Our Story

We’re a couple in our mid-30s from North West London, and in the summer of 2023, we welcomed our beautiful baby into the world. Like all first-time parents, we were overwhelmed with love, excitement, and let’s be honest a fair bit of panic. Every tiny cry had us on high alert, and we wanted nothing more than to give our child the safest, healthiest start in life.

At around eight to nine weeks old, we noticed something troubling red, dry patches appearing on our baby’s skin. Concerned, we sought advice from a paediatric dermatologist, who suggested the possibility of a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). We switched to formula, but the symptoms persisted. Next, we tried eliminating all potential irritants. We changed to 100% organic cotton clothes, fragrance-free detergents, and hypoallergenic bedding. Nothing worked. Finally, we found temporary relief with a baby-safe emollient cream, which soothed the redness, but within weeks, it returned, worse than before.

There’s no worse feeling as a parent than watching your baby cry in discomfort and not knowing how to fix it. We felt defeated and exhausted from the sleepless nights, frustrated from all the failed solutions, and heartbroken at the thought that our baby was suffering, and we didn’t know why. Then, by pure chance, a friend of a friend suggested something we had never even considered: “Could it be the bathwater?”

At first, it sounded unlikely, but the more we researched, the clearer it became. Our baby wasn’t just experiencing dry skin, this was an irritant contact dermatitis reaction, triggered by exposure to high levels of dissolved minerals and chlorine in our water. Hard water is packed with calcium and magnesium, which disrupt the skin’s natural pH balance, breaking down its protective barrier and triggering inflammation, dryness, and eczema flare-ups. Chlorine, commonly used to disinfect tap water, strips away moisture, making the skin even more vulnerable to irritation. But it doesn’t stop there! Heavy metals like lead and copper, as well as chemical byproducts from water treatment, can further aggravate sensitive skin, causing redness, itchiness, and long-term damage, especially in babies with delicate, highly absorbent skin.

Most shocking of all, A study by King's College London found that living in a hard water area was associated with an up to 87% increased risk of babies developing eczema in the first three months of their lives. And here we were, unknowingly bathing our baby in some of the hardest water in the world. The UK, and particularly the South East, has exceptionally high levels of water hardness, meaning millions of parents like us could be doing the exact same thing, completely unaware of the impact.

We immediately set about searching the globe for a solution and, after a short while, we came up with Happy Bath London. Our mission is to raise awareness about the hidden dangers of unfiltered bathwater, provide an easy and effective solution for parents to protect their little ones, and help normalise bathwater filtration in the UK and beyond. Because no child should suffer due to something as simple as water.

We believe every baby deserves safe, skin-friendly baths. Join us in making bath time not just fun, but truly healthy and happy.