What natural remedies help soothe eczema-prone skin?

Gentle approaches many people find helpful include short lukewarm baths followed by generous moisturising, colloidal oatmeal baths, and keeping the skin cool. The most reliable everyday help is frequent fragrance-free moisturising and reducing scratching. Patch-test anything new and check with your GP or Plunket nurse, especially for babies.

Is aloe vera good for eczema?

Some people find plain aloe vera soothing, but it can sting or irritate broken skin, and some products contain added fragrance or alcohol. If you try it, choose a plain product, patch-test a small area first, and stop if it causes any stinging or redness.

Are baking soda baths safe for baby eczema?

Baking soda baths are popular online but can disrupt the skin's natural acidity and dry out an already fragile skin barrier. They are best approached with caution, particularly for babies, and it is worth checking with your GP or Plunket nurse first.

What is the most natural way to reduce eczema itching at night?

Keep the bedroom cool, moisturise well before bed, and use soft, breathable natural fabric like bamboo, ideally sleepwear or scratch sleeves that gently limit scratching, so the skin is protected overnight and can settle.

Do eczema scratch sleeves actually work?

For babies and children with eczema, the biggest overnight problem isn't the itch itself — it's what happens when tiny fingernails meet irritated skin. Scratching breaks the skin barrier, causes bleeding, and opens the door to infection, which then worsens the eczema. What the Bamboo Bubby Eczema Mitten Sleeves do is physically interrupt that cycle. The fold-over mitten cuffs cover the hands and fingers so scratching can't cause damage, while the full arm-to-shoulder coverage means there's no exposed skin to reach. Many families find that even one or two nights of protected sleep gives the skin a chance to start settling. Results will vary depending on the severity of your child's eczema and their overall skin care routine — but for most families, these are used every single night.

Are these suitable for dermatitis as well as eczema?

Yes. While the Bamboo Bubby range is most often sought out by families managing eczema, the sleeves work equally well for contact dermatitis, dry skin conditions, and any situation where scratching is making skin worse. The 68% bamboo viscose, 32% organic cotton sleeve body with fully silk mitten cuffs is hypoallergenic and free from the synthetic fibres and rough textures that commonly aggravate reactive skin. If your child's dermatitis is triggered or worsened by scratching, these sleeves offer the same physical protection regardless of the diagnosis.

Can my child wear these during the day, not just at night?

That's exactly what the open/close fold-back design is for. During play and activities, the silk mitten cuffs fold back completely so little hands are free to explore, grip, and move naturally. When scratching becomes a risk — at nap time, during a flare, in the car, or at bedtime — the cuffs fold forward and stay in place, wrapping the entire hand in soft silk. Many families find them particularly useful during the day when they can't watch their child's hands every moment. One garment, all day, no taking them on and off.

What size should I buy, and how long will they last?

The Bamboo Bubby Eczema Mitten Sleeves are available from Newborn through to 6 years, across five size options: NB–6MTH, 6–12MTH, 1–2YR, 3–4YR, and 5–6YR. Because eczema often improves as children get older and develop more self-control, many families find they work through two or three sizes before their child no longer needs them at night. We recommend buying a set of two so you always have one clean and ready — particularly useful during flare periods when you may be washing more frequently.

What's the difference between these and standard scratch mittens?

Standard scratch mittens cover only the hands — and they're notorious for coming off during sleep. The Bamboo Bubby Eczema Mitten Sleeves cover the full arm from wrist to shoulder, which means there's no exposed forearm, elbow, or upper arm skin for little fingers to reach during the night. The fold-back open/close design also means they're secure enough to stay in place through active sleep and movement, unlike loose-fitting mittens that slip off at the first sign of wriggling. When closed, the entire mitten section is 100% silk — considerably softer and gentler against reactive skin than the cotton or polyester used in most standard mittens. So even if your child rubs against them, there's no additional irritation to inflamed skin.

Natural Ways to Soothe Eczema-Prone Skin: A New Zealand Guide

By Kelly Northey, Certified Postpartum Nutrition Professional

Founder of Nella Vosk • 14+ years supporting families across motherhood, feeding, and early childhood wellbeing

Editorial Policy →

Natural Ways to Soothe Eczema-Prone Skin: A New Zealand Guide

This article is part of the Nella Vosk Baby Eczema resource for New Zealand families, our gentle, practical guide to caring for sensitive, eczema-prone skin at every stage.

When the creams feel endless and the flares keep coming back, it is completely natural to start searching for something gentler. Something from the kitchen cupboard, or the garden, that might just help. If you have typed “natural remedies for eczema” into your phone at 2am, you are in good company.

This is an honest look at the gentle, natural things people try for eczema-prone skin, what tends to help, what to be cautious with, and where the real, everyday comfort comes from. No hype, no miracle claims. Just plain guidance from someone who has been in it.

One thing to say clearly first: this is general information, not medical advice. Eczema-prone skin is individual, some natural remedies can irritate rather than soothe, and anything new is worth patch-testing and running past your GP or Plunket nurse, especially for babies.

Gentle approaches people find helpful

Lukewarm baths, kept short

Warm (not hot) baths that are kept short can help hydrate the skin, as long as you moisturise generously straight afterwards while the skin is still damp. Long, hot baths tend to dry the skin out and make things worse.

Oatmeal baths

Colloidal oatmeal (finely milled oats) added to a bath is a long-used, gentle way to help calm itchy skin. It is widely available and generally well tolerated, though as always, patch-test first.

