Natural Baby Life logo (480 x 130)
Can you put baby lotion on your face?

Can You Put Baby Lotion On Your Face? (And When It Makes Sense!)

Disclosure: Some of our articles contain links to recommended products or services in which we may receive a commission if you make a purchase.

When you have baby products around the house, they often end up getting used by other members in the household as well. Take baby lotion for example. Some adults use baby lotion as a facial moisturizer and swear by the results. If it’s good enough for your baby, it’s good enough for you, right? If you’ve ever wondered if you can put baby lotion on your face, you’ve come to the right place.

It is perfectly fine to put baby lotion on your face as it is typically a gentle, light lotion that is easily absorbed. Baby lotion is designed to be used on sensitive baby skin so it is usually made with fewer harsh chemicals or fragrances that could cause irritation. Extremely dry skin, however, will likely need a stronger moisturizer.

There are plenty of instances when it makes sense to use baby lotion as a moisturizer, even on your face. We’re going to share tips on how and when you should use baby lotion on yourself and your baby.

Can you use baby lotion on your face as a moisturizer?

As a parent, you may be wondering if you can use baby lotion as a moisturizer since you already have it lying around the house. Surprisingly, many adults, even those without children, wonder about it as well and even use baby products on their own skin. Babies have such soft skin and although most of that is natural, many have wondered if baby lotion will make their face soft and youthful.

Baby lotion can be used as a facial moisturizer. In fact, there’s nothing that says adults and children alike can’t use baby lotion. There are some things to take into consideration though. The first thing you need to consider is the condition of your skin. If you have extremely dry skin or severe acne, it’s best to talk to your dermatologist about the right product for your skin. 

Baby lotion may be a sufficient product for you to use but depending on your skin needs, it may not be the best product out there. Many adults with sensitive skin use baby products because they’re light and very gentle on the skin. However, if you’re looking for a moisturizer that has anti-aging properties, baby lotion alone isn’t going to cut it.

Does baby lotion clog pores on your face?

Adults tend to look for skincare products that are non-comedogenic, in other words, ones that don’t clog pores. Blackheads or whiteheads are known as comedones, and products that are non-comedogenic are products that are specially formulated to not cause clogged pores.

Modern comedogenicity tests are not always accurate since there isn’t one consistent way to do this test and everyone’s skin is a little bit different.

The best way to tell if a product will clog pores is to pay attention to the properties of the product. The thicker the product, the more likely it is to clog your pores. The more oil contained in the product, the more likely it is as well. Baby lotions do tend to be lighter in consistency, but they’re not actually labeled as non-comedogenic. In fact, many baby lotions contain ingredients that are known to clog pores.

When you’re searching for a lotion, be sure to look at the specific ingredients. Oils, alcohol, lanolin, and fatty acids are some of the most common pore-clogging ingredients.

Is baby lotion good for acne?

Anyone with acne knows you have to be extremely careful what products you use so you don’t make your acne worse. As mentioned before, if you have severe acne, it’s best to use products that are recommended by your dermatologist.

In general, baby lotion is not good for people with acne. Both Johnson’s baby cream and Johnson’s baby lotion, two of the most popular baby products, contain comedogenic ingredients that may cause acne breakouts.

If you have acne, it’s better for you to choose products that are designed specifically for acne-prone skin. Since baby lotion is designed for babies, it doesn’t have the properties you may need to help with your acne and it may actually worsen your acne if you use it consistently.

Is baby lotion good for an adult’s skin in general?

The ingredients in baby lotions such as Johnson’s aren’t that much different than certain adult moisturizers. They’re designed specifically for newborn baby’s sensitive skin, so the biggest issue with using them as an adult is they don’t contain any ingredients you may need for anti-aging.

Adult moisturizers, especially those for your face, typically contain UVA or UVB protection to keep your skin from being affected by harmful sun rays. In adult moisturizers, you may also find ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C, or hyaluronic acid because these ingredients have properties that fight signs of aging. Since babies have yet to experience age spots and damaged skin, baby lotion isn’t going to help with these issues.

However, if you’re simply looking for a light moisturizer that doesn’t contain a lot of extra ingredients, baby lotion will work just fine. Many adults with sensitive skin use baby products for this very reason.

Can you put baby lotion on your baby’s face?

Even in the newborn stage, dry skin is a frequent problem for many babies. In most cases, it’s unnecessary to use any lotion on a newborn’s skin because most of their dry skin issues resolve on their own. Babies can have lots of different skin concerns from eczema to dermatitis, and your first reaction may be to use baby lotion to correct the issue.

It’s best to avoid putting any lotion on your baby’s face because it may contain ingredients that might irritate their skin further or cause irritation in your baby’s eyes.

If you do use lotion or another product on your baby’s face, use a product that is free of any perfumes or dyes. If you believe your baby has a skin issue, it’s best to contact your pediatrician before using any new products on your baby.

Can you put baby lotion on your baby’s head?

When you gave your new baby their first bath, you were probably prepared with specialized products such as baby shampoo. Newborn babies don’t need a ton of products and even as they get a bit older, you may continue to use the same baby products for a while. If you’ve noticed any dryness or even cradle cap on your baby’s head, you may be wondering if you can use baby lotion to help.

Cradle cap is very common in young babies and is a rash that often includes scales and redness on a baby’s scalp. Although it’s alarming for some parents, cradle cap typically doesn’t bother the baby at all and usually resolves on its own. Typically caused by excessive oil production, there are many ways to treat cradle cap if it’s persistent after a few weeks or months.

Although you could use baby lotion on your baby’s head, it’s not the best treatment for cradle cap. If your little one has cradle cap that you can’t seem to get rid of, there are several different treatments you can try.

What’s the best natural baby lotion?

There are plenty of baby products out there that claim to be natural but still contain harmful ingredients and synthetic fragrances. When choosing a lotion to use on your baby or even yourself, it’s important to look at all the ingredients, even if the product claims to be natural.

Earth Mama Organics was founded in 2002 and they pride themselves on making “clean, safe, and effective herbal solutions.” Their baby lotion is consistently rated as one of the best if you’re looking for an all-natural product. Made from all-natural ingredients, their lotion also includes organic calendula, which is the oil extracted from marigold flowers. Calendula is often used for anti-inflammatory purposes and also for treating eczema and diaper rash. 

Earth Mama Natural Non-scents Baby Lotion is a great choice if you’re looking for something unscented, but if you want to try a natural scent, their Sweet Orange Organic Baby Lotion is their most popular. All of their products are free of parabens, artificial fragrance, mineral oil, and petroleum.

Mmmm, that sweet orange smells good 😉

Joshua Bartlett
Joshua Bartlett

My name is Joshua Bartlett I run this blog with my wife Jarah. We have more than 11 years of parenting experience including three girls and one boy. I started this blog in late 2018 when I realized that I was dealing with baby-related issues on a constant basis…please read more about me here!