Going soft on the kids

Every week I have the same conversation with my seven-year-old girl: “Mum, can I paint my nails?”

“No”.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re seven, and your nails are delicate and nail varnishes have stuff in them that aren’t good”.

“But all my friends paint their nails”.

“I know, but everyone has different rules”.

A scan of the kids’ nails at school drop-off shows most little girls have done their nails (haphazardly, themselves).

Nail varnish can be toxic and the smell is noxious. Most nail polishes contain phthalates, toluene, and formaldehyde, ingredients I don’t want my child messing with, especially since children shove their hands in their mouths frequently. Nails are porous, and even adult nails become broken, split and weakened after nail-polish use.

Children’s nails are softer and more delicate, and should be kept pure for as long as possible. There are non-toxic, non-chemical, water-based polishes that peel off (Suncoat Girl is one), but I still prefer to keep away from it. Children deserve to be exposed to as few chemicals as possible. Thankfully, finding natural products for children has never been easier.

One of my favourites is the baby-and-kids cream, €2.59, from Polish natural skincare brand Ziaja. Having used many moisturising products on my little boy’s dry skin, including pure shea butter, E45, and elave, this is the most effective. It has a gorgeous baby scent, is thick but not tacky, and rubs into the skin well. It’s safe to be used from day one.

Bubble baths have a scary amount of ingredients and an overwhelming scent, and can leave your kids’ skin drier, but Green People’s organic children range has a bubble bath that will maintain essential moisture in the skin. Containing aloe vera, ylang ylang and mandarin, the children’s bath and shower citrus and aloe vera, €12.25, is free from SLS/SLES, parabens, phthalates and artificial fragrances and is suitable for vegans and veggies. Another good option is the Earth Friendly baby organic lavender bubble bath, €7.99, with nice sleep-inducing ingredients, including chamomile, bergamot and lavender. If your kids aren’t bothered about having bubbles, then go for a good natural-based soap, such as L’Occitane’s shea butter extra gentle soap, €10 for six, or Weleda’s calendula baby soap, €4.83.

As we head into summer, the focus is on suncream, and while non-chemical sunscreens used to be hideous, gloopy things that made you look as if you’d been dipped in a vat of zinc, now there’s more choice. Lavera has a great kids’ sun spray, €14.75. It’s SPF 20 and is 100% mineral and suitable for vegans. Slightly higher, at SPF 30, is the Badger natural baby sunscreen, €18.54 (lovelula.com)