A few years ago, there was a craze for Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter (£3.20). Smart parents sussed that good-quality baby creams contained either none, or fewer, of the undesirable ingredients in lots of expensive adult skincare, and did the job just as well or even better. Consequently, they cleared shelves of any stock for several months (poor babies and their inflamed rear ends). BBB, as it’s known in beauty circles, is still a great moisturiser for dry skins, but is by no means the only hero nestling in the baby aisle.
If your face is on the combination side of sensitive, for instance, Weleda’s Baby Calendula Face Cream (£6.92), will serve you better. As with BBB, the deliberate omission of petrol derivatives means you’re at lower risk of breakout, but this has a lighter, less greasy, texture. Many budget cleansers contain sulphates and mineral oil, but not Mustela (£7.75), which is designed for baby’s bum-cleaning. It’s a great cleansing milk for morning use (it’s insufficient for removing heavy makeup before bed) and, I think, much nicer than the disproportionately feted Cetaphil.
Tantrum Apple Shampoo (£3) has the delicious smell of the cheap 1970s cash’n’carry version that my nan used on us, and is now the only thing I use to wash my makeup brushes. It keeps them soft, clean and lovely smelling on the face, without any associated skin irritation. It’s good used as intended, too, provided hair is neither thick nor overprocessed.
Finally, if you’re considering a tattoo, take it from me, a four-time veteran, that Bepanthen nappy rash ointment (£2.79) is absolutely essential for post-ink healing.
