It’s not easy finding beauty products that work for children. Products are often packed with harmful chemicals that can irritate their delicate skin and damage their hair.
I’ve been working on advertising and editorial photoshoots with kid’s for over 15 years. In this post, I share my top 10 kid-friendly beauty products that work for just about any child because of their safe ingredients and for being gentle on their skin.
Hair Products
First off, let’s talk about the Wet Brush. This brush works miracles on those delicate, tangled strands. Dampen the hair with water and the brush will glide easily through their hair.
A new and favorite product of mine is Hair Balm from HairStory. It works on any type of hair and is virtually weightless. Use one pump and apply to add a bit of texture to the hair. For curly-haired kids, I mentioned in a previous post that I use Kusco-Murphy’s Lavender Hair Crème. It’s great for setting curls and taking away frizz. The lavender scent is a bonus to soothe and calm your little ones.
When I’m on set, I often have to “dirty up” the hair to get some texture and make it look less fresh and clean. Amika’s Perk Up Dry Shampoo is always in my kit for a quick way to get that 2nd day hair. Bumble and Bumble’s Thickening Creme Contour is great for creating shapes on shorter hairstyles. A little goes a long way with this product!
Skin Products
Weleda Calendula Body Cream is a must-have for my kit! I have been using this on my kid’s photoshoots for many years because of how gentle and moisturizing it is for the skin. Kiss My Face Cool Sport SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray is a chemical free, water-resistant sunscreen. While kid’s are playing outside, it protects the skin and keeps them cool.
Face Products
Another product I use from Weleda is their Calendula Face Cream. It’s so gentle and hydrating on skin and doesn’t leave a greasy finish at all. Works wonders on baby eczema!
Have you tried Maybelline Baby Lips? If you haven’t, you should! This moisturizing, lightly tinted lip balm comes in 6 shades and has the cutest packaging. I always have these on hand when working with kids. If I want their skin to glow, I lightly apply RMS’s Lip and Cheek Balm to cheekbones. This is a dual purpose product and also works as a clear lip balm when I don’t want to add color to the lips.
Whether you’re working in the industry or a parent who is searching for kid-friendly beauty products, I hope this list helps you find favorites that are gentle, safe, and fun. Which ones will you try? Share in the comments below!
Makeup and Hair: Renée Loiz, Photography: Gretchen Easton, Prop Stylist: Lauren Machen, Publication: Mini Magazine
We just got the wet brush and Zoe loves it! Joshua too because it doesn’t hurt when I accidentally brush on his ears. She’s also been wanting to use my lip balms lately, so buying one of her own has been exciting! Thanks Renee for the tips, now I have to look into tameing some of her frizzy hair…
That’s so great to hear! I’m glad the brush works for Zoe and Joshua. For taming frizzy hair, apply a small amount of light hold gel, like the one from DevaChan, to slight damp hair and brush through. Let me know if it works for her hair!
In love with the Hair Balm!! It’s magical, so weightless and airy, and does wonders to the hair. I’ve used it twice so far and notice such a difference when styling my hair!
Got the brush also, and my husband too has become a fan of it!
The RMS’s balm is superb.
Thanks, Renée!
I’m so glad you like these products! Thank you for sharing.
Renee is amazing!! She is one of the most talented and creative make-up artists! I can’t say enough about her!! She uses the finest products and is able to achieve amazing results!! I would definitely seek her advice for any type of beauty product!
Such a sweet comment, Jackie. Thanks!
Renee, I love Weleda Calendula for Georgia’s face. Have used it for almost two years now! Calendula is particularly great at reducing inflammation and redness. Also Weleda is produced in Germany where there are more health protective laws regarding ingredients allowed in personal care products and in particular, products aimed at children. When G was little and had baby breakouts I would use this and also Alba Un-petrolium (as suggested by Krystal) and the two worked WONDERS. Unpetrolium worked/works well for all different types of skin issues too; cuts, baby acne, etc… I even use it sometimes! I was wondering why or how does the wet brush work? What makes it stand apart from a typical detangling hair brush?
Thank you for your comment, Kara. The Wet Brush works on both wet and dry hair. Brush from the bottom of hair and work your way up to the roots. I have tried many brushes and this one stands out because of the flexibility in the bristles. They move and glide with the hair allowing for easy detangling. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!
This is a great post Renee! Thank you! So excited to tell my friend Kara, who you’ve met, about the wet brush! This may be a game changer for her little one’s long curly hair. Just curious if you have you looked up any of these products on EWG’s Skin Deep Database for safety?
