10 of the best baby skincare products

Fragrance – Many parents opt for fragrance-free formulas for young babies, believing it's the fragrance in a product that can cause allergic reactions. This is sometimes the case, but many gentle baby products have lovely fragrances which can add to the experience of using them. This decision depends on the sensitivity of your child's skin. If in doubt, test on a small area.

Application – Some baby moisturisers come in small tubes that are useful for travel, others in tubs, others with a pump-action dispenser which make application quick and easy. Think about which will work best for you.

Packaging – If you have an older baby or toddler they'll be interested in all the bottles, lotions and potions you keep by the changing table, so packaging that features familiar faces or bright colours might appeal to them and make the task a bit easier.

Is it vegan? – Products that are suitable for vegans will carry a "certified vegan" logo on the packaging. They won't contain animal-derived products like honey, lanolin and beeswax.

Is it hypoallergenic? – Hypoallergenic products are usually formulated using ingredients that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction. However, there is only guidance on this, not specific rules, and no brand can completely guarantee that a product won't cause a reaction.

Is it cruelty-free / not tested on animals? – Animal testing for cosmetics in the UK and EU has been banned since 2009. However this is a complex issue, as individual ingredients may still have tested on animals before this date, in other countries, or for other reasons. You can look for the leaping bunny logo to find the products that have gone the extra mile when it comes to being cruelty-free.

Are baby lotions and creams safe for newborns?

While using a lotion or cream is a lovely part of the bath time experience – and a necessary part of the daily routine if your child has dry skin or a condition like eczema or psoriasis – you don't need to start straight away. Newborns have very delicate skin and, according to NHS guidelines, they are best bathed in plain water with no lotions or creams for the first few weeks. You can start introducing a lotion or cream once they're a month old.

Here’s our pick of the best baby skincare products tested by parents…

1. Mum and Baby Explorer Face the Day Stick, £9.99

Best for outdoors

The Face the Day stick is designed to protect delicate skin from the elements, providing a barrier against wind, drizzle and even drool. Our testers found the balm was both effective and easy to use. It’s great for soothing irritated skin while the stick applicator meant it was easy to use when out and about.

Mum of 2, Anna thought it was a “great applicator for on the go and to keep everything hygienic when out and about,” while others were also particularly impressed by the hypoallergenic formula. The stick also meant there was no product wastage, and no need to use fingers unnecessarily, keeping things hygienic too.

Available from: Mum & You, Amazon

2. Aveeno Baby Daily Care Baby Moisturising Lotion, £6

Best for daily use

A favourite for everyday moisturising that's particularly good on dry skin, Aveeno's cream uses the natural and gentle properties of oat essence and colloidal oatmeal to keep skin soft, and the compact 150ml tube is great for packing in a changing bag or overnight bag.

Our home testers were full of praise, with Zara saying, "Aveeno Baby Daily Care is the best moisturiser for my daughters. It's the only thing that helped their dry skin." Pooja was also a fan, saying "both my little ones had dry skin and the Aveeno products were best for them to maintain healthy skin," she said.

Available from: Boots, Amazon, Look Fantastic

3. Weleda Baby Derma White Mallow Body Lotion, £12.95

Best for soothing

Natural skincare range Weleda’s body lotion contains White Mallow, which is known for its calming and nourishing properties so this is a great choice if your child has dry skin.

Our home testers found the lotion smooth and well-absorbing, rather than being tacky, so it was easy to apply to little ones’ skin. Mum of 3 Stephanie said she liked, “the fact that it’s environmentally friendly. It soothes my baby’s skin and has a very subtle scent. It has made her skin so soft again and she’s had zero reactions.”

Overall, testers were impressed with the quality of the product as well as its attractive and sustainable packaging.

Available from: Amazon, Holland and Barrett, Boots

4. Good Bubble Little Softy Moisturiser, £3.99

Best for Gruffalo fans

If your child needs a little encouragement during the bedtime routine, get a friendly face involved with this mild and gentle body lotion featuring the Gruffalo.

You may recognise natural and organic brand Good Bubble from the TV show Dragon’s Den. Known for being vegan and cruelty free at an affordable price point, this particular product has proved a best-seller.

Ideal for sensitive skin, the mild and gentle formula was popular with parents with the addition of coconut and avocado oil making it super moisturising, and prickly pear extract for what our home tester Sammy described as "a lovely but not overpowering scent."

