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While testing baby washes for our guide to the best fragrance-free baby washes, we came upon the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash. It is a (supposedly) fragrance-free moisture wash that is PETA-approved cruelty-free and has the seal of approval from the National Eczema Association, which means that it is suitable for sensitive skin and those suffering from eczema.
The hypoallergenic baby wash from Dove has also been dermatologist and pediatrician tested. That all sounds great for babies with sensitive skin (basically all babies), particularly for babies (and parents) who can’t tolerate fragrances and perfumes.
Keep in mind that, although third-party recommendations are always great, labels such as fragrance-free, hypo-allergenic, and unscented are not regulated by the FDA!
Read on to find out if the Baby Dove Sensitive Skin Care Wash lives up to its promises and learn what we like and don’t like about —and why it didn’t make the list of the 4 best fragrance-free baby washes in 2023.
Baby Dove Sensitive Skin Care Wash ingredients and promises
The Baby Dove Sensitive Skin Care Wash promises the following:
- Made without parabens, sulfates, dyes, or phthalates
- Created with skin-natural nutrients suitable for a baby’s skin
- Dermatologist, pediatrician, and ophthalmologist-tested
- Seal of Approval from the National Excema Association
- Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic
The National Excema Association has given Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash its seal of approval, which is a good start. As a result, we were curious to see how the Dove Sensitive Care Wash stacked up against other fragrance-free baby washes.
What we like about Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash
We immediately liked the rich and creamy texture and found that the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash hydrates well and keeps the skin soft — making it great for a baby’s delicate skin. We also like the fact that it is PETA-approved cruelty-free and has the Seal of Approval from the National Eczema Association.
Drawbacks of Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash
Here is why we can’t recommend the baby wash from Dove.
Upon using it for the first time, it was very apparent that the baby wash wasn’t actually fragrance-free, as stated on the bottle. While it is labeled and marketed as fragrance-free, it still has a scent. So while it’s a pleasant and not headache-inducing scent, it’s there. Usually, a fragrance-free product doesn’t carry a smell!
The ingredient list doesn’t disclose any fragrance, so we’ve reached out to Dove to confirm that the wash is indeed fragrance-free, as promised. But unfortunately, as we suspected, it is not completely fragrance-free. Dove’s representative replied with the following:
“Our unscented products do contain a small amount of perfume to neutralize natural odors of ingredients used in products – called “Masking Oil”. Fragrance, therefore, is listed on package ingredients statement. Due to the amount of fragrance is so small, the product is classified as “unscented.”
Dove
And there you have it. This is a textbook example of a product that is labeled as fragrance-free but, in reality, contains perfume. Not only is it misleading, but also concerning that the label doesn’t disclose the fact that the product contains perfume (despite Dove’s inaccurate statement that the ingredients statement discloses “fragrance”).
Why is it a problem that a baby wash contains a small amount of perfume?
When you see the words fragrance or perfume on a product label, you might assume it’s just one ingredient, but fragrances are actually a combination of chemicals. For example, a single scented skincare product can contain a cocktail of several hundred chemicals! In fact, there are over 4,000 different fragrance chemicals currently used in scented products today, and many of them have been linked to hormone disruption, cancer, and other chronic health problems.
That’s why we recommend you steer clear of perfumed products — especially when it comes to products for your little ones because babies and young children have an increased risk of sensitivity since they are still developing and their skin is more susceptible.
Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash review: The Verdict
We like the consistency of the baby wash from Dove and love that it doesn’t dry out the skin. It definitely keeps the skin well-moistured. That said, we do not appreciate the deceiving labeling. It’s marketed as a fragrance-free baby wash.
Instead, the fragrance-free baby wash contains “a small amount of perfume” — which isn’t disclosed on the product label!
And even a tiny amount of perfume might be enough to expose your baby to harmful chemicals and trigger allergies and sensitivities over time. So if you don’t want any perfume, skip the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash.
A fragrance-free baby wash we like better
Instead of the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash, we suggest you consider our top pick of the best fragrance-free baby washes — the Vanicream Gentle Wash for Baby.
The Vanicream Gentle Wash for Baby is a completely fragrance-free baby wash. It’s made by Vanicream, one of the best brands for fragrance-free products. Vanicream’s Gentle Wash for Baby is made without fragrances, masking fragrances, or botanical extracts. It’s even gluten-free, sulfate-free, and soap-free, making it an excellent choice for a baby’s sensitive skin.
That is why we have picked the Vanicream Gentle Wash for Baby as the best of the fragrance-free baby washes of 2023.
Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash
Summary
The Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash is one of the most popular bath soaps for babies and small children. As a liquid bath soap, it’s great. But as a fragrance-free baby bath soap, it does not live up to its promise, and it flunks on the fragrance-free parameter by not actually being without fragrance.
So while we like the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash for it’s price-level and it’s washing effectiveness, as a fragrance-free product we cannot recommend it simply because it’s not fragrance-free. If you do not suffer from perfume allergy and do not mind scented products with the potential hazards they carry, the Baby Dove Sensitive Care Wash can be a good choice. But, we recommend you consider the Vanicream Gentle Wash for Baby, which is truly fragrance-free and just as good value for money.
