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25 Best Body Washes & Soaps for Kids: Reviews & Buying Guide

by  Katie -  Last updated on September 10, 2021
Best Body Washes & Soaps for Kids

Last Updated on September 10, 2021

What’s the best body wash and soap for kids?

Can you use adult bath soap for them?

These are questions that every parent faces.

Today, our reviews will help you find what you need to bath the kids.

 

Contents

Bathing newborns, toddlers, and kids

To bathe a newborn, you’ll want the mildest soap available.

You don’t need fragrances, dyes, or detergents to get your baby clean (1).

Some experts recommend using soap only on the sticky, smelly spots.

You don’t even need to bathe them every day as it can dry out their delicate skin (2).

If your child has eczema, get a doctor’s advice on how to care for them.

Then, once your child is more active, daily baths are necessary. But you might not need to wash their hair every day.

Young children like bubble baths. By the time they are five or six years old, they might be bathing by themselves.

But older children might prefer a shower instead.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with mild body washes or two-in-one products for little ones (3).

Skip the scented, colorful products unless you know your child’s skin can tolerate them. This cuts down on exposure to unwanted chemicals.

Once your child is in their tweens or teens, they can switch to adult bath products.

 

25 Best Body Washes and Soaps for Kids in 2021

Let’s look at the options.

1. Aveeno Baby Cleansing Eczema Therapy Body Wash

The National Eczema Association recommends this body wash for infants and children with sensitive skin.

It’s creamy and gentle and doesn’t lather up a lot. Plus, it’s free of artificial fragrances, dyes, and drying alcohols.

It soothes and moisturizes with oat extract and ceramides.

But a bath alone isn’t enough to hydrate your baby’s skin. Follow up with lotion after the body wash.

2. Aveeno Baby Soothing Bath Treatment with Natural Oatmeal

Each box contains ten packets of ultrafine powder with colloidal oatmeal.

Stir it into the bath water to calm the itching caused by eczema, poison ivy, rashes, and insect bites.

It’s also a soap-free cleanser for sensitive skin.

3. Honest Purely Simple Hypoallergenic Shampoo and Body Wash for Sensitive Skin

You probably recognize the Honest Company brand that was started by Jessica Alba.

Their hypoallergenic body wash/shampoo is fragrance-free. It also avoids sulfates, phthalates, parabens, dyes, and formaldehyde donors.

It’s mild enough to use every day because it won’t dry out the skin or hair. It is also tear-free, so won’t irritate your toddler while washing.

The active natural ingredients include aloe, organic calendula, and chamomile.

4. Vanicream Gentle Body Wash

Vanicream, also known as Free & Clear, makes this body wash for anyone of any age with sensitive skin.

If your child seems to be allergic to everything, this could be exactly what you need.

The list of irritants that it doesn’t contain is longer than the list of ingredients.

Seriously, it doesn’t have sulfates, botanical extracts, dyes, fragrances, masking fragrances, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, or even Cocamidopropyl betaine.

All of those components have been linked to allergic reactions.

So, if it has such basic ingredients, does it actually get the skin clean?

In our experience, yes, it does. Use a soft loofah or washcloth to cleanse especially dirty skin.

Moreover, the whole family can enjoy this kids body wash, which saves money in the long run.

5. Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo & Kids Body Wash

Here’s a vegan body wash for kids. Ninety-five percent of the ingredients are plant-based. Even the preservative is natural.

It lathers up nicely yet doesn’t include an artificial fragrance or dyes. The scent comes from ingredients like licorice root, aloe, and oatmeal.

It also has a low pH to avoid weakening the skin’s barrier against moisture loss and infection. (Compare that to regular baby soap with a high, alkaline pH.)

6. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar

CeraVe makes both this bar soap as well as a liquid body wash. Either one is appropriate for toddlers, children, and adults.

Choose whichever is easier for you and the kids to use.

Both contain three essential ceramides that keep the skin hydrated. And each one has hyaluronic acid to attract moisture into the skin.

The effects last up to 24 hours after washing with the body wash.

This brand caters to sensitive skin, and its products are fragrance-free.

