Smart Skincare

Most of us never gave skincare as much thought as we do now we are parents. Before we chose whatever worked well for us, what was on special, what smelt good or what was trendy - but how many of us chose our skincare by ingredients?

Skincare is made up from 6 basic ingredients: emollients, humectants, emulsifiers, surfactants, preservatives and antioxidants and all of these can either be good for your skin - or not so good!

Emollients are perhaps the most important part of any moiturising skincare product. Emollients add moisture to your skin, making it feel soft and not dry. Synthetic emollients are most common in today's skincare, and they tend to be made from petrochemicals which can irritate skin, however natural emollients are beneficial and do a much better job of nourishing dry skin without the irritation.

Look for products which use natural emollients like evening primrose oil, sweet almond oil and wheat germ oil.

Humectants attract nad hold water from the environment (particularly the air) and slowly release it into your skin. Unfortunately many humectants in use today are harsh industrial chemicals which coat the skin and cause irritation.

Look for products which use natural humectants including vegetable glycerine and provitamin B5 also called panthenol.

Emulsifiers are compounds that allow water and oil to mix. Most products use petroleum derivatives as emulsifiers, however these can be allergens. Natural Emulsifiers are a much better option and a less likely to cause irritation or allergies.

Look for products which use natural emulsifiers including decyl polyglucoside which is made from sugar cane.

Surfactants are found in shampoos, washes,soaps and soap alternatives, they are what removes dirt and oil, allowing it to be washed away, and essentially - make you nice and clean! Natural Surfactants are the best choice because unlike synthetics they are less likely to strip the good oils out of your skin. Some Surfactants, especially Sodium Laurel Sulphate and other sulphates may even be harmful.

Look for products which use natural surfactants usually made from palm or coconut oils.

Preservatives are designed to make your products last longer, but many preservatives are unhealthy and can cause skin problems. While all skincare products require the use of preservatives to prevent them from going off and harbouring bacteria there are some preservatives to avoid.

AVOID the use of products which use methyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben, ethyl paraben and preservatives from the paraben family.

Antioxidants often confused with preservatives antioxidants are used to prevent just the minerals in a product from going off. They are also widely used to smoothe wrinkles as well as preventing or slowing the signs of ageing. Most products use either Vitamin E or the less effective d-alpha tocopheryl acetate.

Look for products which use Vitamin E as their antioxidant, as it is more effective than its man-made counterpart.

Mum & Bubs believe that providing new mums and their babies with skincare that is safe and effective is important, so all of our products adhere to the recommendations above. We only stock skincare that is natural and uses organic ingredients where possible.