What is baby liniment? Instructions for use!

In collaboration with Rokiyah Hosen

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 oléo-calcaire?

Liniment has a simple, natural composition, making it perfectly suited to the sensitive, fragile skin of the youngest children. It's a very easy-to-use toiletry 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 skin care 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 neutralizes the acidity of urine that 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 loosen stool residues, leaving behind 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 to use liniment for your baby?

In the vast majority of cases, liniment is used to cleanse baby's bottom. It does not require rinsing. 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 little liniment onto a cotton pad;
• Open your child's diaper;
• Clean your child by removing urine and stools, always starting from the pubis and working backwards towards the buttocks;
• Repeat l to make sure your baby's bottom is clean;
• Don't rinse your baby's bottom, the product will 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?

There are many brands of liniment on the market, and it can sometimes be difficult to know which liniment to choose... As with all baby products, always choose a healthy, natural product.

Look at the product 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 composed of 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 mixed with other oils. The benefits will not be the same.

Organic or not: what's the difference?

When you choose an 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.

Liniment generally costs around 10 euros. This depends on whether s'it's organic or not.

Make your own liniment at home

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

Should liniment be rinsed after use?

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

If you use a rinse-off product to wash your baby, you can apply a small amount of liniment to his or her bottom after washing.

What else can liniment be used for?

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

• Moisturize and repair breast skin: if you're breast-feeding, liniment can be useful to combat dry nipples and prevent cracking, for example. Don't forget to rinse off the liniment between feeds;
• Make-up removal: liniment is an oily, gentle product that removes 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 helps remove the cradle cap that sometimes forms on your baby's skull. Simply apply a small amount and massage in before your baby's bath.

Baby liniment FAQ

Why use liniment for yourself or your baby?

Is liniment a cleaning product?

When not to use liniment on your baby?