Best Baby Shampoo Guide

Your baby’s bath time can be a challenge because you want it to be not only fun but also safe for your baby. You want to use products with safe ingredients for your baby’s skin and hair as well as overall health. Hence, bathing products with harsh chemicals are out of the question.  You most definitely want your baby’s hair and body wash to have natural ingredients that will not cause any skin irritation to the delicate skin of your baby, especially if you or your baby have dry skin or eczema prone skin.

In this guide to the best baby shampoo, you will find out why not every baby shampoo in the market is safe for your baby.  You will see why some popular baby washes, even the ones containing plant-based ingredients, fall in the “bad” and “worst” categories.  Ultimately, you will not only find safe baby shampoo options, but also learn how to determine a baby bath product’s safety by yourself.  If you are looking for a tear-free shampoo, turn to my post about numbing agents in tear-free baby shampoos.

Best Baby Shampoo Guide

To begin, this guide is a result of our baby wash and shampoo survey conducted on Facebook and Instagram.  We will look into the most popular baby bathing products and place them in the “best,” “better,” “bad,” and “worst” categories based on their ingredients. On the I Read Labels For You website, you can also see what credible sources we use to determine an ingredient’s safety.

Below is the list of 20 baby wash and shampoo products we will discuss in this guide. Can you guess which product goes into which category – best, better, bad or worst? Read on to find out!

• Aveeno Baby Daily Moisturizing 2-in-1 Body Wash & Shampoo
• Babo Botanicals Fragrance Free Sensitive Baby Shampoo & Wash
• Babyganics Foaming Shampoo & Body Wash, Fragrance-Free
• Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash – Original
• Cetaphil Baby Wash & Shampoo With Natural Calendula
• Crunchi Littles™ 3-in-1 Bathtime Bar
• Earth Mama Non-Scents Castile Baby Wash
• Earth Mama Sweet Orange Castile Baby Wash
• Earthley Wellness Kids’ Fun-Shaped Gentle Body Soap
• Everyone 3-in-1 Kids Soap
• Hello Bello Extra Gentle Shampoo & Body Wash, Fragrance-Free
• Honest Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Fragrance-Free
• Kiehl’s Gentle Hair & Body Wash
• Mustela 2-in-1 Cleansing Gel
• Primally Pure Baby Bar
• Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo & Body Wash
• Pure Haven Baby Wash and Shampoo
• Shea Moisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Wash & Shampoo
• Tubby Todd Hair & Body Wash
• Weleda 2-in-1 Gentle Shampoo & Body Wash – Calendula

“Best” Safe Baby Shampoo Category

For starters, we were extra careful selecting the best baby shampoo options minding the delicate skin of a baby.  To determine the safest bath time products, we made a list of ingredients of concern (in our opinion) that we spotted on the ingredient labels of these baby washes. So simply put, the “worst” skin and hair products are those that contain the most concerning ingredients. And, vice versa, the “best” are those that have none.

Here is the list of the ingredients of concern (in our opinion) that we’ll talk about later (so, stay put!):

• cocamidopropyl betaine
• cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine
• essential oils
• ethoxylated ingredients
• fragrance or fragrance compounds, and
• phenoxyethanol.

In fact, the “best” safe baby shampoo and wash options are those that don’t have any potentially harsh chemicals for a baby’s skin and baby’s hair. Plus, their natural ingredients, such as oils and extracts, are certified organic. Moreover, when you read the description on each product’s website, you will see that, reportedly, they work well for dry skin and are even recommended for eczema prone skin.

I do want to warn you, though, that even the most innocent plant-based ingredients may trigger allergic reactions or skin irritation in some people. Hence, it is hard to find a product that will be 100% safe for everyone. Therefore, make sure to look at the list of ingredients for each product to eliminate potential allergens for your baby.  

The best baby shampoo options are products by:

• Crunchi
• Earth Mama Organics
• Earthley Wellness
• Primally Pure, and
• Pure Haven.

Crunchi Littles Soap Bar

Crunchi Littles™ 3-in-1 Bathtime Bar (ADVOCATE10 discount code for 10% off on 1^st time purchase of $50+): Sodium Palmate (Organic Palm Oil & Sodium Hydroxide), Sodium Cocoate (Organic Coconut Oil & Sodium Hydroxide), Water, Glycerin*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Sodium Citrate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract*, Tocopherol. *Certified Organic Ingredients

As you can see, most of the ingredients in this soap-based skin and hair product are organic and are also of plant origin.  This is what makes Crunchi bar a safe baby shampoo option (in addition, eco-friendly packaging made of 100% recyclable post-consumer wastepaper).  In fact, the bar is gentle enough for daily use on your baby’s hair, body, and face. However, it’s not a tear-free shampoo option, so avoid the eyes and rinse well. Learn more about why I approve of all Crunchi products in my Crunchi non-toxic makeup review.

