The Baby’s Perspective: Why Essential Oils Might Be Risky for Baby Skin

At It’s All Good, we’re not against essential oils; we simply use them thoughtfully, in products where they truly belong. When used correctly, essential oils can be safe and beneficial, which is why we include them in deodorants, creams, and other products for older children and adults. For babies, however, we take a far more cautious approach.

Here’s why we choose a more considered path:

• Tiny systems are extremely vulnerable. Leading paediatricians, dermatologists, and aromatherapists all agree: essential oils should be avoided in infants and young children, especially under 3 years old, while systems such as the respiratory, nervous, and immune systems are still developing. Very few essential oils are ever considered safe for this age group, and most are outright discouraged for infants under one year. Using them too early can increase the risk of irritation, respiratory issues, and long-term sensitisation.
• Skin is not just a barrier -  it’s an entry point.

Infant skin is thinner and more absorbent than adult skin, so substances applied topically can reach the bloodstream more easily. When eczema is present, this entry point is even more exposed, increasing the risk of irritation, flares, and long-term sensitisation.

(Sensitisation means the immune system can learn to see a substance as a threat, potentially causing lifelong allergies after just one exposure.)

• Potency matters. Essential oils are far more concentrated than teas or infused herbs. Even tiny amounts can overwhelm a baby’s immature detox pathways, increasing toxic load rather than reducing it.

At It’s All Good, our focus goes beyond immediate skin benefits. We design products to nurture skin and protect long-term health, from babies to adults, doing everything we can to reduce toxic build-up that could impact life and wellbeing.

Our philosophy is simple: if something isn’t necessary, we leave it out.

Our baby products are unscented by design because fragrance can affect a baby’s health over time.

When we use botanicals, we favour gentler forms, such as hydrosols or herbs infused in a carrier oil, or no scent at all.
For developing skin and bodies, less is often the purest care and the most nurturing choice.