Skincare for Baby

Baby It’s Cold Outside: 5 Tips For Cold-Weather Skincare

When winter hits and temperatures dip, the cold air outside coupled with dry indoor heat can make delicate baby skin even more prone to dryness.

What You Should Know

Cold weather can cause dry skin. When air humidity is low (inside and outside), skin has more difficulty maintaining its essential hydration levels. This becomes even more challenging for baby skin, which is less mature than adult skin. The barrier layer, responsible for sealing in moisture, isn’t fully formed yet. As a result, your baby’s skin may get dry, scaly, and irritated, especially in the winter months. Fortunately, there are tips to help keep your baby’s skin hydrated during drier seasons.

Winter Skin Care Tips For Baby:

Use moisturizing products formulated with Ceramides to help restore and maintain baby’s skin barrier, which will help skin retain moisture.²
Bathe your baby less often and do shorter soaks. Too much water exposure could rob baby skin of moisture.³
Dry skin can be easily irritated- avoid harsh soaps, detergents, and products with fragrances.⁴

How Winter Could Affect Baby’s Skin

Baby skin is structurally different than adult skin. It takes between 2-4years for an infant’s skin barrier (the outermost layer) to fully develop.⁵ That layer, made up of skin cells and lipids, is responsible for keeping moisture locked in and helps defend skin’s surface from irritants, allergens, and germs. Baby skin barrier is 30% thinner than adult skin, meaning infant skin is more prone to transepidermal water loss (TEWL), the process by which water escapes from the skin, which may lead to noticeably dry, flaky skin at the surface.⁶

Combined with winter-weather factors such as cold temperatures, wind, dry air both inside and outside, and baby skin has an even tougher time maintaining its hydration levels. Your baby’s dry skin may get rough, scaly, and chapped.7 An impaired skin barrier is associated with eczema8, which commonly flares up in winter, causing dry skin patches and rashes to appear on skin’s surface.⁹

5 Ways to Help Keep Baby’s Skin Hydrated

Use the Right Type of Moisturizer

While baby is still damp from the bath, slather on a moisturizer to help seal in hydration. Ideally, you want one that helps maintain the moisture barrier. In winter, consider a rich cream, especially if skin is moisture deprived. CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Cream is free of potentially irritating fragrance and parabens and contains three essential Ceramides to help maintain the barrier of baby’s delicate skin and lock in moisture to provide all-day hydration.

Bathe Better

Some babies love baths, but too much of a good thing can dry out skin. Long soaks, especially in water that’s too warm, can remove protective lipids from skin’s surface, allowing moisture to escape more readily. Wash baby up to 2-3 times a week for no more than 10 minutes at a time.¹⁰ Keep the water lukewarm and comfortable. Use a mild cleanser such as CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo, which contains 3 essential Ceramides and vitamin E to gently cleanse without drying.

Put Moisture in the Room

Adding moisture to the air via a cool-mist humidifier can help keep baby’s skin supple.¹¹ Place the humidifier on an elevated surface away from baby and clean it regularly so it won't grow mold.

Bundle Up

Whether you’re taking a brisk walk with the stroller or running errands, keep your little one’s skin protected from the elements. Cover baby’s hands with mittens and their head with a hat. Use a skin-protecting ointment or rich cream moisturizer on exposed skin that’s prone to chapping, such as cheeks. And take heart—spring will be here soon!

Eliminate Irritants

Parched skin and an impaired skin barrier can lead to irritation. Keep baby’s products and environment free of common skin irritants such as fragrance (even the one you wear), harsh laundry detergents/soaps, and itchy/scratchy fabrics. Stick to soft cotton against baby’s skin.¹²