7. Exederm Baby Bath Body Wash

Exederm’s body wash has been a blessing for children with severe eczema.

Eczema is atopic dermatitis. What triggers the red, itchy skin for some kids doesn’t bother others.

If you can’t find a solution for your child, try this bath product. Parents are pleased that it doesn’t dry out the skin and doesn’t smell weird.

It’s free of the most common triggers like fragrances, colors, parabens, sulfates, soap, propylene glycol, and Cocamidopropyl.

8. Dr. Woods Unscented Baby Bar Soap

Here’s another soap made without artificial fragrances or gluten.

The main ingredient is sustainable palm oil. It also has organic Fair Trade shea butter, hemp seed oil, and rosemary extract.

Each bar is triple-milled to last longer.

9. Mustela Gentle Cleansing Gel

Mustela’s bath gel is handy for newborns and toddlers alike.

It’s strong enough to cleanse caked-on food and dirt, but it won’t cause tears.

Use it on the body and hair because it won’t dry out either one. It contains vitamin B5 and Avocado Perseose for extra hydration.

The tear-free hypoallergenic formula is made from 90% plant-based ingredients and free of phthalates, parabens, and phenoxyethanol.

10. Thinkbaby Shampoo & Body Wash

Have you ever seen Thinkbaby’s sunscreen? Their body wash is just as gentle and safe.

It meets the Whole Foods Premium Care requirements and has a low hazard rating on the EWG database.

That’s because it’s free of phthalates, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and chemicals like 1,4 dioxane. Even the packaging is free of BPA. So, yes, you can use it on newborns.

11. Thinkbaby Shampoo & Body Wash, Chlorine Remover

If your child has swimming lessons, you’ll want this chlorine-removing body wash.

It eliminates the smell of hair and skin and prevents pool rashes.

It also keeps blond hair from turning green.

12. TRISWIM Chlorine Removal Swimmer KIDS Body Wash

TRISWIM makes swimmer body wash for adults, too. Both versions neutralize chlorine, bromine, salt water, and minerals from hard water.

It defends against prickly dots, pool rash, and eczema caused by the chemicals and minerals. It also keeps your child’s hair from becoming gummy, like straw, or discolored.

This kid’s body wash formula has a citrus mango scent.

It nourished the skin with aloe, chamomile, and watercress, among other things. And it’s free of gluten and parabens.

13. Everyone Soap For Every Kid 3 in 1

Get all three scents in this variety pack of soap for kids.

If you look it up on the EWG (Environmental Working Group) database, you’ll see that it’s a recommended brand. That’s because it’s free of harsh ingredients and chemicals.

It leaves out parabens, gluten, artificial dyes and fragrances, and GMO components. It uses coconut-based cleansers and essential oils to remove impurities and leave the skin smooth.

Furthermore, it’s one of the foamiest soaps we reviewed.

14. Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo & Body Wash

Just because it says “baby shampoo” doesn’t mean you can’t bathe your toddler with it. Older children might like the citrus scent, too.

This is the third iteration of the formula – each time it gets better.

The pH-balanced kids body wash makes a lot of suds while it moisturizes the skin.

Just like with the adult formula, there are no harsh ingredients.

15. Kiss My Face Orange U Smart Bubble Kids Body Wash

Toddlers and kids enjoy the orange-scented body wash from Kiss My Face. The aroma is all-natural.

The formula is packed with moisturizers like aloe and glycerin. It has chamomile, pomegranate, and aloe to nourish the skin.

16. Rew’s Bath Time – Calming Natural Bubble Bath

Rew’s Bath Time is a newcomer to the baby body wash market. They are an American company that started in Michigan in 2018.

They make cruelty-free, vegan products. Obviously, they don’t include toxins like parabens.

Instead, this bubble bath washes away grime while it softens the skin. It contains coconut oil, essential oils and plant extracts.

Choose from calming lavender, citrus aloe, eucalyptus mint, or unscented versions.

17. Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bath with Relaxing Lavender & Vanilla Scents

If you’re not trying to avoid artificial fragrances, look into Aveeno’s relaxing baby body wash. It has an enchanting scent that’s calming to babies and adults.

