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For a new parent, even a tiny red rash or dry skin on your baby's otherwise perfect butt can lead to freakout—so having the best baby eczema cream on hand can be a game-changer when you're navigating the early days of keeping your newborn happy, healthy, and generally alive. And that rash, be on your little one's face, behind their ears, in their neck folds, on their butt, or in any other of their many nooks and crannies, is totally normal. In many cases, it's just a sign of baby eczema.
Our Top Picks
- Best Eczema Cream Overall: Mustela Stelatopia Eczema-Prone Skin Emollient Cream, $25
- Best Ointment: Noodle & Boo Ultimate Ointment, $18
- Best Balm: Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Barrier Support Body Balm, $45
- Best Drugstore: Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream,
$13$10 - Best for the Whole Family: Evereden Baby Moisturizing Lotion, $24
- Best for Face and Body: Skinfix Eczema+ Dermatitis Ceramide Face + Body Cream, $45
- Best Hypoallergenic: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream,
$16$13
First, a quick overview of eczema, full stop. Often known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is "a chronic skin condition that results in red, dry, itchy skin," says Laura Melnick, MD, a board-certified pediatric dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. Because this already common skin issue is so frequently seen among babies, most parents know to look out for the best-known eczema symptoms, such as redness, itchiness, dryness, and otherwise irritated skin, according to Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Dermatology in NYC.
But, while many eczema flareups are mild, baby eczema can still impact your bb's quality of life, making it tough to sleep and turning a notoriously challenging period in life for you into more of a hellscape. Not only that but not treating eczema-prone skin can be dire, too. "In the absence of treatment, the skin can be prone to itchiness, frequent flares, and, in some more severe cases, infection," says Dr. Melnick.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the root cause of eczema in babies?
- What can I put on my baby's eczema to stop itching?
- Can you use moisturizer with steroid creams?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
With that in mind, scroll ahead for the most effective eczema treatments for managing and protecting your child's skin. Hopefully, your baby will thank you — with an extremely long and very comfortable nap.
Best Overall: Mustela Stelatopia Eczema-Prone Skin Emollient Cream
Why It's Worth It: When her daughter had horrible eczema, Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin relied on Mustela Stelatopia Intense Eczema Relief alongside the prescribed steroid cream. This combination "got us through it," she says. “Yes, it's thick and creamy, but it provided overnight healing and seemingly instant relief until we got to the bottom of her triggers.” Infused with a blend of colloidal oats and sunflower oil, it helps quell inflammation, relieve itchiness, and protect fragile skin from irritants. The emollient formula is also fragrance-free and has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, which means it meets standards like being free of certain allergens.
Editor Tip: The collection also includes the brand's Face Cream and Cleansing Oil, a gentler alternative to harsh soaps and cleansers found in standard washes.
Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, sunflower oil, avocado perseose
Best Ointment: Noodle & Boo Ultimate Ointment
Why It's Worth It: If you've tried all oats everything, consider the Noodle & Boo Ultimate Ointment instead. "I got a sample of this in a baby gift set and found that it worked wonders for the eczema behind my daughter's knees," says Allure contributor Deanna Pai. Free of fragrance and common infant allergens like soy, dairy, and nuts, the formulation uses zinc oxide (the same ingredient found in physical sunscreens) to protect skin while it heals. It also creates a moisture-repelling barrier to keep damp skin, like that in creases and folds, from getting irritated.
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Editor Tip: It does contain lanolin, an ingredient derived from sheep's wool, so it's not vegan (although the brand says it's cruelty-free).
Key Ingredients: Aloe, allantoin, aloe vera extract
Best Body Balm: Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Barrier Support Body Balm
Why It's Worth It: Balms tend to be more solid than creams and ointments and create an additional, protective barrier over skin. That's the case with Ren Clean Skincare's Evercalm Barrier Support Body Balm, which transforms into an oil once it comes in contact with the warmth of the body. This rich formula "is formulated for sensitive skin, and contains naturally derived ceramides and a combination of oils to nourish the skin and provide long-lasting hydration and barrier support," says Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City.
Editor Tip: This balm contains fragrance but has been tested to be hypoallergenic.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, sunflower oil, camellia seed oil
Best Multitasking: Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Why It's Worth It: You probably know it. You probably love it. Aquaphor Healing Ointment really is that girl for all things, your child's eczema included. Dr. Chang is a fan of this multipurpose, petroleum jelly-based ointment, noting that it "can be used to moisturize, heal, and protect baby’s skin." She also liked that you can use it daily without trouble, and that it provides extra defense for severe eczema flares in which skin gets chapped. It's also free of both fragrances and preservatives like parabens.
Editor Tip: Get the biggest possible tub so that after you're done slathering it onto your baby's neck folds, you can apply extra to chapped knuckles, onto dry lips, and into cuticles.
Key Ingredients: Petrolatum, panthenol, glycerin
Best for the Whole Family: Evereden Baby Moisturizing Lotion
Why It's Worth It: For a more lightweight option, the Evereden Baby Moisturizing Lotion sinks in quickly and can layer nicely beneath other, more occlusive ointments when extra protection is needed. It has the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association and contains a blend of humectants, emollients, and occlusive ingredients to nourish skin on multiple fronts. Along with the usual suspects like oat extract, coconut oil, and sunflower seed oil are cucumber and quinoa extract, which help calm skin.
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Editor Tip: The pump on the bottle makes it a dream if you have a wiggly baby and only one hand to spare.
