Live Clean Foam Wash: Gentle Moisture and Soothing Oatmeal Relief formulas

With the amount of work parents have to accomplish day in and day out, selecting a baby wash from a colourful wall of products shouldn't be a difficult task. Plant-based and free of petrolatum, parabens and other skin irritants, Live Clean Foam Wash in both Gentle Moisture and Soothing Oatmeal Relief formulations, impressed both our editors and our parent testers with how effortlessly they clean without sacrificing baby’s delicate skin. Sensitive little ones will get the extra TLC they need from the oat extract in Soothing Oatmeal or the enriching chamomile, lavender and aloe in Gentle Moisture. Ingredient-conscious parents looking for an easy-to-use product can’t go wrong with either of these Live Clean foaming washes.

During our lab testing, we assess everything from bottle grip to cleaning effectiveness. We also check the pH levels of every baby wash we test. This might be a throwback to elementary school science, but pH is an important part of figuring out whether a product is safe to use on your baby’s skin. Formulas with a pH that’s too low (acidic) or too high (alkaline) can affect the skin barrier—a concern for infants because their skin barrier is still developing. Research suggests the optimal pH for baby wash products is around 5.5, so both Live Clean Foam Wash in Gentle Moisture (6.02) and Soothing Oatmeal (5.89) are safe to use.

When you've got one hand on your babe in the tub, being able to easily dispense body wash is key. Live Clean Foam Wash's bottle design makes it possible to dispense a precise amount, and there’s even a pump lock (which all of our parent testers found easy to engage) to prevent accidental spills. While not entirely difficult to lock with only one hand, our editors found that turning the pump until it reaches the sweet spot is much easier to do with two. The small size of the bottle makes it a perfect fit for the ledge of the tub, and it’s easy to grip wet or dry.

The foaming wash is super light on the skin, but don’t be fooled by its thin appearance—these formulas have major cleaning powers that’ll leave you impressed. Effortlessly removing messes like spit up and dirt, as well as stickier goop, one pump of product mixed with a little water was all it took to lift a sticky mess off skin. Our editors found a bit more wash was needed to remove residue completely, but this really just depends on how mucky the situation is.

The last thing parents want is for a product to leave baby’s skin irritated. The majority of our parent testers reported that Live Clean Foam Wash in both Gentle Moisture and Soothing Oatmeal not only left their child’s skin feeling clean and soft but also smelling fresh. One parent tester commented that the Gentle Moisture formula exacerbated her son’s eczema, but another mom noted her child's usually sensitive skin fared just fine, so if your babe is particularly prone to irritation, proceed—but with caution.

While both formulations of Live Clean Foam Wash contain parfum, none of our parent testers were opposed to the scents. Gentle Moisture is slightly floral, while Soothing Oatmeal has a classic baby powder smell, with a hint of oatmeal. Both fragrances are stronger in the bottle than they are on the skin. If you prefer an unscented product, Live Clean offers a fragrance-free baby wash as well.

FINAL WORD

Our parent testers felt good about using Live Clean Foam Wash on their kids because of the plant-based ingredients. Though we found the scents somewhat strong, parents loved that their babes smelled fresh and clean even days between baths. Mindful of baby’s sensitive skin, our testers were also happy to report that the tear-free claim is genuine. Thanks to the fact that a little of this product goes a long way, our parent testers were satisfied with the products’ value and would recommend them to other parents based on ease of use and quality. Powerhouses in gently cleaning baby’s skin, Live Clean Gentle Moisture and Soothing Oatmeal are reliable washes that our testers and editors deemed worthy of the Today’s Parent Approved seal.