Shampoos and conditioners are generally considered safe for everyone, including pregnant women. But even though shampoos go through testing before they hit the shelves, healthcare, hygiene, and cosmetic products are not tested on pregnant women.
Last time, in our series on pregnancy-safe beauty products, we talked about pregnancy-safe sunscreens. We’ve also shared about pregnancy-safe skincare ingredients, along with dermatologist-recommended products to help you out. We hope that you’ve been finding this info to be valuable!
It’s doubtful that the shampoo you use will affect your baby. However, some products are a better choice than others. Today, we’ll cover all the things you need to know about the best pregnancy-safe shampoos!
The best shampoos for pregnant women are ones you can find in the “clean” or “conscious” beauty departments. These departments are getting easier to find nowadays, as everyone from Ulta to Sephora to Target is focusing on “clean” beauty. And it’s for a good reason— no one wants to feed their body ingredients that are possibly dangerous.
It’s been shown that parabens, phthalates, and sulfates are not good for us, so it’s become even more clear that using products with those ingredients while pregnant is definitely not safe. This means hair products, sunscreen, body wash, skincare products, and deodorants all need a closer look when you’re pregnant.
According to dermatologist Dr. Sandy Skotnicki, “There have been several studies showing that essential oils like lavender and tea tree oil have hormone-disrupting effects. Therefore, it’s best to avoid using undiluted essential oils if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive.”
Switching to a “clean” shampoo has never been easier—many of your favorite stores have already researched and are demanding the best in safe ingredients.
A good method for finding a pregnancy-safe shampoo is to look for clean, non-toxic, and nourishing products. Use products made with natural ingredients like aloe vera and shea butter. It’s crucial, though, to eliminate the toxic ingredients first. You don’t want to use products with some beneficial ingredients and some bad ones since you’d be defeating the purpose.
To help you determine what’s safe during pregnancy, we’ve curated the best shampoos that are both effective and smell fabulous! And you can easily find all of these shampoos at an affordable price point at your local drug store or on Amazon.
Best Pregnancy-Safe Shampoos:
It’s A 10 Miracle Shampoo Plus Keratin
It’s A 10 Miracle Shampoo has added Keratin, which protects your color and shields hair from heat and environmental damage. Reviewers love that this gentle, moisturizing shampoo has a great scent and works for all hair types.
SheaMoisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner
Manuka honey and Mafura oil provide rich, intensive hydration— which most moms-to-be desperately need. People love SheaMoisture’s shampoo and conditioning set, and this product has almost 5,000 Amazon reviews and a 4.6 star rating to show for it! The certified organic raw shea butter and African Rock Fig repairs hair, making it soft, shiny, and free of frizz.
Pacifica Power Strong and Long Moisturizing Shampoo
Pacifica is known for its gentle and effective ingredients that are both vegan and cruelty-free. This shampoo is also free of parabens and phthalates. Pacifia’s Strong and Long shampoo hydrates and strengthens hair, making it the perfect shampoo for after you give birth too. Check for Pacifica’s other varieties from this line, including Pineapple Curls (for curl-defining) and Rosemary Purify (with rosemary and mint to stimulate the scalp and clear excess build-up).
Love Beauty and Planet – Volume and Bounty Thickening Set
Love Beauty and Planet is a favorite in the clean beauty category, and they sell for reasonable prices. This volumizing shampoo/conditioner set with Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower provides volume. In addition, it works to help rejuvenate and hydrate fine, flat hair. One reviewer posted, “Not only is my hair softer and shinier than ever, but my scalp is also calmer and much less flaky!”
TRESemmé Pro Pure Shampoo
TRESemmé Pro Pure has zero sulfates, parabens, or dyes. Made for dehydrated and dull hair, Pro Pure revitalizes your hair without stripping it of its natural, healthy oils.
Baby Bum Shampoo & Body Wash
If it’s safe enough for babies, you know it’s safe enough for mamas too. This ultra-gentle, multi-use shampoo and body wash was made with a baby’s sensitive skin in mind. Baby Bum’s products are dermatologist and pediatrician-tested and lightly scented with a bit of sweet banana. Natural, moisturizing ingredients include aloe, monoi coconut oil, and white ginger. You can follow this shampoo with Baby Bum’s Conditioning Detangler, which is also very light and pregnancy-safe.
Herbal Essences BioRenew
This affordable shampoo is dye-, paraben-, and sulfate-free, and scented with honey, jasmine, and creamy vanilla. It’s made without sulfates to cleanse and moisturize gently and is safe on color-treated hair. Snap up the matching conditioner for the whole experience!
At the end of the day, clean beauty that’s pregnancy-safe is more than just shampoo. Check out our other doctor-approved beauty finds for sunscreen and skincare products!