A friend once remarked that nothing went into or onto her daughter’s body without going into or onto hers first. I love this strategy. By testing it myself first, I know if he’ll balk at a bitter medication or push away a tart fruit. Since my skin is rather sensitive to soaps, I can try to prevent problems for him, too.
So, for the past two years, I’ve been conducting a totally non-scientific sample-of-one tear-free shampoo testing study. Boy, has that been fun. (Not so much, really.) Who knew it took so much courage to slather one’s eyes with soap and open them? (Me. I know now: lots.)
I’ll note that I limit myself to brands that seem to be natural-ish and without too many chemicals. Some typical baby brands use numbing agents to make the tear-free claim and I’ve tried to avoid those. Though I’m more interested in pain-potential than vanity, I do give bonus points to products that leave my son’s thick, wavy hair shiny and somewhat frizz-free.
My testing strategy started out simple – wash my hair and keep my eyes open while I rinsed the suds over my eyes – and evolved once I realized my husband was far more likely to get the product on my son’s face than I was. Now I put un-sudsed soap on my eyes, then try suds, then try the rinsing step. Following are my findings.
In an ideal situation, we can use one product as a shampoo and body wash, in the bath water as a pre-soak and bubble bath, and (diluted) as a hand soap in the bathroom. Because my toddler now washes his own hands and often doesn’t rinse them completely, it’s important that our hand soap be as tear-free as possible.
Tear-free shampoos that totally aren’t:
1. Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Baby Wash (purchased at Target). Look, in it’s defense, it doesn’t say it’s tear-free, which of course begs the question: why would you make a baby wash that’s not tear-free? At least, that’s what we asked. In fact, our experience with this product is what started this whole shebang. So, no, not tear-free. In fact, get this product in your eyes and they’ll sting for a while no matter how long you rinse them, no matter how much you dilute. Pour some in the bath as a quasi-bubble bath and not only do you not get bubbles, the water will now make your eyes burn. EPIC FAIL.
2. BabyGanics Foaming Body Wash and Shampoo (purchased at Toys R Us). Despite finding a baby shampoo that was tear-free and left my kid’s hair shiny and nice (more on that at the end of this post), I kept buying other brands. Mamas are weird, yes, but we like to have more than one option, especially when that option is rather expensive and can only be found at one store. So, I picked up a bottle of this foaming wash while on a toy run. FAIL. Not only did it burn like the dickens, it left my son’s hair all frizzy and dry. Dry! Blegh. To be fair, it doesn’t burn much when you rinse one pump over your face, but I had to use multiple pumps to get my son’s hair clean. So, if you want tear-free, use one pump and rinse, then repeat. A lot. Over and over. And then use a separate conditioner lest you end up with dry frizzy hair. As an infant. No, thanks!
3. Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash – fragrance-free version (purchased via Amazon but also available at Walmart and Target and Walgreens). This was the first product we used on my son’s body after testing it on my husband first. My hubs has very sensitive skin so we figured if he didn’t mind it, the kid would be less likely to have a reaction. It worked! Nobody’s skin broke out, but the shampoo is slick and a bit hard to rinse out – so it can sting because you have to keep rinsing it to get it off. It doesn’t suds well and makes kind of a slimy situation on a baby head and body. The bigger problem is that it separates and smells funny after about a month, probably owing to the lack of fragrance, but it grosses me out. Blegh.
Tear-free shampoos are (kind of):
4. Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash – original (purchased via Amazon but also available at Walmart and Target and Walgreens). I love, love, love how Burt’s Bees baby products’ smell. Love. And this shampoo lathers well, rinses easily and only burns if you get the unlathered soap in your eyes – no burning if you’re just rinsing out suds. Unfortunately, my son and I both get itchy spots if we don’t rinse really, really, really well, and with a squirmy baby (and now impatient toddler), we can’t guarantee that. If we’re traveling, though, and forget our own toiletries, this is what we use because it’s so easy to find. I just mix a solution of about 1/4 shampoo and 3/4 water and rinse really, really, really well.
