Hannah And Hugh | My Mills Baby

39625 orig Review: Weledas new Baby Derma range

This is my first time featuring Weleda, and it’s about time! They’re a tour de force in natural skincare and are regularly recommended by beauty & skincare editors, leading institutions in the organic, natural & homeopathic world, and they’re multiple award-winners to boot

The natural raw materials for Weleda products are processed using sophisticated and sensitive manufacturing methods in such a way that the substances and active ingredients can develop their full character. In anthroposophy, the holistic view of the human being, i.e. body, soul and spirit, leads to an enhanced understanding of natural substances and the context of their actions

This rather bohemian philosophy is backed up by a commitment to biodynamic agriculture which not only demonstrates their products meet strict organic standards, but also that all ingredients are harvested using sustainable methods.

The new Baby Derma line has been 5 years in the making. Developed in direct response to requests from both parents, paediatricians and dermatologists for entirely fragrance-free and genuinely all-natural products, this hits back at the sheer number of brands whose natural claims simply don’t stand up to scrutiny. Increased awareness in today’s world means the use of active organic ingredients simply isn’t enough, and we’re seeking SLS, paraben, PEG, TEA, phthalates, glycol & petrochemical free products.

Weleda Baby Derma Review: Weledas new Baby Derma range

The range consists of three main products; White Mallow Body Lotion, White Mallow Nappy Cream & White Mallow Face Cream all of which are specially formulated for babies with eczema, hyper-sensitive skin and /or dry skin prone to irritation.

Approximately 15-20% of children (0-14yrs) in industrialised countries develop atopic eczema - with the UK being one of the worst affected countries. This tends to develop in early childhood (before the age of 6 mths) and can be triggered by childhood infections, environmental influences such as extremes of temperature or pollution, drying central heating, and irritating ingredients in skincare or household products, as well as lifestyle factors including diet or stress. Yet often it’s none of these and simply a frustrating genetic susceptibility to ‘over-react’ to normally harmless substances.

Heidi has been an eczema sufferer since birth and constantly paws at her skin. Now she’s weaning, puree remnants will aggravate it and she’ll regularly experience seismic flare-ups which are noticably sore. I liken her eczema to shaving rash in that her skin becomes rough and raw, and prone to cracking.

So has Weleda’s Baby Derma range helped?

Certified-organic White Mallow Face Cream (RRP £9.95 50ml) 97% organic

Weleda White Mallow Face Cream Review: Weledas new Baby Derma range

Don’t let the 97% organic tag fool you. This is NATRUE certified 100% natural, entirely fragrance free, with no essential oils nor synthetic perfume, artificial additives or mineral oils. A quick sweep of the ingredients shows this to be one of the most natural products we’ve used so far.

It smells of white musk and coconut oil which lingers on the skin well after application. It also sinks in well and delivers constant hydration for some 4 hours before another treatment. The lead plant (organic White Mallow) wraps a calming protective layer around the skin and is rich in soothing, mucilaginous substances. With outstanding skin-smoothing, emollient and protective properties her skin left clearer, softer and less bumpy.

Combined with extract of wild pansy & organic coconut oil (sourced sustainably from the Philippines), it’s also mild enough to use several times a day. Coconut oil is also rich in saturated fats which protect against moisture loss and also contribute natural anti-microbial properties to help protect skin against infection - this is particularity important for Heidi who regularly has minor flesh wounds from scratching. The effect is a super nourishing cream which calms all irritation.

Coconut oil & organic sesame oil are also rich sources of protective vitamin E which is essential for healthy skin growth and repair, keeping skin smooth and protecting against cracking. Both are also highly effective at protecting skin against moisture loss so Heidi’s skin is quickly showing signs of visible improvement.

It’s a really great product that yields demonstrable results. It’s the first baby cream I’ve found which has been formulated specifically for delicate facial tissue, and has really helped eased poor Heidi’s suffering. It’s non-greasy texture means we can apply this to her scalp as well without her looking like a sweaty mess! At a very reasonable £9.95 we’ll be using this throughout her early years.

