The science of fragile skin, and what we tested
Why does a baby's skin need different skincare, and what has BEB Organic tested?
A baby's skin is still developing: it is thinner than adult skin, its acid mantle is immature and it is more permeable, which is why BEB Organic formulates every product for fragile skin, tests each one for irritation and sensitization (HRIPT) before sale, and ran an independent 8-week consumer study of 72 pregnant participants on its Wash, Soothe, Hydrate and Seal products.
What makes baby skin fragile
A healthy baby's skin barrier works. It is also still being built, for longer than most people think. The job is keeping a working barrier working.
- 30%thinner
The outer layer of skin in babies 3 to 24 months old, compared with their biological mothers, measured on the lower thigh.
Stamatas 2010 - About 6years
Roughly when a child's skin reaches adult levels of water loss, lipid compactness, thickness and cell size.
Stamatas 2023 - 6.3 to 7.5newborn pH
Skin surface pH at birth, depending on the body site, close to neutral and well above the acidic range it settles into.
Ludriksone 2014 - Up to 15xthe water loss
Through the skin of a baby born at 25 weeks, compared with a full-term baby, on the first day of life.
Hammarlund and Sedin 1979
- At birth
A healthy full-term baby arrives with a barrier that works. Surface pH is close to neutral.
- First week
Surface pH falls steeply, then keeps settling site by site.
- 4 to 6 weeks
The acid mantle approaches its mature range. The skin's bacteria settle into distinct patterns by body site.
- First year
How the outer layer stores and moves water becomes adult-like only after this.
- About 6 years
Thickness, cell size and water loss reach adult levels, property by property.
What that asks of a formula
Restraint
Fewer, well-understood ingredients, each prepared in the form that suits fragile skin.
No added fragrance
Nothing on the skin that does not need to be there.
Gentle preservation
A system chosen for how it sits with fragile skin over daily use.
The right texture
Light textures where skin looks reactive, and plant lipids where it feels dry.
What the consumer study found
Independent consumer study by the Good Face Project: 72 pregnant participants, 8 weeks, on belly and breast skin. These figures are what participants reported about how the products looked and felt.
| Bubbly Wash softens and refreshes skin's appearance | 99% | |
|---|---|---|
| Silky Cream helps replenish and hydrate skin | 98% | |
| Soothing Serum helps balance and clear skin's appearance | 98% | |
| Nurturing Oil helps skin feel calm and smooth | 98% | |
| Would recommend BEB products to a friend | 99% |
How we test
| Test | Bubbly Wash | Soothing Serum | Silky Cream | Nurturing Oil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat patch testing (HRIPT), for irritation and sensitization | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Preservative effectiveness testing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ophthalmologist tested, for the eyes | Yes |
Every test was run by an independent third-party lab. We also measured transepidermal water loss, how much water passes out through the skin.
In hospitals
- 300+hospitals and birthing centers
- 11+years in use
- 0reported adverse events
BEB Bubbly Wash, Silky Cream and Nurturing Oil are used in hospital NICUs.
The science behind the ingredients
Research on infant skin shows a barrier that is still maturing in the first year, which is why gentle cleansing and leave-on care that does not disrupt the skin surface are favoured for newborns.
Studies of massage with plant oils point to the composition of the oil, its balance of fatty acids, as the variable that matters, rather than the name of the plant.
Sources
Much of the measurement of infant skin comes from research groups affiliated with skincare manufacturers, so we read it alongside independent work.
- Stamatas GN et al. Infant skin microstructure assessed in vivo differs from adult skin. Pediatr Dermatol. 2010;27(2):125-131.
- Nikolovski J et al. Barrier function and water-holding and transport properties of infant stratum corneum. J Invest Dermatol. 2008;128(7):1728-1736.
- Stamatas GN et al. Skin maturation from birth to 10 years of age. Exp Dermatol. 2023;32(9):1420-1429.
- Ludriksone L et al. Skin barrier function in infancy: a systematic review. Arch Dermatol Res. 2014;306(7):591-599.
- Hammarlund K, Sedin G. Transepidermal water loss in newborn infants. III. Relation to gestational age. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1979;68(6):795-801.
- Chu DM et al. Maturation of the infant microbiome community structure and function across multiple body sites. Nat Med. 2017;23(3):314-326.
Questions parents ask
Why are BEB products fragrance-free? Added fragrance is one of the most common reasons skin reacts, and fragile skin does not need it.
Is the consumer study on babies? The Good Face Project study ran on 72 pregnant participants over 8 weeks, on maternal skin.
The Steady Hands Routine
Four steps in one order, finished with a cuddle.
Then a cuddle. Tonight, a cuddle alone is still the routine.
The Complete Vital Touch Bundle: Bubbly Wash 16 oz, Soothing Serum 2 oz, Silky Cream 4 oz and Nurturing Oil 2 oz.