Last Updated on May 12, 2023 by Jada Glover
As a pregnant mom, you are likely thinking about the health of your growing baby as well as your own health. Did you know that what you put on your body matters just as much as what you put in your body? Exposing yourself to shampoos and conditioners with harmful ingredients can negatively impact both of you.
In this post, I will be sharing my top picks for the best pregnancy safe shampoos and conditioners. We will also discuss what ingredients you should avoid and what you should look for to ensure you are using safe products in the bath or shower during pregnancy.
Please note that this article contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a commission if you buy something (at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure here. I only recommend products I use and love and recommend to my clients.
What Makes a Shampoo Or Conditioner Pregnancy Safe?
Oftentimes we’ll see things labeled for certain groups of women, like pregnant moms or breastfeeding moms. But are those products truly safe or is it just the company’s great marketing?
It is important to choose products that are gentle and non-irritating, as some women may experience increased sensitivity during pregnancy. Look for shampoos and conditioners with mild, plant-based surfactants if you like a good lather and natural ingredients.
Some natural ingredients that are often included in natural shampoos and conditioners that are generally considered safe for use during pregnancy include:
- aloe vera
- chamomile
- coconut oil
- jojoba oil
You may come across some shampoos and conditioners that are specifically labeled as “pregnancy safe” or “safe for expectant mothers”. This can give you peace of mind knowing that they are using products that have been specially formulated to meet your unique needs. But be sure you still look at the ingredients label and avoid any products containing ingredients in the list below.
What Ingredients Should You Avoid?
There are certain ingredients often found in shampoos and conditioners that should not be used during pregnancy. Strong synthetic chemicals such as parabens, polyethylene glycol (PEGs), sulfates, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances should be avoided.
They can potentially harm your growing baby and damage your hair. Yes, some shampoos contain ingredients that can damage your hair – tricky huh?!
Synthetic fragrances can also contain potentially harmful chemicals, so it’s best to opt for products with natural fragrances or no fragrance at all. It’s also important to avoid essential oils that are not considered safe for use during pregnancy.
Oftentimes it’s using a high dosage, not diluting essential oils properly, or using them in the first trimester that can lead to issues in pregnancy. Even after having your baby, your hair texture may change.
That’s exactly what happened to me! As a breastfeeding mom now, I use an apple cider vinegar and baking soda wash on occasion as a natural way to cleanse my hair from any products. You might want to give this a try too.
Is Pregnancy Safe Shampoo Necessary?
Due to hormonal changes, pregnancy can cause hair and skin changes, including increased sensitivity, dryness, and hair breakage. Using pregnancy-safe products that are natural can provide peace of mind that these harmful ingredients are not being absorbed into your body or your baby’s body.
So my advice is to find shampoos that don’t have harmful ingredients in them and use those. Even if they are not specifically labeled for pregnant women, they will be more natural and should not contain ingredients that could potentially harm you or your baby.
The Best Pregnancy Safe Shampoos (& Conditioners)
As a mom that has been pregnant twice, I understand how important it is to ensure you’re living your healthiest life for you and your baby. You want your baby to have the best start. A way you can do this is to be aware of what you’re putting in and on your body that may be passed through to them.
Remember, the products you use on your skin and in your hair matter! So let’s dive in to the best pregnancy safe shampoos and conditioners that are available on the market right now.
Purezero Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner Set
This set of shampoo and conditioner is safe to use while pregnant and hydrates hair with natural amino acids and chemical free proteins with coconut oil and coconut milk.
It is also helpful to reduce dandruff. All Purezero collections use zero sulfates, parabens, dyes, gluten, phosphates and phthalates.
ecoLove Natural Sulfate Free Shampoo
This ecoLove brand line is free from SLS, parabens, and petrochemicals. The ingredients are 95% nature derived and contain essential oils, organic herbs and plant extracts, and 26 dead sea minerals.
The gentle formula is suitable for all hair types is made for women, men, and kids. You can also get a conditioner in the same line by ecoLove.
goop Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo
This goop shampoo cleanses hair and scalp of product buildup, dirt, and oil, leaving both clean and refreshed. It contains Himalayan pink salt, cold-pressed moringa oil, and rosehip oil.
