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Product Library · Last updated 2026-05-21

Shampoo & body wash

Shampoo and body wash bottles on a bathroom shelf

Every piece of advice below comes from official tests, consumer test reports, or publicly available data from international food-safety bodies. Click the links to check the original sources.

How to tell if this affects your family

  • If you see "Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)" or "Chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT)" in the ingredients list, these are potentially sensitising preservatives.[1][2][3]
  • Some shampoos and body washes may contain 1,4-dioxane — a manufacturing by-product. Parents can look for any available information on this.[1][2][4]
  • Phthalates are chemicals found in some personal-care products that research has flagged as ingredients to watch in cosmetics. Check the ingredients list.[5][6][7]

What you can do today

  • If your child has a skin reaction, check the product ingredients and switch to shampoos and body washes that don't contain sensitising preservatives.[1][2][3]
  • Read product labels and avoid products that contain 1,4-dioxane or related precursor ingredients.[1][2][4]
  • When choosing shampoo and body wash, refer to consumer organisation test reports to understand the ingredients and safety profile of specific products.[1][2][8]

What to look for next time you shop

  • Choose products with clear ingredient labelling that explicitly state they contain no sensitising preservatives, fragrances, or artificial colours.[8][1][2]
  • Consider products with international certifications such as the OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT mark — these carry strict limits on chemical content.[9][10][11]
  • Some products marketed as "natural" or "organic" still contain ingredients worth checking. Don't take those labels at face value — read the ingredients list.[12][8]

Sources

Every piece of advice above corresponds to one or more of the sources below. Any parent can click through to check the original.

  1. [1] Consumer Council · consumer.org.hk/en/press-release/490-shampoos
  2. [2] Consumer Council · consumer.org.hk/en/press-release/477-body-washes
  3. [3] Stiftung Warentest (test.de) · test.de/Methylisothiazolinon-In-Cremes-verboten-in-Shampoos-erlaubt-5129633-0/
  4. [4] U.S. FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals, and Safety Alerts · fda.gov/cosmetics/potential-contaminants-cosmetics/14-dioxane-cosmetics-manufacturing-byproduct
  5. [5] Choice (choice.com.au) · choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/chemicals-in-cosmetics
  6. [6] Consumer Reports (consumerreports.org) · consumerreports.org/product-safety/concerning-ingredients-in-cosmetics-beauty-products-a1142118686/
  7. [7] Choice (choice.com.au) · choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/endocrine-disrupting-chemicals
  8. [8] Consumer Reports (consumerreports.org) · consumerreports.org/health/hair-care-products/shampoos-without-harmful-chemicals-a4222925202/
  9. [9] OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified Products · oeko-tex.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Marketing_Materialien/ECO_PASSPORT/Standard/OEKO-TEX_ECO_PASSPORT_Standard_EN.pdf
  10. [10] OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified Products · oeko-tex.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Marketing_Materialien/ECO_PASSPORT/RSL/ECO_PASSPORT_RSL.pdf
  11. [11] OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified Products · oeko-tex.com/en/news/press-releases/eco-passport-findings
  12. [12] Choice (choice.com.au) · choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/natural-and-organic-cosmetics

Want to see the full test results?

This month's feature article breaks down the complete brand list from the Consumer Council's 2020 test of 77 crunchy snacks.

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