5. Honest Shampoo + Body Wash (purchased via Honest.com). I had such high hopes for this shampoo, thinking I could buy one product for my son and myself and never have to go to Target again. (Target is my budgeting nemesis. Even if I leave with only what I planned on, I’m haunted by the things I left behind.) The shampoo smells a little sweet but doesn’t leave fragrance behind in your hair and has a neat-o push-up bottle top. (It’s the little things.) But… BUT! Well, I’ll share a story. My husband was showering with my son when I heard a loud yell from both dudes and then crying and something hit the floor and more crying. I rushed in, fearing my son had fallen, to discover that the shampoo was NOT tear-free, my son’s eyes were stinging so he was crying, and my husband was angry so he’d thrown the shampoo bottle to the ground.
And thus was born the three-part testing (soap, suds, rinsing). I found it hard to believe that this wasn’t tear-free somehow, so I first put the soap directly into my eyes (holy stinging, Batman), then tried just the suds (still stung but stopped pretty quickly when I rinsed my eyes), and finally just kept my eyes open while I rinsed light suds (no pain). Perhaps this is how Honest did its own testing?
Epilogue: we’ve since diluted the shampoo into a different dispenser to use on my son and it’s working well at a 1/20-ish ratio. Wow, this stuff is concentrated. At that dilution, it still washes effectively but rinses easily and doesn’t sting at all unless you squirt it directly into your eyes. (Don’t ask how I know). My son’s hair is nice and shiny and frizz-free and we can both use the same product, so we’ll call this a (modified) win.
The one tear-free shampoo we’ve tried that is tear-free:
6. California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash (purchased at Target and only at Target). We love this shampoo. I can use it to wash my make-up off and keep my eyes open while scrubbing off eye make-up. It leaves my kid’s hair shiny and happy. We squirt some into his bath to help soak off the dirt and gunk he somehow accumulates in a single 24-hour period. We mix it 1:1 and use it as hand soap.
Really the only downsides are cost (about $20 for 19 ounces) and that we can only buy it at Target… which is my most and least favorite place. A third potential con is that the company seems to have recently reformulated some of their products, a few of which now contain sodium benzoate, which means I’ll need to buy more soon and subject my poor eyes to a retest. Sigh.
. . . . .
For now, we’re using diluted Honest Shampoo in the bath and what’s left of our diluted California Baby Sensitive for hand-washing. I’ll keep putting new products in my eyes before putting them on my son and my eyes will keep dreading the day I have to replenish our hand soap.
Have you found truly tear-free baby products?
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
Thanks for taking one for the team. Looking forward to the re-test results.
guest
I use California Baby and had no idea they reformulated some of their products! Please keep us posted if you find out it’s no longer tear free. Great post!
guest
Great info!
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
we’ve been using california baby pretty much since birth. no complaints except it is pricey with two kids!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: haha seriously.
This is the most awesome non scientific experiment ever.
cherry / 187 posts
I thought about doing this as well with the crying we get from rinsing my daughter’s hair. Glad you did it for me!
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts
I went with Baby Ganics after learning that California Baby had started adding sodium benzoate (and made other ingredient changes) in their products (reformulation).
ETA: Eh, carp . . . so much for mah mad reading skillz. : / You’re already totally on the ball with this.
cherry / 141 posts
I always wonder about tear-free shampoos. I use this one: http://www.vine.com/p/babo-botanicals-moisturizing-baby-shampoo-wash-oatmilk-calendula-8-oz-764313 but I have no idea if it’s actually tear free. I should probably risk it and try it out like you have.
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
Weird… we use BabyGanics and are really happy with it. LO doesn’t have much hair to speak of but what she does have is always wonderfully soft and fluffy after a bath. But I always tilt her head back to wash her hair and never get soap in her eyes so I can’t speak to the tear free claim.
nectarine / 2054 posts
This is so amazing, I love that you did this! We have actually been using Johnson & Johnson, which goes contrary to all our other organic-ish leanings. I know the rating on the EWG website is okay (not terrific, but not horrible). Do you know specifically what the problem is with that baby wash? Is it one of the ones with numbing agents that you mentioned? (That sounds like a terrible thing!)… we just like the scent so much, to us it smells like baby.
clementine / 943 posts
I just use J&J… I’d rather not have my kiddo crying from soap in his eyes. We tried California Baby and it dried out my LO’s skin horribly.
watermelon / 14206 posts
That must have been hard to put soap in your own eyes. You’re a brave woman!
