What is baby liniment? Instructions for use!

A simple, natural product, liniment is one of the most popular products used by parents. What is it used for? And how do you use it? We explain everything in this article.

What is liniment?

Liniment has a natural, simple composition, making it perfectly suited to the sensitive, fragile skin of the youngest children. It's a very easy-to-use cleansing product.

Liniment composition and pH

Liniment oléo-calcaire is composed of two elements: lime water and olive oil. It may also contain beeswax for added nourishment, or essential oils such as lavender oil, chamomile oil, etc., making it a genuine skincare product.

As explained above, liniment is a natural product that contains no chemicals, synthetic fragrances or other toxic components that are harmful to your baby 's skin.

Liniment has an alkaline PH, which enables it to neutralize the acidity of urine, which can irritate your baby's bottom and cause diaper rash.

Skin benefits

Liniment is a highly moisturizing, hypoallergenic product. Olive oil makes it much easier to remove stool residues, leaving a layer of moisture. It helps relieve irritation and skin burns, and prevents diaper rash. Liniment is also recommended for newborns suffering from dermatological problems such as eczema.

How do I use liniment on my baby?

In the vast majority of cases, liniment is used to cleanse baby's bottom. No rinsing is required. It can also be used for other purposes, but this is the main one.

Since liniment is a mixture of two phases, before using it, shake the bottle to mix the two phases and obtain a homogeneous liquid. Then, to wash your baby, there are several steps to follow:

• Wash your hands before changing your baby's diaperThen pour a small amount of liniment onto a cotton pad;
• Open your child'sdiaper;
• Clean your child by removing urine and stools, always starting from the pubis and working backwards towards the buttocks;
• Repeat the operation to make sure your baby's bottom is clean;
• Don't rinse your baby's bottom, as the product will help moisturize it;
• When your baby's bottom is clean, you can put on a new diaper.

How to choose the right liniment for your child?

As with all baby products, you should always choose a healthy, natural product.

Look at the product's composition

To do this, look at the composition list. The shorter the list, the more natural the product. According to the traditional recipe, liniment is made from just 4 ingredients: water, olive oil, limewater and a preservative.

As for the oil used in liniment, make sure it's virgin olive oil (cold-pressed) and not blended with other oils. The benefits won't be the same.

Organic or not: what's the difference?

When you choose organic liniment, you're choosing a product that respects your baby's fragile skin. As explained above, you don't need many ingredients to make liniment. What's more, by choosing an organic liniment, you're supporting organic farming.

As for the price of liniment, it generally costs around 10 euros. It depends on whether it's organic or not.

Making your own liniment at home

You can also make your own liniment at home! It's a product requiring very few ingredients, with a very simple formula: olive oil, lime water, moisturizing glycerine.

Is it necessary to rinse liniment after use?

There's no need to rinse liniment after use. On the contrary, you can even take a clean cotton pad and wipe it over your baby's bottom one last time. This will help moisturize and prevent irritation and diaper rash.

If you use a rinse-off product to cleanse your baby, you can also apply a little liniment to the bottom after washing.

What other uses are there for liniment?

Although liniment is most often used for changing your baby's diaper, this little product can be used for many other things, including skincare:

• Moisturizing and repairing breast skin: if you're breast-feeding, it may be worth using liniment to combat dry nipples and prevent cracking, for example. Remember to rinse liniment off between feeds;
• Make-up removal: liniment is an oily, gentle product that can be used to remove make-up from sensitive skin and eyes. It will not irritate the skin, but remember to rinse it off as the pH is not neutral;
• Eliminate cradle cap: liniment removes the cradle cap that sometimes forms on your baby's head. Simply apply a small amount and massage in before your baby's bath.

FAQ about baby liniment

Why use liniment for yourself or your baby?

Is liniment a cleansing product?

When shouldn't I use liniment on my baby?