Ingredients
Baby shampoos are designed to be gentler than adult shampoos and to produce less irritation when they come into contact with the eyes. The ingredients in Johnson's baby shampoo include, along with water, cocamidopropyl betaine, PEG-80 sorbitan laurate, and sodium trideceth sulfate (all three are mild surfactants, or detergents), PEG-150 distearate (a thickening agent), fragrance, polyquaternium-10 (a hair conditioning agent), tetrasodium EDTA (a water softening agent), quaternium-15 (a preservative), citric acid (to adjust the shampoo's pH; also acts as a preservative), and yellow 10 and orange 4 (coloring agents). According to their official website, Johnson's baby shampoo rinses out easily and is hypoallergenic. The ingredients found in Johnson's are typical of those seen in other baby shampoos. Procter and Gamble's Science-in-the-box website explains that surfactants work by enabling a cleaning solution to fully wet the surface being cleaned so that dirt can be readily loosened and removed and by keeping dirt emulsified, suspended, and dispersed so that it doesn't settle back onto that surface.
Concerns
Concerns have been raised recently that some of the ingredients in baby shampoos may expose infants to potentially dangerous chemicals. A 2008 study by Sheela Sathyanarayana and colleagues in the journal "Pediatrics" found that infant exposure to baby lotion, baby powder and baby shampoo were significantly associated with increased urinary concentrations of phthalates, which have "potential toxic effects to the developing endocrine and reproductive systems." A 2009 study released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics showed that the majority of children's bath products tested contained formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both of which are linked to cancer and skin allergies. Manufacturers claim that the levels of these chemicals in their products are safe, and that no conclusive evidence links them to ill health effects.
Alternatives
For parents who are concerned about possible hazardous effects of chemical ingredients in baby shampoos, a wide range of natural and organic products are available. The Environmental Working Group maintains an online children's products safety guide, which includes a list of organic baby shampoo options.
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