Certified-organic White Mallow Body Lotion (RRP £11.95 200ml) 95% organic

Weleda White Mallow Body Lotion Review: Weledas new Baby Derma range

This has an almost identical composition to the face cream, yet as it’s a lotion, it’s understandably thinner and less viscose as it needs to cover a larger surface area. The milky consistency seems to take longer to massage into the skin and requires more frequent application. To be honest I would have preferred to see a body cream rather than a lotion as these tend to better soothe Heidi’s skin.

To be honest, I’m fairly faithful to my Hannah and Hugh Moisturise Me baby cream which is fab for post-bath overnight hydration - this deserves far more praise than it’s garnered so far and Weleda’s offering just doesn’t quite deliver the same intensive level of moisturisation.

Although I’m unlikely to make the switch myself, for babies with simple dry skin complaints you’d be hard pressed to beat it and the smell is really quite heavenly. For excessively dry skin, water-based lotions are actually better than heavy creams as they allow the skin to breathe.

Awards

The White Mallow Body Lotion and Facial Cream have already been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance in the USA, and all three products were recently voted ‘Best Unscented’ in the baby creams, lotions and nappy creams categories of the highly-respected midwife-tested TIPS awards. Even to be nominated for a TIPS awards, brands need to meet the strict midwife criteria including standards of ethics and naturalness.

Although these products are fragrance-free, the delicate scent of the white mallow and coconut lingers on the skin - this is a pleasant change from other unscented products … This brand new Weleda range is by far the most exciting range of baby skincare products to launch in recent years TIPS founder and midwife Sharon Trotter

Finally, the White Mallow Body Lotion won Gold for ‘Best Organic Babycare Product’ in Loved By Parents 2014 Awards. White Mallow Face Cream was hot on its heals with Bronze. To my mind, this is the wrong way round, but hey ho!

Oh and a nice little detail - Weleda’s Baby Derma fresh white packaging is sustainable – made from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.

Available now from leading Boots stores and www.weleda.co.uk and other independent pharmacies and health stores, priced between £8.95 and £11.95, this is an everyday baby range that I’d happily recommend to every parent - dry skin or not!

When Dexter was Heidi’s age, I can’t remember any incidences of dry skin at all. You can therefore imagine the panic then when I stripped Heidi down a few weeks ago to find her skin peeling away en masse. Fighting the urge to pop Heidi in her car seat and get her in front of a GP, I Googled it. It seems that overdue babies are especially prone to it - just like when we spend too long in the bath submerged in water, the transition from my tummy to air can cause the skin to become dry and shed. The recommendation was to limit baths and massage a little sunflower / grapeseed oil into their skin, and sure enough Heidi’s skin is now beautifully soft once again.

Ever since then, I’ve paid special attention to Heidi’s skin. Baby massage was something I didn’t really embrace with Dex, so it’s lovely to have that time bonding with Heidi now. So when new brand Hannah and Hugh offered to send me something natural and safe to use on her skin, I jumped at the chance. The next day, a huge pot of Rosehip and Calendula cream landed on my welcome mat.

Hannah and Hugh was born out of one parents journey to find something natural and effective to use on her daughter’s dry skin. There are currently three products in the range Rosehip & Calendula Baby Cream, Nappy Balm and Hair & Body Wash. All three products are free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, PEGS, petrochemicals, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances and other nasties. The range is also suitable for vegans too as it hasn’t been tested on animals.

I’ve been chuffed to bits with this cream. Not only does it help Heidi relax, her skin (and my hands) are lovely and soft. It’s gentle enough to be used on face and body from birth and we’ve found it really helps with her mild cradle cap. At £12.99 for a massive 200ml pot, it’s good value for money if you find your baby needs a little extra hydration.

The cream is rich and thick yet isn’t at all greasy and sinks in beautifully. Straight after a massage, I’ll pop Heidi in a baby gro and she’ll stay perfectly soft all night. I’ve also used it on my legs after shaving and they stay hydrated throughout the entire day with a light sheen which looks fabulous when the sun is out! The smell is mild and not too overpowering too.

Hannah and Hugh hope to expand their range over time, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops. They’ve certainly hit the nail on the head with their baby cream, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the other two products. You can buy direct from the website hannahandhugh.com, or find out more on Twitter and Facebook.