10 Best Shampoos and Conditioners for Kids in 2023
Newborns and their delicate skin are some of the most adorable things. Every mother wishes to keep their babies glowing and healthy. The very delicate skin of little babies needs to be handled with extra care, including washing their hair with carefully formulated products. One of the most common headaches for new mothers is how to cleanse the sensitive baby scalp. Choosing the right type of shampoos for little babies and kids will make your parenthood journey a lot easier.
There are many baby shampoos and conditioners on the market. But, we have made it easier for you by identifying some of the best shampoos and conditioners for kids. Have a look.
Best Shampoos & Conditioners for Kids
Our Top 3 Picks
Best Natural Shampoo for Kids: The Honest Company Perfectly Gentle Shampoo
The Honest Company Sweet Orange Vanilla Shampoo is packed with naturally derived ingredients to help clean and nourish your baby’s hair and scalp. This one is specially formulated, keeping babies with sensitive skin in mind.
Not just formulated with natural ingredients such as jojoba, aloe vera, almond and coconut oil, the shampoo is also free from harsh chemicals. Its vegan formula is free from parabens and sulfates. Hence it’s safe for babies who are prone to allergic reactions.
Moreover, this product works very well as a body wash for kids. Besides cleansing, hydrating and nourishing the skin, this product also creates a sense of soothing freshness after each bath.
Tear-free, the manufacturer ensured that the formula wouldn’t cause a burning sensation when it comes in contact with the eyes. It is unscented, so a great choice for parents looking for something that doesn’t irritate their baby’s skin.
Best Shampoo for Kids with Curly Hair: SheaMoisture Mango & Carrot Kids Conditioner
As the name suggests, the SheaMoisture Shampoo & Conditioner is a nourishing blend of mango butter and carrot oil for babies with curly hair. Taking a bath will be a fun-filled time, thanks to the sweet mango aroma that fills the air while rubbing the scalp.
The mango butter ingredient provides a moisture-rich emollient to your baby’s hair with a silky and soft touch. On the other hand, carrot oil prevents hair follicle breakage and stimulates blood cells for natural hair growth. As it brings out healthy and beautiful curls with a beautiful smell, your baby can say goodbye to dry, frizzy hair.
Other natural ingredients include coconut oil to seal open hair cuticles and orange blossoms to soothe sensitive scalps. Hence, this is one of the few baby curly hair shampoo and conditioners that you can use daily without worrying about skin irritations.
Best Shampoo for Kids with Dry Scalp: Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo
Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo is the ultimate solution for treating dry scalp, dandruff flakes, and similar skin conditions in babies. The formula of Happy Cappy is specially created to effectively fight flaking, redness, itching, scaling, and irritation in children of all ages.
Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo is formulated with the active ingredient Zinc Pyrithione. This FDA-approved active ingredient is proven effective and safe for kids.
This Happy Cappy readily available over-the-counter solution comes in an 8-fl oz bottle. You only require a small amount to wash the full body from head to toe. Not just an effective baby shampoo for dry scalp or dandruff, adults can also use this shampoo to treat similar skin issues. So it’s a good idea to store it safely once used rather than going back to the counter again.
Good Shampoos & Conditioners for Kids
Rated Highly by Parents and Experts
Mustela Baby Gentle Shampoo
Cradle cap is another very common scalp condition in newborns, but new parents often fail to spot the difference between dry scalp and cradle cap. While newborns usually have a soft, delicate scalp, you will need a gentle formulation that can clear your child’s scalp without irritating the skin.
You will find a few cradle cap shampoos out there that can clear up cradle cap flakes effectively. The Mustela Baby Gentle Shampoo is one of them! The shampoo uses a high concentration of natural ingredients to facilitate the removal of cradle cap flakes quickly. Unlike regular shampoos that dry out the scalp, Mustela’s gentle formula ensures your baby’s skin remains naturally soft and moist.
The tear-free formula utilizes the power of Avocado Perseose to gently cleanses the hair and scalp. It’s dermatologically tested safe and free from harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol. And it has a wonderful smell that’s not overpowering.
Johnson’s Ultra-Hydrating Kids’ Shampoo
Johnson has been a trusted brand name for decades in baby care products among new parents. One of its popular baby products is Johnson’s Ultra-Hydrating Kids’ Shampoo that comes in a 13.6-fluid ounce bottle.
Specially formulated for cleansing your baby’s delicate hair and scalp, this shampoo is enriched with essential nutrients, like proteins and pro-vitamin B5, for faster hair growth in babies. In addition to being gentle and harmless to the eyes, this formula is also completely free of paraben, phthalate, and sulfate. Moreover, Johnson’s reputation in the dermatology industry guarantees that this shampoo is safe for your child.
This soap-free shampoo deeply cleanses the scalp to promote healthy hair growth in kids. As an ultra-moisturizing shampoo, it keeps the baby’s hair moisturized for a long time. Therefore, it is an ideal shampoo for kids during the dry winter months.
Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Lice Shampoo
The Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Lice Shampoo is a mild cleansing formula designed to keep your baby safe from head lice. This formula gently cleanses the hair, leaving it soft and with a light sweet fragrance.
Specially formulated with natural ingredients such as organic rosemary, citronella, tea tree, and geranium oils, this shampoo offers up to 96% protection against lice. The shampoo also uses a powerful blend of jojoba and chamomile to replenish lost moisture and nutrients during a bath. Hence, your baby is more likely to have a hydrated and moisturized scalp.
The shampoo is easy to apply on wet hair and rinses thoroughly without leaving any greasy residue. It’s also a tear-free shampoo that can help remove your baby’s dry scalp flakes and deliver a smooth, shiny texture.
Furthermore, this product has been tested safe by dermatologists and pediatricians. Free of gluten, parabens, or phthalates, it is ideal for both kids and adults with head lice.
