Best Bath Soap for a Toddler?

Updated on January 20, 2010
S.S. asks from Elk Rapids, MI
22 answers

What kind of bath soap do you all use for your toddlers? It just seems like we go through a ton of it and I am looking for the most reasonably-priced option. I am not too worried about "green", but I don't want a lot of perfumes, and it needs to be for young kids or "tear-free". Also something that can be used for body wash and shampoo.

Ideally I would like to be able to buy it in a fairly large bottle so we aren't always running out! Any ideas? I just don't have a lot of time to shop around.

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So What Happened?

You know, it seems like the question isn't so much "what soap to use" as how to use it economically and not overdry their skin with too much detergents (we did have that problem last winter). So I really appreciate the suggestions to mix the soap with water, shake it, and use it in a pump dispenser! I never would have thought of that. It is also interesting to hear what brands people use - more J&J than I would have thought, I expected Aveeno and Cetaphil, and there were some brands I hadn't heard of! Thanks a lot, ladies!

As for the "green" concept, I just don't believe we know that much more about the ingredients in green products, and it seems like another marketing angle to me. All these companies try to out-green or be more organic than the others... I prefer to just use less product overall. The pthalate research is inconclusive to date... I believe we have to choose our battles and I worry more about what my family ingests than what baby soap we use. I don't want the cheapest chemical junk, but somewhere in the middle between that and totally expensive still chemical stuff. Moderation is my goal.

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D.F.

answers from Detroit on

S.,

You can not use this for shampoo, but my doctor told me the best soap for children is Dove. I have use it since my son was an infant (he is 2 yrs old now) and he has beautiful, soft skin. I use it myself and it is fairly cheap when bought in bar form.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.J.

answers from Detroit on

We go through a lot of soap too but I have been refilling my foaming soap and shampoo dispensers (Kandoo and Huggies) for over a year now. I think the formula is two tablespoons of soap and fill the rest of the dispenser with water and shake. This works with most clear soaps.

Even if we go through a whole bottle in a month it still is only a tiny bit of actual soap so it saves a ton of money. It's a lot more fun too!

1 mom found this helpful

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A.H.

answers from Detroit on

We are very economical about our son's soap. We mix it up. He uses sesame street and also Lush brand products as these are very close to organic.

I realize I am posting this after the fact and what caught my eye was how you feel about "green". Green is different that 'organic'. You should be able to pronounce and recognize the ingredients in the product if is it safe for all (environment, body, etc.). Products at Lush are actually Vegan (all vegetable and plant based.) with only the safe preservatives found in cosmetics that have been used for years. The products also have a shorter shelf-life of about a year or less depending on your purchase.

You can go 'green' and still know that the product you are purchasing is safe. Especially if you are very familiar with essential oils, carrier bases (oils and soaps) and all the latin words they are printed under. Just know that some brands claim organic and are not. It still is a buyer-beware market but that is what is so wonderful about hearing from others about their experiences with products.

After reading some responses from another:
Some plants can be toxic, but did you know that what you put on your skin also is absorbed into your blood stream? In a few of my classes on essential oils: 'Never put anything on your skin you could not or would not eat'; soap and cosmetic products included.

Good Luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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E.A.

answers from Detroit on

I use regular baby wash for my two kids (3 and 7 months), but with my 3YO, I mix the baby wash with water in an empty foaming soap dispenser from Bath & Body Works. I add a quarter size amount of baby wash to the dispenser, then fill it up the rest of the way with water. Then I let my 3YO shake it up to mix it, and it comes out foaming. A little bit in the dispenser mixed with water goes a long way! If you don't have any of those dispensers around, I think Target sells foaming soap in the same kind of dispensers. I will say that I have tried this with the Johnson's Buddies Foaming Soap/Hair and Body Wash dispenser and it kept getting stuck, so that didn't work well. :(

1 mom found this helpful
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T.A.

answers from Grand Rapids on

S.,
My boys all had sensitive skin and when I would put soap in the tub on a regular basis they would get dry itchy skin and sometimes get red irritated itchy patches. What I would do (especially in the wintertime) was put some food coloring in an empty shampoo bottle and fill it up with water. That seemed to entertain them, and I would only use ivory bar soap on a washcloth to clean the really dirty areas. You would be amazed but actually the water does most of the cleaning-not the soap!

