Best Shampoo for Kids – Buyer’s Guide

Your children mean everything to you, and you want to make sure that they are as healthy and safe as you can possibly ensure. Unfortunately, this can be an exceedingly difficult task when you consider that an overwhelming majority of the products we use contain many unnatural and harmful chemicals.

Whether it is to provide an enhanced effect or simply to save a few bucks on manufacturing, companies will regularly use ingredients that are not organic and can carry unwanted side-effects. That is why a niche market for organic hygienic products is just what the doctor ordered.

Best Shampoo for Kids 2017-2018

Still, it can be difficult figuring out which products are the best even in the organic niche. That is why we have put together a list of the 5 best shampoos for kids, identifying what each is ideal for. Then we provide a helpful buyer’s guide so you can find the best shampoo for your kids.

1. Nature’s Baby Organics Shampoo & Body Wash – Best Scented Shampoo for Kids

Nature’s Baby Organics is a company that specializes in hygienic products for infants and children. These products include everything from bath time products like shampoos and conditioners to moisturizers and powders. While the brand cannot claim a completely organic lineup, every product is certified to be at least seventy percent organic which is far superior to a wide variety of products you are liable to find in your general store, including those made specifically for infants and young children.

Highly Rated by EWG

Beyond few ingredients, this product receives a 1* rating from EWG which is the safest they designate. Ultimately, the overall grade of Nature’s Baby Organics 2-in-1 shampoo and bodywash is a 1. That said, the primary concern with this product is the fact that it is not ideal for all people. Because the organic cleansers work too effectively, this product has been known to leave the scalp and skin too dry.

Overall

Still, there are even things to consider when it comes to the shampoo aspect and your child. The primary concern is that this shampoo is not a tear-free formula. In fact, because of the need placed on organic cleansers, few organic shampoos are tear free, and Nature’s Baby Organics is no exception. This shampoo does come in four scents though. Some parents have claimed that the scent was too strong for them, but few children seem to mind. The scent, regardless the selection, has often been described as exceedingly sweet.

2. Earth Mama Natural Non-Scents Body Wash & Shampoo – Best Non-Scented Shampoo for Kids

Earth Mama is a brand similar to many others on our list in that it does offer a specialized lineup of products geared towards infants, but this brand actually goes one step further in providing prenatal products as well.

This is because of the founder of Earth Mama, Melinda Olsen, is both a registered nurse and an organic herbalist specialist. As such, she understands the importance of protecting children not only once they enter the world but while they are in the womb as well. This philosophy is woven into the very fabric of every Earth Mama product and is in full display with the Angel Baby Natural Non-Scents shampoo and body wash.

Organic Ingredients

To make things even better, this product serves as one of the better shampoos we reviewed when it comes strictly to its hygienic functions. First, you do not need a significant amount to get the job done. When the instructions say use a dime sized portion, you truly do not need more than that. The shampoo lathers well into a nice foam without the need to constantly add more to continue cleaning. Even better, this shampoo is noted for providing one of the deepest cleans out of any of the other products we reviewed.

Downsides

This can carry with it some downsides as well. For instance, this shampoo was noted for leaving a residue in some children’s hair after use. This was especially prevalent with children who have long, thick hair. Ultimately, you will have to spend a significant amount of time rinsing and rerinsing your child’s hair to prevent the build-up of this residue.

In Conclusion

Even once you have completely rinsed your child’s hair, this shampoo has been known to make people with especially dry skin suffer from increased dryness. While this potential dryness may not be as bad as some of the other products we reviewed, if you or your child has eczema, you may want to test out the product on a small area before using it for the entire body.

3. The Honest Company Dreamy Lavender – Best Tear-Free Shampoo for Kids

The Honest Company has arguably one of the more auspicious origins out of the other brands on our list. Though it was a bit late to the organics market game, the company was founded by Jessica Alba, a world-famous actress, in 2011. Her goal was to provide healthy, organic products for every walk of life and situation.

Unlike some of the other brands on our list, The Honest Company does not specialize in infant or child hygienic products and instead offers a full suite of products for household use. This spans markets which include children’s hygienics but also includes household cleaners, supplements, and diapers as well.

Some Ingredients to Keep An Eye On

Overall

A great product. Actually one of the few organic shampoos that has a tear-free formula. As such, if your child does not suffer from the extreme sensitivity. This is likely the best option for an infant. Another benefit of this product is that it rinses away clean without any residue. The conditioner is also noted for being able to tame even the gnarliest of manes, leaving hair soft, smooth, and silky.

4. Baja Baby Night – Safest Shampoo for Kids

Like many of the other brands on our list Baja Baby specializes in manufacturing products for infants and children. However, this specialization extends only to a very limited portion of hygiene specifically bath time and immediately thereafter.

In fact, other than bath products, the only other product this company makes is lotion which is arguably meant to be a post-bath product. This is because of the company’s two founders, both working moms and best friends, realized that there was a dearth of truly organic products within this market.

Organic Philosophy

Any potential side effects that any of the ingredients in this product may cause are not different than the potential side effects a child may have when coming into contact with the ingredient in nature. Achieving such a safe and highly rated position in the organic hygienic market is impressive enough, but Baja Baby has managed to do so while still staying towards the lower half of the competitive price point. As such, you can save both your child’s health and your wallet with this product.

