Yes, a gentle, fragrance free moisturizing cream is usually fine for kids, babies included, once you've read the ingredients with your child's allergies in mind and done a patch test under the arm. The thing to know first is that the cream aisle mixes two very different products: everyday moisturizers you can use whenever skin feels dry, and medicated creams, which are your child's doctor's call.
You might have tried something that seemed fine for a day and then made the itching worse. Or you've heard five different opinions from five different people. Most of the answer is on the label, plus a patch test you can do tonight.
Can you use a moisturizing cream on a child's skin?
For skin that feels dry and itchy, a good moisturizer is the everyday step. It goes on after bath time and again in the morning. Add more any time the skin feels tight. You keep using it on the good days too, because dry skin tends to come back when the cream stops.
A medicated cream is a different thing. It has an active ingredient and is meant for specific spots for a set time. The instructions come from your child's doctor. If your child already has one, keep using it as directed and ask the doctor which goes on first. A plain moisturizer doesn't replace it, and your child's doctor can tell you how to use the two together.
What should you check on the label?
Turn the jar around and read the full ingredient list, not only the front. Check four things.
Added fragrance
Fragrance is one of the most common reasons a cream doesn't agree with sensitive skin. Look for "fragrance free" or "no added fragrance". One catch: fragrance free doesn't mean the cream has no smell at all. Plant oils and butters have their own light scent, and that's normal.
Food-based ingredients
Many gentle creams use ingredients that also show up in the kitchen, like oat, honey, coconut or olive oil. That's fine for most kids. If your child has a known food allergy, though, read the list with that food in mind before anything goes on their skin. A cream that's perfect for one child can be the wrong pick for a child who reacts to oats.
Honey, if your child is a baby
Honey is a lovely skincare ingredient, and most skin gets along with it well. But babies put their hands in their mouths constantly, and honey shouldn't be eaten under 12 months. So with an infant, don't let them ingest it. Keep the cream away from their hands and mouth, and let it soak in before they can reach it.
Texture
Thin lotions often feel nice for a minute and then disappear, and some parents tell us the skin felt dry again almost right away. A richer cream stays put longer. The trick is finding one that's rich but not greasy, so your child doesn't feel sticky and won't fight you at bedtime.
How do you patch test a new cream on a child?
Do a patch test under the arm first. It's easy to check, and it's away from the face.
- Dab a pea-sized amount on the inner arm, near the armpit.
- Leave it for a full day and check it a few times.
- If the skin looks red or bumpy, or your child says it itches more, wash it off and skip that cream.
- If it looks calm, start with one small area before you go all over.
Introduce one new product at a time. If you switch the cream and the soap in the same week, you won't know which one caused a problem.
Why can a cream sting a little on a child's skin?
Very dry or scratched skin can sting for a moment with almost anything you put on it, even water. A brief tingle that fades in a minute or two is common on cracked spots. Stinging that keeps going is different, and so is redness that spreads. If that happens, or your child says it hurts, wash the cream off gently and stop using it.
A simple routine for a child with dry, itchy skin
Give it two weeks before you judge it, and keep a little note of what you used and how the skin looked.
In the evening
- Run a short, lukewarm bath, about 5 to 10 minutes. Hot water dries skin out.
- Use a gentle, soap-free cleanser only on the spots that need it, like the diaper area. Skip bubble bath.
- Pat dry with a soft towel. Don't rub.
- Within a few minutes, while the skin is still a little damp, smooth on the cream. Use a clean spoon to scoop it out of the jar so fingers don't go back in.
- Smooth it in the direction the hair grows instead of rubbing back and forth. You don't need to work it in until it vanishes.
- Dress them in soft cotton pajamas and keep their nails short.
In the morning and during the day
- Add a thin layer before clothes go on, especially on the spots that get dry first.
- Reapply after hand washing, since that's where skin loses moisture fastest. With a baby, follow the honey tip above.
- Pack a small amount in a clean container for daycare or school.
- On cold or windy days, add a layer before you head outside.
Older kids can put the cream on themselves, and they're more likely to stick with a routine that's theirs.
If you want more ideas for bedtime scratching, our guide to sleeping better with itchy skin has a whole list. For the bath step, here's why we use a soap-free wash.
When should your child see a doctor?
Call your child's doctor if the skin is oozing or weeping, if you see yellow crusts or blisters, if your child has a fever or the area is painful, or if the itching keeps them up night after night despite a good routine. The same goes for any rash you can't explain.
Where our cream fits
We make the E&P Cream, a rich everyday cream for skin that runs extra dry, and it's gentle enough for babies.
- Aloe vera is the first ingredient instead of water, so the moisture starts in the base.
- Manuka honey draws in moisture and holds it. If you're curious why we use manuka, here's how it differs from regular honey.
- Shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and hemp seed oil soften rough patches.
- Cehami flower extract, an Australian botanical, is in there for its soothing feel on dry, sensitive skin.
It's fragrance free and pH balanced. It's made without petrolatum, mineral oil or parabens. It has a light, natural smell from the manuka honey and cocoa butter. It's rich but never greasy, so there's no film on your child's skin or the sheets.
Check the fit, too. The cream contains oat, honey, coconut, shea butter, cocoa butter and olive oil, so if your child is allergic to any of them, it isn't the right cream. And like any cream, it doesn't suit every child. That's why the patch test comes first.
For an infant, we also make our baby body butter, a rich shea and aloe butter made for baby skin. It has manuka honey in it too, and the hands-and-mouth tip above applies. Its ingredient list is different, so read it with your child's allergies in mind.
On our website, the cream is rated 4.8 out of 5 from 449 reviews. If it isn't right for your family, our return window for website orders is currently 60 days (see our return policy).
See the E&P Cream's full ingredient list
Quick answers
Can I use it on my child's face?
Yes. Use a small amount and keep it away from the eyes and mouth. If your child also uses a medicated cream on the face, follow the order the doctor gave you.
Does it contain peanuts?
No. There's no peanut and no shellfish in the formula. It does contain oat, honey, coconut and several plant oils and butters, so check the full list if your child has other allergies. This is about the ingredients, not cross-contact where the cream is made, so if your child's allergy is severe, contact us before you try it.
How often can my child use it?
As often as the skin feels dry. Twice a day is a good baseline: after the bath and in the morning.
Why does a fragrance free cream have a smell?
Because the ingredients do. Manuka honey and cocoa butter have their own light scent. Nothing is added to create it.