. Be sure that you are thoroughly rinsing off her skin use clear, clean water to be sure. Use a second tub of clean water or fill a container from the tap and pour over her before getting out of the tub. I would advise you to read all labels carefully of anything that comes in contact with your baby's skin and avoid scents or perfumes and products that can clog pores. Clothing and bedding should be washed with unscented detergent and rinsed twice or more. Especially avoid softeners and dryer sheets these often cause a skin reaction . If your baby has continued problems keep track of what she is eating. Foods or things in food con cause skin problem. Good Luck!

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S.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi,
We use Cetaphil soap on our 12 month old and have used it since she was about 5 weeks old at the recommendation of the pediatric dermatologist. She has sensitive skin and the Cetaphil does a really nice job. We also use Cetaphil lotion after bath time. Good luck!
~S.

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K.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I think Aveeno would be fine to use on anyone-if its working and not irritating her skin-I would stick with that. My son is 17 months old and has had sensitive skin in the winter and i just use regular J&J baby wash. Then I use Aquafor or Eucerin lotion, they also make body wash too. was never a fan of Dove soaps, i use Caress myself. If you look in the baby isle where the soaps are there are some good sensitive and effective soaps as well.

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E.B.

answers from Macon on

We've used Huggies (the blue bottle that's safe for eczema) since she was an infant but I found that most stores don't carry it anymore. They have the shea butter kind, the scented kind...but it's hard to find the blue bottle that's free of scents/dyes and hypoallergenic. I stocked up on it once I saw they were disappearing off the shelves! I also use Cetaphil lotion on her (she's sensitive too) and I use Cetaphil soap for myself. The only issue with their soap is that it's not tear free. It's very mild soap though so if you're careful not to get it on her eyes it may help!

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C.H.

answers from Washington DC on

Hello there,
My son is 14 months old and we use Burt's Bees Baby wash and shampoo (in one) and it is wonderful - its also tear free. He has very sensitive skin as well. I hadn't really considered taking him off it since he's doing so well. I think if the Aveeno baby worked well for your daughter, I'd more than likely go back to it. Might ask your pediatrition if you need to consider something stronger as you have, but my thoughts are, if they are getting clean and their skin is agreeable with it, why change? Hope this helps! btw, I love this site. It is so helpful to hear everyones thoughts and challenges! :)

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A.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi. Sorry its taken me almost a year to respond. :) I actually make a line of organic body products for adults and babies. Here is my web site... annabellaknits.etsy.com Hope you find wh6at your looking5 for.

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M.S.

answers from Norfolk on

Hi there! I hope this helps. My son had very sensitive skin when he was a baby and my Dr. recommended Cetaphil soap and lotion. There are no dyes or perfumes. It cleanses well. It worked for us and maybe it will work for you. Good Luck!

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J.H.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi S.,
I just read your message and thought I might be able to help. My sister and her baby both have sensitive skin so I got them some of the Baby line from the Arbonne line. I've also sold it to other moms with children who have sensitive skin and they really seems to like it! Check out my website to see these products; http://jenn.myarbonne.com

Another great thing about these Arbonne products is that they are all natural so they don't have all the chemicals and dyes in them!!

I hope this helps you,
Jenn Hasse

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

My daughter has super sensitive skin as well. The only things that have worked for me are Arbonne baby products (which I sell, so that helps!), and Baby Bee (which they sell at Target and it's about $9 a bottle and still has fragrance in it so I'm not sure about that one for you)
The arbonne products have no fragrances or dyes in them, they are totally 100% natural and $10 a bottle with the discount, $14 retail. There is also the Dr. Bronners baby wash that they sell at stores like Heritage and the Organic store at the farmers market. That stuff is fragrance free as well, probably around the same price.
Good luck!

Also, for washing the clothes, Target has a generic baby wash brand and Arm N Hammer has a sensitive skin wash which works great.

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J.M.

answers from Richmond on

I think the Aveeno baby wash is perfectly fine for as long as you want to use it! I know some adults who continue to use baby products because they like the smell or want something gentler. My son is 2.5 and my daughter is 1 and I put them in the same bath and only add some baby wash to their water and then use a washcloth in the sudsy water to get them clean. They are clean, they are healthy, and have no reactions to the soap! Good luck! :-)

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A.L.

answers from Washington DC on

i used good old dr.bronner's on my baby and she still likes it now, years later. it's a liquid castile (olive oil-based) soap that is super-mild. i have very sensitive skin and it never bothered me or my baby. i find most soaps that are available at grocery & chain stores to be very irritating, even the ones that are marketed for infants. check the selection at a natural foods store. if you haven't one nearby, target sells tom's of maine products, which are quite gentle too. i also recommend weleda products, and both tom's & weleda have bar soaps if you prefer those.

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J.B.

answers from Norfolk on

My daughters use Giggles with lavender on my grandchildren in the bath. I keep Johnsons baby bath with lavender here at home. Both are very gentle and they love it.

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A.B.

answers from Dover on

I don't know that a toddler needs a cleanser. Really, a very mild soap will do for anyone who has average dirt, meaning they don't have an occupation where they get extremely grimy. I use (on me and my children) a gentle glycerine soap - Clearly Natural - or, if you prefer a liquid, Dr. Bronner's baby gentle castille soap is good. You want something with little to no perfume and that rinses clean. Perfumes and other additives can really irritate a child's skin.

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S.M.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter had urine reflux and I had to be extremely careful of the soaps we used in the bathtub. We used WalMart's brand of baby wash until she was six. She was always clean, but it was gentle on her skin and didn't cause urinary infections.

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C.M.

answers from Wichita on

Hi S.- Aveeno Baby is fine to use on an older child, however; it is the same formula as the Aveeno regular for adults... you get more for less just by getting the "adult" bottles. I too have very sensitive skin- eczema since I was an infant... my 22 month old twins & I use both Aveeno products & cetaphil. Don't worry about needing something "stronger" for cleaning. Both Aveeno & Cetaphil (which you can use without water!) are good enough to get a very icky child squeeky clean.

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V.B.

answers from Fresno on

Have you ever tried Melaleuca products? They are great for sensitive skin.

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K.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi, S.,

If your daughter has sensitive skin, you need to use a totally chemical free cleanser that won't strip her skin of its natural protective barriers, won't irritate her skin, and won't dry it out. I use Miessence Sunflower Body Wash for my whole family, including my two year old and my five year old. It is Certified Organic by the Australian Soil Association so it is guaranteed to be chemical free. There is nothing in it that will irritate her skin.

The main ingredient is certified organic aloe vera leaf juice. Aloe vera has amazing healing properties. I pour one capful under the water running out of the tap and swish it around in the tub. The description on the bottle says, "Gently cleanses your body while moisturizing it with lashings of vitamin-rich, cold pressed organic sunflower oil." Cold pressed is important in the manufacturing process because it leaves the organic ingredients full of their nourishing benefits. It doesn't destroy them like the heat processing of regular soaps. If you prefer a bar soap, Miessence also makes two kinds: geranium and tea tree. Both are really nice. Since the scents are all from the natural organic ingredients, they smell great. Not overpowering like chemical perfumes.

You can buy these and other Certified Organic Products from the website www.OrganicFullStop.com. My family and I use a lot of the products available here. If you have any questions, please let me know. Hope this helps.

K.
www.OrganicFullStop.com
Certified Organic Products for the Whole Family

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