Natural baby products in Canada: how to read the labels, from diaper cream to baby wash

Natural baby products are the everyday basics, from wash and shampoo to diaper cream, wipes, diapers and lotion, made with simpler, plant-based ingredients and often without added fragrance. This guide explains how to read the labels, what "fragrance free" and "unscented" mean, how diaper creams and balms differ, and the Canadian makers on our baby shelf, including two from right here in Atlantic Canada.

It's written for new parents, grandparents shopping for a baby shower, and anyone restocking the change table. We stick to what's on each label: ingredients, scent, format and size. If you're unsure which product suits your baby, start with the shortest, unscented ingredient list and ask us in store.

How to read a natural baby product label

"Natural" isn't a defined term on a label, and neither is "non toxic", so the ingredient list is where the real information is. In Canada, personal care products list their ingredients by their standard (INCI) names, from most to least.

1. Check the scent. "Fragrance free" or "unscented" means no added scent. "Parfum" or "fragrance" in the list means a fragrance blend; essential oils are listed by name, such as lavender oil.
2. Read the first few ingredients. They make up most of the product. Look for natural ingredients such as plant oils, butters, aloe and gentle coconut-derived cleansers.
3. Look for what's left out. Many natural baby products are made without parabens, phthalates, dyes or mineral oil, and say so on the pack.
4. Check certifications. EWG Verified (a programme of the Environmental Working Group), NATRUE, certified organic and vegan logos each mean the brand met that programme's standard.
5. Note the format and size. A 2-in-1 wash and shampoo, a twist-up stick or a big refillable bottle each suit a different routine.

Atlantic Canadian baby care: Anointment and Duckish

Many of the natural baby products Canada's families reach for come from small makers, and two of our favourites are close to home. Anointment Natural Skin Care has made natural skin care by hand in Sackville, New Brunswick since 1993, and its baby care is what we hand to new parents first. Baby Balm is a zinc-free blend of organic calendula and lavender infused in certified organic olive oil with Canadian beeswax, and Anointment makes it with cloth diapering families in mind. The unscented Body Wash & Bubbles is a three-in-one body wash, shampoo and bubble bath with aloe vera, coconut-derived cleansers, organic olive oil and calendula, and no essential oil at all.

Duckish started in Halifax in 2015 with a diaper cream stick that Carolyn Crewe made for her sister's new baby. She and Josh Beitel still make everything by hand, without water, parabens or synthetic fragrance. The twist-up stick goes on without getting your fingers messy, and it's small enough for any diaper bag.

DuckishDiaper Cream StickTwist-up and water-free, handmade in Halifax.Shop →

Diaper cream, diaper balm and zinc oxide

Diaper creams and balms sit between your baby's bum and a wet diaper. They fall into two families, and the label tells you which one you're holding.

Zinc oxide is a mineral that forms a protective barrier on the skin, and it's the main ingredient in most products sold as diaper rash cream. Weleda, which has made natural skin care since 1921, makes two: Calendula Diaper Rash Cream with zinc oxide and lanolin, and Diaper Care Cream Sensitive with white mallow, pansy and zinc oxide. Earth Mama Organics, founded by a nurse and herbalist in Oregon, makes an organic herbal Diaper Balm.

For cloth diapers, many families choose a zinc-free balm, since zinc creams can build up on fabric. Anointment Baby Balm is zinc-free, and so is Aleva Naturals Soothing Diaper Cream, made in Ontario with organic shea butter, aloe and calendula and no zinc oxide, beeswax or lanolin. Badger, a family-run company in New Hampshire, makes a Chamomile & Calendula Baby Balm with organic olive oil.

Earth Mama OrganicsOrganic Diaper BalmOrganic herbal diaper balm. 2 oz.Shop →

For the frequent diaper changes of the first months, a little naked time on a towel between changes is an old, simple habit. Talc-free powders made from tapioca, arrowroot and kaolin clay, like the unscented one from Beauty From Bees, a family company with a team of women in Alberta, absorb moisture in skin folds; shake a little into your hand and pat it on rather than dusting it into the air.

Disposable diapers, cloth diapers and wipes

Every diapering choice has some environmental impact. Cloth diapers are washed and reused, which takes water and energy. Disposables are the convenient choice, and since disposable diapers end up in the garbage, the materials they're made from are worth a look. Many families use both: cloth at home, disposables out and about or overnight.

On our shelf, the disposables are made with bamboo. ATTITUDE, a Montreal company, makes Baby Leaves diapers from bamboo fibres from FSC-managed forests, with no added fragrance; they're vegan, EWG Verified and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. Aleva Naturals' bamboo diapers use unbleached bamboo fibre for the top and bottom layers, with a wetness indicator that turns from yellow to green.

Wipes are simple to compare: ATTITUDE's are 99% water with a little hydrolysed soy protein and two food-grade preservatives, and Aleva's fragrance-free bamboo wipes carry water, glycerin, organic shea butter, organic olive oil, chamomile and aloe vera. Put used wipes in the bin, not the toilet.