This is a great option if you need a pregnancy safe clarifying shampoo. Your scalp could be more sensitive during pregnancy, so be mindful when you’re scrubbing your head.
Do it gently for the best results. It is made without parabens, petroleum, phthalates, sulfates, silicones, artificial dyes or fragrances, and other harmful chemicals making it pregnancy safe for mamas.
Ethique Shampoo Bar
You may be new to shampoo bars, and if you are, no worries! Shampoo bars can be just as effective as liquid shampoos.
They usually contain less harmful ingredients because they don’t have to use surfactants to create the liquid. Surfactants can be drying and some are not healthy for you anyway.
Shampoo bars last a long time and can offer the same sudsy experience that you are looking for in a shampoo. The Ethique shampoo bar is great for pregnant women with dandruff.
It contains neem and karanja oils which are renowned in Ayurvedic medicine for healing properties. It also has cocoa butter and coconut oil for softness and shine.
Shea Moisture Intensive Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Use the Shea moisture shampoo and conditioner set as a system to repair hair damaged by chemicals to smooth and infuse moisture. It contains manuka honey, mafura oil, fig extract, and baobab oil.
This is a great option if you need a color-safe shampoo. There are other Shea Moisture options as well if you like this brand.
Most are pregnancy safe because the brand doesn’t use a lot of harsh chemicals. All Shea Moisture products include certified organic and fair-trade ingredients without parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, or sulfates.
These products use natural, plant-based ingredients and avoid harsh chemicals. This makes them a great choice if you’re a pregnant mama looking for safe and gentle hair care options.
The Best Pregnancy Safe Combo Shampoo and Conditioner
The best pregnancy safe combo shampoo and conditioner should be free of:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates
- Allergens like soy, corn, dairy, tree nuts, gluten, peanuts, sesame, and fish
As a natural-minded mama, I prefer natural shampoo and conditioner products that are healthy for our skin and scalp. My favorite combo shampoo is the Earthley Wellness- Shampoo Bar and Leave in Conditioner set.
The natural hair care bundle combines the Earthley Rosemary-Lavender Shampoo Bar with the Earthley Silky Smooth Leave-In Conditioner. It gives you beautiful hair with no chemicals!
Use coupon code NEWTOEARTHLEY for 10% off your first order.
The rosemary-lavender shampoo bar is a gentle, lightly floral-scented shampoo that cleans hair without stripping it of its own natural oils. It helps with dry and flaky scalps and dandruff.
Lavender and rosemary promote hair growth and scalp health. The shampoo bar is also no-waste, so it’s great for the environment too! Just one of these shampoo bars can last you a month or longer depending on how often you wash your hair.
The Earthley leave-in conditioner is the perfect pair to the rosemary-lavender shampoo bar. It smooths, nourishes, and detangles hair, while also toning the scalp.
Earthley Wellness is my absolute favorite brand of health and wellness products as they are very transparent in what products are pregnancy and breastfeeding safe (this bundle is pregnancy safe). The products are also very cost effective given the quality of ingredients and quantity that you get.
Don’t forget to use your coupon NEWTOEARTHLEY for 10% off your first order.
If you have been using conventional shampoo and conditioner with lots of chemicals, it may take your hair a few times to adjust to more natural shampoos and conditioners. A natural shampoo gets rid of chemical and synthetic product build-up. I always wash my hair twice when I wash it, so you may try doing that if your hair is thick like mine.
Is Dry Shampoo Safe During Pregnancy?
Generally speaking, dry shampoo is considered safe to use during pregnancy. However, it’s still important to check the ingredients list and avoid any potentially harmful chemicals. It should really only have a few ingredients in it since the purpose is to absorb oil in your hair and leave it looking refreshed.
The Best Pregnancy Safe Dry Shampoo
Many dry shampoos are propane or butane-powered and contain synthetic ingredients that sit on your scalp and are absorbed by your body. Look for one that does not contain these things.
Hair Dance Dry Shampoo is my favorite pick for the best pregnancy safe dry shampoo. It contains a few simple ingredients – rice starch, oatmeal, lavender oil, and olive leaf.
Most of those ingredients are natural and organic. I bought a bottle of this and it lasted me an entire year!
I much prefer it to the bottled aerosol varieties. When I need it, I sprinkle it on my hair the night before I need it to look refreshed. It then works itself into my hair and it looks great the next day.
