Is Honest Shampoo & Body Wash Safe For Babies?
Written by Irina Webb
Have you ever stood in the baby care aisle wondering if a hypoallergenic, tear-free, or “natural” shampoo is truly safe for your baby? With so many labels promising plant-based or non-toxic formulas, it’s easy to assume they’re all good choices—but the truth is often more complicated.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at Honest Shampoo and Body Wash. Marketed as a gentle cleanser from head to toe made with naturally derived ingredients, it’s one of the most popular options for parents who want something safer and simpler. But is it really as gentle as it seems? Let’s find out.
Honest Shampoo & Body Wash Review
To begin with, Honest Shampoo & Body Wash markets itself as a 2-in-1 tear-free cleanser for all skin types. It is available in a variety of formulations, including sweet almond, vanilla, lavender, and fragrance-free. Reportedly, it leaves skin soft and hair manageable without artificial fragrance or harsh sulfates. Above all, it claims to be suitable for both babies and grownups. As the company’s website puts it: “Gentle for babe, but great for the whole fam.”
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at what’s actually inside a bottle of the fragrance-free Honest Shampoo and Body Wash. It’s important to remember that ingredients considered suitable for adults aren’t always the safest choice for babies. So, we’ll examine the ingredients Honest uses to determine how they measure up from a safety standpoint.
Honest Shampoo & Body Wash Ingredients Explained
As of November 2025, the ingredient list for the Honest Sensitive Fragrance-Free Shampoo and Body Wash reads as follows:
Let’s discuss the ingredients by groups.
Plant Juices & Extracts
First, the following leaf juice and extracts make up the plant-based core of the Honest Shampoo and Body Wash:
- Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice: Provides hydration and soothing benefits for delicate skin. Aloe also helps calm minor irritation and leaves skin feeling refreshed.
- Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract: Derived from marigold, calendula is often used in baby care for its gentle, skin-conditioning effects.
- Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract: Chamomile adds a soothing touch that helps minimize redness and irritation.
- Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract: Helps moisturize and condition skin while contributing to the formula’s pleasant, mild scent.
In sum, while these extracts contribute to a gentle, plant-based profile, in an ideal world, I wish at least some of them were organic, especially when it comes to a head-to-toe baby product. Without organic sourcing, there’s a risk of exposure to residual amounts of potentially harmful solvents, pesticides, or herbicides.
Cleansing Agents
Second, cleansing agents, or surfactants, make the formula foam and lift away dirt and oils:
- Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine: A coconut-derived cleanser that contributes to the product’s creamy lather. However, it can contain trace impurities (like DMAPA), which have been linked to sensitization in rare cases. You can learn more about this ingredient in my blog post on Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine.
- Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate: Made from natural oils and sugar, like glucoside surfactants, it’s biodegradable and considered less stripping than harsh sulfates, though safety data remains limited.
- Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate: Derived from coconut and amino acids (glutamic acid), it helps cleanse while supporting the skin’s natural barrier.
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate: A mild, sulfate-free cleanser known for its creamy foam and skin-friendly profile.
- Sodium Chloride: Known as simple table salt, it helps thicken the formula and stabilize the lather. It’s a naturally derived, functional ingredient that supports the cleansing system.
- Coconut Acid: Adds additional cleansing power and helps balance oil removal without over-drying.
While these surfactants help create a rich, satisfying lather, this combination may be more complex than a baby truly needs. The inclusion of cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, in particular, raises some concern in a full-body baby product because it can contain trace impurities linked to sensitization after repeated use and allergic reaction. To be fair, most manufacturers are able to keep impurity levels low enough that they are not allergenic (source and source). And with so many cleansing agents layered together, the formula feels unnecessarily sudsy for delicate infant skin. In most cases, simple glucoside surfactants would be sufficient, offering gentle cleansing with fewer potential exposure points.
Download The Free Guide!
5 Powerful Steps To A Non-Toxic Home
Join our informed consumer community and get our free guide the “5 Powerful Steps To A Non-Toxic Home”.
Conditioning & Moisturizing Ingredients
Next, conditioning and moisturizing ingredients help keep skin and hair soft after washing:
- Glycerin: A naturally derived humectant that draws moisture into the skin, preventing dryness. (Find out about the role of Glycerin In Toothpaste.)
- Panthenol (Provitamin B5): Helps strengthen hair, improve softness, and support skin hydration.
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride: A quaternary ammonium compound derived from guar beans, used to add slip, reduce static, and make detangling easier. Though I haven’t found reported cases of allergic reactions in medical literature, ECHA notes potential respiratory sensitization concerns. And realistically, this type of conditioning agent isn’t necessary in a baby wash—most babies simply don’t need detangling ingredients. Learn more about quats in my blog post Are Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Safe?.
- Sodium PCA: A naturally occurring humectant that helps retain skin’s moisture and maintain a healthy feel.
