A Good Natural and Eco-Conscious Bubble Bath for Kids
A good bubble bath is such a quintessential childhood experience!
However, itchy irritated skin from harsh chemicals in bubble bath products should not be part of the experience.
My toddler has eczema and my preschooler has very dry skin, so I do not want to use any bath products that will irritate sensitive skin or are packed with questionable or harmful ingredients.
So after what ended up being a very long internet search for the best bubble bath for toddlers with simple natural ingredients, I landed upon Trukid Bubble Podz. Specifically, the unscented sensitive care pods.
I also considered making a homemade DIY bubble bath solution but realized that most gentle non-toxic DIY recipes result in very few bubbles. A thin film of teeny tiny bubbles at best. And isn’t a tub full of foamy frothy lofty bubbles the whole point of a bubble bath?!
So, Trukid Bubble Podz with their eco-friendly packaging seems like the next best thing to crunchy mama homemade bubble baths, in terms of ingredients and eco-consciousness.
Let it be known that I have zero affiliation with Trukid or any of its sellers. I am simply here to share information for parents looking for that quintessential awesome bubble bath experience for their kids. And one that does not end in an itchy rash and teary eyes!
Bubble Bath Product Criteria
1. Safe, simple, and natural Ingredients.
2. Eco-friendly packaging and product.
3. A ton of bubbles that last the whole bath!
Let’s take a look at the Trukid Bubble Podz and see how well the product meets these 3 criteria.
1. Plant-Based Ingredients
The words “plant-based” and “natural” can sometimes be misleading when it comes to advertising. These words get thrown around a lot, and a “natural formula” may not always mean exactly what you think it means.
Or, while there may be some all-natural ingredients, there may be some not-so-natural ingredients thrown in the mix as well.
So I have to wonder, does Trukid really make an all-natural product?
The ingredient list for the scented Trukid Bubble Podz is as follows; pure saccharum officinarum (cane sugar), lathanol LAL powder (slsa), corn starch, and fragrance.
The ingredient list for the unscented sensitive care option bubble pods includes colloidal oatmeal in addition to cane sugar, slsa, and cornstarch. The unscented pods do not contain added fragrance. As such, Trukid’s unscented pods are the best option for a natural bubble bath.
Pure Saccharum Officinarum (Cane Sugar)
I was surprised to see that cane sugar is one of the ingredients in the Trukid bubble pods, and even more surprised to hear that it is used in many natural skincare and cosmetic products.
Planted explains that cane sugar contains glycolic acid that helps keep skin cells healthy. Sugar can also apparently contain antioxidants and helps skin hold moisture.
Lathanol LAL Powder (SLSA)
The Bubble Podz packaging states that SLSA comes from coconut oil and sustainable palm oil, and is sulfate and preservative-free. I appreciate that “sustainable palm oil” is used, and I hope that this is not a term being falsely or loosely used in this case.
Green Match explains that there are some serious environmental problems with palm oil production, such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable palm oil farms aim to avoid or decrease these negative environmental impacts.
Corn Starch
Corn starch is a carbohydrate that comes from corn, and can be used in food products as well as household and cosmetic products. As a biodegradable and natural ingredient, it seems safe to say that it does not pose any health concerns in the TruKid bubble pods.
Fragrance
Overall, the Trukid Bubble Podz seem to be composed of primarily natural ingredients. My one question, however, concerns the added fragrance in all but one of the Trukid flavor options.
There are flavors like bubblegum, eucalyptus, cherry, watermelon, etc. The ingredients simply state the flavor and then “fragrance” (for example, “watermelon fragrance”).
I’m assuming this is an artificial synthetic fragrance added to the flavored bubble pods. Children’s Environmental Health Network explains that synthetic fragrances can contain a large variety of harmful chemicals, like endocrine disruptors and carcinogens.
So when an ingredient list simply states “fragrance”, I generally put it back on the shelf. I emailed Trukid to ask about the fragrances they use in their bubble pods and will update this post if and when I get a response.
So we stick to the “sensitive care (eczema)” unscented pods. The unscented pods have the additional benefit of containing colloidal oatmeal, an ingredient commonly used in eczema skincare products.
If an unscented bubble bath does not appeal, adding a drop or two of your own essential oils is an option. A good quality lavender oil for example could help a wild toddler wind down for the evening in a relaxing bath.
Just know that essential oils are very powerful and a lot goes a long way. Additionally, some skin types may not react well with certain essential oils. I would also not add my own essential oils to a baby’s delicate skin. It’s a good idea to stay away from anything that could potentially cause skin irritations in those first few months of life.
Tear-Free Formula
Trukid explains that their products are tear-free because they have a pH balance of 7. They explain that other bubble bath formulas may only make a tear-free claim due to an eye-numbing ingredient. So for a kid’s bubble bath, a truly tear-free gentle formula is important.
2. Eco-Conscious Bubble Bath Product
The TruKid Bubble Podz come in a compostable pouch, and each pod fully dissolves under running warm water.
My 4-year-old loves to pick a pod out of the pouch and dissolve it himself as part of his bath time routine.
Reducing Plastic Bottle Waste
Whenever possible, I buy personal care and household products sold in pouches versus plastic bottles or jugs.
Taylor explains that pouches have many benefits over plastic bottles. The big ones are that it takes less plastic to make a pouch versus a plastic bottle and that there are fewer greenhouse gas emissions in the production of pouches versus plastic bottles.
It is important for our kids and all future generations that we make decisions that help keep our Earth a hospitable place that is full of life-sustaining resources. So Trukid Bubble Podz gets a thumbs up for eco-conscious packaging.
3. Frothy, Foamy, Long-Lasting Bubbles
Trukid Bubble Podz also gets a thumbs up for generating lofty long-lasting bubbles for bath time fun! The company explains that if bubbles aren’t abundant, it may be due to water quality. They explain that adding an additional pod in these cases is helpful.
We have always been plenty satisfied with 1 pod, but we have never tested them with water from anywhere outside our local city limits supply.
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