The Best Baby Shampoo & Body Wash to Keep Them Clean From Head-to-Toe

Oat extract sets Aveeno apart from other baby cleansers; it’s a naturally moisturizing ingredient that won’t dry out skin even in the winter months. The formula is tear-free, so if a few suds drip down your baby’s face, it won’t cause irritation. It’s also free of sulfates, which are known for drying out both skin and hair. 

One parent at Babylist raved, “I used Aveeno on both my kids. My 6-year-old had eczema for years and has very sensitive skin and we've never had issues with Aveeno.” My kids are a decade apart and I’ve used Aveeno Baby Wash and baby lotion for both because it works so well; even with my son’s sensitive skin, eczema flare-ups and cradle cap, Aveeno baby soap is soothing without irritating his delicate skin. Note that this one has a light fragrance but we’ve included other options that are fragrance-free.

From baby’s skin to their scalp, dryness can be a consistent hurdle or something that just pops up here and there. Cetaphil’s baby wash and shampoo has moisturizing ingredients like aloe and vitamin E to target dryness. Extract from the calendula flower—a natural anti-inflammatory and calming agent—also helps to soothe irritated skin. 

This formula is free of traditional soap (using milder surfactant to cleanse instead) so it’s designed to be tear-free. But, because it has a fragrance added, it might cause some level of irritation for some babies and be totally irritation-free for others.

For parents who prefer a shampoo and body wash with a light, luxurious scent, this one by Noodle & Boo is a great pick. While this option is intentionally scented, one Babylist parent described the smell as “the single greatest thing I’ve ever smelled in my life” and not overbearing (the scent translates to sweet cream and is described as being a “fresh, baby scent”). Parent-loved fragrance aside, it’s packed with protein and vitamins B and E, for strong, healthy hair. The milk protein and provitamin B5 work together to boost moisture to the skin in hair, but if you want the hydrating benefits minus the fragrance, the brand has a fragrance-free option too.

While Altmann tells us that bathing your newborn daily isn’t necessary, blowouts and projectile spit-up episodes can happen—and that’s where this no-rinse micellar water comes in. With natural ingredients like aloe leaf juice powder, avocado fruit extract and soapwort extract (a plant extract that naturally lathers and removes dirt), Mustela’s cleansing water is designed to both clean and hydrate. 

“This is a staple in my home. I use this for diaper changes and it honestly has a fresh scent, keeps diaper rash away, and leaves their bottom very clean,” says a parent of three. Since there’s no rinsing or scrubbing involved, it’s a perfect option for traveling, post-meal time clean-ups and any other time when you’d rather skip filling up the tub for a traditional bath.

This body wash and shampoo gently cleanses while leaving your baby’s skin and hair feeling soft and conditioned. Instead of parabens, sulfates and artificial dyes, Tubby Todd’s baby wash and shampoo is packed full of plant extracts. Chamomile, green tea and honeysuckle extracts are meant to soothe irritation, while kelp, mango, avocado and echinacea extracts hydrate and condition the skin and scalp. A Babylist parent said, “I loved Tubby Todd's soap (smells so good) for a good two in one, which was fine until my kids’ hair really grew in and needed a separate shampoo.” 

For newborns, you can choose the fragrance-free version if you’re concerned about how their skin will react to an added fragrance, and as your baby moves into toddlerhood, you can opt for one of their delightful scents (which are derived from raw materials).

Babies have thinner, more delicate skin compared to adults, making them susceptible to skin irritation, dryness and rashes. Baby Dove’s Sensitive Skin Care Baby Wash is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic and ultra-gentle. Just like their matching baby lotion, the body and hair wash is made of skin-natural ingredients (read: naturally occurring in your skin) like glycerin and steric acid. Even though it’s designed for a baby’s delicate skin, the wash has a thick and creamy texture that is super hydrating and nourishing. One parent said, “my newborn’s skin was drying out with another brand. This worked well, does not dry and is gentle on the skin. It’s fragrance-free and lathers well.”

Eczema can impact your baby’s skin and scalp, causing rough dry patches that need extra gentle hydration. CeraVe’s baby wash and shampoo has three essential ceramides, a naturally occurring fat molecule on the outer layer of our skin that people with eczema have less of. The hyaluronic acid helps to draw in moisture and most importantly, retain it. And the vitamin E and niacinamide work to soothe and calm skin. Backed by the National Eczema Association, this option works for babies and toddlers with eczema or sensitive skin.

This do-it-all concentrated baby soap is made of 70 percent organic and fair trade ingredients, including organic coconut oil, organic hemp oil, and organic olive oil (all of which are all-stars at moisturizing, hydrating and conditioning skin and the scalp). The highly concentrated formula is made to be diluted (use this cheat sheet to figure out the water-to-soap ratio), which means this one bottle will last quite a while. And why is it a do-it-all? It can be used as a baby wash, baby shampoo, to clean toys, or even as a face wash for yourself—the potential uses are endless. As far as baby, the unscented soap creates a lather that is gentle on the skin and non-stripping.