DIY - Baby Cleansing Gel

Most hygiene products for babies contain chemicals that can be harmful to them. They dry out the skin, and their long-term effects are still not fully understood. Of course, organic products do exist — with a clean ingredient list, free from parabens and sulphates, and made from natural ingredients. But they are often quite expensive. To be certain about what goes into our children's skincare, without blowing our budget, the solution is to make your own cosmetics. What's more, it lets you adapt the recipe to suit your preferences and needs — swapping or changing the fragrance, for example.

Making your own cosmetics is far simpler than you might think. It does require a small initial investment, as a few pieces of equipment are needed. But it pays for itself very quickly!

We'd like to share this cleansing gel recipe — wonderfully gentle and 100% natural in origin — which has won us over with its softness, its effectiveness, and its delicate scent.

To make your baby cleansing gel

Ingredients

217g of Neutral cleansing base

55g of Consistency base surfactant

17 drops of lactic acid

3ml of Cosmetic fragrance

60° alcohol (for sterilising equipment only)

Equipment needed

Scales

Small whisk

Graduated measuring cylinder

Bowls

Empty bottle

Saucepan

A clean tea towel

How to make your own baby cleansing gel

Before you start making your baby cleansing gel

Before you begin, you need to clean your work surface and sterilise your equipment. This is a very important step — neglecting it will shorten the shelf life of your cleansing gel. First, tie your hair back and wash your hands. Clean your work surface, then disinfect it with 90° alcohol. Next, submerge your metal and glass utensils in a pan of boiling water for around ten minutes. Wipe plastic items with 90° alcohol using a tissue. Finally, leave everything to dry on a clean tea towel.

DIY baby cleansing gel

After weighing them out, mix the neutral cleansing base and the foaming base together in a bowl using a small whisk. The easiest way is to do this in a bain-marie — the two bases will blend together much more easily. The neutral cleansing base is formulated with natural and organic ingredients, making it ideal for sensitive skin. The foaming base is a very gentle plant-derived surfactant that gives the cleansing gel its body.

Gradually add the lactic acid whilst stirring. The lactic acid helps to lower the pH of the preparation, preserving the skin's moisture.

Add the fragrance using the measuring cylinder. We chose the Douceur d'ange fragrance from Aroma-Zone, which smells absolutely divine — like a real baby! This step is optional; it simply adds a lovely scent to your cleansing gel.

Transfer the mixture into your bottle and your cleansing gel is ready!

How to use your baby cleansing gel

A small amount of cleansing gel is enough to wash your baby. Lather the gel in the palm of your hand, then apply it with gentle massaging movements over your child's body and hair. Finally, rinse thoroughly.

Tips for keeping your baby cleansing gel at its best

To keep your baby cleansing gel in the best condition, store it away from heat and light. If it has been stored correctly and made under optimal hygienic conditions, it will keep for 3 months.

What do you think of this recipe? Have you ever tried making your own cosmetics? If you make this baby cleansing gel, please do share it with us on Instagram by tagging us or using the hashtag #DIYMamanetBBNature! And if you enjoyed this DIY, feel free to share it on social media and pin it on Pinterest.