Safe and Effective

In terms of action, this shampoo is also especially effective. The product lathers into a nice foam without having to use too much, though it is not as especially efficient as some of the other products we reviewed. The Baja Baby shampoo also rinses away without any residue. That said, you may not want to purchase this product without also purchasing some of the other products in the Baja Baby lineup. This is especially true for the Baja Baby conditioner.

This is in part due to the fact that while it may rinse clean, the Baja Baby shampoo has been known to leave thicker hair tangled when done. Another issue that the conditioner is intended to alleviate is dryness. Like many other organic shampoo and body wash combinations on our list, dryness can be a real problem for Baja Baby. As a final caution, it is important to note that this is not a tear-free shampoo, so it might be better suited for younger children more than it is for infants.

5. Baby Mantra 3-in-1 Natural – Best Budget Shampoo for Kids

The origins of Baby Mantra are similar to those of many of the other products on our list. Actual mothers, this time two sisters, Vinnie and Nupoor, developed a deep appreciation for organic skin care. Unlike some of the other founders from companies we’ve reviewed, these founders have always lived an organic life. Seeing that the philosophies and principles used for their skin care were not readily available to the world at large, Baby Mantra was born.

Brand Specials

While this brand definitely specializes in children’s organic hygiene products including cleansers and lotions, Baby Mantra also offers a number of products for new mothers as well, because a child is still heavily influenced by the chemicals found in breastfeeding mothers as much as they are in the products used for their care.

No surprise that Baby Mantra receives an overall rating of 1 (Top Product) by the EWG.

This product is so effective and efficient in a large part due to how concentrated the formula is. While this is generally a good quality, it does mean that it may not work in all situations. Specifically, if your children are old enough to be taking showers instead of baths, the concentrated formula may become diluted to quickly to foam up. On the flip side, this is not a tear-free shampoo, so you will have to be careful with infants.

Inexpensive and Great

Ultimately, because it carries caveats with how you use it for both babies and children, this is a product that requires a bit more mindfulness than most when it comes to its use. Still, when you consider how less expensive it is compared to most other organic shampoos on the market and combine that with how effective and concentrated it is, you have one of the best overall values on our list.

Best Shampoo for Kids – Buyer’s Guide

It is important to recognize what each product is designed to clean. We commonly think of a shampoo as a product designed to wash our hair, but in fact shampoo is designed to clean our scalp instead. This can lead to an issue where we purchase a shampoo for our hair and our scalp does not get the treatment it needs.

Different Types

When considering how the shampoo interacts with the hair, it is important to note what type of hair your child has. Even though you need to choose the shampoo based on your child’s scalp, many shampoos are still formulated to be used with different types of hair.

Curly – Curly hair is noted for building up natural oils. This is not a bad thing, and those oils do not need to be removed. If you remove those oils, the hair is liable to become tangled and frizzy. A shampoo that is less drying is best for curly hair.

Oily – On the flip side, oily air is often an issue caused by an oily scalp. If the hair is oily, the scalp produces more oil than the hair needs. For this hair and scalp type, a deep cleansing shampoo can be especially effective without the risk or worry of over-drying.

Frizzy – Frizzy hair is often a result of hair that either is not getting enough moisture and natural oils on its own or hair that has been stripped of its natural oils. Depending on the scalp type, it might be a better idea to treat frizzy hair with conditioner. However, if the frizzy hair is natural, than a moisturizing and gentle cleansing shampoo is the best.

Fine – Fine hair can be tricky, because fine hair can come on any kind of scalp. Both dry and oily scalps can sprout fine hair. That said, fine hair will be far more sensitive to deep cleansing shampoos. As such, if your child has an oily scalp, use a medium cleansing shampoo. If their scalp is drier, use a gentle cleansing shampoo.

Thick – Thick hair can often have some of the same issues as both curly and frizzy hair. In fact, depending on the type of scalp, thick hair may also be frizzy. For this hair, you will likely need a deep cleansing shampoo, though the scalp should ultimately determine that call. If you use a deep cleansing shampoo, be sure to use a detangling conditioner as well.

Combinations

Because bath time can often be difficult with infants and children, many children’s cleansing products come in combinations. The most common type of combination is a 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash. Interestingly, there are actually few 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner combinations for childrenat least in the organic market.

Another popular combination product for children cleansing products is the 3-in-1 shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath. In order to make bath time more enjoyable for children, bubble baths offer a fun way to relax without the tedium of cleaning. Keep in mind, these products will often be better at two of their functions with one being only okay.

Ingredients

This is arguably the most important factor for a child’s product no matter the market. Because their bodies are still developing, children are often more sensitive and susceptible to artificial ingredients. This can show itself in as simple a form as a rash to as serious an issue as an allergic reaction requiring prescription medication.

In an effort to avoid those problems, it is often a good idea to purchase products that use natural, organic ingredients. The Environmental Working Group, or EWG, is a non-profit organization that examines and reviews products for safety and toxicity. Their ratings will often provide adequate information as to the safety of a product for you children.

Conclusion

Even in the organic hygienics market there is a wide range of products that have to weigh and balance their ingredients with their effectiveness. Which is the best shampoo for kids will ultimately come down to how sensitive your children are.

While it does carry an ingredient or two that can cause dryness and other reactions, the Nature’s Baby Organics is one of the better shampoos we reviewed. It has an EWG rating of 1, and it also provides one of the deeper cleans while leaving hair soft and silky.

If you are more on the safety over action boat, then you might want to take a look at the Baja Baby. It is the absolute safest shampoo we saw, though it will not leave thicker hair quite as tangle free as many of the other products we reviewed.