Which shampoo is best for kids dry hair?

Your child may not enjoy washing their hair, but hopefully finding the right shampoo will make the whole process easier - and a lot more fun

I don’t know about you, but as a mum of two girls, I've always dreaded hair washing day. It was the least favourite activity of both my children (next to eating vegetables), and somehow I'd always end up as wet as they were. And completely exhausted. But it’s something we all have to do, and while kids don’t need to wash their hair more once or twice a week, getting used to the routine is important.

The crucial factor is finding the right shampoo for your child. You may need something for sensitive skin, you may want to go organic. Or use a shampoo to suit oily hair or one for lots of curls. You might even want something that looks fun and smells nice to get you reluctant hair washer onboard. Or a product that doubles up as a conditioner - or triples up as a body wash too.

There's a lot to choose from and prices range from super cheap to expensive but it really comes down to what works for you and your little one. Most are free from nasties such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates and dye. After that it’s really about trying a product out and seeing how it goes.

To get you started we have sourced the best shampoos for kids available in Australia. So while hair washing day might be tricky, at least you know the shampoo is doing its job.

Best Overall

Child's Farm 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, $9, Amazon

This shampoo not only sounds delicious (organic rhubarb and custard!) but is also dermatologist and paediatrician approved so suitable for sensitive skin and safe for those who may be prone to eczema.  It's so gentle you can use it from newborn age onwards and it's designed for all hair types. It's also vegan, cruelty-free and has 97 per cent naturally derived ingredients. And also available in strawberry and organic mint (yum!) as well as a range of equally appealing hair and body wash combinations.

"Bought this product for my children and we love it so much me and my husband have started using it to!" commented one happy customer. "Smells amazing! Has helped relieve dry sensitive scalps."

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Shea Moisture, Kids Extra Nourishing Shampoo, Mango and Carrot, $17.17, iHerb

This gentle shampoo is perfect for delicate young hair and contains mango butter that leaves hair feeling silky smooth as well as carrot to nourish hair and helps prevent breakage. It contains no nasties such as parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol,  mineral oil or petrolatum.  But it does contain certified organic natural & fair trade ingredients and is cruelty free

One parent was so thrilled that they left this glowing review: "I absolutely love this shampoo especially for being sulfate free. The shampoo is definitely worth the money. It has my daughter’s 8 years old hair feeling soft and manageable after a wash. The smell is wonderful, and very little goes an extremely long way."

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Best for baby

Bubba Organics Lavender and Chamomile Baby Bath and Body, $52.94, The Iconic

Babies require very gentle soothing products, if any at all. However of you do want to give bub's hair and body a clean, this set from Bubba Organics is a great option as its formula is suitable for sensitive delicate skin. It contains chamomile with anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties, calming lavender, aloe vera, olive fruit oil and calendula. And you can follow up with the matching body moisturiser to help prevent your little one's skin from drying out.

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Sebamed Baby Shampoo, $9.99, Amazon

This gentle shampoo has an emollient formula, ideal for the cleansing fine hair and delicate scalps. It's 100 percent soap and alkali free, and contains no colorants, nitro-mochus compounds, formaldehyde, nitrosamines or dioxan. This an excellent mild shampoo that will take care of your little one while their skin's natural protective barrier is still developing.

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Best organic

Little Innoscents Organic Hair & Body Wash, $12.99, Nourished Life

This super gentle shampoo for babies and kids of all ages, is made with delicate botanical cleansers and essential oils of spearmint and sweet orange. It's ideal for kids with sensitive skin, even those prone to dryness and mild eczema. It's also certified organic, certified cruelty-free, gluten-free, vegan and made here in Australia.

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Best for tangles

Johnson's No More Tangles Kids Shampoo, $4.99, Catch

For those kids who find combing out knotty wet hair a nightmare, this shampoo is a dream come true. It cleanses hair and scalp but also allows for easy combing. In fact, it unlocks 70 percent more knots and tangles. It's also free of parabens, sulphates and dyes and contains the famous Johnson's no more tears formula. 

