Best Baby Shampoo 2025: Tried And Tested

As a new parent, you want to make sure that you're using the best products for your baby, including shampoo. But with so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. That's why we've done the research and evaluated the best baby shampoos based on factors like budget, hair type and texture to help you find the perfect formula. Be sure to add one to your newborn checklist.

Merry Thornton, board-certified dermatology physician assistant and founder of Element Medical Aesthetics in New Canaan, CT, to find out what to keep an eye out for and what to avoid in baby shampoos.

What to look for in the best baby shampoo

Choose the best baby shampoo by meticulously reading product labels. Some products can contain ingredients and or scents that can be irritating and potentially harmful to your baby's health. "Look for non-scented products (fragrance and essential oil products can contain hormone disruptors and cause burning if they get in the eyes)," she tells Today's Parent.

"Avoid products containing chemicals such as parabens, sulfates and phthalates." Next, make sure to use shampoo that's specifically labelled for babies, says Thornton, to avoid skin irritations and other mishaps. "This means the shampoo is formulated in a gentler way for their more sensitive hair and skin."

Best Baby Shampoo Picks 2024

• Best Overall: CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo 
• Best for Curls: Johnson's Curl-Defining, Frizz Control, Tear-Free Kids' Shampoo with Shea Butter
• Best Budget: Pipette Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
• Best Luxury: Dr. Barbara Sturm Baby and Kids Body and Hair Shampoo
• Best Rated: Honest Company Sensitive Baby Shampoo and Body Wash

Best overall

Cerave Baby Wash and Shampoo

Looking for a baby wash and shampoo that's affordable and effective for all hair types? This product is a winner in so many ways, and it's enhanced with all the right ingredients that gently cleanse and nourish your baby's skin. It's also a favorite of Thornton's.

"This is tear-free, non-irritating, free of fragrance, parabens, dyes, phthalates and sulfates," she says. "It foams lightly to cleanse without stripping the skin and it has ceramides, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid to moisturize, hydrate, and protect."

Pros

• Under $10 price
• Non-irritating
• Tear-free
• Fragrance-free
• Contains ceramides, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid

Cons

• Some reviews say that the consistency of the shampoo is not as lathering as other products on our list

Best for curls

Johnson's Curl Defining Shampoo

If your baby's got lots of curls, you need this tried-and-true shampoo in your life! It's free of all the bad stuff like parabens, sulfates, and dyes, and is enriched with shea butter that'll tame frizz and give those curls some definition. And it's tear-free, so you can use it on your little one without any fuss.

This baby shampoo is a bestseller for good reason: Many reviewers say it provides essential moisture, detangles curls, and leaves them supple and bouncy. We love the tear-free formula that suits most budgets. Pair it with a brush for curly hair to stay tear-free.

Pros

• Free of parabens, sulfates and dyes
• Contains hydrating shea butter
• Won't dry skin
• Tear-free
• Under $10 price
• From a brand known for beloved baby shampoos and washes

Cons

• Its scent might be too strong for those who prefer something milder

Best Budget

Pipette Baby Shampoo and Body Wash

Don't let the price fool you —Pipette's baby shampoo is proof that you don't have to spend a fortune to get a great product. This shampoo is suitable for all hair types and textures and is vegan and cruelty-free. Best of all, Thornton states that it is hydrating, tear-free, and fragrance-free.

"This baby shampoo is fragrance-free, tear-free, and hypoallergenic," she says. "It contains plant-based squalene for moisturizing and glycerin for hydration and is also free of toxins." Although this shampoo is praised for its affordability and moisturizing properties, some reviewers warn that it can leave a greasy residue on your tub if you don't rinse it off completely.

Pros

• Under $10 price
• Contains plant-based squalene and glycerin
• Suitable for all hair types and textures
• Tear-free, fragrance-free and hypoallergenic

Cons

• Some reviewers indicate that it leaves behind a greasy residue on the tub
• No natural oat extract

Best luxury

Dr. Barbara Sturm Baby and Kids Body and Hair Shampoo

This shampoo from Dr. Barbara Sturm is the most expensive on our list, but trust us when we say it's worth every single penny. This moisturizing shampoo has a light scent and a foaming lather that's as soft as a cloud, making it perfect for all hair types. Oh, and did we mention that it's also one of the best baby shampoos money can buy, according to Thornton?

"This shampoo contains almond blossom extract and calendula to soothe sensitive skin, as well as jojoba oil to moisturize," she says. "It is also free of fragrances and toxic ingredients."

Pros

• Contains jojoba oil, almond blossom, and calendula extracts
• Lightly scented and creates a gentle, moisturizing foam
• Suitable for all hair types
• Children can also use this shampoo
• Safe for eczema prone skin

Cons

• Has the highest cost of any shampoo on our list

Best rated

Honest Company Sensitive Baby Shampoo and Body Wash

With hundreds of baby shampoos to choose from, it can be tough to know which one to pick. But if you're looking for a fan-favorite shampoo, this two-in-one shampoo from The Honest Company is a great choice. It's powered by gentle and nourishing aloe and calendula ingredients and is tear-free and hypoallergenic.

And, it's recommended by Thornton. "This is free of fragrance, parabens, dyes, phthalates, formaldehyde donors and sulfates," she says.

Multiple shoppers love this two-in-one shampoo (it has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon) because it cleanses babies' hair and skin without irritation and redness. Each bottle is a nice size and filled to the brim with plant-based ingredients. Follow up with a deep conditioner or moisturizing spray if your baby's hair texture is fine or prone to dryness.

Pros

• Two-in-one formula
• 4.7 star rating and thousands of five-star reviews
• Hypoallergenic and tear-free
• Free of harmful fragrance, parabens, dyes, phthalates, formaldehyde donors, and sulfates
• Higher overall rating than bestselling Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture shampoo

Cons

• According to some reviewers, it's mildly drying

Experts:

• Merry Thornton, board-certified dermatology physician assistant