OH BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE
WHY THE BABY WINTER BLUES?
Besides the obvious cold temperatures, the lack of moisture in the air, and on-going exposure to circulated heating all contribute to skin reactions and can lead to irritated, dry, itchy, flaky skin.
Protecting your little one’s skin from the cold winter months can be tough on anybody. Babies and toddlers are extra sensitive to the weather and their skin definitely needs some extra love and attention during the cold and dry winter climate. There are many simple steps that can help prevent typical winter skin discomfort. Gilly has compiled some common baby winter blues with some tips on how to prevent or soothe your little ones if these arise.
DRY SKIN: Babies and children really do need moisturiser!
Your little one’s skin is thinner than an adult skin and has not yet fully developed its full protective barrier function. This makes it more sensitive and prone to moisture loss which then can cause all those typical skin irritations and uncomfortable skin problems.
- GILLY’S TIPS:
- In winter be a little more liberal with the application of a nourishing and protecting moisturising products.
- Reapply moisturizer as many times daily as you like or they may need. The more protected the better.
- Choose products specifically formulated for delicate baby skin and made from nourishing oils and good quality botanical protective and soothing properties like, shea butter, aloe Vera, coconut, jojoba oils and zinc-oxides.
- Creamy lotions and rich creams which lock in moisture to both nourish and create the perfect breathable barrier for your toddlers’ skin.
- Bath time moisturising boost! By adding nourishing bath oils to the water that have been specifically formulated for bath time – can make all the difference to baby’s skin! Gilly Goat Bath Oil Milk is a water soluble oil that when added to the bath transforms to a silk soft water milk. It takes the hardness out of water and leaves a soft protecting conditioning finish to the skin. The nourishing oils simply absorb into the skin, leaving baby skin smooth and calm.
It’s not just a summer thing!
Although the warm and sunny days are now behind us, exposure to heat is still constant during the winter months. Being over bundled or wrapped up in overly heated rooms or cars and prams can cause babies and toddlers to become easily overheated. Skin can break out and itchy red bumps can appear especially when their tiny skin sweat glands get clogged.
- GILLY’S TIPS:
- Be mindful to dress babies in breathable layers. Try keeping the heating temperature around 19- 21 degrees.
- Using a gently formulated baby moisturiser every day as part of your baby’s daily routine will also help maintain skin balanced and hydrated, soft, calm and less likely to become dry, irritated and inflamed.
DRY LIPS: A moment on those sweet lips!
Chapped lips are a common problem with babies’ skin and more so in winter. Babies' lips are pretty much wet through the day mainly to drooling, lip-licking, sucking on dummies and their own little hands and drippy noses. Constant moisture can break down the protective top layer of skin add cold windy air or overheated rooms and that leaves their delicate perfect pout vulnerable to accelerating the problem which can turn into the dreaded licker’s dermatitis, a red rash that forms around the mouth. Key to avoid the problem, is try keeping the area protected throughout the day.
- GILLY’S TIPS:
- Liberally coat your child’s mouth and surrounding skin as often as possible throughout the day and especially before bed.
- Avoid formulations that contain ingredients that will continue to dry out the lips such as petroleum based or chemical based minerals, natural alternatives are olive oil or a vitamin e- oil capsule.
- Don’t forget that Gilly Goat Safe Sun Screen can double up for the lip and face area as a protective and moisturising cream. Jammed pack with Aloe Vera, shea butter, Goats Milk and Vit E to soothe and protect your little ones.
Chapped skin, which gets ruddy, flaky and even cracked, usually strikes the face, bottom, or areas where skin rubs, like the folds at the wrists or legs. Chapped or red skin is basically dry skin that has become irritated, then red then inflamed, Anything irritating can cause this: Come winter add extra drying wind, friction and overheating from too many clothing, drool on the chin, a constant runny nose, a wet diaper and that will definitely result in ruby red cheeks in all places!
- GILLY’S TIPS:
- Pretty simple, keep the skin protected from the elements and make sure that your moisturisers have soothing benefits to keep the skin calm cool and relieved.
- Choose products that are extra nourishing that use Aloe Vera Juice as their base and not water for their cooling and hydrating benefits.
- Include other repairing and low allergen ingredients like Goats Milk, olive leaf and nourishing oils that calm, soften and heal.