Cradle Cap or Baby Eczema? Natural Baby Scalp Care

Gentle, plant-based care for cradle cap and flaky, irritated baby scalps. Instead of selenium sulfide or coal tar, we use biomimetic plant lipids — chamomile and jojoba — to soften scale, hold the scalp near its natural pH 5.5 and support the lipid barrier. Made without camphor, menthol, salicylic acid, synthetic fragrance or dyes.

Cradle cap does not cause permanent hair loss. Hair can look patchy where flakes lift away with it, and it grows back once the scalp settles. But not every flaky, red scalp is ordinary cradle cap — and the difference changes what you should do next.

Signs it may be more than cradle cap: widespread, continuous redness rather than a few patches; dry white-yellow flakes instead of soft greasy yellow crust; small hardened crusts where flaking and fluid have dried; rough texture with visible swelling. Spreading beyond the scalp to the forehead and cheeks is the clearest signal.

For the full guide — how to tell cradle cap from infant eczema, how to loosen scale safely, and why we avoid olive and coconut oil — read Cradle Cap: A Chemical Engineer's Guide to Natural Treatment.