Daily hair washing: not all of us do it. However, those who do like their shampoo to be effective enough to be up to the challenge, but gentle enough to keep their scalp comfortable. It’s not always easy to find the best mild shampoo for your needs; after all, your chosen shampoo will have to be a good match for not only your hair type, but also your hair concerns and hair goals, and the frequency of your hair washing.
In order to help you on your daily hair washing quest, we have selected some of our favorite shampoos for frequent use. We hope you will find your need pick among our choices!
Mild shampoo vs regular shampoo
But first, a little primer on what, exactly, we mean by a “mild” shampoo. As you know, most shampoos contain detergents and surfactants. These are the cleansing agents that remove accumulated oil and dirt from your hair and provide that incredible squeaky-clean feeling. However, too much of a good thing can be harmful to your hair–if you wash your hair often with too powerful cleansing agents, you can actually strip your hair fiber and leave it feeling rough, sometimes even frizzy. What does this mean for you? It means that if you are a daily hair-washer, you may benefit from making the switch to a milder shampoo.
Mild or gentle shampoos tend to use less powerful cleansing agents. They should still be able to clean your hair, but they are less likely to strip and dehydrate your beloved locks–not to mention irritate your scalp. It’s also common for mild shampoos to contain conditioning ingredients, which can give your hair some extra softness. If this sounds like the right product for you, then let’s keep reading.
Find the best mild shampoo for your needs
Your hair and scalp are your own, and your shampoo should be as well-matched to them as possible. As such, our shampoo suggestions cover all sorts of bases, from oily roots to irritated scalps, from hair loss to split ends.
Klorane Purifying Shampoo with Citrus Pulp
Best for oily hair & scalp
Klorane Purifying Shampoo with Citrus Pulp
If your hair and scalp tend to become oily and greasy quickly, Klorane Purifying Shampoo with Citrus Pulp may be the best mild shampoo for you. With citrus pulp, vitamin B5 and glutamic acid, this shampoo provides a double action that suits busy lifestyles the best.
Citrus pulp and glutamic acid not only helps to eliminate excess sebum from the scalp but also protecting the hair and scalp from external aggressions and daily exposure to pollution. Meanwhile, vitamin B5 offers extra shine and radiance to the hair!
LETI AT4 Atopic Skin Shampoo
Best for eczema
LETI AT4 Atopic Skin Shampoo
LETI AT4 Atopic Skin Shampoo is a mild shampoo for the daily hygiene, care, and protection of scalps affected by eczema. Scalp eczema can cause patches of skin to grow red, flaky, and itchy, but this shampoo can help you manage those signs of discomfort.
The extra-soft and emollient formula contains pampering glycerin, cotton extract, and shea butter, ingredients that not only protect the dry scalp and soothe irritation, but also lend the hair a healthy, beautiful shine. Suitable for babies (with or without cradle cap), children, and adults!
ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo
Best for hair loss
ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo
We’re going to be honest: shampoo alone may not be enough to help you fight hair loss. However, the right shampoo can be a great complement to other hair loss treatments, especially if you are washing your hair every day.
ISDIN Lambdapil Anti Hair Loss Shampoo brings you an exclusive combination of ingredients that stimulate the hair follicle and normalize sebum production in order to activate hair growth. Because of its conditioning formula, this is the perfect mild shampoo for hair loss, as it can be used every day without harming the scalp.
Bioscalin BiomActive 1 Everyday Prebiotic Shampoo
Best with prebiotics
Bioscalin BiomActive 1 Everyday Prebiotic Shampoo
From Bioscalin to the world, comes this gentle and efficient prebiotic-based hair and scalp shampoo. Focused in restoring the scalp’s microbiome, this gel formula that cares for your hair while shielding the scalp and strands from external aggressors like pollution, UV rays, smoke or stress.
Formulated with a high concentration of prebiotics, lactic acid, and ultra-delicate surfactants, this shampoo blends ingredients with very high tolerability. Incorporate this shampoo on your routine to keep the hair and scalp healthy and comfortable!
Bioderma Nodé Non-Detergent Fluid Shampoo
Best non-detergent shampoo
Bioderma Nodé Non-Detergent Fluid Shampoo
Another no-lather shampoo, Bioderma Nodé Non-Detergent Fluid Shampoo is a dermatologist-approved soap-free shampoo for sensitive scalps.