Fresh Monster Kids Shampoo & Conditioner
Fresh Monster Kids Shampoo & Conditioner comes with an eye-catching package of two bottles. With the 2-in-1 formula, you no longer need to apply a conditioner after washing the little one’s hair. Therefore, it makes your baby’s bathing time more hassle-free and time-saving.
Most regular baby soaps cause irritation to the eyes, thus bring more tears than fun during bath time. Formulated with natural ingredients, this Fresh Monster product is gentle to the eyes.
This formula is dermatologically tested safe for sensitive skin. If your newborn baby has allergy problems, know that this hypoallergenic shampoo has no toxins such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, or dyes.
The plant-based cleanser ensures that your baby’s hair becomes silky soft, shiny, and free from flakes and dandruff. The shampoo has a heavenly watermelon smell; even kids will love the light, refreshing aroma.
Other Recommended Shampoos & Conditioners for Kids
Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo
Babies are very sensitive to all forms of synthetic products that come close to their skin. It’s why Puracy Baby Shampoo is formulated with natural ingredients derive from plants. Hence, it is one of the best hypoallergenic and natural baby shampoos you can find on the market.
Puracy’s gentle formula includes coconut oil that helps unclog hair follicles and nourishes the roots for healthy hair growth in kids. While the citrus and sea salt blend helps balance the Ph of the scalp, resulting in a relieved or soothing scalp.
Additionally, the vegan formula works as a natural moisturizer to prevent dry scalp conditions. The formula also will work great to provide a bubble bath for kids. Lastly, All the organic extracts combine to offer a light, citrus scent that every baby will love after a bath.
Cantu Care for Kids Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner Duo
Honey is the sweetest thing to eat and the best you can use on your skin due to its antibacterial, nourishing, and moisturizing properties. The Cantu Care for Kids Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner is formulated using a powerful blend of honey fresh from the hives, shea butter and coconut oil.
Toxic chemicals can damage a baby’s scalp and hair during a bath. That’s why Cantu Care Nourishing Shampoo comprises natural ingredients to offer gentle care for fine, textured hair.
Trusted among new parents, the noshing shampoo has a safe formula for the sensitive baby scalp and skin. It also means that it’s paraben-free and sulfate-free. No doubt that this conditioner and body wash duo will allow your baby to have some fun bath-time moments besides growing healthy and strong hair.
SoCozy Kids Swim Shampoo
This one is a multi-purpose cleanser from SoCozy. You can use it as a shampoo, a conditioner and a body wash for kids. The formulated is enriched with activated charcoal, jojoba oil and coffee seed extract to remove chlorine and green tones from damaged baby hair usually caused by chemicals and saltwater from kiddie pools during the summer season.
The combination of natural ingredients also strengthens the hair root and infuses hair with moisture to promote growth. This unique shampoo is exceptionally gentle to the baby’s skin as it is free from toxins. It doesn’t irritate the eyes even if some amount gets in the eyes, making the bath time fun and hassle-free.
When used properly, a one-time application is enough to bring back the pre-summer softness to your child’s hair. You don’t need to use a conditioner with this shampoo to give your baby a shiny look. It has a strong smell, but your kid will love it.
Read Also: Best Baby Washes and Shampoos For Eczema
Best Shampoos for Kids
Questions & Answers
What is the best kids shampoo for girls?
When it comes to choosing a kids shampoo for girls, it shouldn’t be a tricky one. Unless your baby has longer hair, you can just go for any gentle baby shampoos from our list. If your baby is growing long hair, we recommend the SheaMoisture Mango & Carrot Kids Conditioner. The ingredients of SheaMoisture Mango & Carrot Kids Conditioner support long hair growth.
If you have a kiddie pool in your backyard where the water is a little salty, consider using a shampoo that will protect your baby’s hair from chlorine and salt. In this case, we recommend the SoCozy Kids Swim Shampoo.
Should you go for natural or organic kids shampoo?
The term “natural and organic” is popular among new parents. They often get confused about whether to choose natural or organic baby care products. However, this choice mostly depends on you. Both natural and organic shampoos are great for kids. Both types of shampoos use natural ingredients while steering clear of chemicals and unnatural additives. Because of the use of natural ingredients, they are most likely safe for kids. If you prefer natural over regular shampoos for kids, we recommend taking a look at the Puracy Shampoos since this baby shampoo contains mostly natural ingredients. Nonetheless, most of our recommended shampoos are safe and effective for kids.
What’s the difference between a regular shampoo and a baby shampoo?
Here are the key differences between a regular shampoo and a baby shampoo:
1. Baby shampoos are free from sulfates and harsh chemicals, so they are gentle on the baby’s skin. On the other hand, regular shampoos contain cleaning agents and chemicals to remove dirt.
2. Baby shampoo usually uses tear-free formula, whereas regular shampoos contain surfactants, which are harsh on the eyes.
3. Most baby shampoos are free from fragrances to prevent allergic reactions to your baby. Regular shampoos usually come with a unique aroma.
Is It safe to try a combo of shampoo, body wash, and conditioner?
Yes, you can try the different combo options. Not only they are money saving options, but they are also easy to get and save a lot of time and stress for new parents.
You might also like the fact they are the one with less packaging.
In conclusion
Not every product that on the market is safe for your kid. Many products may contain harmful chemicals that will worsen the condition of your baby’s skin. If you are a new parent, it is highly recommended that you go for trusted brands as what is the label may not be what is contained inside.
However, having gone through our reviewed products, it will be easier to decide between the various brands. You don’t want to have difficult bath times or sleepless nights because your baby has developed a reaction over an inferior shampoo or conditioner. Always go for the best, irrespective of the price.