- Glutamic Acid: An amino acid that supports conditioning and contributes to the formula’s mild pH balance.
- Citric Acid: Used to regulate pH, ensuring the product remains gentle on skin and eyes.
To sum up, these conditioning and moisturizing ingredients can help keep skin soft and hydrated, but not all of them are ideal for a product used on a baby’s entire body. Specifically, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride introduces unnecessary concerns, namely potential respiratory sensitization. Besides, a baby cleanser from head to toe doesn’t need detangling agents in the first place. A formula without quats would be a safer, more appropriate option for the delicate skin of a baby.
Preservatives & Stabilizers
Lastly, water-based products require preservation to stay safe and free from bacteria and mold. Honest’s choice of preservatives is relatively safe compared to many conventional brands (find out which baby washes it is best to avoid in my Best Baby Shampoo Guide):
- Caprylyl Glycol: Acts as both a skin-conditioning agent and a preservative booster. According to the CIR panel, it has no irritation or sensitization potential, even in high concentrations.
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid: Derived from coconut, it prevents microbial growth and is on my list of safer preservatives.
- Sodium Benzoate: A widely used, food-grade preservative generally considered safe at low levels—also on my list of safer preservatives.
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate: A chelating agent that stabilizes the formula and enhances preservative effectiveness. Reportedly, it is neither a skin irritant nor a sensitizer (source).
Overall, Honest Shampoo and Body Wash uses some of the safest preservatives, much better than parabens, formaldehyde releasers, or methylisothiazolinone.
Are Honest Products Cruelty-Free?
To answer the question—yes, The Honest Company is cruelty-free. Specifically, the brand is certified by PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program, which means it does not test its ingredients, formulations, or finished products on animals. Additionally, Honest does not sell its products in markets where animal testing is required by law, such as mainland China.
However, it’s worth noting that PETA’s certification differs from Leaping Bunny certification. While both recognize cruelty-free brands, the Leaping Bunny program requires more rigorous supply chain audits and documentation at every production stage. PETA certification, on the other hand, relies primarily on company self-reporting and written assurances.
That said, Honest’s commitment to ethical and cruelty-free practices aligns with the growing consumer demand for transparency and compassion in personal care products. Still, it’s important to remember that “cruelty-free” doesn’t automatically mean “non-toxic” or “safe.”
Even cruelty-free and “natural” products can contain ingredients that can cause irritation or have limited safety data. So, while it’s commendable that Honest avoids animal testing, reading ingredient labels and understanding what each ingredient does remains the most reliable way to gauge product safety and make informed choices. As an example, read my blog post Is The Ordinary Cruelty-Free?.
Conclusion: Is Honest Shampoo A Safe Cleanser Head To Toe?
While Safer Than Many Conventional Body Washes, Honest Shampoo And Body Wash Still Includes A Few Ingredients With Limited Safety Data Or Some Sensitization Potential, Which Is Concerning For A Baby Product, In My Opinion.
In conclusion, tear-free and cruelty-free Honest Shampoo & Body Wash includes several gentle, naturally derived ingredients and a relatively mild preservative system, which is a notable improvement over many conventional baby washes. However, it also contains a surfactant and conditioning agent that may increase the health risk for a product used on a baby’s entire body. Namely, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine is somewhat concerning due to potential presence of sensitizing impurities. And guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride is a quat that babies normally don’t need; besides, it has some respiratory irritation concerns.
So, while this baby product is not unsafe, it is not the cleanest option either, in my opinion. If you are looking for the safest ingredients, you may prefer a more minimal formula, like the non-toxic cleansers below:
- Crunchi Littles® 3-in-1 Bathtime Bar (ADVOCATE10 on $50+)
- Pure Haven Baby Wash & Shampoo (PURE15)
- Other Non-Toxic Options In The IRLFY Shop
If you want to be able to quickly spot potentially harmful ingredients, my e-book Your Savvy Consumer Superpower will show you exactly how. And choose to receive my free emails to stay updated on the safest, most non-toxic products available today!
Download The Free Guide!
5 Powerful Steps To A Non-Toxic Home
Join our informed consumer community and get our free guide the “5 Powerful Steps To A Non-Toxic Home”.
It is an informative and useful guide on the Honest Shampoo and Body Wash. Thank you for sharing the blog based on your experience. All individuals concerned about their body, hair, and scalp should explore this topic and reap its benefits. I like your blog and also prefer organic products.
My husband is very sensitive to chemical and to fragrance so I am trying to find a shampoo that I can use. My hair tends to be on the greasy side. Do you have any recommendations?
Hi, Sara! Thank you for your interest! There are safe shampoo options in the shop on our website. Alternatively, Irina will be happy to help you in a private consultation.