Thanks for letting us know!
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts
Honestly, I’m just SUPER impressed that you squirted shampoo into your eyes. Trying to get up the nerve to ‘test’ our Aveeno stuff…maybe I’ll have DH take one for the team!
GOLD / pea / 14 posts
@Beehive: I understand that the J&J has a numbing agent in it. That certainly solves the problem but it kinda weirds me out. Personal preference, though.
pomegranate / 3401 posts
We use the Aden + anais mum and bub shampoo/body wash. It smells delicious and we haven’t had any issues with it. I haven’t squirted it purposefully into my eyes to test it out though…
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
@Pink Champagne: Same. It dries out my skin too!
nectarine / 2054 posts
@Pink Champagne: @AutumnLove: Same with LO! He was doing fine with J&J and we tried California Baby, because everyone loved it, and his skin got kind of dry and reddish. Which was weird, because he doesn’t even have sensitive skin. I guess I’ll have to come to peace with the numbing agent thing – weird! Thanks @Mrs. Llama: for letting me know!
grapefruit / 4441 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I was going to say the same thing!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
I did the exact same thing!!! Except thankfully, according to your research, I started with California baby super sensitive. Now if the actual act of washing a toddler’s hair were tear free…
guest
I’d love to hear the update on California Baby as well. I’ve heard that many parents are really unhappy with their reformulated products, and I’m trying to decide if it’s worthy of our baby registery. Has anyone tried the new products? What do you think? Thanks for your help!
grapefruit / 4681 posts
We use and love Cali Baby, but their recent redo emulation has added rice protein to the super sensitive version and with LO’s FPIES to rice we were in search of new products. We picked up some Honest Co at Costco and DS has been complaining his eyes burn. It never occurred to me the shampoo might actually burn since it’s made for babies. I also haven’t been pleased with the way it washes (I feel it leaves our hair dry and knotty). We have the Shea Moustiure one you listed as well waiting to try but maybe I shouldn’t even bother after reading this!
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
we use the mustela baby shampoo (Ds has a TON of hair) and it’s the only one that works well for us. Aveeno baby body wash for the bath.
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
This is awesome! Thank you to you and your eyes!
guest
Thanks for this. I was just texting with a friend of mine this weekend about baby shampoos, and was about to try California Baby. Now, I will definitely give that brand a try! I’m about to buy the Super Sensitive Wash you mention on Amazon.com however, so I don’t think you actually have to go to Target. Perhaps I’m missing something?
guest
I was looking for something like this! Earlier this evening my mother was trying to give my 6 month old a mini-bath in the sink (why, mom?!? Bath wasn’t needed till tomorrow!) Anyway, when she pumped the California Baby it squirted DIRECTLY into baby’s eyes. What are the odds, right?! Anyway, after lots of tears I was trying to do some research on whether or not LO would be left blind by the blunder and it looks like we’re in the clear. I have a VERY strong feelings she was crying because all that soap and water in her eyes was scary, not painful. Not to mention her eyes weren’t red or anything. Whew.
guest
Geez! Thanks for taking one for the team!
I was washing my 2yo with Aveeno baby wash & shampoo and when I rinsed…. Oh boy, he got mad, freaked out with whatever was happening to his eyes…. Well, I had to test it.
OMG! It stings really reaaaaaaally bad and leaves a horrible feeling that I have Smt in my eyes.
guest
Hi! Thanks for this, we’ve been using babyganics, but as lo’s hair is getting longer and curvier I hate the way it drys it out. Never even realized about the tear free situation. Have you tried the new version of California Baby? Just wondering if it is worth it, or if I should keep looking.
guest
Please let me know if you tried a different products
thanks!
guest
Bought the Shea moisture on vacation because I forgot to pack the Honest company shampoo which travels well. My LO ended up with red stinging eyes so we are done with Shea Moisture as of tonight! I like the honest shampoo but our favorite is Baby Hugo which I buy at whole foods. But it has a pump top so not good for traveling. No issues with it and his eyes. Also the Shea moisture doesn’t travel well. I had it in a plastic zip lock that wasn’t sealed properly and the lid popped open do my poor suitcase was full of it when I got home! No fun cleaning that mess up, I’m over that product!