You may have thought selecting bath products for your child would be easier than choosing their car seat. While it has fewer variables, picking the best baby shampoo and wash isn’t as simple as you might think. There are dozens of options, but so many contain dangerous chemicals, making the decision even harder.
It is baffling to think that so many normal bath products contain toxic ingredients that may have lasting effects on our children. When our babies are born into this world, their developmental and immune system are so fragile. Washing them in a tub full of possible carcinogens is frightening to many parents.
The first thing that parents should do is pay attention to the ratings by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). They do all of the research and rank baby products, along with other personal care products, based on their safety level. If the product has a 0 grade, it is considered perfectly safe. If the product ranks a 10, you need to stay far away from it.
The Chemicals You Should Avoid
When selecting the best baby shampoo and wash for your child, you need to be cautious about the ingredients. Let’s look at the chemicals you need to avoid.
- Phthalates and Parabens: In most bath products, you can find these two products listed. Some companies hide them under different names such as DEP, DBP, DEHP and other words ending with “paraben.”
There are a lot of reasons to avoid these two nasty chemicals. First, both are endocrine disruptors, meaning they may cause issues with the reproductive systems and endometriosis for females. Second, phthalates can lead to asthma. You need to avoid these products because they may lead to cancer.
- Fragrance: There are safe ways to create a fragrance. It is best to avoid any products that use chemicals, produced by coal and petroleum by-products, to create the smells. You can find these synthetic chemicals in many products, including disposable diapers and personal care products. While the scents are beautiful, the chemicals used can lead to many problems like allergies, eczema and skin irritation.
- Formaldehyde: Most people have heard of this chemical. It is a known human carcinogen that can lead to allergy-like reactions, respiratory problems, headaches, and nausea. Formaldehyde is a preservative and can be under other names such as Glyoxal, Bronopol, and Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate.
- Propylene Glycol: To help their product absorb into your skin, companies add propylene glycol to act as a penetration enhancer. It is a carcinogenic chemical that allows chemicals to enter into your open pores. You can find it on products as PEG or PPG.
The Best Baby Shampoo and Wash Choices
Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash
Burt’s Bees always tops lists for safe personal care products. Their Baby Bees shampoo and wash contain no parabens, phthalates, petroleum based products, or formaldehyde. It is tear-free with an EWG rating of 2, letting us know this is a safe option for our babies.
Burt’s Bees offer an unscented and a lavender vanilla scent. They use natural products to scent their products such as sweet almond oil, rosewood, and coriander fruit oil. Shea Butter and Aloe Vera are added to nurture and moisturize sensitive and dry skin. The Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash is an excellent choice for parents.
Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
Next up on our list of the best baby shampoo and wash is the Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo. It receives a 2 out of 10 rating by the EWG, showing it is a safe option for your baby. My parents love Puracy because it lacks many of the toxic chemicals we want to avoid. Puracy contains no:
- Sulfates – SLS, SLES, SCS
- Unnatural Preservatives
- Triclosan
- Formaldehyde
- Salicylates
- Parabens
- Phosphates
- Petroleum based products
- Perfumes and dyes
A team of doctors worked to help ensure Puracy is safe for children. They use a blend of pink grapefruit and natural botanical extracts to create a subtle scent. Puracy uses no animal by-products; it is a vegan and gluten free product. Animals weren’t used for testing; this is a sticking point for many parents! If you want a product that contains no harmful chemicals, Puracy is an excellent option.
Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bath, Lavender, and Vanilla
When parents switch to natural bath products, they often select Aveeno. It is available in most stores and makes quality products. Their Calming Comfort Bath contains no parabens and phthalates, and many pediatricians recommend it.
Aveeno adds unusual ingredients to their products. Colloidal Oatmeal helps to restore your baby’s healthy pH levels and will aid the skin’s moisture barrier. It helps to prevent and protect dry skin. Oats are known to help relieve dry, itchy and irritated skin.
For babies with sensitive skin, you can’t go wrong with Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bath. The lavender and vanilla may even help your child go to sleep easier, and that’s a bonus for the parents.
Babyganics Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
Babyganic’s foaming baby shampoo and body wash are made with non-allergenic ingredients. It is designed for infants with sensitive skin. Parents don’t have to worry about reactions; Babyganics consulted pediatricians and dermatologists when creating their great baby shampoo and body wash. There are no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, mineral oil, petroleum based products, fragrances or dyes, and it was never tested on animals.
Babyganics uses natural ingredients to ensure your baby gets clean without any toxins. They use NeoNourish seed oil blend, created with the essential oils from black cumin, red raspberries, tomatoes, sunflower, and cranberries. All of their products are gentle on your child’s eyes. There is so much to love about the Babyganics baby shampoo and body wash.
California Baby Calming Shampoo and Body Wash
California Baby is a new product line on the market that is gaining popularity. It was created by a mother, who wanted bath care products without toxins. One of their products is an excellent choice for the best baby shampoo and wash, and it has a lovely French lavender scent.
The shampoo and body wash is tear free, without the use of 1,4-dioxane. There are no sulfates, gluten, soy, oats, dairy or nuts used in the creation of the soap. The calming version uses natural French lavender and clary sage essential oils to create a lovely scent. However, California Baby also offers a Super Sensitive version that is unscented.
Parents love California Baby for their sustainably grown, vegan ingredients that are all made in the USA. It has fewer chemicals than the mainstream options and will leave your baby feeling clean.
Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Baby Shampoo and Wash
Babo Botanicals is one of the best baby shampoo and wash, made with an oatmilk and calendula mixture. The scent is subtle and lovely, coming from natural ingredients only. The EWG gives Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Baby Shampoo and Wash gets a green rating, letting parents know it is a safe product.
They used only safe ingredients, ensuring children with sensitive skin can use their products. There are no sulfates, formaldehyde, parabens, and phthalates. They also added no synthetic fragrances and colors. Babo Botanicals adds no dairy and soy products to their bath care products, so it is ideal for babies. Soy has many disorders and side effects linked to it. Also, they used no nut oils during production. If you need a product that is safe for babies with allergies, Babo Botanicals is one of the best options.
Weleda Calendula Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
Weleda is a popular brand in Europe for natural baby products. Their popularity is growing in the United States because of their conscious efforts to create safe options for parents. They use no sulfates, parabens, phthalates and mineral oils in their baby shampoo and body wash.
They added a gentle surfactant made with sugar and coconut to help nourish the skin. Weleda uses almond and sesame seed oils to moisturize the skin as well. None of the products used are dangerous. Instead, they are meant to help your baby’s skin. Calendula, grown in Germany, is an anti-inflammatory product that can reduce swelling and reddening of the skin. If your child has dry skin or eczema, Weleda’s baby shampoo and wash is a splendid option. It is gentle and will protect their skin.
These are seven of the best baby shampoo and wash options for parents. All of these products are safe for children, which is the most important factor for parents. You want the product you pick to use natural ingredients that are safe for all babies, including babies with dry and sensitive skin.
Many babies suffer from eczema and dry skin. Chemicals in mainstream products can make the problems worse. It is important to search for products with the least amount of toxins as well as selecting unscented and dye free products. Dyes and fragrances can cause flare ups for babies with rashes.
I would love to know your favorite baby shampoo and wash. There are so many great selections on the market. Let us know in the comments what you use for your family.
