Are plastic additives in baby lotions and creams safe?

What's actually in it

Baby lotions, creams, and oils aren't just moisturizer. They often contain chemicals originally developed for plastic manufacturing. These include UV stabilizers, antioxidants, and plasticizers that keep the formula stable on the shelf.

Infants have thinner skin than adults. Their skin absorbs chemicals more easily, and they can't metabolize them as fast. A baby getting lotion rubbed on their whole body every day is absorbing whatever is in that lotion.

What the research says

Researchers did a 2026 study in Environ Int screening baby skincare products for plastic additive chemicals using suspect screening. They found multiple plastic additives in products marketed specifically for infants and newborns.

These compounds included benzophenone-type UV filters and polymer additives. Several of them are known endocrine disruptors. The researchers flagged them as chemicals of concern because of how easily infant skin absorbs them and how frequently parents apply these products.

You don't have to use lotion on a healthy baby. If you do, choose products with short ingredient lists made from plant-based oils. Skip the ones with long ingredient names you can't recognize.

For other baby products, switch to organic cotton baby gear that skips synthetic chemical treatments altogether.