When you finally bring your baby home, all you want is to care for them and do everything to make the beginning of their life the best it can be. In this period, some very relevant questions arise regarding baby care, such as whether a baby can use perfume. Although it may seem unnecessary to many, there are mothers who are truly concerned about their babies’ scent and how they will smell. But does this cause harm? Can it trigger allergies? Are there specific perfumes for babies? These are the issues we will discuss in today’s article.
The Problem with Strong Scents
Even when a mother uses strong perfumes, the baby can develop some type of allergy. That said, when a mother wants to know if a baby can use perfume, she should remember that a baby’s sense of smell and skin are sensitive and can suffer from any stronger scent1. This means that a baby should not use perfumes. No matter how well-intentioned a mother may be in wanting her baby to smell nice, she must put their health first and understand that there are alternatives to keep them smelling fresh. We’ll talk about those further on in the text.
When can babies start wearing perfume?
At a certain stage, a baby’s body gets used to external factors, meaning they won’t be as intolerant to strong scents. After 6 months of age, it’s allowed to use certain scented moisturizing creams, but always those specifically made for little ones. However, it’s only from the age of 2 that it’s recommended for a mother to use perfumes with fragrances on her child. By this age, a child’s body is likely strong enough for such products.
IMPORTANT: Before applying any type of perfume to your child, you need to know if they have any allergies, either skin-related or respiratory. Without this information, your child may be at serious health risk.
Can the mother’s perfume and makeup harm the baby?
Occasionally, some of the mother’s perfume or makeup might end up on the baby’s skin, even causing some type of allergy. Since these are usually small amounts, it’s generally not a cause for concern, though mothers should be careful not to use any makeup the baby might come into contact with. Also, as we’ve mentioned here, the strong scent of a mother’s perfume can affect the baby’s sense of smell. The solution is simply to not use any type of perfume while the baby is still developing, especially during breastfeeding. These details make all the difference in ensuring your child’s health.
Allergies in Babies
Babies’ bodies are very sensitive, and contact with perfumes can trigger various allergies2. The main allergy that these products cause is a skin allergy, with symptoms such as:
- Redness;
- Itching;
- Small sores;
- Skin bumps, sometimes with pus.
Babies can also develop respiratory allergies, especially those with a family history of such problems. Symptoms of this type of allergy include:
- Constant dry cough;
- Itchy eyes;
- Wheezing lungs;
- Frequent sneezing;
- Runny nose.
The first thing to do when any of these allergies appear is to identify what’s causing it. Once you find and remove the source, the allergy usually goes away. You can check about possible vaccination treatments with your doctor so that the allergies won’t be as severe, but keeping your baby away from what triggers it is always the most important thing to do.
How to Keep Your Baby Always Smelling Good?
Although many mothers worry about their baby’s scent, they should always prioritize their baby’s health. Moreover, by keeping your baby bathed, and making sure their clothes are always clean, you’ll keep them smelling nice since the products recommended for babies generally have pleasant fragrances, don’t they? 