Earth Mama Organics Castile Soap

EM Organics Simply Non-Scents Castile Baby Wash: Water, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide+, Vegetable Glycerin*, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract*, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice* +None present in final product *Organic.

EM Organics Sweet Orange Castile Baby Wash: Water, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide+, Vegetable Glycerin*, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Fruit Extract*, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil*, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract*, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice* +None present in final product *Organic.

I consider these bath time products some of the best baby shampoo options because of organic plant-based ingredients such as oils, extracts, butters, and juices. They are also safe baby shampoo options because there should be no pesticide residues in the ingredients.  Besides, in my opinion, soap is the safest to use on babies’ delicate skin and hair. 

Earthley Wellness Kids’ Body Soap

Earthley Wellness Kids’ Fun-Shaped Gentle Body Soap: Organic Olive Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Organic Coconut Milk, Sodium Hydroxide*, Organic Mango Butter, And Organic Castor Oil.

Judging by the ingredients, this coconut milk soap should be gentle and also nourishing for people of all ages. All the natural ingredients are organic and should also work delicately on dry skin. In addition to being a safe baby shampoo option, this soap bar comes in a variety of fun shapes: butterfly, squirrel, dinosaur, bee, and an automobile. I love this great idea – it’ll definitely make your baby’s bath time more fun!

Primally Pure Soap Bar

Primally Pure Baby Bar (READLABELS10 for 10% off): Glycerin*, Coconut Oil*, Goat Milk*, Shea Butter*, Olive Oil*, Calendula*, Chamomile*, Lavender* Sodium Lactate (liquid salt). *Organic.

Although not a tear-free shampoo option (so, avoid the eyes), this baby bar is void of any harsh chemicals. The organic natural ingredients are gentle and non-drying that soothe and moisturize your baby’s skin while washing.

Pure Haven Shampoo And Wash

Pure Haven Baby Wash and Shampoo: Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin (Vegetable, Non-Gmo), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Matricaria Recutita (Organic Chamomile) Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Oil, Betaine, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Levulinate, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Glycerin (Organic, Non-Gmo), Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Citric Acid.

This Pure Haven best baby shampoo and wash is soap-free.  Instead of soap, it contains some of the safest surfactants such as coco glucoside and decyl glucoside. Being mild, they should not cause baby’s skin irritation as well as eye irritation.  Note, though, that some sensitive babies may react to glucosides if the product is not formulated to reduce the risk of reactions.  (Learn more in my post about glucosides.)

By the way, Pure Haven also has other safe mom (Mom Balm) and baby products that I like. So be sure to check them out!

“Better” Safe Baby Shampoo Category

The main difference between the “better” and the “best” baby shampoo categories is the presence of some ingredients in the “better” products that are absent in the “best.” Namely, they are:

• cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, and
• essential oils.

Product	Concerning Ingredients
Honest Sensitive Baby Shampoo + Body Wash Fragrance Free (get $10 or 10% off)	– cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine
Hello Bello Extra Gentle Shampoo & Body Wash, Fragrance-Free	– cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine
Weleda 2-in-1 Gentle Shampoo & Body Wash – Calendula (get $10 or 10% off)	– fragrance made of essential oils

“Bad” Baby Wash And Shampoo Category

The baby bath products in this category are not the best baby shampoo options (in our opinion) due to the presence of some of the following ingredients:

• fragrance / natural fragrance / fragrance compounds
• cocamidopropyl betaine (or its relative)
• cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, and
• phenoxyethanol

Therefore, the following products are not safe baby shampoo options (in our opinion).

Product	Concerning Ingredients
Babo Botanicals Fragrance Free Sensitive Baby Shampoo & Wash	cocamidopropyl betaine
Babyganics Foaming Shampoo & Body Wash, Fragrance-Free	capryl/capramidopropyl betaine (relative of cocamidopropyl betaine)
Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash – Original	– fragrance – phenoxyethanol – limonene (fragrance compound)
Everyone 3-in-1 Kids Soap	– cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine – phenoxyethanol
Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Citrus Grove	– cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine – pink grapefruit essential oil – natural fragrance
Shea Moisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Wash & Shampoo	– phenoxyethanol – cocamidopropyl betaine – fragrance

“Worst” Baby Bathing Product Category

The main criteria for this category are the following ingredients of concern (in our opinion):

• cocamidopropyl betaine
• ethoxylated ingredients
• fragrance, and
• phenoxyethanol.