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Paul Mitchell Baby Don't Cry Shampoo 1000ml, $34.95 down from $66.66, Oz Hair & Beauty 

This mild cleansing shampoo contains gentle chamomile and cone flower to calm and soothe the skin and scalp - and its tearless wash is gentle on little eyes.

One mum commented, "Love this shampoo, works a treat with my kids. Giving the youngest the opportunity to wash her own hair and get suds everywhere!! No stingy eyes and no more wrestling with mum on hair wash days... love it."

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Best for curls

SoCozy, Kids, Curl Shampoo, $18.34, iHerb

This clever shampoo gently cleanses while restoring curls natural balance as well as reducing breakage and improving elasticity. It contains keratin to strengthen and protect hair, plum seed oil to seal and bond cuticles and olive oil to soften, moisturise and make hair shiny. And naturally, it contains no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic colors or propylene glycol. 

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Best 2-in-1 combinations

L'Oreal Kids 2in1 Soothing Strawberry Shampoo

Sometimes, you need to use a conditioner on your child's hair to detangle those unfriendly knots, but that also drags out the process. This two-in-one shampoo and conditioner gets the job done in one fell swoop and has a delicious strawberry fragrance. Parents have left lots of favourable reviews about this product such as, "The very berry 2 in 1 shampoo smells lovely. Easy to use and lathers up really well. Great to use on my daughter's thick hair! Leaves it smelling lovely and soft. Also easy to manage as there is less tangles. It's great that it is 2 in 1 as I don't have to use loads of products."

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Jack N' Jill Natural Shampoo & Body Wash, $14.95, Catch

This beautiful product is suitable as body body wash and shampoo for all the family. Made with quinoa seed extract, quillaja saponaria bark extract & pro vitamin B5, it hydrates and nourishes the skin, while natural extracts provide deep cleansing without over drying. It's dermatologically tested and is suitable for those with sensitive skin and scalps. It's also vegan, PETA approved, free from from soap, colour, PG, lanolin & synthetic fragrances - and made in Australia.

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Palmolive Funny Honey Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner & Bodywash, $5, Big W

This well-priced product from Palmolive takes care of everything with shampoo, conditioner and body wash all rolled into one. It comes in a recycled bottle and has no parabens, phthalates and BPA. It's hypoallergenic, it has a delicious honey smell and is great for getting out those knots - overall making bath time more fun with less tears.

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Best for lice prevention

SoCozy, Kids, Boo! Lice Scaring Shampoo, $19.77, iHerb

Once your kids start school, you need to be on the constant lookout for nits. If you hear of others getting lice at, or if a warming note is sent home, then get straight onto this shampoo. With tea tree, rosemary and peppermint oils, it will help keep nits at bay, while keratin strengthens and looks after hair.

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Help! How do I wash my child's hair?

Many kids and toddlers struggle with washing hair - and what with the water on their face, stinging eyes, knotty hair, it's hardly surprising that their reactions are often a little over the top. But if you keep trying different techniques, you'll find something that works. Here are a few practical ideas to consider:

• Try the shower - if your child likes showering, this is far more efficient for washing hair. Soap washes out more easily and your child has less chance of getting water on their face.
• If washing hair in the bath, use jugs of clean water to gently rinse hair, rather than soapy bath water, as this never gets the hair clean. But always make sure water is at a safe temperature first.
• Get your child to put  a towel or face washer across their face to help stop any shampoo or water getting into their eyes. You could also try a sun visor. Or better still, source a special hair-washing one such as this cute option from Babyhood for exactly this purpose. We tried one of these and it worked a treat.
• Wash hair immediately at bathtime. Get it out of the way first up (like the veggies) offering more free fun playtime after it's done.

How often should I wash my child's hair?

Kids' hair doesn't need to be washed every day, rather once or twice a week at the most - unless your child has been swimming or is particularly sweaty. And if washing hair is a little traumatic for your child, it might be better to do it less often rather than too much. Give them a little break before going through the process all over again. 

I can say however, it does get easier. Now my kids can wash their own hair (heaven!), they love doing it and rarely do I have to remind them - in fact, they remember better than I do.

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