1 mom found this helpful
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B.T.

answers from Detroit on

We use California Baby body wash/shampoo. I use "Super Sensitive" for my son who has lots of allergies. It is expensive but you can buy a huge bottle.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.F.

answers from St. Cloud on

Hi S.!
I agree with Ann H. with alot of things. I use Aveda Shampure for my kids hair and body. My hubby and I also use the same shampoo and it works great!

The Shampure from Aveda is not labled "tear free" but the kids have never fussed even if they accidentally get it in their eyes!

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S.C.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi, I didn't read all the answers, but I will tell you what we use for our oldest boy. It is Johnson's Buddies easy grip sudzing bar. It says it lasts twice as long as regular soaps, and it does! It is a bar of soap with a non-slip grip and the grippy thing makes it sud a lot, thus saving soap. We pay abouot 97cents for one bar and lasts us a couple of months. Plus it teaches them how to wash themselves with less slipping! It is great! We buy it at Meijer near the kids shampoo. Hope it helps. Oh, I don't know if it is tear free, but most Johnson's products are, we have not had any problems.
p.s. my neighbor uses the bars for her kids as handsoap, we use foaming. I can see her logic though! :)

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

I use Cetaphil because my dd has sensitive skin. I use it as a shampoo and body wash. It is a little expensive, but you don't use much and it lasts a long time, it also is a great skin conditioner. I buy it at Costco and I pay about $15 for 2 big bottles which lasts us about 6-9 months.

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A.P.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi S.:

I used Johnson and Johnson head to toe body wash for my son up until he was 8 years old. You can buy it in a large bottle and yes, it works for all over and is tear free. I think it cost about 4.00 for a large bottle. Good Luck.
A.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

Johnson and johnson head to toe (yellow bottle) or the pink one that has moisturizer in it.

I have 2 kids (almost 3 and 16 months)

I am on my 3rd bottle of baby soap.

So I bottle lasts us about a year.

I bathe the kids every other day.. but I only use abit of soap.. their bodies are small. and too much soap is drying to the skin.

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A.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Aveeno Baby is great mild soap. I'm sure you can get it in a large bottle at Sam's or Costco.

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R.G.

answers from Detroit on

I really love the Huggies brand oatmeal bath liquid soap. It can be used for hair and body. It very thick and you only need a very small amount. You can always find coupons for it online as well. It's the best I've found so far and my son always smells so good!! :)

B.A.

answers from Saginaw on

I've always loved the smell of the Johnson's bedtime bath. So I get that when its on sale...if its not I found most stores have their own brand of it that is cheap and does the trick.

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K.B.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I know this a late response but I thought someone may be interested since this is pretty local. My kids have responded well to handmade soap and we love the soaps from momandpopsoapshop.com which are made in Grand Rapids, MI. We found them at a craft show and have had great luck with them for sensitive skin and eczema. They will make whatever kind of soap you want - Neat! The bars last a long time too so well worth the money.

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D.D.

answers from Detroit on

I use the ALDI store brand baby wash. tear free - very little perfume, and a big bottle for about 1 dollar. I have twins and go through a LOT. it seems to last forever. They also have a good store brand baby shampoo for about the same price.

the catch? you have to go to an aldi store (which, BTW, is saving our butts in this economy!)
www.aldi.com to find a location.

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J.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi S.,
I have an almost 2 year old (she will be 2 in March) and I have always used the Johnson & Johnson Head to toe. It is tear-free, and its a body wash and shampoo all in one. I have found it works good. You can get it in a 28 fl oz container, that has lasted us well we have had it for a couple months already. And if you look online you can get coupons for a $1 off, or look in the paper for the coupons. I find that it is cheapest at Wal*Mart. I thinks if I remember right it is only like $5 a jug...maybe a little more but not too much more.
Good luck.

J.

A.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

I use a kid soap by Suave. It's tear free and for body and hair. Also, I usually only bathe my kids everyother day in the winter.

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A.L.

answers from Lansing on

I still use baby soap on my son. (he's 2 years old) I love gerber grins and giggles soaps and lotions. The soap is all in one, hair and body wash.

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K.W.

answers from Detroit on

I use avenno baby wash. It's good for the skin adn tear free. I use it for hair and body. Costco usually sells it if you are looking for big bottles or two packs.

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L.D.

answers from Lansing on

For my 5 year old I am still using Johnson's baby wash (for hair and body). Comes in a big bottle with dispenser, works well and is gentle.

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K.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

My sister in law uses Dr. Bronners http://www.drbronner.com/

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