It’s also a tear-free formula.

It cleanses without harsh detergents and doesn’t have parabens or phthalates, either.

18. Johnson’s Clean & Fresh Tear-Free Children’s Shampoo & Body Wash

Here’s an updated version of this. classic tear-free baby shampoo. It has a fresh scent that eliminates odors all day long.

Bath your toddler with this, and they’ll still smell good at the end of the day.

Happily, it’s also free of dyes, phthalates, sulfates, and parabens.

Children with thicker hair may need conditioner after shampooing with it.

19. Baby Dove Rich Moisture Baby Wash and Shampoo

Did you know that Dove makes baby body wash? It’s pH-neutral and won’t sting the eyes.

It provides a pleasant lather and has a dermatologist-approved fragrance. It’s also free of parabens, artificial colors, and phthalates.

20. Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion Bar Soap Blossoms

Here’s a bar soap that’s one-quarter baby lotion. As you can imagine, it leaves skin silky soft.

It also rinses easily, which is nice considering how creamy it feels.

While it has a floral scent, it’s free of dyes, sulfates, and parabens.

Those of you looking to avoid palm oil, mineral oil, or animal byproducts will be disappointed, though.

21. The Honest Company Perfectly Gentle Sweet Orange Vanilla Body Wash

Earlier in the article, I reviewed the unscented version of this body wash. You can also buy it in lavender and sweet almond scents.

All the fragrances come from natural ingredients.

What’s more, the scented versions are still free of sulfates and parabens. They won’t sting the eyes or dry out the skin.

You wouldn’t be the first parent to wash your child, but this, then decides you need a bottle in your shower.

22. Fresh Monster 2-in-1 Kids Shampoo & Body Wash

Choose from Ocean Splash or Watermelon fragrances. Either way, the scent comes from natural ingredients.

These cruelty-free products avoid the typical toxins found in adult bath products. They don’t have sulfates, phthalates, dyes, or parabens. Also, the packaging is free of BPA.

Fresh Monster follows standards set by Whole Foods and the EWG.

The pump top bottle is easy for adults and kids to use and locks into place for travel.

23. Suave Kids Body Wash

It’s fun to have foam in the bath. This kids body wash and soap makes lots of lather that smells fresh and clean.

Suave had it tested by dermatologists and ophthalmologists to make sure it is tear-free and doesn’t hurt the skin.

It’s mild enough to use every day.

24. Dial Kids Hair + Body Wash

Even Dial makes a kids’ body wash now.

A look at the label reveals sodium laureth sulfate and an artificial fragrance plus PEGs. That’s bad news if your child has sensitive skin.

On the other hand, it’s pH-balanced and tear-free.

Choose from apple, orange, or bubble berry scents.

25. Crayola Bath Super Set Body Wash

How do you get kids to take a bath when they don’t want to?

Bribery.

Pull out the Crayola Bath Set and fill the tub. The next problem will be getting them out of the water long after it’s gone cold.

The kit contains bath bombs that change color three times, body wash pens, and finger paint soap tubes. (One of the best parts about having kids is getting to play with their toys!)

Although we couldn’t find the ingredients listed anywhere, Crayola complies with ASTM non-toxic standards.

 

Conclusion

Bathing your child becomes easier and more enjoyable when you use body wash or soap made for kids.

Bath products for children protect delicate skin. They wash away dirt without stripping moisture.

You might decide that you love your kid’s soap so much you want some for your shower, too.

If you found a body wash that works great at bath time, tell us about it in the comments below.

Also Read: Best Baby Shampoos for Dry Scalp: Reviews & Buying Guide

 

Sources:

1. https://www.babycenter.com/404_when-can-i-start-using-regular-soap-on-my-baby_1368465.bc by Darienne Hosley Stewart, accessed January 16, 2020

2. https://www.metroparent.com/daily/parenting/parenting-issues-tips/bath-time-tips-kids-guide-keeping-children-clean/ accessed January 16, 2020

3. https://www.webmd.com/children/features/infant-skin#1 by R. Morgan Griffin, accessed January 16, 2020

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