This unique shampoo, which is very liquid in consistency, uses a unique combination of surfactants to cleanse the effectively, but also gently. The goal is to restore comfort to your scalp and shine to your hair while respecting the natural hydrolipidic film. Suitable for daily use, this shampoo can also be used by the entire family, with the exception of premature babies.
Lazartigue Extra-Gentle Frequent Use Shampoo
Best vegan
Lazartigue Extra-Gentle Frequent Use Shampoo
With a vegan formula composed of 87% ingredients of natural origin, the Lazartigue Extra-Gentle Frequent Use Shampoo cleanses the hair with the utmost care and respect. Natural surfactants derived from coconut produce a rich and creamy foam, while soothing rice milk and essential oils of lemon, geranium, and ylang-ylang rebalance the scalp.
With a delightful floral fragrance, this mild shampoo is perfect for the everyday use of the whole family.
APIVITA Hair Care Oily Roots & Dry Ends Shampoo
Best for oily roots & dry ends
APIVITA Hair Care Oily Roots & Dry Ends Shampoo
See if this sounds familiar: no matter how greasy the roots of your hair get, the ends remain dry. As a result, you never know which shampoo to use. This APIVITA Hair Care Oily Roots & Dry Ends Shampoo may be the best mild shampoo for you, as it works by balancing oiliness along the hair strand.
The star ingredient in this shampoo, nettle extract, provides a balancing action, while the exclusive herbal APISHIELD HS complex keeps the hair protected. In short, this shampoo purifies your oily roots without stripping your dry ends of much-needed moisture.
Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Shampoo
Best for dry scalp
Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Shampoo
Got a dry and itchy scalp? Dealing with flaking? This shampoo can help. Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Shampoo combines urea and lactic acid, two moisturizing actives, to bring your scalp the pampering care it needs. The formula also contains an antipruritic agent to relieve signs of discomfort, such as itching and tingling.
Because the mild formula cleanses and moisturizes the hair at the same time, leaving it shiny and soft, this shampoo is completely suitable for regular use.
Phyto Anti-Itching Dermo-Soothing Shampoo
Best for irritated scalp
Phyto Anti-Itching Dermo-Soothing Shampoo
If your scalp is sensitive and tends to suffer from irritation, the Phyto Anti-Itching Dermo-Soothing Shampoo may be the best mild shampoo for you. This soothing shampoo, which is suitable for daily use, is infused with a soothing blend of botanical ingredients.
The formula contains bisabolol of fermented origin, an anti-irritant agent that soothes itchiness and discomfort, and rosemary extract, a gentle ingredient that protects and balances the scalp. That should be all it takes to restore your scalp to its optimal level of comfort!
Ducray Extra-Doux Dermo-Protective Shampoo
Best for the whole family
Ducray Extra-Doux Dermo-Protective Shampoo
To be fair, most of the shampoos on this list are suitable for the whole family, but our customers seem to really love this one. With an extra-gentle formula that doesn’t sting the eyes, this is the shampoo you need on the edge of your tub for the entire family to use–indeed, it’s suitable for children over 2 years of age,
The delicate formula provides a gentle cleansing action, all the while respecting the scalp and restoring beauty and shine to the hair. Last, but not least, the formula is also biodegradable, making this shampoo as environmentally friendly as it is family-friendly.
A note on mild shampoo without sulfates and parabens
Here at Care to Beauty, we’re all about stocking, recommending, and using products that feature only safe ingredients. We are based in the European Union, where all cosmetic products have to obey strict legislation; in short, we can trust that the products we recommend were thoroughly tested and are not only effective but also safe to use.
Even so, we know you may prefer to keep some ingredients out of your products, like sulfates and parabens. A lot of the mild shampoos on our list are actually sulfate and paraben-free, so we’re listing them for you here, in case you’d like to prioritize that feature:
- Sulfate-free: Bioderma Nodé Non-Detergent Fluid Shampoo
- Paraben-free: APIVITA Hair Care Oily Roots & Dry Ends Shampoo, Ducray Extra-Doux Dermo-Protective Shampoo, Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Shampoo
- Sulfates and paraben-free: Lazartigue Extra-Gentle Frequent Use Shampoo, LETI AT4 Atopic Skin Shampoo, Phyto Anti-Itching Dermo-Soothing Shampoo
