Sector · Baby & kids
Washes, lotions, nappy creams, oils and sunscreens for skin that is still developing. CSL formulation scientists formulate with fewer, well-studied ingredients, apply the extra safety standards children need, and are honest about what the evidence shows.
Guires Cosmetic Science Lab
At Guires Cosmetic Science Lab, CSL formulation chemists develop baby care product development projects, from washes and lotions to nappy creams, oils and kids’ sunscreen, with mildness proven by paediatrician- and dermatologist-supervised tolerance testing. With more than 10 years of experience, the team formulates with fewer, well-studied ingredients and applies the extra safety assessment children’s products need.
Start your project with Guires CSLWhat shoppers look for now
Parents read labels closely and prefer short ingredient lists, fragrance-free options and no unnecessary additives.
“Mild” and “tested” are expected; parents want to know who tested the product and how.
Newborn, baby and toddler products each need safety data suited to that age.
The science
A baby’s skin barrier keeps maturing for the first years of life. We design around three areas.
Gentle cleansing
Newborn and baby skin is thinner and loses water faster. Mild washes at skin-friendly pH clean without disrupting the barrier, and published trials show a well-formulated baby wash can be as kind to skin as water alone.
Moisture & barrier
Emollients help dry baby skin feel comfortable. Early small trials suggested daily emollients from birth might prevent eczema, but two large trials did not confirm it. We build moisturisers that care for dry skin and avoid prevention claims the evidence does not support.
Nappy area & sun
The nappy area is warm, wet and in contact with irritants. Barrier creams with zinc oxide and dexpanthenol help protect it. For sun, mineral sunscreens for children are designed for high protection with minimal irritation.
Talk to a CSL formulation scientist
Share your concept, benchmark or target claim. A CSL formulation scientist will tell you what is feasible, what evidence it needs and a realistic timeline.
Clinical evidence
Published trials on cleansing, moisturising and protecting baby skin, including large trials with negative results. Each links to its record.
Open, randomised, controlled · 40 infants
Alkaline soap raised skin pH most (+0.45 vs +0.19 for water) and removed the most surface lipid; syndets were gentler.
Gfatter R et al. Dermatology 1997;195(3):258–262 · PMID 9407174
Assessor-blinded, randomised non-inferiority · 307 newborns · 14–28 days
The wash was non-inferior to water on TEWL (12.8 vs 12.5 g/m²/h) and gave higher skin hydration (p=0.022).
Lavender T et al. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2013;42(2):203–214 · PMID 23421327
Assessor-blinded equivalence trial · 280 newborns · 4 weeks
Wipes were equivalent to water on skin hydration, and mother-reported nappy rash was lower with wipes (p=0.025).
Industry-funded.
Randomised, assessor-blinded · 124 high-risk newborns · 6 months
Eczema at 6 months was 22% vs 43% (RR 0.50).
Small trial; larger trials below did not confirm prevention.
Simpson EL et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2014;134(4):818–823 · PMID 25282563
Randomised · 118 high-risk newborns · 32 weeks
About 32% fewer moisturised infants developed eczema by week 32 (P=.012).
Horimukai K et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2014;134(4):824–830 · PMID 25282564
Multicentre, pragmatic · 1,394 newborns · 2 years
No reduction in eczema at age 2 (23% vs 25%), and more skin infections in the emollient group.
Negative trial: we do not claim emollients prevent eczema.
Chalmers JR et al. Lancet 2020;395(10228):962–972 · PMID 32087126
Cluster-randomised factorial · 2,397 newborns · 12 months
Skin care did not reduce atopic dermatitis (11% vs 8%).
Negative trial.
Skjerven HO et al. Lancet 2020;395(10228):951–961 · PMID 32087121
Randomised, double-blind · 117 children · 8 weeks
Eczema severity fell 68% with coconut oil vs 38% with mineral oil (P<0.05).
Evangelista MT et al. Int J Dermatol 2014;53(1):100–108 · PMID 24320105
Randomised, double-blind, active-controlled · children with eczema · 3 weeks
The oatmeal cream matched the prescription barrier cream on eczema improvement, with similar tolerability.
Manufacturer-sponsored.
