Johnson's Baby
A globally marketed baby-care brand known for powders, cleansers, lotions, oils, shampoos and wipes.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Johnson's Baby is an American baby-care and skin-care brand owned by Kenvue. Its origins are generally traced to 1893, when Johnson & Johnson introduced Johnson's Baby Powder after Dr. Frederick B. Kilmer, the company's first director of scientific affairs, recommended scented Italian talc to reduce irritation associated with medicated plasters. The powder was initially distributed through midwives and included in kits given to new mothers, helping establish a connection between the brand and newborn care. It reached the market in 1894 in a yellow-and-red package labeled for toilet and nursery use. The brand expanded from powder into a broader infant-care portfolio during the twentieth century. Baby Cream and an early Baby Gift Box appeared in 1921, followed by massage oil in 1938 and the pink-bottled Baby Lotion in 1942. In 1953, Johnson & Johnson introduced No More Tears shampoo, using mild amphoteric cleansing agents designed to be gentle around the eyes. The product rapidly became a leading baby-shampoo offering, and the No More Tears phrase became one of the brand's best-known trademarks. Later extensions included No More Tangles shampoo, introduced in 1971; baby wipes, first marketed as Baby Wash Cloths around 1980; sunscreen in 1991; Head-To-Toe cleanser in 1997; and the Bedtime line beginning with Bedtime Bath in 2000. Johnson's Baby has traditionally positioned itself around gentleness, everyday hygiene, dermatological reassurance and parental trust. Its products have included baby powder, cornstarch-based powder, shampoos, body washes, lotions, creams, massage oil, wipes, cleansers and selected sun-care products. Some products have also been used by adults for purposes outside infant care, particularly Baby Oil as a cleanser or moisturizer, although such uses are not the central identity of the brand. The company has also supported educational and clinical initiatives related to infant cleansing and skin moisturization, including research involving baby lotion and Head-To-Toe wash. The brand's history has also been shaped by controversy surrounding talc. Johnson & Johnson recalled a lot of Baby Powder in the United States in October 2019 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported trace asbestos in a bottle. In May 2020, the company announced that it would stop selling talc-based Baby Powder in the United States and Canada, citing declining demand and litigation pressure; cornstarch-based powders continued to be offered. Talc-related cancer allegations generated major lawsuits and later bankruptcy proceedings involving entities created to address talc liabilities. These events materially changed the public context surrounding a product that had been central to the brand for more than a century. Johnson's Baby was historically part of Johnson & Johnson's consumer-health portfolio. Following the separation of Johnson & Johnson's consumer-health businesses into Kenvue in 2023, the brand became part of Kenvue's portfolio. It remains an active international brand, although product formulas, availability and naming vary by market. The contemporary range emphasizes non-talc powder alternatives and liquid cleansing, moisturizing and wipe products while retaining recognizable heritage offerings such as Baby Lotion, Baby Oil and No More Tears formulations.
History
Johnson's Baby developed from Johnson & Johnson's late-nineteenth-century consumer-health activities. In 1892, Frederick B. Kilmer responded to a physician seeking relief for a patient's skin irritation caused by medicated plasters. Kilmer recommended scented Italian talc and sent a sample. The idea became Johnson's Baby Powder, introduced in 1893 and commercially distributed from 1894. Early powder was packaged in a yellow-and-red tin and labeled for toilet and nursery use. It was distributed through midwives and included in new-mother kits, alongside sanitary napkins that Johnson & Johnson also began manufacturing after customer interest. The first infant shown on the Baby Powder label was Mary Lea Johnson Richards, a granddaughter of Johnson & Johnson co-founder Robert Wood Johnson I. This helped give the product a distinctive family and newborn association. During the early twentieth century, the brand broadened its offering. Baby Cream and a Baby Gift Box containing small packages of powder, cream and soap were introduced in 1921. Massage oil followed in 1938, and Baby Lotion appeared in 1942. The lotion's pink packaging led to the long-standing informal description of the brand as the “Pink Brand.” A major turning point came in 1953 with the launch of No More Tears baby shampoo. Its mild amphoteric cleansing system was promoted as gentle around the eyes, and the formula helped