Before we move on, if you’re looking for more ways to prepare before your baby arrives, be sure you check out my number one recommended breastfeeding course by Milkology. You can get prepared to breastfeed and learn from the comfort of your home.
Although breastfeeding is natural, it does not come easily to most moms (trust me, I know firsthand). Sign up for the Milkology Online Breastfeeding Course, which has been trusted by thousands of moms just like you. Be empowered and prepared to breastfeed successfully when your baby arrives. Click here to learn more.
Which Shampoo Brands Are Pregnancy Safe?
With so many options available for shampoo brands, it can be challenging to know which ones are pregnancy safe. Many moms prefer to avoid certain ingredients during pregnancy due to their potential effects on fetal development or hormone balance.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common brands on the market and determine if these are safe to use in pregnancy.
Dove
Dove products contain a variety of ingredients that moms may want to avoid during pregnancy, such as synthetic fragrances. Synthetic fragrances can contain potential hormone disruptors and preservatives, like Methylisothiazolinone, which can cause allergic reactions in some people.
I was not able to locate a Dove shampoo variety that was specifically safe for pregnant moms. There are better shampoo options that you can find and use while pregnant.
Aveeno
While some Aveeno products may be okay to use while pregnant, be sure you avoid any shampoos that contain the following two ingredients: salicylic acid or retinoids. These are not recommended for use during pregnancy.
If you really like Aveeno products, check out this Aveeno shampoo with no sulfates, dyes, or parabens. You should note though, that it does contain artificial fragrance and PEGs which can actually harm your hair.
Aveda
Aveda states it uses natural and plant-based ingredients in their hair care products. However, when you take a look at this shampoo variety, it contains Polysorbate 80, PEGs, and sulfates, as well as a synthetic fragrance (parfum). I would not recommend Aveda shampoo for pregnant mamas.
Here is the list of ingredients for you to see that it contains many of the harmful ingredients you want to avoid.
Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamide Mipa, Propanediol, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, Crambe Abyssinica (Abyssinian) Seed Oil, Bixa Orellana (Annatto) Seed Extract, Glycerin, Peg-60 Almond Glycerides, Polysorbate 80, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Sodium Phytate, Benzoic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Annatto (Ci 75120)
OUAI
Some Ouai shampoos contain small amounts of salicylic acid, which is a type of acid commonly used to treat acne. While salicylic acid is generally considered safe in low concentrations, high concentrations can be harmful during pregnancy.
Their marketing team does a great job at highlighting what good ingredients they include, but do not mention the bad ones. Since there are better options on the market, I would stay away from this brand and others that contain salicylic acid.
Native
Native hair care products, including their shampoos and conditioners, generally do not contain any ingredients that are known to be harmful during pregnancy. They are free from sulfates, parabens, dyes, and silicone.
Native products are made with natural and plant-based ingredients and avoid harsh chemicals, making them a good choice for pregnant women. However, some Native products may contain essential oils or certain plant extracts that some women may prefer to avoid during pregnancy.
OGX
The OGX shampoo brand may not sound familiar, but if you look at the bottle, you’ve probably seen it at your local supermarket or drug store for sale. OGX products are formulated with a variety of ingredients, including natural extracts, oils, and synthetic chemicals.
While most of these ingredients are considered safe for use during pregnancy, some OGX products may contain essential oils or other plant extracts that some women may prefer to avoid during pregnancy. Since there are better options, I would look for one of the safer brands mentioned above.
Drugstore Shampoos
Some drugstore shampoo brands may be safe to use while pregnant. However, it’s always a good idea to check the ingredients list before you buy any particular one.
The same rules apply. Avoid harmful synthetic ingredients that could wreak havoc on your hormones or affect your unborn baby. What you put on your body/skin matters just as much as what you put in your body.
I hope this list leads to the perfect pregnancy safe shampoo and conditioner for you!
If you’re pregnant, you might be wondering which shampoo brands are safe to use during this special time. With so many options available, it can be challenging to know where to start.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of pregnancy-safe shampoo and conditioner brands to help you choose the best option for you and your baby. Steer clear of the harmful ingredients discussed, so you can enjoy this sweet time with your new baby with peace of mind.
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