Hence, we cannot deem the products below as safe baby shampoos and, even more so, as best baby shampoos and washes.

Product	Concerning Ingredients
Aveeno Baby Daily Moisturizing 2-in-1 Body Wash & Shampoo	– cocamidopropyl betaine – ethoxylated ingredients (PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, PEG-150 Distearate) – fragrance
Cetaphil Baby Wash + Shampoo With Natural Calendula	– ethoxylated ingredients (Sodium Laureth Sulfate,* Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Laureth-4) – cocamidopropyl betaine – fragrance – phenoxyethanol
Kiehl’s Gentle Hair & Body Wash	– ethoxylated ingredients (Sodium Laureth Sulfate*, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PPG-5-ceteth-20, Polysorbate 20, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil) – Fragrance
Mustela 2-in-1 Cleansing Gel	– cocamidopropyl betaine – ethoxylated ingredients (Sodium Myreth Sulfate, PEG-3 Distearate, PEG-150 Distearate) – fragrance
Tubby Todd Hair + Body Wash	– Cocamidopropyl Betaine – Ethoxylated (Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate) – Fragrance (in the scented option)

*NOTE: Sodium Laureth Sulfate is not the same as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. While Sodium Laureth Sulfate is an ethoxylated ingredient, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is not an ethoxylated ingredient.

The Ingredients Of Concern In Baby Washes

It is important to mention that this is not an exhaustive list of the ingredients of concern (in our opinion) that can be used in baby products. That is why it is necessary to read ingredients on the products’ labels or the manufacturers’ websites. But bear in mind that manufacturers may change their formulations. This is another reason to read the ingredients of the product (even of the best baby shampoo options) before purchasing it. Ultimately, we do not consider baby bathing products with the following ingredients safe baby shampoo and washes.

Ingredient	Reason For Concern
Cocamidopropyl Betaine	Cocamidopropyl betaine has potential to cause sensitization most likely due to the DMAPA and amidopropyl dimethylamine (amidoamine) contaminants. (Learn more in my post about cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.)
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine	Though safer than cocamidopropyl betaine, it still has some concerns. (Learn more in my post about cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.)
Essential Oils	Some people may be sensitive to essential oils. (Learn more in my post about natural fragrance.)
Ethoxylated Ingredients	Ethoxylated ingredients may also cause allergies due to potential contaminants left behind after the manufacturing process. (Learn more in my post about hidden ingredients in cosmetics.)
Fragrance / Fragrance Compounds / Natural Fragrance	Fragrance is a mixture of multiple ingredients, many of which have allergenic potential and other health side effects. (Learn more in my post about natural fragrance.)
Phenoxyethanol	Due to its manufacturing process, phenoxyethanol may also have residues of harmful chemicals, which may trigger an allergic reaction. (Learn more in my post about phenoxyethanol in skin care.)

Conclusion About The Best Baby Shampoo

It Is A Good Idea To Be Extra Careful When Choosing A Safe Baby Shampoo Due To The Delicate Skin Of A Baby.

In conclusion, I’d like to emphasize that because people are so different, it’s hard to find a product that will be 100% safe for everyone.  Indeed, people may be allergic to even the most innocent ingredients, and babies – even more so. To be on the safe side, I also recommend using baby washes and shampoos with as few ingredients as possible.  Specifically, watch out for the following ingredients (and avoid products with them):

• cocamidopropyl betaine
• cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine
• essential oils
• ethoxylated ingredients
• fragrance or fragrance compounds, and
• phenoxyethanol.

In our opinion, the best safe baby shampoo and wash options are as follows:

• Crunchi Littles™ 3-in-1 Bathtime Bar (ADVOCATE10 for 10% off on 1^st time purchase of $50+)
• Earth Mama Organics Simply Non-Scents Castile Baby Wash
• Earth Mama Organics Sweet Orange Castile Baby Wash
• Earthley Wellness Kids’ Fun-Shaped Gentle Body Soap
• Primally Pure Baby Bar (READLABELS10 for 10% off)
• Pure Haven Baby Wash and Shampoo

Until my son turned 10 years old, we had used bar soap for his hair and body and never had any problems with it.  When he turned 10 and wanted to start using liquid shampoo, we chose Pure Haven Baby Wash and Shampoo for him.

For my other favorites, visit the IRLFY shop where you can find many non-toxic options for your body and house. Also, browse the IRLFY blog for answers to the many questions you may have about products and ingredients. Finally, if you have questions about the safety of products (including hair dyes), consider using one of our services.