How Do I Choose the Best Baby Lip Balm?

Baby lip balm can protect an infant's lips from sunburn and chapping. Before choosing lip balm, it can be a good idea to read the product label to see what chemicals the ointment contains. If possible, select a brand with natural ingredients such as beeswax rather than petroleum-based products. A scent or flavoring is not necessary; in fact, these things might actually irritate an infant's lips. You also might not want one that tastes chalky, because the child might not like it or want to use it.

A baby lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 10 can keep an infant's lips from becoming sunburned. If you elect to buy a lip balm with an SPF, try to avoid buying one that contains benzophenone or octinoxate, because they are often considered toxic substances. Titanium dioxide or zinc dioxide is generally thought to be safer choices for sun protection.

If the thought of a natural lip balm is appealing to you, then you might also want to find a brand that is labeled paraben-free. This is because parabens are actually preservatives, which can affect hormone levels in a person's body. The affect of these preservatives on an infant are unknown, so it could be a good idea to avoid them completely.

Although a flavored lip balm can be enticing, the fact is that some of these flavorings might actually trigger allergic reactions. A scented type of baby lip balm could likewise cause skin irritation. For these reasons, a plain product without artificial colors, scents or flavors could be best for an infant. If possible, try to buy a sample size so you can see if the baby likes it before investing in a larger container.

If you are interested in buying an organic lip balm, find out which organizations in your area certify organic products. This can be helpful because some companies might advertise their products as being organic when in fact they are not. Look for the seal of the certifying agency on the label of the product before you make a purchase.

A baby lip balm cannot be effective if it cannot be applied easily. For this reason, you should choose a product that is somewhat soft, so it will be easy to use. Doing so can make it easy to protect the baby's lips from the elements whether at home or on the go.