Buying soap adorned with children’s favourite TV characters might encourage your kids into the bath, but they might also climb out with scratchy skin.

“Children’s skin is so delicate that a harsh chemical can readily cause a rash, or even an allergic reaction,” says renowned hair colourist Daniel Galvin Jnr.

“I found that some of the horrible synthetic ingredients in kids’ and baby shampoos are used commonly.”

There is a huge list of nasties to avoid if at all possible. “Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate are two most common ingredients found in baby and kids’ formulas, and these are highly irritating to the skin,” warns Galvin.

“They’re also used as industrial cleaning agents to get the grease off factory floors, so you can imagine what it does to baby skin and scalps,” he notes, adding that in the last few years, several children’s products were found to contain formaldehyde (which can trigger eczema) and 1,4-dioxane, both of which are known carcinogens. But because they’re not necessarily added to a product intentionally, they don’t have to be listed on the label.

Other ingredients that may cause children irritation include parabens, petroleum and propylene glycol (PEG), as well as artificial colours and flavours.

When it comes to bathing your babies (no matter how big or small), plump for one of these purer potions.

Many organic bubble baths fail to score highly on the bubble-ometer, but thankfully, this is not one of them. Childs Farm is an award-winning and affordable range born in Britain and supports the Riding for the Disabled Association by donating ten per cent of all profits to the charity.

  • Childs Farm Bubble Bath For Sweet Dreams, £4.69 (childsfarm.com) Though this formula does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate, the Johnson’s ‘no more tears’ promise means it doesn’t sting should it come into contact with eyes. The new bottle pumps out a foamy formula which makes for easy hair washing with a super-fast rinse.
  • Johnson’s Baby Easy-Rinse Foam Shampoo, £2.99, Ocado (ocado.com) Knots can cause big problems after bath time. Banish tantrums, tears and tangles by using a Michel Mercier Untangle Your Day hairbrush. The 428 bristles, positioned at 32 different heights and 16 different diameters, glide easily through wet or dry hair. And for extra comfort, hold down the root of the hair with the palm of your hand and brush downwards.
  • Untangle Your Day Kids’ Detangling Brush, available for fine, normal or thick hair, £12.95 (michelmercier.co.uk)