Generous, fragrance-free moisturising

The single most useful “natural” habit is simply moisturising often and generously with a plain, fragrance-free product. A well-moisturised skin barrier copes far better with everything else.

Things to be cautious with

Not everything that is natural is gentle. A few popular remedies are worth extra care:

Aloe vera: some find it soothing, but it can sting or irritate broken skin, and some products contain added fragrance or alcohol. Choose plain, patch-test, and stop if it stings.
Baking soda baths: popular online, but baking soda can disrupt the skin's natural acidity and dry out an already fragile barrier. Approach with caution, especially for babies.
Essential oils: concentrated and a common irritant for sensitive skin. Generally best avoided on eczema-prone skin, particularly for little ones.
Homeopathic and unregulated remedies: if you are considering these, talk to your GP or Plunket nurse first, and never replace prescribed treatment without guidance.

The comfort that matters most: reducing the itch

Here is the honest heart of it. Most “natural remedy” searches are really a search for relief, for a way to stop the itch and the scratching that keeps the skin from healing. And the most reliable, everyday form of natural comfort is often the simplest: keeping the skin cool, moisturised, and protected from scratching, especially overnight.

Soft, breathable natural fabric plays a real part in this. Bamboo is naturally soft, breathable and temperature-regulating, which helps because overheating makes itching worse. Kelly created Bamboo Bubby after 16 years of caring for her own child's eczema-prone skin. The scratch-sleeve design is made to help break the itch-scratch cycle during sleep, giving the skin a gentle, natural break from the scratching that undoes so much of your other good work.

Made for New Zealand families. Our soft bamboo eczema mitten sleeves and sleepwear ship right across New Zealand, usually within 3 to 7 business days, with prices shown in NZD at checkout.

Explore the Bamboo Bubby eczema mitten sleeves, or browse the full Bamboo Bubby range for New Zealand.

Bamboo Bubby Eczema Mitten Sleeve - Grey Marle

Eczema Mitten Sleeve ScratchMeNot Flip Mitten Sleeve

Bamboo Bubby by Nella Vosk — Eczema Mitten Sleeves | Scratch Sleeves for Babies & Kids

Bamboo Bubby by Nella Vosk — Eczema Mitten Sleeves | Scratch Sleeves for Babies & Kids

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$48.00

The scratch sleeve that stays on — even through the worst flare nights.

Most scratch mittens solve half the problem. They cover little hands, but they come off, they overheat, and they leave arms exposed. The Bamboo Bubby Eczema Mitten Sleeves cover the full arm from wrist to shoulder — with a fold-back open/close design that converts from play mode to sleep mode in seconds, and a secure fit that stays in place through the night.

Built from a 68% bamboo viscose blend with 100% silk mitten cuffs — breathable, hypoallergenic, and gentle enough that even active rubbing against skin causes no further irritation. For babies and children with eczema, that combination of coverage, softness, and secure fit is what makes the difference between a restful night and another morning of raw, scratched skin.

"Saved my kid from waking up in a bloody mess every night from scratching his eczema patches. Started wearing these when he was a few months old and will probably continue wearing them, sizing up every year, until he can control his scratching on his own." — Michelle T., verified customer

Why the open/close design matters

Eczema doesn't only happen at night. The fold-back design means the sleeves stay on all day — open during play so little hands can explore freely, folded closed for naps, bedtime, or any moment when scratching is a risk. No taking them on and off. No lost mittens. One garment that works around your child's whole day.

What's inside

68% bamboo viscose, 32% organic cotton body
100% silk mitten cuffs — the softest possible contact with reactive skin
Open/close fold-back design — converts between play and protection
Secure fit — stays on through sleep and active movement
Sizes: Newborn through to 6 years
Machine washable

Pair with

Our Bamboo Bubby Baby Sleeping Bag with Scratch Sleeves for complete overnight coverage — or explore the full Bamboo Bubby eczema sleepwear range for daytime and nighttime skin protection options.

About Bamboo Bubby by Nella Vosk

Part of the Bamboo Bubby by Nella Vosk eczema range — trusted by Australian families for over 16 years. Explore our full bamboo clothing for eczema and eczema sleepwear ranges for complete skin protection.

Color

Size

NB-6MTH

6-12MTH

1-2YR

3-4YR

5-6YR

Qty

Frequently asked questions

: Gentle approaches many people find helpful include short lukewarm baths followed by generous moisturising, colloidal oatmeal baths, and keeping the skin cool. The most reliable everyday help is frequent fragrance-free moisturising and reducing scratching. Patch-test anything new and check with your GP or Plunket nurse, especially for babies.
: Some people find plain aloe vera soothing, but it can sting or irritate broken skin, and some products contain added fragrance or alcohol. If you try it, choose a plain product, patch-test a small area first, and stop if it causes any stinging or redness.
: Baking soda baths are popular online but can disrupt the skin's natural acidity and dry out an already fragile skin barrier. They are best approached with caution, particularly for babies, and it is worth checking with your GP or Plunket nurse first.
: Keep the bedroom cool, moisturise well before bed, and use soft, breathable natural fabric like bamboo, ideally sleepwear or scratch sleeves that gently limit scratching, so the skin is protected overnight and can settle.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Northey is the founder of Nella Vosk and the creator of Bamboo Bubby. She is a Certified Postpartum Nutrition Professional (CPPNP) who spent more than 16 years learning what actually makes a difference for babies with eczema-prone skin, starting with her own child. She writes for parents who have tried a lot, and are tired.

Kelly x

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