Johnson & Johnson become a major force in baby shampoo. The No More Tears expression was registered as a trademark in 1959. Advertising connected the shampoo with mainstream family entertainment, including a 1955 television placement around The Adventures of Robin Hood. No More Tangles shampoo followed in 1971. The brand later extended into information and adjacent care categories. In 1976 it entered book publishing with an infant-development title, followed by another parenting book in 1979. Baby Wash Cloths appeared around 1980 and were later known as baby wipes. Sun-care products were introduced in 1991, Head-To-Toe ultra-mild cleanser in 1997, and the Bedtime range began with Bedtime Bath in 2000 before expanding to lotion, wash and oil products featuring lavender and chamomile associations. Johnson's Baby also became involved in research and professional education concerning infant skin care. A 2007 European round-table initiative sponsored by the brand examined cleansing practices for infants. A 2010 randomized trial sponsored by the brand examined moisturizer use in infant skin-care routines and reported favorable moisture outcomes for lotion users. Research published in 2013 by University of Manchester academics compared Head-To-Toe wash with water alone and reported that the cleanser was similarly safe under the study conditions. These studies were sponsored or supported by the brand, making their commercial context relevant when interpreting them. Talc safety became the most consequential issue in the brand's modern history. In 1985, physicians publicly warned parents about the inhalation risks of baby powder, while Johnson & Johnson stated that the product was safe when used as directed. From 2016 onward, litigation intensified around allegations that talc products were associated with ovarian cancer and asbestos exposure. Johnson & Johnson maintained that cosmetic talc was supported by decades of safety evidence. In October 2019, the company recalled a lot after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified trace asbestos in a bottle. In May 2020, it announced the discontinuation of talc-based Baby Powder in the United States and Canada, while continuing to sell cornstarch-based alternatives. Talc liabilities were subsequently placed into bankruptcy proceedings in 2021 and again in 2023. Separately, Johnson & Johnson completed the separation of its consumer-health activities into Kenvue in 2023, making Kenvue the current owner of Johnson's Baby. The brand remains active internationally, with product availability and formulas differing across countries. Its present identity combines heritage baby-care products with liquid cleansers, moisturizers, wipes and non-talc powder alternatives.
- 2023
Brand transferred to Kenvue
[1]Johnson's Baby became part of Kenvue following the separation of Johnson & Johnson's consumer-health business.
- 2020
Talc-based powder withdrawn from the United States and Canada
[1]Johnson & Johnson announced the discontinuation of talc-based Baby Powder in the two markets, while cornstarch-based products continued.
- 2019
Talc-based powder recall
[1]A lot of Baby Powder was recalled after an FDA test reported trace asbestos in a bottle.
- 2000
Bedtime range begins
[1]Bedtime Bath launched as the first product in a later range associated with lavender and chamomile.
- 1997
Head-To-Toe cleanser introduced
[1]The brand added an ultra-mild cleanser intended for whole-body infant washing.
- 1980
Baby Wash Cloths introduced
[1]Pre-moistened cleansing cloths appeared and were subsequently marketed as baby wipes.
- 1971
No More Tangles shampoo launched
[1]The brand extended its shampoo range with a detangling-oriented product.
- 1953
No More Tears shampoo launched
[1]Johnson & Johnson introduced a mild baby shampoo formulated to be gentle around the eyes.
- 1942
Baby Lotion introduced
[1]The pink-bottled Baby Lotion became one of the brand's signature products.
- 1938
Baby massage oil introduced
[1]Johnson's Baby added massage oil, later promoted as a companion product to Baby Powder.
Products and positioning
Mass-market baby care centered on gentle cleansing, moisturization, infant skin care and parental trust; the brand's positioning has increasingly emphasized non-talc formulations and ingredient changes.
Baby powder · 1893
Johnson's Baby Powder
The original flagship product, introduced in the 1890s as a talc-based powder for nursery and skin-care use. Talc-based versions were withdrawn from the United States and Canada in 2020 after years of safety controversy and litigation. The brand continues to offer cornstarch-based alternatives in those markets.
Baby powder
Cornstarch Baby Powder
A non-talc powder line based on cornstarch, including versions marketed with aloe and vitamin E. It serves as an alternative to the discontinued talc-based powder in the United States and Canada.