Lisante TA et al. J Dermatolog Treat 2017;28(7):659–667 · PMID 28366039
Randomised, assessor-blinded pilot · 115 newborns · 4 weeks
Both oils raised hydration but gave less improvement in skin lipid structure than no oil, a reason to test oils carefully on newborn skin.
Split-side comparison · 46 children with nappy rash · 7 days
Barrier function (TEWL) was better on the treated side by day 3 (p=0.002); severity scores did not differ.
Wananukul S et al. J Med Assoc Thai 2006;89(10):1654–1658 · PMID 17128840
These are published studies on ingredients, methods and routines, not on products we have made. A finished product needs its own testing before a claim goes on pack, and we design that study with you. See the full evidence library
Sensorial experience
Parents judge a baby product by how it feels in their hands, how easily it rinses and whether the baby stays calm.
Low-foam or creamy lather that rinses quickly from hair and skin.
Fragrance-free as default, or very light scents within IFRA limits for children.
Lotions that spread quickly on a wriggling baby and nappy creams that wipe off easily.
Packs a parent can use with one hand.
Concept spotlight
Example concepts to show the range. Every project starts from your own brief, and the finished formula belongs to you.
A single wash for hair and body at skin-friendly pH, fragrance-free.
A rich cream for dry, eczema-prone baby skin with oatmeal and ceramides.
A zinc oxide stick for faces and ears, easy to apply on the move.
Responsible beauty
More shoppers weigh where ingredients come from and what happens to the pack. We build those choices in from the start, and make sure every environmental claim can be backed up.
Our supplier directoryNatural and natural-origin content calculated under ISO 16128, so percentages on your pack are defensible.
For COSMOS, vegan or similar standards we screen every raw material and prepare the file your certifier needs.
Traceable raw materials, including upcycled and biotech actives, sourced through our supplier directory.
Refills, mono-material packs and recycled plastics, tested for compatibility with your formula.
Environmental wording reviewed against green-claims guidance in each target market.
In the EU the safety assessment must consider children under three specifically, and some ingredients are not allowed for them. “Treats nappy rash” or “prevents eczema” are medicine claims; “protects” and “soothes” are cosmetic. Kids’ sunscreen is an OTC drug in the US.
From trend to brief
Before formulation begins, we can map your market so the product lands with a clear point of difference.
Formats
Testing & compliance
Applications
Services
Stay ahead in baby & kids with regulation updates, the latest research, ingredient spotlights, recalls and market trends, written by the Guires CSL formulation, testing, clinical and regulatory teams.
Explore market insights
FAQ
No. Two large trials found daily emollients from birth did not prevent eczema, and a prevention claim would make the product a medicine. We help you word care claims the evidence supports.
Not automatically. Some plant oils can affect the developing skin barrier. We choose and test oils rather than assume they are gentle.
We start with in-vitro mildness screens, then patch tests on adults, then paediatrician- or dermatologist-supervised in-use studies on children with ethics approval.
You do. We sign an NDA first, and the formula and technical file are handed over at the end.
Every baby & kids project at Guires CSL runs inside an ISO 9001 certified quality system, with documented methods, calibrated instruments, traceable raw materials and reviewed reports, so the results behind your product can be checked and defended.
Guires CSL quality & accreditations
In their words
“Careful ingredient selection and refinement produced a gentle baby-care formula, with skin tolerance as the priority for daily use.”
“An appropriate safety and tolerance testing pathway, with clear interpretation of the findings, gave us greater confidence in our formulation.”
“A refined surfactant system balances mild cleansing with a pleasant sensory experience, keeping our baby-care brief central.”
Insights
Guidance from our formulation, testing and regulatory teams on the topics this page covers.
Patch tests, in-use studies and panel sizes, and how wording differs between markets.
Read articleAn alcohol-based hand sanitiser made in Mexico was recalled after testing found undeclared methanol. What happened, and the controls that prevent it.
Read articleFacility registration, product listing, US Agent, safety substantiation and adverse event reporting, in the order to tackle them.
Read articleStart a project
Our formulation chemists, testing scientists and regulatory specialists work alongside your team, from the first brief to a market-ready product. Bring a brief, a benchmark or just an idea: a scientist will reply within one working day with next steps and an indicative scope.
