No More Tears at Bath Time: Choosing the Best Shampoo for Kids

Most babies and kids love bath time—apart from one element, which can be tricky: shampooing their hair! While some children tolerate this task, others find it particularly difficult. And it’s no surprise why: not only do many kids hate the feeling of water getting into their eyes, but some shampoos can sting when this happens—ouch!

Even if your little ones are fine with having their hair washed, you may be keen to discover more about the safest kids shampoos on the market, and how to choose the very best shampoo for kids that’ll turn bath time into a bubbly breeze! We’ve got everything you need to know below.

Contents:

• The Best Shampoo for Kids
  • How Do We Choose and Test to Find the Top Shampoos?
  • Summary of the Winning Shampoos
  • The Best Choices
• How Often Should Kids Shampoo Their Hair?
• What is “Tear-Free” Shampoo?
• Shampoo Ingredients to Look For and What to Avoid in the Best Shampoos for Kids
• Choosing the Right Shampoo for Your Child’s Hair Type
• Kids’ Hair Care Tips
• Teaching Kids to Wash Their Hair
• FAQs

The Best Shampoo for Kids

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How Do We Choose and Test to Find the Top Shampoos?

To decide on the best kids shampoos we looked at several key elements, including effectiveness (how clean it gets children’s hair), ease of use, value for money, and comfort. The latter is about how the product smells and feels and—most importantly—whether it’s likely to sting if it gets in kids’ eyes.

Summary of the Winning Shampoos

The Best Choices

Best Shampoo for Babies: Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo and Bodywash

Credit: puracy.com

• Suitable for: Newborn and up
• Price: Around $19.99

This tear and chemical-free formula is designed especially for babies’ and toddlers’ delicate scalps and is gentle enough to use every day. One of the best things about Puracy Natural Shampoo is that it can be completely rinsed out with just a single cup of water, making washing your little one’s hair a quick and easy task. Plus the formula is so gentle on the skin and scalp that it’s even suitable for babies with sensitive skin, cradle cap, or eczema.

Best Natural Shampoo for Babies and Kids: The Honest Company Shampoo and Bodywash

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• Suitable for: Newborn and up
• Price: Around $11.97

Loved by parents for its tear-free, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free formula, The Honest Company Shampoo and Bodywash is a great natural alternative to highly perfumed products that could irritate little ones’ sensitive skin. This shampoo is also free from parabens and sulfates and is made from naturally derived vegan ingredients. Parents note how moisturizing the formula is, meaning there’s no need to be worried about the product exacerbating dry skin or scalp or stripping away natural oils.

Best Shampoo for Kids with Sensitive Skin: Aveeno Kids Sensitive Face and Bodywash

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• Suitable for: 3 years +
• Price: Around $10.98

Aveeno’s Kids Sensitive Face and Bodywash can also be used to wash the hair. It’s formulated with naturally derived oat extract and effectively cleans and freshens without drying out or upsetting kids’ delicate skin, has a light, pleasant scent and is free from dyes, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol. It can be safely used even by little ones with sensitive skin or scalps. For kids who prefer a gel-like consistency to shampoo and bodywash, this product will fit the bill perfectly.

Best Shampoo for Detangling Hair: Childs Farm Groomed to Perfection Shampoo

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• Suitable for: Newborn and up
• Price: Around $7.39

This shampoo will have your boy’s or girl’s hair looking and feeling smooth and you may find there’s no need to use detangling conditioners after washing. Its award-winning formula has been pediatrician and dermatologist-approved and comprises 98% naturally derived ingredients, including argan oil and organic strawberry and mint, meaning it smells beautiful while also gently cleaning your child’s hair.

This shampoo is suitable for kids with eczema-prone and sensitive skin.

Best anti-Dandruff Shampoo for Kids: Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo and Bodywash

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• Suitable for: Newborn and up
• Price: Around $14.98

If your baby or toddler (or older child) suffers from seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap), dandruff, flaking, or redness and irritation of the scalp, this medicated shampoo could be the answer. Developed specifically for kids, Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy shampoo contains pyrithione zinc, a safe and effective ingredient that’s been used for years to treat cradle cap and dandruff, as well as licorice root extract, which can help soothe redness behind babies’ ears, and in their neck folds and armpits.

Best Moisturizing Shampoo for Kids: I’m Not a Baby! Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 3 years +
• Price: Around $38.99

It may not be the cheapest shampoo on our list, but this shampoo, with a lotion-like consistency, comes highly recommended by parents. It contains goats’ milk which provides rich moisture and creates a protective barrier to strengthen kids’ hair and keep it looking healthy and shiny. This product sits neatly between baby products and highly perfumed adult shampoos, providing a great solution to slightly older kids’ needs.

Best Shampoo for Kids with Oily Hair: TBH Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 3 years +
• Price: Around $9.95

If your child has oily hair, it’s more important than ever to choose the right shampoo in order not to make the problem worse. TBH herbal shampoo has been formulated specifically for oily hair, with gentle ingredients such as cedar bark, nettle, and sage working to help balance the hair’s oil levels. At the same time, meadowsweet offers gentle, safe hydration while quinoa moisturizes and repairs locks, while helping prevent future breakage.

