This can absolutely be used as a shampoo for a 3- and 5-year-old, and it’s actually a really beautiful fit for their age.

This gently cleans light to moderate dirt + oil, Keeps scalp balanced (pH ~5.5), and won’t strip natural oils, which means healthier hair long-term. But it also has removed many of the harsh detergents and coatings found in most wash systems, so it may not remove any heavy buildup in a single wash. This formula DOES account for hard water however, due to our area. If you don’t have that, you can skip the sodium citrate.

You may want MORE cleansing if they have sunscreen in their har or some other product buildup. You can just rinse twice with this, or once with a tallow soap or other. As a shampoo, let sit 20-30 seconds before rinsing. If hair feels tangly, can add 1-2 drops of apricot oil to ends of hair AFTER bath. This is more than a shampoo, more like a scalp supporting system.

Exception: if your child just went swimming, you will want to RINSE hair first, then may want to use a stronger shampoo (like our swimmers shampoo bar), then still wash body with this cleanser to restore ph balance, and even rehydrate their scalp.

Ingredients:

Distilled water — 276 g (55.2%)

Aloe vera juice — 100 g (20%)
Sodium citrate — 4 g (0.8%) (stir until fully dissolved)

Glycerin — 15 g (3%)
Xanthan gum — 2 g (0.4%) (let hydrate fully)

Colloidal oatmeal — 10 g (2%)

Coco glucoside — 50 g (10%)
Decyl glucoside — 40 g (8%)

Polyquaternium-10 — 1 g (0.2%)

Panthenol — 5 g (1%)
Geogard ECT — 4–5 g (0.8–1%)
Citric acid solution → pH 5.3–5.6

🧴 PROCESS (SHORT VERSION)

Water + aloe + sodium citrate (warm, dissolve)
Add glycerin + xanthan slurry → hydrate
Add oatmeal
Add surfactants slowly
Add PQ-10 (optional)
Cool → add panthenol
Add preservative (≤105°F)
Adjust pH

Directions:

DO NOT EXCEED 110°F (43°C) at any point (protect aloe, oatmeal and surfactants)

🧪 IDEAL WORK RANGE: 85–100°F (30–38°C) for most of process

Water phase, Heat to ~95–110°F (35–43°C) (warm, not hot)

Distilled water — 276 g (55.2%)
Aloe vera juice — 100 g (20%)
Sodium citrate — 4 g (0.8%) (stir until fully dissolved)

Pre-disperse, Same temp range (95–110°F)

Glycerin — 15 g (3%)
Xanthan gum — 2 g (0.4%), (let hydrate fully)
- Add to water phase, 👉 Let hydrate 10–20 minutes

Soothing

Colloidal oatmeal — 10 g (2%), add and mix until smooth

Cleansing, Keep temp: 85–100°F. Stir Gently (DO NOT WHISK, you don’t want foam)

Decyl glucoside — 40 g (8%) (add first)
Coco glucoside — 50 g (10%)

Conditioning (NEW – optional but great)

Polyquaternium-10 — 1 g (0.2%)
- pre-dispersed (like with xanthan), Mix with a little glycerin, then mix thoroughly

Cool-down, to Temp: ≤105°F (40°C)

Panthenol — 5 g (1%)

Preservation (choose ONE): CRITICAL TEMP: ≤105°F (40°C)

Option A (if aloe contains ascorbic acid): Geogard ECT — 4–5 g (0.8–1%)
OR Option B (your system consistency): NeoDefend / Geogard Ultra — 5.5 g (1.1%)
- If using NeoDefend → confirm aloe has no added ascorbic acid
- But do not use if you have hard water (we put in a vitamin c tablet and this would conflict and cause possible stability issues with Neodefend)
  - NeoDefend + ascorbic acid → ⚠️ potential stability issues

pH Adjustment (LAST STEP, if needed)

Test pH
Adjust with Citric acid solution → pH 5.3–5.6

Best tool: pH strips (range 4–7)

If pH is TOO HIGH (common)

Add: Citric acid solution (50%)

How to make:

1 part citric acid powder
1 part distilled water

How to adjust:

Add drop by drop
Mix thoroughly
Re-test after each addition

👉 Go slow — tiny changes matter

If pH is TOO LOW (rare)

Add a tiny amount of sodium bicarbonate solution

Post-bath (important for hard water homes)

Even with a perfect cleanser, hard water can leave skin slightly dry.

After bath:

Use apricot oil OR light balm
While skin is still damp

This seals in moisture and offsets mineral dryness.

💡 Optional Upgrade (Simple + Powerful)

If swimming is frequent:

Add a quick pre-rinse:

1 cup water + pinch of vitamin C powder
Pour over hair before washing

👉 This neutralizes chlorine instantly

(You’re already doing this in the bath — which is excellent)

👶👦 How it behaves across ages

Age / Performance

Newborn (0–12 mo): Still safe, just use less + less often
1–3 years: Excellent for body + light hair
3–5 years: Now strong enough for hair + dirt
Adults: Gentle daily cleanser, especially for sensitive skin

🧴 LABEL (INCI FORMAT)

Use this for your bottle:

Ingredients (INCI):
Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour (Colloidal Oatmeal), Panthenol, Polyquaternium-10, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone (and) Sodium Benzoate (or Benzyl Alcohol (and) Salicylic Acid (and) Glycerin (and) Sorbic Acid*)

*Use this second preservative listing only if using Geogard ECT

🏷️ FRONT LABEL (CLEAN + COMPELLING)

NEWBORN & FAMILY GENTLE WASH
pH-Balanced • Tear-Free • Fragrance-Free

For newborns, children, and sensitive skin
Hair + Body • Minimal, effective cleansing

100 ml / 250 ml
Rational Body | Danville, CA

🏷️ BACK LABEL (SHORT VERSION)

A true physiological cleanser designed to respect the skin barrier.
This formula cleans without stripping, supports the acid mantle (pH ~5.5), and is gentle enough for newborn skin.

No fragrance. No essential oils. No harsh detergents.

Directions:
Apply a small amount to wet skin or hair.
Gently cleanse and rinse.
Use 1–3× weekly for newborns, more frequently as needed for older children.

Patch test recommended.

🌿 PRODUCT PAGE (THIS SELLS IT)

Newborn & Family Gentle Wash

The cleanser that grows with your child

Most baby washes are either:

too weak to clean once kids get older
or too harsh for delicate newborn skin

This does both—by doing less, better.

WHAT IT IS

A pH-balanced (5.5) physiological cleanser designed to support—not disrupt—the skin barrier.

Built with ultra-gentle plant-based cleansers (glucosides), soothing oatmeal, and barrier-supporting humectants, this formula cleans effectively without triggering dryness, irritation, or dependency cycles.