Thanks for the article and thank readers responses. I’m having a 2nd round of “eczema” flaring up right now. I have the unbearable itchy rashes on my face and arms and upper body. I use Honest Face and Body wash. I’ve never doubted about the product and thought it was save until now. I thought it might be the fabric softener. I thought about food too. I’ll stop using it right away and see. I went the dermatologist and allergist when I first had this without much help. It went on for months. I might be allergic to a combination of things. It’s hard to tell.
Hi, Lidia:
you might want to get tested to find out which chemicals you are allergic to. Keep in touch. ~Irina
Thank you for helping to make the tricky task of buying safe products easier for families!
I recently joined with Beautycounter, a company dedicated to getting safe, clean products in the hands of everyone. They have strong values with what they will not include in their products, and have banned more than 1500 harmful chemicals from use in their products!
I’d love to know what you think about their products and their mission to change the unregulated beauty industry! Check out the products and mission.
Thanks!
Vanessa
Hi, Vanessa: I had a dance with them for two years. You can read about it here: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/beautycounter-story/ I am probably the only one who did not convert to their subjects. 🙂 Thanks though. ~Irina
I have been researching for days for a good shampoo. I came across Honest shampoo. But you left out one ingredient in your post, Honest uses sodium chloride (table salt) which is a thickener but also causes dryness and hair loss. I have had little luck finding one shampoo and conditioner which doesn’t have at least one bad ingredient. Honest was close but the table salt added makes it not good either (at least makes me skeptical of buying it).
Hi, Marie: have you seen my review of Hairprint shampoo? https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/hairprint-non-toxic-shampoo-review/ ~Irina
I recently bought the Honest sweet orange and vanilla and used it on my 4 month old. The first day we used it to bath him we noticed that his eyes got irritated but didn’t pay to much mind to it considering that it says tear free on the bottle. By the third day one of his eyes got red and really irritated. I stopped using it on him and the irritation in his eyes cleared up. I wanted to give the wash the benefit of a doubt and used it on my special needs kid who is 12 and the same exact thing happened to him too. I’ve since stopped using the product and have gone back to using Aveno.
Can you do the same analysis for the Kirkland Signature and body wash? Thanks.
This is a good idea, Nancy. I will consider that. Thanks. ~Irina
Thank you for such a wonderful article dear and from my side I want to say that i am using multivitamin shampoo for my hair Because this antioxident rich shampoo helps to perfect and renew vibrancy to dull, lackluster hair. When used in our 10-IN-1 RENEWAL SYSTEM it provides Sulfate-free cleansing, anti-aging benefits, color protection, hydration, nourishment, rejuvenation, anti-stress, manageability and softness without build up.
Thank you for what you do!!
Hi Irina
Thanks for your helpful reviews. Do you have a list of products you recommend for use during pregnancy? I need shampoo,conditioner, body wash and moisturiser and face wash and face moisturiser. Thank you
Hi Tash, all the products I recommend on my blog should be safe to use during pregnancy. Please look at this page for directory. Thanks! Congratulations! ~Irina
Hi Irina,
Just discovered your blog and really love it!
What do you think about Dr. Bronner’s soap?
Yes, I do recommend Dr. Bronner’s! Welcome to my blog, Katya! ~Irina
Thank you for this insightful post. I’ve ised the Honest Company shampoo/body wash on my one year old daughter since she was born. I recently bought a new bottle and she has developed an irritating rash since using it. I will be purchasing the Valenti True Castille bar soap for her, but am wondering if you have any recommendations for a safe shampoo to use on her? Thanks so much!
Hi Ali, I actually still use bar soap on my son’s hair. Have you heard of California Baby? I like the ingredients.
Thanks so much.
Thank you for the in depth review! Even for someone like me who has researched body product ingredients a lot, I always learn something new from your reviews. I agree with your recommendation that we should not use adult products for babies and children. Their skin is more sensitive and we should try to limit exposure to toxins as much as possible. I am very careful about the products we use on our toddler. We stick with natural soap for our son’s hair and body. He is clean and his hair looks great!
One thought that came to mind when reading your assessment of the ingredients is the “processing” method for extractives. The process to come up with the extractives or derivations of plants/herbs/etc. could include toxic chemicals that might be left over in the final product. Do you have any insight on how the extracts above are manufactured?
Nice to hear from you, Katie! You are absolutely right about the fact some extractions are done with solvents and thus their trace amounts may remain in the products. I wish I had more information about that. Unfortunately, my communication with Honest co. is limited. For that reason I prefer to buy from smaller business where I can get in touch with people who make products directly.
Thanks Irina! I always make a note about the extractions with solvents in my reviews of beauty products, so I thought I would mentioned it.
I prefer to buy from smaller businesses also! 🙂
Thank you for your thorough reviews. I love the Ava Anderson NonToxic line avaBABY and avaBODY shampoos, body washes and shower gels!