Key Ingredients: Avocado oil, coconut oil, shea butter
Best for Face and Body: Skinfix Eczema+ Dermatitis Ceramide Face + Body Cream
Why It's Worth It: The Skinfix Eczema+ Dermatitis Ceramide Face + Body Cream has an impressive lineup of active ingredients, with a whopping 5% colloidal oatmeal, 1% ceramides, and a 3.75% patented complex with lipids found in the skin barrier. In other words, the math is mathing, which means that together, this formula has been tested to be as effective as a 1% hydrocortisone cream—no actual steroid needed.
Editor Tip: It has a handy pump dispenser so you can dose out applications with one hand.
Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, ceramides, shea butter.
Best Hypoallergenic: Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
Why It's Worth It: Dermatologists always point to this brand for sensitive skin, and Vanicream Moisturizing Cream is a good example of why. "It's a hypoallergenic, no-frills moisturizer that can provide relief to the skin," says Dr. Chang, who (no surprise) calls it one of her go-to brands for people of any age. "I love that it comes with a pump to maintain the cleanliness of the moisturizer."
Editor Tip: Vanicream offers a dedicated moisturizing cream for babies, but it's currently being reformulated, so she considers this formula a safe and similarly gentle substitute.
Key Ingredients: Petrolatum, simethicone
Best Cream: Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Cream
Why It's Worth It: Dr. Chang calls Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Cream "a moisturizing cream that contains ceramides and colloidal oatmeal to soothe and repair the skin." Not only is it formulated without fragrances or dyes, but it also contains licorice root extract to further calm skin on top of the usual moisturizers.
Editor Tip: The brand only recommends it for babies three months and older, so check with your pediatrician before using it on a newborn.
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, colloidal oatmeal, licorice extract
Best with Hydrocortisone: CeraVe Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream
Why It's Worth It: In some cases, steroids can be the fastest and most effective way to soothe seriously itchy skin. That's why the CeraVe Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream contains 1% hydrocortisone—the maximum allowed over-the-counter—to help reduce eczema flares and offer quick itch relief, says Dr. Chang. Plus, "it's formulated with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to repair and protect the skin," she says.
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Editor Tip: Since this is recommended for toddlers over two years old, check with your pediatrician first to make sure it's okay to use. (Some might prefer to write their own prescription instead, too.)
Key Ingredients: Hydrocortisone, ceramides, hyaluronic acid
Best Drugstore: Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream
Why It's Worth It: The Aveeno Baby Eczema goes all-in on oats, which is why Dr. Chang is a fan. Along with oat oil and oat extract, "it's formulated with colloidal oatmeal to moisturize
and calm down irritated, itchy skin due to eczema," she says. Plus, she likes that it's unscented and doesn't contain common allergens like parabens, phthalates, and fragrances, making it a good option if other formulas tend to set off or worsen flares.
Editor Tip: The brand also has an Overnight Balm to seal in moisture overnight for healthier, more comfortable skin by the A.M.
Key Ingredients: Oat oil, colloidal oatmeal, panthenol
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the root cause of eczema in babies?
There's no one cause of eczema in babies, but it's "likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors," says Dr. Melnick. Eczema can also be triggered by external factors such as common allergens (like fragrance in skin-care products and laundry detergents), dry air, saliva or sweat, or long, hot baths, says Dr. Chang. The good news? Getting rid of these triggers can help alleviate or even prevent an eczema flare-up.
What can I put on my baby's eczema to stop itching?
For itching, your baby's pediatrician might prescribe a steroid cream, which is "often prescribed to treat eczema flares and to use intermittently for relief of itch symptoms," says Dr. Chang. The key word here is "intermittently," since these shouldn't be used continuously for months on end. In fact, when used regularly over an extended period of time, steroids can actually weaken or thin skin, causing skin irritation and leaving it more vulnerable to infection. "A simple rule I use is two weeks on and two weeks off, and only as needed," Dr. Chang notes.
Can you use moisturizer with steroid creams?
Consider moisturizer as your baseline, with or without a steroid cream. "One of the most important parts of treating eczema is maintaining a strong skin barrier by using frequent and liberal applications of emollients," says Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City. "Healthy skin is less prone to flares," Dr. Greenfield attests.
But not all moisturizers are created equal, and your go-to face lotion won't cut it. "For babies with eczema, I recommend using a gentle, non-fragranced, and hypoallergenic moisturizer," says Dr. Chang, noting that she also keeps an eye out for common allergens and irritants. "I typically recommend using thicker creams over more lightweight gels and lotions, which are more effective at moisturizing the skin due to a higher oil content," Dr. Chang adds.
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And, of course, moisturizers should definitely be used alongside any steroid cream prescribed for your baby, since steroids don't necessarily benefit the skin's moisture barrier. "Over-the-counter products are an important part of maintaining the skin barrier after treating the inflammatory component with topical steroids," says Dr. Greenfield. In other words: the more, the merrier.
Meet the Experts
- Laura Melnick, MD, a board-certified pediatric dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York
- Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Dermatology in New York City
- Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best baby eczema creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists (who happen to be moms themselves). To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
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After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Want more baby skin-care and hair-care recs? We've got you:
- The 10 Best Baby Sunscreens for Newborns to Toddlers
- The Best Baby Shampoos to Get Your Little One Squeaky Clean
- The Best Baby Lotions for Every Skin Concern, According to Dermatologists
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