Best Shampoo for Kids with Curly Hair: Fairy Tales Curly Q Hydrating Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 3 month +
• Price: Around $18.95 for the set of shampoo and conditioner

Designed to cleanse and quench curly hair, this is the perfect shampoo for infants with curly hair—as well as being detangling and hydrating, it’ll enhance your little one’s gorgeous natural curls. Free from toxic ingredients and harsh chemicals that can be harmful to kids’ delicate skin, Fairy Tales Curly Q shampoo contains avocado butter, quinoa, and jojoba oil to tame frizz and nourish hair to keep it light and bouncy all day long. Team with the Fairy Tales Curly Q conditioner for the ultimate detangling effect!

Best Shampoo for Kids Who Love Bubbles: Native Moisturizing Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 7 years +
• Price: Around $9.99

Is your kid a certified bubble monster at bath time? If a shampoo that lathers up beautifully is something that makes your kid happy, then this option from Native could be perfect. Better still, it’s free from parabens, sulfates, and silicone, using just ten thoughtfully chosen and sourced ingredients to deliver a luxurious, moisturizing lather that the whole family will love. The warm and sweet vanilla coconut scent is gorgeous, too.

Best Shampoo for Kids with Dry Hair: Shea Moisture Mango and Carrot Kids Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 3 years +
• Price: Around $16.85

This beautifully rich shampoo will gently clean and detangle kids’ delicate hair and is perfect for children with dry or fine hair—it also provides strength and protects against breakage. It’s packed with nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, olive oil, mango butter, and coconut oil, along with carrot oil to promote healthy hair growth and orange blossom extract to soothe sensitive scalps.

Best affordable Shampoo for Kids: Johnson’s CottonTouch Newborn Wash and Shampoo

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• Suitable for: Newborn and up
• Price: Around $5.98

Not all great shampoos for babies and kids have to cost the Earth. This affordable product from Johnson’s is tear-free and hypoallergenic and designed to leave your little one’s hair beautifully soft, clean, and moisturized.

The product uses blended cotton, alongside its other ingredients, to form an invisible, lightweight protective layer. In fact, it’s so gentle that it can be safely used for newborns.

Best 2-in-1 Shampoo for Kids: Fresh Monster 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner

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• Suitable for: 2 years +
• Price: Around $8

A 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner is a convenient option, especially handy for kids who want to have the hairwashing part of bath time over as quickly as possible. This product from Fresh Monster is plant-based, completely free of toxins, sulfates, parabens, and dyes, and is gentle on the eyes. The brand was developed by a pair of moms keen to create safe, natural haircare that children would love, to keep children’s skin and hair healthy and happy.

Best Shampoo for Kids who Love to Swim: Evere Afterswim and Sports Kids Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 3 years +
• Price: Around $24.95

If you have a child who loves being in the water, you may wonder how to protect their hair from drying out due to the chlorine. This clay-based shampoo effectively detoxes the hair from chlorine, dirt, and sweat, and replenishes essential moisture, while its argan oil and plant protein peptides strengthen the hair, fight frizz, and add shine. Made with safe and clean ingredients, Evere Afterswim and Sports Kids shampoo is even suitable for kids with sensitive skin.

Best Shampoo for Tweens: Teenology Shampoo

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• Suitable for: 12 years +
• Price: Around $29

This shampoo will be loved by your tween or teenager. It’s been designed to keep hair clean and healthy and prevent skin breakouts. Hair-loving ingredients like sage, aloe vera, and vanilla bean extract keep locks looking their best, while hibiscus flower and comfrey extract unblock pores and help remove dead skin cells and sweet almond oil improves skin tone and fights inflammation. It’s a complete solution for your tween or teen’s hair and skin care needs.

Want to ensure your child’s safety at all times? The Findmykids app offers real-time tracking so you can monitor their location. Download it today for worry-free parenting!

How Often Should Kids Shampoo Their Hair?

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Wondering how often you should be washing your little one’s hair? Well, it depends on their age, hair type, and activity level; it’s generally recommended that older kids should shower and wash their hair more frequently than younger children.

A hair wash two to three times a week is normally about right for kids with normal hair, while babies’ hair only needs to be washed once or twice a week. This should be sufficient to help prevent cradle cap, dandruff, and ringworm. In most cases, newborns’ first bath and hair wash should be after their umbilical cord has fallen off.

What is “Tear-Free” Shampoo?

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We all know how much shampoo and soap can sting if they get in our eyes. For kids, this stinging can be particularly unpleasant, leading to them becoming averse to having their hair washed—something that’s stressful for everyone. When you shop for shampoo for your baby or child, it’s a good idea to look for those marked as being “Tear-free.” This indicates the shampoo is a more gentle formulation, designed specifically not to irritate little one’s eyes. It won’t contain harsh chemicals, perfumes, and other ingredients that can cause discomfort to the eyes.

A “Tear-free” shampoo typically has undergone extensive testing to ensure it can be safely used around the eyes, and that it won’t sting should any inadvertently get into the eyes. This type of product is a good way of both taking care of your little one’s hair and steering clear of a melt-down should any of the product get splashed into their eyes.

