What to Look for when choosing your Baby's Skincare Products?

Updated on February 23, 2026

what-to-look-for-baby-skincare - Mustela Australia - 1

What to Look for when choosing your Baby's Skincare Products?

Choosing skincare for your baby can feel overwhelming. Newborn and infant skin is fundamentally different from adult skin, and not all products are formulated with those differences in mind.

Understanding what makes baby skin unique — and what to look for on labels — can help parents make informed, confident decisions.

Why Baby Skin Requires Specialised Care?

Infant skin differs from adult skin in several important ways:

It is thinner and more permeable
It loses moisture more quickly
Its protective barrier is still developing
It produces less natural sebum
It is more reactive to environmental irritants

Because the skin barrier continues maturing during the first months of life, products designed specifically for babies, and suitable from birth, are recommended.

Using adapted formulations helps support barrier development while reducing the risk of dryness and irritation.

Key Criteria When Choosing Baby Skincare Products

When evaluating a baby skincare product, look for the following:

Suitable From Birth: Products labelled “suitable from birth” have undergone high tolerance testing to ensure safety for newborn skin.
Dermatologically and Paediatric-Tested: Formulations tested under medical supervision provide additional reassurance of safety and compatibility.
High-Tolerance Formulations: Products should be developed to minimise the risk of irritation, especially for daily use.
Carefully Selected Ingredients: Prioritise short, transparent ingredient lists featuring ingredients known for their compatibility with delicate skin.
Barrier-Supporting Actives: Ingredients such as ceramides, plant-based glycerin, and selected natural-origin extracts help maintain hydration and support barrier development.
Specialist Infant Skin Expertise: Brands dedicated to baby skincare research are more likely to formulate according to the physiological needs of developing skin.

These criteria provide a practical framework for selecting products that align with infant skin biology.

Why Natural-Origin Ingredients Are Often Prioritised?

Because infant skin is more permeable and reactive, formulations often favour plant-derived ingredients known for their compatibility with delicate skin.

Examples include:

Avocado-derived ingredients to help support barrier function
Sunflower oil to nourish and soften
Chamomile and calendula for soothing properties
Aloe vera for hydration
Plant-based glycerin to attract and retain moisture

These ingredients are selected not simply because they are natural, but because their safety and tolerance have been evaluated for infant use.

Key Ingredients That Support Baby Skin

Avocado-derived ingredients

Avocado-based extracts are used in certain baby skincare formulations to help reinforce the skin barrier and protect against moisture loss.

Mustela patented ingredient, Avocado Perseose®, acts as a protective shield for your baby's delicate skin:

Helps strengthen the skin's natural defences while preserving the precious cellular capital that babies are born with.
Supports barrier function development, making it ideal for daily use from birth.
Unlike synthetic alternatives, it combines proven effectiveness with exceptional tolerance, having undergone extensive clinical testing by dermatologists and paediatricians.

Mustela sources organic avocados in Peru using an eco-responsible extraction process that utilises the whole fruit, including flesh, stone, and skin, reducing waste while delivering maximum benefits

Ceramides

Ceramides are naturally occurring lipids that help maintain the skin’s protective barrier and reduce moisture loss.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant, helping protect delicate skin from environmental stressors while supporting comfort.

Mustela Hydra Bebe Body Lotion is a great option for Australian families looking for a vitamin E formulation. This best-selling moisturiser combines vitamin E with sunflower oil and plant-based glycerin to protect your baby's skin from environmental conditions while keeping it soft and supple.

Made with 97% natural origin ingredients including the patented Avocado Perseose®, this lightweight lotion provides immediate and long-lasting hydration without leaving a greasy residue. Suitable from birth, it absorbs quickly into the skin while leaving behind Mustela's beloved signature fragrance, making it an ideal daily moisturiser for parents seeking proven effectiveness with gentle care.

Which ingredients should you avoid?

When scanning product labels, watch out for harsh chemicals that can irritate your little one's delicate skin:

Parabens, commonly found in many conventional products, may disrupt your baby's natural skin barrier and should be avoided entirely.
Sulfates like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate create that foamy lather in washes but can strip away essential oils, leaving skin dry and prone to irritation.
Synthetic fragrances often hide multiple chemical compounds that frequently trigger allergic reactions in sensitive skin.
Talcum powder poses particular risks for babies, especially when used in nappy areas. Many Australian parents now choose talc-free alternatives to protect their bub from potential respiratory and skin issues.
Alcohol-based ingredients can be extremely drying on baby skin, while phthalates and DEA compounds may cause long-term health concerns.

These ingredients may not be ideal for developing skin due to their potential to disrupt barrier function or cause irritation in sensitive individuals.

All Mustela formulations are hypoallergenic and free from questionable ingredients including parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol. We maintains a strict "red list" of banned ingredients that goes beyond European regulations, already recognised as among the world's strictest safety standards. This commitment to ingredient purity means parents can trust that every product is specifically designed for the unique needs of baby skin from birth, combining proven effectiveness with exceptional tolerance for daily use.

Why Extensive Safety Testing Matters?

When selecting baby skincare products, prioritise brands that demonstrate a strong and transparent commitment to safety through comprehensive clinical testing programs.

Trusted baby skincare brands collaborate with dermatologists and paediatricians throughout product development to ensure formulations meet strict medical and regulatory standards before being used on infant skin.

Mustela stands apart in the baby skincare industry through its rigorous commitment to safety, with each product undergoing over 450 safety and efficacy tests before reaching your family. This extensive testing program represents one of the most thorough approaches to baby skincare safety in the world, ensuring every product meets the highest standards for your little one's delicate skin.

Mustela's testing program encompasses multiple phases of rigorous evaluation:

In Vitro Testing: Products undergo extensive laboratory testing using the revolutionary Stelaskin® technology, allowing researchers to assess safety and efficacy without compromising any baby's wellbeing.
Independent Validation: Every formulation must be validated by an independent toxicologist before proceeding to clinical trials, ensuring unbiased professional oversight throughout the development process.
Clinical Studies: Once safety is assured through laboratory testing, products undergo real-world clinical studies conducted under strict dermatological and pediatric supervision. These studies involve panels of babies and children, including infants under one month old, to verify both safety and effectiveness under actual usage conditions.

The Importance of Specialist Expertise in Infant Dermatology

When choosing baby skincare, consider brands with decades of dedicated research in infant dermatology.

Infant skin differs significantly from adult skin in structure, hydration patterns, and sensitivity thresholds. Brands that specialise in baby skincare invest years studying:

Moisture retention in developing skin
Skin barrier maturation in newborns
Sensitivity responses in early life
Eczema-prone skin physiology
Post-bath dryness and environmental reactivity

This depth of research allows specialist baby skincare brands to formulate products specifically adapted to the biological needs of infants.

Look for brands that maintain dedicated research laboratories focused on baby skin science. This level of expertise supports the careful selection of ingredients — including natural-origin compounds — that are evaluated for both efficacy and high tolerance in infant skin.

Mustela’s Expertise in Baby Skin Science

With over 75 years of expertise in baby skincare research, Mustela has developed a deep understanding of how infant skin differs from adult skin.

At the heart of Mustela’s research program is Stelaskin® technology — a reconstituted laboratory model of baby skin developed and patented by Mustela scientists.

This innovative model allows researchers to replicate baby skin in controlled laboratory conditions and assess how formulations respond to environmental stressors before clinical testing begins. By evaluating tolerance and performance at this early stage, Mustela helps ensure optimal safety, efficacy, and compatibility for delicate infant skin.

Mustela’s long-standing investment in infant dermatology reflects a commitment to developing products grounded in scientific research rather than general cosmetic trends.