Mum Puneet even said it didn’t sting on her 2 children’s eczema and added, “The cream had a nice consistency and with a pleasant aroma. Glad to know it is cruelty-free and free from commonly-used chemicals.”

Available from: Amazon, Boots, Good Bubble

5. Child's Farm Baby Moisturiser, £7.99

Best for dry skin

A perennial bestseller, Child's Farm's baby moisturiser is loved by parents for its mild fragrance, easily-absorbed consistency, and the way it tackles dry skin and flaky patches. Parents of children with eczema often rave about this product, and many adults with the condition also use it.

Our home tester Rachael said, "I love the Child’s Farm range, I find it the best for my son’s skin and helps keep his eczema at bay!" while Jess agreed that it "has to be child’s farm all the way."

The lotion contains cocoa and shea butter for softness, and is tested for sensitive skin. There's also a fragrance-free version for those who prefer.

Take a look at our best baby eczema creams for more options.

Available from: Boots, Holland and Barrett, Amazon

6. My Little Coco Moisturising Body Cream, £5.99

Best for fragrance

Part of Rochelle Humes's range of hair and body product for children, this body cream is gentle enough to use on the whole family, including newborns, and can even be used on the face. It comes in a pump bottle for easy application, and is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.

The real selling point of this does-it-all moisturiser though, is the creamy coconut scent. Our home tester Charlene said, "We’ve just started using Rochelle’s My little coco range and love it. It smells so good."

Available from: Boots

7. Mustela Hydra Bebe Facial Cream, £8

Best for faces

If your baby suffers from dry cheeks, drool rash or teething rash, this gentle face cream can help to soothe those nasty red patches. Home tester Claire says that it's "a little pricey but totally worth it," and says she uses it on her own skin too.

It combines shea butter with sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil and vitamins E and F for long-lasting hydration and softness. It's designed to be safe for use from birth, but as we mentioned, babies don't need any skincare products during the first month (unless prescribed by a doctor).

Available from: Feel Unique, Amazon

8. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Baby Butter, £4.25

Best for easy application

If you have a wriggly baby or toddler who hates being on the changing table after bath time, this lotion is a great option. The pump-action bottle can be used one-handed if you're smart, and despite being called a butter it's actually quite a light texture which rubs in easily and soaks in quickly.

The chocolate-coconut scent is also irresistible to both parents and little ones, with home tester Cat saying, "Palmers is a favourite in my house...everyone smells amazing, their skin so soft and have had no issues with dry skin spots."

There's also a spray-on oil available in the range which is perfect for baby massage.

Available from: Amazon, Chemist Direct

9. Bloom and Blossom the Very Hungry Caterpillar Moisturiser, £5

Best for bedtime

Awards: Joint Gold – Baby and child bath and body wash, MadeForMums Awards 2021

The soothing and relaxing lavender and jasmine scent of this baby moisturiser makes it a great choice for a gentle massage before bedtime. Home tester Natalie praised its light consistency, saying it is "not too runny nor too thick. This made pre-bedtime massages easy to do."

Home tester Kayleigh was also a huge fan, and said, "This is by far my favourite moisturiser, others have been good but this is like magic in a bottle, not to even mention the smell. It smells delicious."

Our testers loved the packaging, which appealed particularly to toddlers and preschoolers who are familiar with the Very Hungry Caterpillar book. The pump applicator is also a great bonus and a way to get little hands involved.

Available from: Amazon, Bloom and Blossom

10. Baby Kingdom Body Cream, £16.95

Best for luxury

Awards: Joint Gold – Baby and child bath and body wash, MadeForMums Awards 2021

The texture of Baby Kingdom's body cream was a huge hit with our home testers, who praised how quickly it was absorbed into the skin, and the instant results that it provided. "I applied a tiny amount to underneath my daughters chin today as she often gets a sore patch, I cant believe the result, it cleared almost instantly," said home tester Danielle.

Meanwhile, Eden loved the scent, saying, "I am extremely impressed with this moisturiser. It has the best smell of any product I have used for my baby so far."

Although it's a more expensive product, our testers thought this was worth the money, praising everything from the packaging to the pump dispenser. If you like to treat your little one to some luxury, this is definitely a great option.

Available from: Amazon, Baby Kingdom, ChildrenSalon