Kara will love the Wet Brush for her little one’s hair! I have looked up all of the products mentioned in my post on Skin Deep. Most are not in their database, and those that are, have a good score.
Good to know! Thank you!
Great tips mama, I’m going to try a few, thank you!!
You’re welcome, Lo!
Such a wonderful post for moms! My son has eczema so I’m going to buy that Weleda’s Calendula face cream asap. So far I haven’t found anything that has really helped, so I’m hoping this does the trick! That lip balm looks amazing so this mama is going to buy that for herself!
Thank you Lauren. I hope the Weleda Face Cream works for your son!
My son has eczema as well. I tried Weleda and because of the fragrance it didn’t work for my son. We use Derma Smooth prescription oil from the allergist for bad spots but if I can catch it when it’s starting I use Beautycounter’s Nourishing Cleansing Balm. I have lots of Mama friends that swear by it for their kids as well Beautycounter’s kids body wash 🙂
Thank you for that info, Krystal!
So excited to read about these products! Thank you! What a help in our care for the little sunshines 🙂 I’ve been using Weleda products since my daughter was born (face cream, body cream, weather protection cream, body oil, diaper rash, body wash/shampoo, etc.), and absolutely love them and agree with you on their gentle and effective use! I can’t wait to get my hands on the brush you mentioned and a few other items, including the lip balm! I am going to print the list…
Love the information provided, so helpful! Thanks for the great tips!
The brush is wonderful! It gets tangles out so easily. I hope you love it!
This is great! Thank you Renee. I’m excited to try a couple of things on the list for my daughter. Do you have recommendations on hair shampoo and conditioners?
Yes, I highly recommend Beautycounter’s products for children. Here is the link: beautycounter.com/kids. I use their shampoo, conditioner, and body wash for my son. It’s very gentle and the ingredients are safe for your little ones. Give them a try and let me know how you like it.
I’d love to answer any questions you may have about Beautycounter! You can view our products at http://www.beautycounter.com/krystalgulley
Love your blog, Renee! It’s so refreshing to read and the photos are a feast for the eyes. Thanks for this post. I have been looking for a good lotion for my girls so I just ordered the Weleda cream. Can’t wait to try it! I am always on the lookout for good lip balms too…if Baby Lips is good enough for a professional makeup artist, I am definitely going to give it a try! Thanks for these recommendations. 🙂
You’re welcome Daisy! I hope you enjoy your new products.
Thank you! It’s like you read my mind. My baby has tons of great hair but it just falls flat & I’m always wanting to fuss it up but I thought that might be silly. Fun for special occasions! Someone told me to just use lotion but that just makes it greasy. So I’m excited to try the hair ideas! And the lip balm for me 🙂
Lotion may weigh it down and cause it to be flat. Try the Amika Dry Shampoo and let me know how it works for your baby’s hair. And you’ll love the lip balm!
What a great round up of products that I can use on baby & myself! Some of my favorites are included (the calendula face cream worked wonders on my baby’s eczema on cheeks) & I can’t wait to try a few that are new to me.
Thank you for your comment Katia! The Weleda Calendula face Cream is so great for eczema and I’m glad it worked for your family.
Thank you again for such awesome insight on these kid friendly products! I’m getting the wet brush for sure and I can’t wait to try some of the other products.
I already have the bb thickening creme contour but never thought of using it on my daughter.
The Wet Brush works wonders on tangled hair. You will love it! Would love to hear how Bumble and Bumble’s Thickening Creme works on your daughter.
I will definitely be trying the Weleda cream for my little ones eczema.
Thanks for sharing! Love your blog!
Thank you for your comment, Christina! Let me know if the Weleda Creams work for your little ones.
Excellent advice for this busy Momma! Thanks for sharing your expertise and excited to give these products a try!
Thanks for your comment! Which products will you try?
Thanks for the eczema tip! Both my boys have eczema and any recommended product to help with that is totally appreciated. Can’t wait to try the Weleda one now (after trying a million others…).
Beautiful blog, by the way! 🙂
The Weleda Calendula Face and Body Creams are very moisturizing and soothing for children with eczema. I hope they work on your boys!
Great tips on what products to use on my little ones! I appreciate how you share what you actually use for your clients! My toddler has eczema so we will defintely try Weleda’s Calendula face cream. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Cindy. The Weleda Face cream is great for eczema. Let me know how it works for your little one!
Great to know , love hearing about kids products!
Thank you Sherry! Let me know which ones you try.
Love everything about this post! Especially as a new mom looking out for my sweet baby. ♡
I think you’ll like the Weleda Baby Calendula products for your baby. Give them a try and let me know what you think!