Baby Shampoo

Baby shampoos are gentle on scalp and eyes

While most baby shampoos offer what makers say are tear-free detergents, many products actually contain hefty amounts of fragrance and artificial colors, both of which can be irritating to skin. Still, Johnson's Original Baby Shampoo (*Est. $4 for 15 oz.) is a classic tear-free formula that many users claim to have used for years. It does contain some fragrance, but Paula Begoun, beauty expert and author of "Don't Go Shopping For Hair Care Products Without Me," says it is mild enough to gently cleanse without causing irritation. Users at MakeupAlley.com and Drugstore.com also give this baby shampoo high ratings, but most comments are based on adult usage, rather than infant care. Reviewers do, however, concede that Johnson's Baby Shampoo is gentle and smells good. It does a decent job of cleaning hair, but only after using a lot of it.

California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo and Bodywash (*Est. $11 for 8.5 oz.) is a natural shampoo that is a bit pricier than most drugstore shampoos, but it doesn't contain any fragrance, artificial coloring or other irritating ingredients.  Users at Drugstore.com praise this formula for being extremely gentle, especially for babies' extra-sensitive skin. Several reviewers say they use it on their own sensitive skin, but it may be too gentle to thoroughly clean adult hair, especially for those who regularly use hairstyling products. The Environmental Working Group, a consumer advocate group that rates beauty products based on the safety of their ingredients, gives California Baby a low hazard rating due to its lack of controversial chemicals, such as phthalates. Unfortunately, we didn't find any other professional reviews for this product.