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The Best Bath Bombs For Sensitive Skin
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Contrary to popular belief, people with sensitive skin can (and should!) enjoy bath bombs, too. According to dermatologist Karan Lal, the best bath bombs for sensitive skin should be free of dyes, sodium lauryl sulfate, balsam of peru, acetone, and ideally, even added fragrance, though particularly if it’s derived from geraniol, cinnamaldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, cinnamyl alcohol, a-amylcinnamaldehyde, isoeugenol, eugenol (clove oil), or oak moss. Dr. Lal notes that bath products that contain sunflower oil, shea butter, oatmeal, and tea tree oil are typically well-tolerated by people with sensitive skin, but the ingredients to avoid should be your top concern when choosing your bath bombs.
Be sure to rinse off thoroughly after your bath bomb experience to remove any residue, and then “moisturize ASAP — within three minutes — of getting out of the bath to restore the oils you just lost in the bath,” Dr. Lal says. Though they’re relaxing, long baths can actually make your skin drier, so people with atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, or generally dry skin should stick with shorter baths (less than 10 minutes is Dr Lal’s ideal, sigh), and only use a bath bomb a few times a month.
Scroll on to shop the safest bath bombs for sensitive skin, all of which are free of fragrance, dyes, and the other potential irritants Dr. Lal recommends avoiding.
1. The Overall Best Bath Bomb For Sensitive Skin
It’s nearly impossible to find bath bombs that are both unscented and dye-free, which is why Nature’s Beauty Fragrance-Free Oatmeal Bath Bomb is such a winning pick for anyone prone to skin sensitivities. It contains oatmeal, one of Dr. Lal’s preferred ingredients for people with sensitive skin, as well as other gentle skin-softeners like coconut oil and sweet almond oil. This bath bomb offers soothing and nourishing benefits without causing any irritation, and it’s completely free of dyes and other harsh additives.
2. The Best Bath Bomb Set For Sensitive Skin
This gorgeously packaged box contains six individually wrapped bath bombs from Beauty By Earth that are made with ingredients like epsom salt, Dead Sea salt, shea butter, cocoa butter, oat flour, clay, lavender oil, and chamomile. As for what they don’t contain? Sulfates, parabens, gluten, synthetic fragrance and dyes, and other chemical additives that tend to upset sensitive skin. Each bomb has a slightly different formula, so the brand suggests reading each individual label to make sure there’s nothing in there that bothers your skin. These do contain essential oils (which gives them their scent), so if you have a known allergy to those, it’s best to steer clear.
3. The Best Bath Bombs For Kids
Though these Frida Baby bath bombs are designed for children aged 2 and older, there’s no reason why adults can’t enjoy them, too. They’re made with lavender essential oil to give them their relaxing scent (which makes them ideal for nighttime use), and they’re free of sulfates, dyes, and other sensitive-skin aggressors. Each box contains three big bath bombs, and these come in a eucalyptus-scented version, too, which can be helpful for when you have a stuffy nose or cold.
Expert:
Karan Lal, M.D., Board Certified Adult & Pediatric Dermatologist with Northwell Health, Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
Studies referenced:
Lavender and the Nervous System, by Peir Hossein Koulivand, Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri, and Ali Gorji https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/
