That your baby possesses curly hair is adorable, but it's never easy to maintain the tresses without a special bath product. If you are finding such a washer for your baby's strands, we are here to help you with the best baby shampoo for curly hair.
However, not all the best baby shampoos below are suitable for your kids. You need to find out the right one based on their different features, pros, and cons. Let's see what they are.
Best Baby Shampoo For Curly Hair In 2021
1. Johnson's Curl-Defining Shampoo - Best Overall
Key Features:
Brand: Johnson's Baby
Liquid volume: 400 ml
Hair type: Frizzy, curly
Highlight features: Shea butter ingredient, tear-free formula, hypoallergenic and paraben-free
Johnson’s shampoo deserves the best kids shampoo for curly hair for its safe formula and affordable price.
The shea butter in this hair cleanser is famous for moisturizing, soothing, and smoothing curly hair. It helps soften the curls, cleanse the scalp without drying it so that your baby’s hair is always wavy and healthy.
There are no harmful ingredients: paraben, phthalate, sulfate, or dye, which means it’s very skin-friendly and comfortable. The tear-free formula is gentle to the eyes, and pediatricians and ophthalmologists also test it to ensure safety and quality.
Johnson's Curl-Defining Shampoo comes with a high volume in a bottle (400 ml) at an affordable price. The popularity of this brand also makes it the best shampoo for toddlers with curly hair.
One of the issues is that this product might slightly loosen the curls of your kids. It’s worth noticing your little ones after using this product to see if there is any problem.
Pros
Pleasant scent
Great for adults, too
Immediately efficient in getting curls in the form
Cons
Not good for sensitive skin
2. Mustela Baby Gentle Shampoo with Natural Avocado - Best For Relaxing Scent
Key Features:
Brand: Mustela
Liquid volume: 200 ml
Hair type: Normal
Highlight features: Natural Avocado ingredient, tear-free formula, paraben-free
Among the best baby hair products for curly hair, Mustela Baby Gentle Shampoo has the most pleasant scent that both moms and babies love.
The Chamomile extract, combined with a natural formula, brings a fresh, mild, and comfortable scent to the bathroom. It feels like immersing in a fragrant paradise with just a drip of this shampoo. This Mustela’s iconic smell gives every parent relief as their babies are very pleased and interested in it.
Mustela’s product is made from 93% plant-based ingredients, kind to infants, and helpful for curly hair.
Avocado Perseose in Mustela shampoo is a natural element that develops the skin barrier and maintains its richness. It, then, helps protect sensitive baby’s scalps and provides extra moisture to their hair. The Chamomile extract also softens hair strands from the root, so your baby’s wavy hair is always smooth and healthy.
This pick is not really good for extra sensitive skin due to its sulfate profile, unfortunately. You should think twice before choosing it for a newborn.
Pros
100% Soap-free
Gentle on hair
Good for normal skin
Detangling effect
Effective for colored hair
Cons
Quite expensive
3. Baby Dove Baby Wash and Shampoo Baby Bath Products - Best For Budget
Key Features:
Brand: Baby Dove
Liquid volume: 384 ml
Hair type: All
Highlight features: Prebiotic moisturizer, tear-free formula, paraben-free
The famous brand Dove has a specific product line for infants – Baby Dove shampoo – the most budget-friendly kid shampoo in the market.
A fairly high liquid volume (384 ml) in a bottle allows you to use it regularly for more than two months. It’s also economical because it’s a 2-in-1 bath product, suitable for hair and body skin.
Providing moisturizer is a good way to get rid of dry skin. The prebiotic emollient in this shampoo helps retain the moisture of the infant’s scalp, while other components provide extra nutrients to strengthen the hair strands.
If you have an issue with your dry scalp, you can take this cleanser as it’s usable for adults, too.
The bottle’s pump, however, doesn’t work properly as it tends to pop out after a few use times. The brand should consider redesigning the pumping component for more convenience and durability.
Pros
100% skin-natural nutrients
Great absorbing, good for dry skin
Good for eczema skin
Totally tear-free
Cons
Strong smell
4. CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo - Best For Dry Scalp
Key Features:
Brand: CeraVe
Liquid volume: 237 ml
Hair type: All
Highlight features: Essential ceramides, tear-free formula, paraben-free
There are essential ceramides in a CeraVe product, and they are crucial parts to keep skin protected and moisturized. These waxy lipids take up 50% of the lipids in the skin’s barrier, but some babies have less than they should, which causes dry scalp.