Hi dear
What is you opinion on the honest co multipurpose cleaner? How many bad ingredients? It works well thouhg on everything
Hi Mehnaz, I like that there is glucoside cleanser and that there are no artificial fragrances in it. My concern is that there are two ingredients that are concerning to me: PPG-4 Laureth/Myreth-5 and Methylisothiazolinone. PPG-4 Laureth/Myreth-5 is a cleanser initially derived from coconut oil, somewhere in a chain of chemical reactions carcinogenic ethylene oxide is added, which means that if the company does not use vacuum process the by-product of this reaction – carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane – may remain in the product. The other concerning Methylisothiazolinone is banned in the European Union from the use in cosmetics. What’s interesting to me that the EPA says that the only uses of methylisothiazolinone that come in contact with food they tolerate and regulate are paper, paper products, and adhesives. So I would not use the Honest company multi-purpose cleaner on the surfaces that come in contact in food. Most cleaning products have some concerns about them. I recommend using homemade cleaners if possible. And use commercial cleaners only if you have to. Here is a post where you can find some of my recipes.
I’ve been doing it for about 6 months. I only wash my hair once a week or twice maximum if it’s hot out or if I workout hard. I haven’t found it to be drying even though I have dey skin to begin with. I use trader joes tea tree hair shampoo once in a while. Seems to work ok.
Good for you! I am so glad you have good results! I wish it had worked for me. 🙁
Have you ever analyzed the ingredients in the Whole Foods brand shampoo, 365? I love the big jugs that it comes in. Thank you for analyzing and recommending John Masters. It’s easy to find. I’m switching to that based on your recommendation.
Hi! Whole Foods brand is not too bad but I wish there were some certified organic ingredient in it. I am glad that you will be using John Masters.
I really enjoy reading your blog and have gotten quite a few products thanks to your research.
Currently I use baking soda to wash my hair and although it doesn’t suds the way shampoo does it seems to leave my hair clean. Have you ever tried this method? I still use shampoo once in a blue moon but the baking soda just seems to work.
Would love your input
Hi Batya, yes – I have tried this method and I really wanted it to work. Unfortunately, baking soda has high pH, which means that it is drying for the hair. After a month of use, my hair got dry and brittle. How long have you been using it?
I did it for about 6 months and my hair started to fall out. I am not sure if it was my thyroid or the baking soda but my hair got dry at the ends as well. The fullness has now returned yet but the falling out has stopped.
I am now using herbaliz shampoo.
I will see how it goes.
Thanks
Hi! Let me know how you like Herbaliz shampoo. The ingredients look great!
We recently switched to this shampoo/body wash for our two year old. She has been dealing with a irritating rash for the past week and a half and I think I finally realized it could be this soap. I feel terrible for using a product that has made her so uncomfortable. Do you have any recommendations for baby wash?
Hi, Amanda! I would switch to true castile bar soap by Valenti Organics. How do you feel about using bar soap instead of liquid wash? This is what I have been using for my son and never had to use any moisturizer. You can read about the soap here as well as about other options. I hope your daughter will feel better soon! ~Irina
Thank you so much for your quick response! I’m totally up to trying bar soap for her body wash, but what about shampoo? Do you use it as shampoo as well for your son?
I use the bar soap as shampoo, too. Try it and let me know what you think.
Irina…been having terrible dr, ichy ski esp o farms. Dermatologist suggested an oatmeal body wash. Found HONEst ad there was no Aveeno. Was disappointed to see there is aloe in it. I am allergic to aloe. Do you know the percentage? It’s listed 13th…kind of in the middle of the list. 🤔
Hi, Erin! Have you tried contacting Honest customer service? We hope they will provide you with the information you are looking for! If you would like to use our consulting services, Irina will be happy to help you: https://ireadlabelsforyou.com/services/
I started using this about a week or so ago and I really love this product, however, I have started to develop itchiness all over my body and even rash like redness where I have not been itching and I am not sure if it is from this product or not. I have not changed anything else like my laundry detergent or anything so I am sadly going to have to stop using this product to see if my itchiness/rash subsides..Any suggestions? I was using Dove unscented body wash for years up until this product, should I just go back to that?
Hi Jes, how do you feel about bar soap? In my research, I found that they are the best for your health and for the environment. The ones I use and recommend are made with organic plant oil – so good for your skin! Check out my list here. Let me know what you think.
Oleic acid is a fatty acid, also known as Omega 9. Not harmful at all, it is found in oils like olive oil. If you have ever gotten oil in your eyes, you know it is definitely an eye irritant! I cant imagine why it would be considered an environmental toxin, though….
I checked with the Canada Domestic Substance List and oleic acid is not listed as an environmental toxin. I am not sure why the Skin Deep database says that Canada Domestic Substance List has it as a suspected environmental toxin. I will email the EWG about that. Thank you, Macy, for your help.