How Effective is Baby Shampoo on Adults?

Short answer: yes! Most baby shampoos feature very mild detergent that doesn't irritate eyes or skin. In fact, baby shampoo is often used by adults with dry hair or dry scalps as a gentle way to wash their hair without harsh chemicals or ingredients.

The Science Behind Using Baby Shampoo on Adults

Baby shampoos are formulated with gentle surfactants that are less irritating to the skin and eyes, as well as little to no perfumes, preservatives, or color additives. Their formulas are also heavily diluted with water. This results in a gentle, mild formula that won’t exacerbate allergies or skin sensitivities.

Adult shampoos are formulated for adult skin and feature a more acidic pH level, while baby shampoos are closer to a neutral pH level of 6-7. Adult shampoos are also more likely to have sulfates and harsher surfactants to create lather.

What are the differences between these two products? Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each to learn which one can work best for you.

• Gentle Ingredients

Baby shampoo is made for delicate skin and hair, which means milder formulas and sensitive ingredients. This is ideal for adults with sensitive skin or dry scalps, but if you're looking to target specific issues such as dandruff or thinning hair, choose an adult shampoo that has been specifically formulated for these conditions.

• Less Effective On Oily Scalps

Since babies produce limited amounts of sebum, baby shampoos only need mild cleansing agents. Since babies produce limited amounts of sebum, baby shampoos only need mild cleansing agents. If you have oily hair, you may need a stronger cleaning formula to effectively clean an oily scalp.

• More Shampoo Required

Because of their gentle, mild formulations, adults may often need to use more baby shampoo to achieve good results, as opposed to regular shampoo which is created with adult hair in mind.

Learn how these products can (or can’t) tackle specific hair and skin conditions.

• Dry Scalp

If you suffer from dry skin or hair, switching to baby shampoo can offer the gentle, mild formula you need. Since baby shampoo is extremely diluted, this can help lock in moisture and hydrate dry skin and scalps, making it effective for helping those whose hair is prone to dandruff and flakes.

• Itchy Scalp

Frequently using products with harsh ingredients can irritate your scalp. Switching to mild baby shampoo can give your hair and skin a break from more caustic formulas often found in regular shampoo and give your scalp and skin barrier time to recover and strengthen.

• Hair Loss

Baby shampoo is effective on scalps dealing with hair loss, as their gentle, mild ingredients won’t further irritate thinning or shedding hair. However, for those who want to directly target hair loss, look for shampoos that contain coconut-derived surfactants, vegan biotin, and jojoba protein to encourage hair growth.

Note that for hair loss, targeted treatment is usually required and baby shampoo can only be used as a complement to that treatment.