Bubble Bath for Baby?

[phroggies]

I'm wanting to try bubble baths with my 2-month old, mostly so I can play fun little bubble games with him. However, I've read in a variety of sources, not just natural living ones at that, that bubble bath dries out baby's skin. Does anyone know of a non-drying way to produce bubbles? One option I thought of is to simply scoop up a bunch of bubbles in a bowl when I wash dishes and bring them to the bath--that way he won't actually be soaking in it. Any other ideas (preferably homemade, though if there are specific products out there you know about, that would be good too)?

[Ruthla]

How about having a bottle of bubbles and bubble wand next to the bathtub, rather than having bubbles in the tub itself?

[DandK]

Another idea is California Baby bubble bath. It even comes with a bubble wand. I use that myself sometimes and I use it with dd and we've never had any problems.

[tara]

There is this stuff called sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Sounds evil, but it's actually a really gentle coconut-based surfactant. Much more gentle than the stuff that you find in commercial bubble baths (which is usually sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate) and most people consider it safer for babies. My babe and I have bathed in it for years.

I have had a hard time finding any commercial products made with slsa, though handmade stuff from small soap companies is more likely to contain it (why, oh why, have I not gotten my soap biz off the ground? ) Just looked at the California Baby site, and theirs might contain slsa - they state they don't use sls, but they don't say what they do use??

If you want to make your own bubble bath, get ahold of some slsa (The Chemistry Store is a good source). Here is another source with a recipe. You don't have to be this elaborate, though - I have just put a tbsp of slsa powder under a running tap, added a drop or two of lavender if I wanted it to smell good.

Bubbles are fun!

eta: Adding a bit of olive oil to the bath will make it gentler and more moisturizing, too...

[phroggies]

I haven't yet got him interested in blown bubbles (but I'm having fun trying!) so that won't work at this point. I think once he can track the bubbles easily we might have better luck.

The sodium lauryl sulfoacetate info is very interesting--thanks for that tip. I'm wondering if anything I have on hand contains it. My Seventh Generation dish liquid, despite their promise to "disclose all ingredients" simply says it contains "a unique combination of naturally derived cleaning agents (corn and/or coconut based surfactants)". Can I assume that means sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, or would that be risky?

The California Baby stuff looks really tempting. Hmmm. . . perhaps I can justify the expense by saying it's for both of us. . . .

[tara]

Originally Posted by phroggies

My Seventh Generation dish liquid, despite their promise to "disclose all ingredients" simply says it contains "a unique combination of naturally derived cleaning agents (corn and/or coconut based surfactants)". Can I assume that means sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, or would that be risky?

I don't think you can assume that, as many surfactants are coconut based and still harsh on skin (like sls).