DW has been bitten one too many times by ants and they always leave red and itchy marks on his face and legs. They go away after a while but I’ve always been worried about  not putting anything on them for the meantime. I’ve rubbed alcohol on the marks to soothe the itchiness but I really feel that it’s still too harsh for  baby’s young skin.

For the past two weeks, we’ve been using VMV’s Mom & Baby Grandma Minnie’s The Big Brave Boo-Boo Balm (whew that was a mouthful) on DW’s boo-boos. I first read about this in a magazine but I didn’t have any reason to buy a pot until now. I saw one during our recent trips to the mall and after reading the label, I decided to buy one even if it cost me Php920 OUCH! (is there a balm for a sore wallet?)

What sealed the deal for me was that it claims to be “VH-65 free of all known allergens, 100 percent Preservatives + Paraben Free. Non-Comedogenic”. The balm is also derived from coconut oil, which is a natural antiseptic.

VMV Hypoallergenics also claims the following:

The Skinny on Grandma Minnie’s The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm

• Coconut-derived monolaurin: a natural broad-spectrum, clinically-proven antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal — as effective as 70% isopropyl alcohol and topical antibiotics.
• Monolaurin ouchless antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal ointment for skin lesions.
• Clinically-proven as safe and effective.
• Monolaurin is a coconut-derived, skin-friendly, gentle-yet-powerful disinfectant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral + antiprotozoal that is clinically proven to be as effective as 70% isopropyl alcohol and topical treatments for killing micro-organisms …
• … but instead of drying out skin (which alcohol can do), it actually softens, soothes, and moisturizes.
• Treats infections that can occur in skin damaged by eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, herpes, wounds, cuts, grazes, insect bites, minor burns etc.
• A very simple, gentle formulation that’s very skin friendly.
• With published studies on monolaurin.
• For use on skin only.
• To Use: Always apply Kid Gloves Monolaurin Hand Sanitizer to your hands before using. If wound needs cleaning, flush out with Oil’s Well Nurturing Do-It-Oil. With a small amount on your fingertip, apply The Big, Brave Boo-Boo Balm to the affected area three times each day or as often as needed. Your doctor may tell you to cover the area with a dressing after you have applied this ointment.

The Verdict

The balm works! We’ve put it on DW’s booboos and almost overnight the swelling and the redness subsides. It’s a great way to soothe the itchiness as well. I only need to rub a small amount on DW’s skin so I predict that the pot will last us a long time. Best thing about this is that it can be used by us adults too! It’s a boo-balm for everybody In fact,  I’ve used some of DW’s lotions on myself since I have sensitive skin (yes, hard to believe even with my thick skin harhar)

Alternatives

I did a quick search of possible alternatives to the Boo-Boo Balm and found the following all natural balms to soothe baby’s skin:

Indigo Manila’s Jar of Hope First Aid Gel

product details are here

Oasis’ Baby Oil, Voco Cream and Butter Cream

product details are here

These products are definitely cheaper thanVMV but I haven’t tried them yet so I can’t say if they work or not. Their sites offer user reviews and a breakdown of the ingredients so us moms can make an informed choice when we do decide to buy. As with any cream or lotion, it is always advisable to first apply a small amount of lotion to a patch of skin to test for allergic reactions.

Nowadays, there are so many choices in baby care products. There’s your time-tested stuff that doctors have recommended for years and now these new organic and natural remedies which offer the same results but in a gentler way. The choice is up to us!
So dear mommy what’s your time-tested baby boo-boo remedy? Have you tried any of the products here? How was your experience?

Cheers,