Hair and body cleansing · 1953
Johnson's Baby Shampoo
The brand's baby shampoo family includes the historic No More Tears positioning, which was designed to make accidental contact with the eyes less irritating. Product formulas and names vary by market.
Moisturizer · 1942
Johnson's Baby Lotion
A lightweight infant moisturizer introduced in 1942 and strongly associated with the brand's pink packaging. It is intended for routine moisturizing of baby skin and remains one of the best-known Johnson's Baby offerings.
Oil and massage care · 1938
Johnson's Baby Oil
Introduced in 1938, Baby Oil was developed as a massage and skin-care product and was heavily promoted as a complement to Baby Powder. It has also acquired adult uses as a cleanser or moisturizer, though the brand is centered on infant care.
Baby cleanser · 1997
Head-To-Toe Cleanser
An ultra-mild cleanser introduced for whole-body washing. Research sponsored by the brand and published in 2013 compared it with water-only washing for newborns under controlled study conditions.
Wipes · 1980
Johnson's Baby Wipes
Pre-moistened cleansing cloths that first appeared around 1980 under the name Baby Wash Cloths and were later marketed as wipes. They form part of the brand's everyday hygiene portfolio.
Bath and skin care · 2000
Johnson's Baby Bedtime range
A bedtime-oriented group that began with Bedtime Bath in 2000 and later included Bedtime Lotion, Bedtime Wash and Bedtime Oil. The range is associated with lavender and chamomile ingredients or fragrances, depending on market formulation.
Controversies
2020
Discontinuation of talc-based Baby Powder in North America
Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-based Baby Powder in the United States and Canada, citing declining sales and litigation backlash. Cornstarch products continued.
2019
Asbestos finding and Baby Powder recall
The FDA reported trace asbestos in a tested bottle, prompting a recall of one lot of talc-based Baby Powder. The episode intensified scrutiny of the product's safety and quality controls.
2016
Ovarian-cancer talc litigation
A Missouri jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay damages to the family of Jackie Fox, who had used Baby Powder and died of ovarian cancer. The company disputed the safety claims and planned an appeal.
1985
Warnings about inhalation of baby powder
Two physicians urged parents not to use baby powder because inhalation could be unsafe. Johnson & Johnson responded that the product was safe when used as intended.
Marketing campaigns
- 1955The Adventures of Robin Hood television advertising
United States
Johnson's Baby Shampoo appeared in advertising around The Adventures of Robin Hood, using the claim that the shampoo would not burn the eyes.
Outcome. Strengthened mass-market awareness of No More Tears shampoo.
- 1943Baby Oil companion-product advertising
United States
Johnson & Johnson promoted Baby Oil nationally in Life magazine as a complementary product to Baby Powder, helping establish a broader routine around the brand's infant-care products.
Outcome. Supported expansion from a single powder product into a coordinated baby-care range.
Brand decisions
2023
Transfer to KenvueStrategyBackground
Johnson & Johnson separated its consumer-health activities into a standalone company.
Action taken
Johnson's Baby became part of Kenvue's brand portfolio.
Aftermath
Kenvue became the current owner and operator of the brand, subject to market-specific product arrangements.
2020
Withdrawal of talc-based Baby Powder in the United States and CanadaStrategyBackground
The decision followed declining demand, extensive litigation and the 2019 recall of a lot after an asbestos finding.
Action taken
Johnson & Johnson discontinued the talc-based product in the two markets while retaining cornstarch-based alternatives.
Aftermath
The change ended the North American sale of the brand's original flagship formula and shifted the range toward non-talc powder.
1953
Launch of No More Tears shampooProduct launchBackground
The brand sought a milder alternative to conventional soap-based cleansing for babies.
Action taken
Johnson & Johnson introduced a shampoo using amphoteric cleansing agents designed to be gentle around the eyes.
Aftermath
The product rapidly gained market share and became a defining Johnson's Baby innovation.
Recent events
Johnson’s Baby launches Cottontouch campaign in India[2]
Reported:
Johnson’s Baby rolled out a campaign for its Cottontouch range in India, with a television commercial released across the country in ten languages.
Sources2 sources
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