Why I Stole My Baby Nephew's Beauty Products

If you didn't know, babies and toddlers are high maintenance. Besides the fact that they need constant supervision and attention so they don't end up eating glue or getting up to no good in general, they are incredible consumers of a variety of products, even though the only thing they probably care about are Sesame Street reruns and the mushed peas they will be devouring at lunch.

If you've ever delved deep into a diaper changing cabinet, or a mother's diaper bag, you'll probably discover a world that you've never bothered. If you don't have a new mom in close proximity, spend a little more time in the baby products aisle in a drugstore or supermarket and you'll find a whole universe you've just whizzed by while looking for your favorite lip balm.

When you're a tiny blob, you have little control about what your parents or parental figures purchase for you to use, so it's no surprise that as adults, you try a cornucopia of things, experiment, and see what works best for you. Because babies are all new and fresh, most people assume that baby beauty products are too gentle for adults. But as my nephew and I found out, they work just as well.

Here are the things I tried from my nephew's arsenal of baby products.

1. Diaper rash cream as eczema cream (and chub rub relief)

Anybody with eczema knows that it is agonizing. Diaper rash creams, like Desitin, have an incredibly thick consistency that might relieve your eczema flare-up. Because my eczema is triggered by heat and humidity, I keep the cream in the fridge so it's cool when I apply it on my skin. My friend swears by diaper rash cream as chub rub relief, too! Take off your clothes, slap the cream on your thighs, and switch on the AC.

2. Baby wipes as wipes

I don't know about you, but I never feel clean when I use toilet paper after I go to the loo. I have to wash my nether regions with water, or at least, with some sort of wipe. Here's my hack: I carry baby wipes in a sandwich bag and I carry them everywhere.

3. Baby oil as a pre-cleanse

Baby oil is a mineral type of oil, meaning that its molecules are so big that it's not going to penetrate your skin; it also doesn't clog your pores. Many brands, including Shu Uemura and Dermalogica have oil-based cleansers and in a desperate measure when I forgot my Dermalogica oil-based Pre-cleanse, I purchased baby oil in hopes that it could do the same thing. Verdict: it did!

All you have to do is apply the oil on your face, and gently massage it into your skin to remove all the grime and residue you've collected on your face throughout the day. It gently removes makeup, too, although some more stubborn makeup requires a makeup remover.

4. Baby laundry detergent for those with skin sensitivity

OK, so I pried beyond just the diaper bag. Skin sensitivity is something I suffer from and I itch when I put on certain clothes. Let's not even mention how much I sneeze when I do my laundry. I've always blamed it the material of my clothes, until recently when I started using baby laundry detergent and noticed what a big difference it makes. Turns out, my skin is just a big baby this entire time. A lot of detergents contain artificial fragrances and dyes that can irritate skin.

A note of warning though: don't bring your nephew, niece, or child that you are babysitting on the hunt for these. They don't find shopping very interesting, and I learned that the hard way.

Images: Walmart, Faz Abdul Gaffa Marsh (4)