Shampoo Ingredients to Look For and What to Avoid in the Best Shampoos for Kids

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To figure out what to look out for and what to avoid when choosing the best shampoo for your child, there are several key things to think about.

Firstly, consider the age of your kid. Babies and toddlers will need a gentle formulation that won’t irritate their delicate skin or sting their eyes, while older kids will likely need a shampoo that will more effectively cleanse and nourish their hair.

Whatever your child’s age, look out for harmful ingredients or toxins that could cause skin irritations or allergic reactions. It’s a good idea to avoid any products containing sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and artificial colors—this is especially important for shampoos for babies.

Opt for shampoos containing natural ingredients that are much less likely to irritate a little one’s skin. These ingredients include jojoba oil, tea tree oil, aloe vera, and chamomile, which promote a healthy scalp and gently cleanse the hair.

For toddlers and kids, take into account their preferences, in order to help bath time run as smoothly as possible. For example, some children may prefer their shampoo to have a gel consistency, or like the smell of one product over another. Where possible, opting for a shampoo that your child likes will make the hair washing experience a positive one—for everyone!

Choosing the Right Shampoo for Your Child’s Hair Type

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Understanding your child’s hair and skin type is vital to get the best shampoo for their needs, and that will most effectively cleanse and nourish their beautiful locks. So, a child with sensitive skin or scalp, that is easily irritated, will need a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free product formulated specially to be mild and soothing.

Kids with oily hair are likely to benefit from a gently clarifying shampoo, while the best shampoos for curly-haired children are those that are moisturizing, to cut down on dryness and frizz.

Kids’ Hair Care Tips

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Caring for your kid’s hair doesn’t need to be a hassle with these handy hints and hacks!

• Use our guide above to identify the best shampoo for your child—finding the perfect product really can make a huge difference.
• Consider using a bath visor for kids who are fearful of water running down their faces or getting into their eyes. Alternatively, try swim goggles, or allow your child to hold a towel over their face while their hair is being washed.
• Once hair is washed, use a wide-toothed comb through the hair.
• Avoid using heat to dry or style the hair—and never do so for babies. If absolutely necessary, for older kids, use the lowest heat setting possible.
• Ensure braids and ponytails aren’t too tight: style gently, to avoid damaging the hair.
• Babies and very young children may find it less stressful to have the shampoo rinsed off using a damp washcloth rather than by pouring water over their hair.
• Just as with adults, a child’s diet will have a major impact on the health of their skin and hair, so ensure they’re getting the right vitamins and nutrients.

Teaching Kids to Wash Their Hair

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At some point—and it will differ for each child—your little one will be ready to wash their own hair. You can help them prepare for this by having them practice shampooing a doll’s hair—or even your own if you’re feeling brave!

When they’re ready to have a go at washing their own hair, talk them through the process before starting. Next, have them wet their hair using, for example, a small plastic cup, and then put a small amount of shampoo in their hand. Ask your child to start to rub the shampoo into their hair to lather it up, providing gentle guidance if needed. Have them rinse their hair, asking them to feel their hair after each rinse, to teach them how to check whether all the suds have gone.

Have a towel ready, and show them how to use it to dry their hair. At this point, you could teach them how to brush their hair, too—if they don’t already do this. Your child will feel so proud of themself that they’ve managed to complete this whole task by themselves.

Of course, even if your child has mastered washing their hair, it’s vital to never leave young kids alone in the bath; they should still always be closely supervised.

Make Bath Time a Blast with the Best Shampoo for Your Child

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The prospect of washing their child’s hair is something that can cause shivers to run down the spine of many a parent! However, there are plenty of things you can do to make bath time a more pleasant experience (for everyone), and one of these is choosing the right shampoo for your little one and their needs.

Use the guide above to discover the product that’ll best suit your child, and prepare for bad hair wash days to become a thing of the past!

How does your child react to having their hair washed? Do you have any tips for fellow parents struggling with a kid who hates this element of bath time? Drop us a line in the comments box below and let us in on how you turned things around.

FAQs

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What is the best shampoo for kids?

The best shampoo for kids depends on the child’s age, their level of activity, their hair type, and whether they have sensitive skin or other skin conditions. Generally speaking, the best shampoos for children are those with mild, tear-free, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free formulas that incorporate natural ingredients.

Is adult shampoo ok for kids?

Mild adult shampoos may be ok for older kids, but are likely to be too highly perfumed and contain too many chemicals to be suitable for babies and toddlers. However, natural, organic, mild adult shampoos are likely to be ok for children—it’s a case of checking the label carefully to find out what each product contains.

When should kids start using regular shampoo?

While there is no age set in stone that a child should start using regular shampoo, most can start using “normal” shampoos from around seven years of age. Caution should be exercised, however, especially for kids with sensitive skin, and use discontinued if any irritation occurs.

What is the most recommended baby shampoo?

Some of the most recommended baby shampoos include Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo and Bodywash, The Honest Company Shampoo and Bodywash, and Child’s Farm Baby Shampoo.

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