Is it safe to use baby wipes?

We'll clarify our position here: there are 2 reasons why we are stepping away from MANY wipes.

#1 the environmental impact: non biodegradable, source of micro plastics and various pollutions

#2 many of them, even those using greenwash to "hide" some of their ingredients, contain ingredients that will compromise baby's skin integrity.

Now that this has been said, there has been some research indicating that baby wipes, particularly those containing certain chemicals and preservatives, may have negative effects on the baby's skin microbiome.

One study found that baby wipes containing the preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI) can cause irritation and damage to the skin barrier in infants. This can lead to an imbalanced microbiome on the skin, which can increase the risk of infections and allergies.

Another study found that the use of baby wipes can significantly reduce the diversity of bacteria on the baby's skin (remember our past blog about microbiome? :)). This reduction in bacterial diversity has been linked to an increased risk of infections and allergies.

Additionally, some baby wipes contain alcohol, which can be drying and irritating to the skin. This can further disrupt the delicate balance of the microbiome on the baby's skin and increase the risk of irritation and infection.

Overall, while baby wipes can be convenient and useful in some situations, it's important to use them carefully and avoid those that contain potentially harmful chemicals and preservatives, and/or those that are not briodegradable fully (and that don't create microplastics). Choosing instead cloth wipes, with solutions with natural, gentle ingredients can help to support the development of a healthy skin microbiome in infants.

NOLEO has been developed in such a way, families can either:

- use NOLEO organic cotton pads, with water

- use NOLEO 3-in-1 diaper care if baby's skin is prone to redness and rashes, and requires more than just water :)