Baby wash and shampoo

Most baby washes are 2-in-1, so one bottle does hair and body. Look for mild, coconut-derived cleansers, "tear free" on the label if you want it, and an unscented version for very new babies or sensitive skin.

• Carina Organics has made hair and body care by hand on the North Shore of Vancouver since 1972. Its Unscented Baby Shampoo & Body Wash is tear free, with organic chamomile, nettle, dandelion and clover extracts in saponified coconut oil.
• The Unscented Company makes fragrance-free care in Quebec. Its Gentle Baby Wash & Shampoo is tear free, labelled hypoallergenic and pH-balanced for babies under 12 months, with no fragrance, dye or phosphates.
• Dr. Bronner's Baby Unscented castile soap has no added fragrance and double the olive oil. It isn't tear free, so dilute it and keep it away from the eyes.
• Beauty From Bees Baby Wash is scented with lavender and vanilla essential oils, with coco glucoside, shea butter and a little beeswax.

Our natural body wash guide and castile soap guide cover the grown-up side of the bath shelf.

Baby lotion, oil and balm for delicate skin

After the bath, a little lotion, oil or balm keeps delicate skin soft. Lotions are light and absorb quickly; oils and balms are richer and contain no water.

Carina Organics Unscented Baby Lotion is fragrance free, with organic plant extracts in coconut, olive and pumpkin seed oils. ATTITUDE makes a Fragrance Free Natural Body Lotion with blueberry leaf extract. For oil, Beauty From Bees Baby Oil is just four ingredients (avocado, pomegranate seed, argan and vanilla fruit oils), Anointment Baby Oil infuses calendula, chamomile and lavender in organic olive and sunflower oils, and Weleda Baby Calendula Comforting Baby Oil is made with organic sweet almond oil.

Carina OrganicsUnscented Baby LotionFragrance free, with coconut, olive and pumpkin seed oils. 250 mL.Shop →

Kids shampoo, toothpaste and sunscreen

As little ones become toddlers and kids, the shelf changes. Kids shampoo and body wash tends to come in fruit scents, and unscented versions are there for sensitive skin and sensitive noses. Green Beaver, started in 2002 by two Canadian scientists and made in Hawkesbury, Ontario, makes a Kids Shampoo with cranberry and raspberry seed oils, aloe vera and chamomile. The Unscented Company makes a Kids Shiny Shampoo & Body Wash, and ATTITUDE makes 2-in-1s and a detangling spray. Tally's Goat Milk Soap even makes an unscented shark-shaped bar for reluctant bathers.

Green BeaverKids Shampoo, Boreal Berry BlastCranberry and raspberry seed oils, made in Ontario. 240 mL.Shop →

For teeth, ATTITUDE makes a strawberry Training Toothpaste for babies learning to brush and fluoride kids' toothpastes in fruit flavours, Green Beaver makes a fluoride-free strawberry paste sweetened with xylitol, and The Future is Bamboo makes kids' toothbrushes with a bamboo handle instead of plastic. See our natural toothpaste guide for more. For summer, our natural sunscreen guide covers the mineral baby and kids' sunscreens we carry.

Questions we get a lot

What is the most gentle body wash for babies?

Look for a 2-in-1 wash with mild, coconut-derived cleansers, no added fragrance and "tear free" on the label. Carina Organics Unscented, The Unscented Company Gentle Baby Wash and Anointment's unscented Body Wash & Bubbles all fit that description.

What ingredients should I look for in diaper cream?

Most diaper creams are built on zinc oxide, a mineral that forms a protective barrier. Zinc-free balms use plant oils, beeswax or shea with calendula. If you use cloth diapers, many families choose zinc-free; if your baby is sensitive to scent, choose unscented.

What's the difference between unscented and fragrance free?

Fragrance free means no fragrance has been added. Unscented usually means the same, though a few unscented products include an ingredient to mask the natural smell of the base. Either way, check the ingredient list: there should be no "parfum" or "fragrance" and no essential oils listed by name.

Are there eco-friendly diapers in Canada?

Yes. ATTITUDE, a Montreal company, makes Baby Leaves diapers from bamboo fibres from FSC-managed forests, and Aleva Naturals in Ontario makes diapers with unbleached bamboo fibre top and bottom layers. Cloth diapers are the reusable option.

What can I use instead of baby soap?

For a very new baby, many parents use plain warm water for most baths, with a little gentle wash for the diaper area and skin folds. A diluted unscented castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner's Baby Unscented, is another simple option; keep it away from the eyes.

Which natural baby brands are Canadian?

On our shelf: Anointment (Sackville, NB), Duckish (Halifax), Carina Organics (BC), ATTITUDE and The Unscented Company (Quebec), Aleva Naturals and Green Beaver (Ontario), and Beauty From Bees (Alberta).

Shop natural baby products in Bedford, Dartmouth or online

You'll find baby essentials, diaper essentials and kids' care at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Everything here is shelf-stable, so it ships across Atlantic Canada in 1 to 3 business days, and orders over $80 ship free anywhere in Canada.

Sources: product labels and listings for the items shown, and the makers' own brand pages on our site.