TL;DR: Tubby Todd is a better choice than most mainstream baby care brands — they avoid SLS and use gentler surfactants. But "better than conventional" and "truly clean" are not the same standard. Here's how to read their labels yourself and decide if their ingredient choices meet your threshold.
Tubby Todd has done an exceptional job building a brand parents trust. The packaging is beautiful, the community is loyal, and the products perform. But if you're the kind of parent who reads ingredient lists — not just brand stories — you've probably had questions. This post is for you. Not to tear down a brand that does a lot right, but to give you the information to make your own call.
What Standard Should We Use to Evaluate Whether a Baby Brand Is "Clean"?
"Clean" is not a regulated term. Any brand can use it. Meaningful frameworks to evaluate against include:
- EU Cosmetic Regulation — prohibits or restricts over 1,400 ingredients that are permitted under U.S. FDA cosmetic rules
- EWG Skin Deep Database — rates ingredients on a 1–10 hazard scale based on available research
- Surfactant type — does the brand avoid SLS/SLES? What does it use instead?
- Fragrance policy — fragrance-free, or fully-disclosed natural fragrance?
- Preservative system — free from MI/MCI and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives?
What Does Tubby Todd Do Well?
Tubby Todd avoids sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) — a genuine positive. Their products use milder surfactant alternatives that are significantly less disruptive to the skin barrier than SLS. They avoid parabens. Their community is loyal for good reason: the products work and they're a clear improvement over drugstore baby wash. The brand has also shown transparency when reformulating, which matters.
What Should Label-Conscious Parents Look Closer At?
What type of surfactant does Tubby Todd use?
Tubby Todd uses synthetic mild surfactants derived from coconut oil as its cleansing agents — legitimate SLS alternatives that are considered safe by most evaluative frameworks. They are, however, synthetically processed surfactants, not whole-plant botanical extracts. Parents looking for the most minimally-processed formulation will want to note this distinction. Kindred Bloom uses soapwort extract — a whole-plant surfactant with no industrial synthesis in the production process.
What preservative system does Tubby Todd use?
Tubby Todd uses phenoxyethanol as a preservative in some of its formulations — a widely used paraben alternative. The EWG Skin Deep database rates phenoxyethanol as a moderate hazard. It is permitted under EU cosmetic regulations at concentrations up to 1%. Most pediatric dermatologists consider it safe in typical use; parents of babies with very reactive skin may want to check whether a product includes it and at what position in the ingredient list (higher on the list = higher concentration).
Does Tubby Todd use fragrance?
Some Tubby Todd products include fragrance. Always check the specific product label. "Fragrance" as a listed ingredient — even from a trusted brand — means the specific aromatic compounds are not individually disclosed. For babies with skin sensitivities or eczema, fragrance-free is the more conservative choice. Kindred Bloom is completely fragrance-free; the light scent comes from botanical extracts listed on the label.
How Does Tubby Todd Compare to Kindred Naturals Side by Side?
| Factor | Tubby Todd | Kindred Naturals |
|---|---|---|
| Avoids SLS | Yes | Yes |
| Surfactant type | Synthetic mild surfactants | Whole-plant soapwort extract |
| Fragrance | Some products contain fragrance | Fragrance-free |
| Regulatory standard | U.S. standard | EU Cosmetic Regulation compliant |
| Dermatologist tested | Yes | Yes |
How Do I Read Any Baby Brand's Label Myself?
Three things to check on any baby wash label:
- What's the primary surfactant? If it's sodium lauryl sulfate, SLES, or ammonium lauryl sulfate, skip it. Look for decyl glucoside, coco glucoside, sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, or (best) soapwort extract.
- Is "fragrance" or "parfum" listed? If yes — and specific compounds aren't disclosed — it's a potential sensitizer for reactive skin.
- What's the preservative? Avoid MI/MCI and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Phenoxyethanol is a step up. Vitamin E (tocopherol) as the primary antioxidant is cleaner still.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tubby Todd baby wash clean?
By most common definitions of "clean beauty" — no SLS, no parabens, gentler than mainstream — Tubby Todd is a clean brand. Parents who apply stricter standards (EU Cosmetic Regulation compliance, zero fragrance, whole-plant surfactants) may want to compare ingredient lists before deciding.
Does Tubby Todd use SLS?
Tubby Todd does not use sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in its baby wash products. It uses milder synthetic surfactant alternatives.
Is Tubby Todd safe for newborns?
Tubby Todd markets its products as safe for babies from birth. For the most sensitive newborn skin, a fragrance-free option formulated to EU cosmetic standards offers the most conservative safety profile.
What is the difference between Tubby Todd and Kindred Naturals?
Both brands avoid SLS and are meaningful improvements over conventional baby wash. Kindred Naturals differentiates on surfactant type (whole-plant soapwort vs. synthetic mild surfactants), fragrance policy (fully fragrance-free vs. some products with fragrance), and regulatory standard (EU Cosmetic Regulation compliance).
Is phenoxyethanol safe in baby products?
Phenoxyethanol is permitted in EU and U.S. cosmetics and is widely used as a paraben alternative. The EWG rates it moderate hazard. For most babies it is not a concern; for infants with very reactive skin, some pediatric dermatologists recommend minimizing exposure to synthetic preservatives where possible.
Looking for a baby wash with whole-plant surfactants, zero fragrance, and EU-grade ingredient standards? Kindred Bloom was built for exactly that. Shop at shopkindrednaturals.com.
Written by Mike & Carly Pronsky, founders of Kindred Naturals.