Meet the Baby Skincare Brand That’s Totally Changing the Game
The Bump presents #MomBoss, a series dedicated to showing off all-star moms. We catch up with mompreneurs behind products we love, influencers who get real about motherhood and SAHMs who can multitask in their sleep.
Smooth as a baby’s bottom—or so the saying goes. But what happens when baby’s bottom, or entire body for that matter, is anything but smooth? Sweta Doshi was faced with this challenge when she gave birth to her second child. Her newborn daughter developed baby eczema, and the natural skincare products on the market weren’t cutting it. After 10 years of working in the beauty biz, Doshi felt inspired to create the brand her baby needed.
Bubbsi has been a labor of love for the mom since she took the leap and launched the baby and kids’ skincare brand last fall. The collection features natural, ultra-nourishing coconut oil products that are just as effective as they are fun to use. Learn more about the must-have brand and how Doshi does it all.
The idea for Bubbsi came about when my newborn daughter developed eczema and I was underwhelmed at the natural skincare options available for her. All the “clean” moisturizers on the market felt watered down and ineffective on her dry skin. We ended up using organic coconut oil for moisture massages every night. This ritual worked wonders, but the coconut oil was such a mess!
With a decade of experience developing beauty products, I knew I could create something better. Previously, I was part of a team at Bath & Body Works that launched new fragrant body care collections almost every month. A critical part of this was understanding women’s skin care preferences at a deep level—what they wanted in their lotions, body washes and fragrances—and being able to develop effective products to meet those needs.
Bubbsi is unique because I’m able to combine an expertise in skincare with my perspective as a wellness-conscious mother of young children, especially one with eczema. It’s a line of naturally nourishing coconut oil products, minus the mess. Our formulas are super-luxurious and effective, and come in playful bottles that kids love. It’s a no-nonsense skincare brand for silly kiddos.
Bubbsi aims to transform healthful skincare rituals into playful, bonding moments with your little one. I wanted the brand name to reflect that emotion—specifically something that you might call your kids affectionately. Lovebug…Bub…Bubbsi!
I believe there are three distinct qualities that truly make Bubbsi unique:
1. We use effective, natural formulas: Our formulas were made for babies, but they certainly aren’t baby-ish. With high levels of natural “yummies” like organic coconut oil and sunflower oil and less water than the average lotion, our products are truly moisturizing in a way that’s rarely found in natural bodycare.
2. We make skincare fun!: Our soft, squeezable, refillable animal bottles and light, all-natural coconut vanilla scents make skincare fun for little ones. I’m thrilled when customers tell me their children are now asking for Bubbsi lotion every day, because it means we’re transforming a parenting chore into a moment that’s fun for both parents and kids. And if we’re not making life easier for parents, why are we even here?
3. We redefine the skincare ritual: Recent research suggests that early moisturization can help prevent eczema, and moisture massages certainly helped my daughter. I’m on a mission to help other parents experience firsthand what I found to be true: Developing the right moisture-focused skincare rituals early in your child’s life is beneficial for their skin and health overall. Massage, in particular, has a range of other developmental benefits as well—and it’s fun!
Our coconut oil balm has been a breakout hit with parents due to its incredible texture and multipurpose nature. This 100 percent naturally derived vegan formula is made primarily of coconut and sunflower oils and has a soft, sorbet-like texture that melts onto skin. It’s great at tackling extra-dry spots—like chapped cheeks, noses, pan hands—and cradle cap. Coconut oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory nature also makes it perfect for the diaper area, and customers are seeing success when using it on skin sensitivities like heat rash and eczema. But my favorite use is as a cleanser in the bath—it washes away oil-based impurities and leaves skin super-soft!
Yes, I use all of them! Our Shampoo + Wash is a wonderfully gentle cleanser and a great shave cream in the shower. I use our Whipped Coconut Oil Body Cream on damp skin as my all-over moisturizer. And after shaving and on dry areas, I typically apply our Body Cream first and then Oil Balm over it to lock in the moisture. I also love using our Oil Balm as a makeup remover! Our products are made for babies but perfect for everyone.
My Medela breast pump! I went back to work full-time when my son was 4 months old, and I pumped three times a day at the office. I still remember the terror of realizing that I’d left a pump part at home. Luckily I lived close enough to run home to grab it!
I’m pretty sure finding “balance” will be an ongoing struggle, but I’m starting to learn some small mindset shifts that really help. I’m not afraid to ask for help and truly lean on others when I need to. I lean on our nanny, not only to care for the kids all day, but also for household organization, groceries and meal prep. My husband and I have pretty equitable household duties when he’s home, and we’re also lucky to have supportive parents and in-laws who jump in whenever needed.
I’m trying to set boundaries that force me to be present wherever I am. I consider 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. my strict “office hours” and have to resist the urge to attend every drop-off or play date during that time. I’m trying to put my phone away from 6 to 8 p.m. every day, so I can be fully present with the kids; however, my success at that varies drastically from week to week. My husband probably gets the shortest end of the stick, since I’m usually back on my laptop each night.
Finally, I think part of attaining balance involves self-acceptance and relaxing your expectations. I’d love to have home-cooked meals on the table every night, but the reality is that we turn to frozen food and restaurants every now and then. I’m constantly reminding myself that there are limited hours in the day, so you have to choose what to focus on at any given time. For example, our massage ritual is one way I’ve found to connect with my son in a meaningful, loving way. It only takes a few minutes, but it’s so sweet. If I do my best with the hours I have, the rest will follow.
My favorite thing to do is to engage my kids in activities that serve a purpose for all of us. Cooking and art are my favorites. Need to cook dinner? Give them a little task in the kitchen while you’re cooking and they’ll be thrilled to help. Or sometimes, after a stressful day, I suggest we color or paint together, which allows me to de-stress while spending time with them. Also, skewers! If you can’t get your kids to eat something, put it on skewers or toothpicks and they’ll almost always try it.
Reality TV and carbs! I love my husband dearly, but I’m not gonna lie—sometimes I crave those evenings when he’s working late, and I put the kids down and then zone out to Real Housewives of New York City with a big plate of pasta in hand!
Published October 2019
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