Thanks to extra ceramides, their skin’s barrier will restore and maintain its moisture. Your kid’s delicate scalp will be healthy again, and their curls will also be soft, smooth, and easy to groom.
This baby curly hair shampoo is safe as it doesn't have paraben, dyes, phthalates, and sulfates. It doesn’t have fragrance, either, so everyone can use it with ease and comfort.
Unfortunately, we found that our babies got red bumps and itches after a few use times. You should carefully check if there are some special ingredients which your children might get irritated with.
Pros
Good for sensitive skin
A good hydrating cleanser for face and body
Suitable for eczema-prone skin
Foam texture for easy and convenient use
Cons
May cause urinary tract infection for kids
5. Cetaphil Baby Wash & Shampoo with Organic Calendula - Runner-up For Dry Scalp
Key Features:
Brand: Cetaphil Baby
Liquid volume: 230 ml
Hair type: Dry
Highlight features: Organic Calendula ingredient, tear-free formula, paraben-free
The moisture level is very important to keep your child’s curly hair shiny and smooth. In this term, Cetaphil baby shampoo shines as one of the best curly hair products for kids.
Calendula, aloe vera, and vitamins E & B5 are active ingredients to add extra moisture to the children’s skin and hair.
The organic calendula especially soothes, softens, and moisturizes sensitive skin. Vitamins E, B5 help cleanse the skin’s surface gently without drying to keep the scalp hydrated. And aloe vera is often used to make hair shiny and soft.
The combination of these emollients is useful for both the hair and body skin of your kids. Their curly hair will be thicker, healthier, and fluffier while their skin is protected and moisturized.
A strong fragrance might be the problem when you use this Cetaphil bath product. It’s careful to check if your toddler is pleased with this smell.
Pros
Effective for cradle cap
Good at soothing and softening skin
The dermatologist tested and recommended
Cons
Not completely tear-free
Not for extra sensitive skin
6. Pipette Baby Shampoo + Body Wash - Best For 2-in-1 Baby Shampoo
Key Features:
Brand: Pipette
Liquid volume: 354 ml
Hair type: All
Highlight features: plant-derived glycerin ingredient, tear-free formula, paraben-free
There are many good 2-in-1 kids shampoos in the market, but Pipette Baby Shampoo + Body Wash stands second-to-none, thanks to its natural elements.
The plant-based glycerin ingredient helps cleanse the toddler’s scalp gently without drying it. It also locks in moisture so that your child’s curls are always smooth and healthy.
For body skin, the Pipette bath product features exclusive sugarcane-derived squalane to support it. Squalene is naturally generated by our body to maintain the skin’s barrier, but its production capacity reduces over time. Squalane, a stable form of Squalene, is added to this cleanser to restore the balance of the toddler’s skin.
One trade-off is that Pipette Baby Shampoo + Body Wash might be quite expensive for just a small quantity. If you use it every day, it will run out after a few weeks.
Pros
Suitable for sensitive skin
High level of moisturizing
Health safety verified by EWG (Environmental Working Group)
Cons
Unpleasant smell
7. ATTITUDE 2-in-1 Natural Baby Shampoo & Body Wash - Best For Natural Ingredients
Key Features:
Brand: ATTITUDE
Liquid volume: 200 ml
Hair type: All
Highlight features: gel-cream texture, hypoallergenic
ATTITUDE shampoo is one of the best natural hair products for babies with curly hair. Most of the ingredients are vegan, and the most highlighted one is colloidal oatmeal.
Colloidal oatmeal is a helpful element to protect, soothe, and moisturize skin. It, then, keeps the scalp healthy, softens and smoothes the hair strands from the root to the tip. The natural formula is sulfate-free so that the toddler’s skin won’t get dry. It’s also fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, which is harmless to most infants.
ATTITUDE is among a few brands to have their own factory to produce themselves, and you can rest assured of their product quality.
Regrettably, it’s not marked as “tear-free”, so people still hesitate to use this natural bath product for kids.
Pros
Fragrance-free
Gentle and soft
Good for extra sensitive skin
Certified by National Eczema Association and verified by EWG (Environmental Working Group)
Cons
Expensive for a small liquid volume
Wrapping Up
Kids are blessed with their gorgeous, adorable, and wavy hair. And now you no longer feel difficult to maintain it, thanks to the best baby shampoo for curly hair above.
Johnson's Curl-Defining Shampoo is our 1st pick because it has almost all aspects for a great kid shampoo: comfortable scent, no harmful ingredients, reasonable price, and effectiveness on curly hair. If you want to give it a try, don’t hesitate.