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Rubber ducks at the ready, this is the best baby bubble bath for their sensitive skin
Bubble beards incoming
Tested by Maria KumarBeauty and Grooming Testing Manager
The best baby baths are those overflowing with bubbles – cue excited squeals. From energising morning washes, to calming evening soaks, they’re the ultimate in squeaky-clean fun. And who can resist a bubble beard and matching mohawk?
To ensure skin irritation doesn't get in the way of their fun, the Good Housekeeping Institute tested the market-leading bubble brands, to see which formula came out on top. See our winners at a glance below and scroll down to read our full reviews.
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Finding a kind-to-skin, gentle, and most importantly, FUN bubble bath for babies is a serious mission. Thankfully, we had the help of nearly 200 parent panel members (and real life babies) to find the best.
Let the bubbles, see the bath.
Score: 88/100
For a bath bursting with bubbles, we recommend Childs Farm. Parents told us their little ones’ skin felt moisturised and soft after use, corroborating its claim of 12-hour hydration. Several testers also told us that a little goes a long way for creating long-lasting bubbles – pop!
Score: 86/100
Upgrade their bedtime routine with this dreamy bubble bath, scented with relaxing lavender to (hopefully!) lull them into a restful sleep.
You can enjoy the aromatherapeutic benefits of it too, as one parent said the fragrant steam filled the bathroom for all to enjoy. The mild formula is kind on their skin, leaving them squeaky clean before popping their PJs on.
Score: 85/100
It's so disapointing when the bubbles vanish as soon as you step into the bath. Thankfully, a few squirts of Kit & Kit's formula created long-lasting foam for the perfect bubbly experience.
Parents raved about the delicious scent, which is formulated from natural strawberry, lavender and ginseng extracts. “I’d rate this 10/10 and recommend it to any new parent,” said one beaming tester.
Score: 84/100
Your baby’s skin will be soft and supple after bathing in this gentle formula. It contains an abundance of skin-loving ingredients, including barrier-protecting oat milk – which adds a deep layer of locked-in moisture for sensitive and eczema-prone skin – and hydrating aloe vera. Tester’s felt the delicious peach scent was an added bonus!
Score: 83/100
This hardworking, no-tears formula created an abundance of bubbles. In fact, you might end up with some exceptionally pruney children on your hands! One tester told us they struggled to get their kids out of the tub, as they were enjoying it so much.
Alternatively, this formula also scored 83/100, and contains a relaxing bedtime scent.
Score: 82/100
A bedtime bubble bath is the perfect way to help your little one unwind. This well-priced product was described as having a “dreamy spa-like aroma” by one parent, creating a luxury soak on a budget. All testers loved the gentle, calming scent, which was still detected long after bathtime had finished.
The generous 500ml bottle goes a long way, and you only need a little to achieve a bubble bonanza.
Score: 82/100
There’s nothing more upsetting than a poorly bubba, but this genius decongesting bubble bath is the answer to our prayers. The gentle menthol scent is designed to ease airways and sooth coughs, making it more likely they’ll get the rest they need. Testers liked the lingering scent, and some even wished it was stronger.
Overall, we found it was effective at decongesting, while also being gentle on baby’s skin. Win, win.
Score: 82/100
Bath milks are a lighter and creamier textured bath wash. It doesn’t create bubbles but instead nourishes and hydrates the skin. This one is formulated with anti-inflammatory and soothing ingredients such as oats and lavender, which makes it a great choice for dry or eczema-prone skin.
Our tester’s only quibble was that the bottle wasn’t large enough to last as long as they wanted.
Score: 81/100
This sweet, fruity bubble bath is great for older kids who love a little fun in the tub. There’s no need to worry about irritation either, as the fragrance is derived from natural strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrant. We found the smoothie-scented formula was easy to dispense, with a no-leak lid – which you’ll be grateful for when your toddler gets to the grabby stage.
Score: 81/100
This supermarket star scored well with parents for its gentle formula and fragrance, which resulted in chilled-out babies come bedtime. Many also praised how soft and supple their skin was, due to the addition of hydrating and barrier-protecting vitamin E.
We found it rinsed off well without leaving behind any residue, making it a lovely pre-bedtime treat.
Score: 80/100
Parents to children with reactive, eczema-prone skin will know the struggle of finding a bubble bath that doesn’t irritate. Luckily, this gentle, fragrance-free formula is packed with enriching ingredients and didn’t cause any redness or irritation for our panel of kiddos. What’s more, some parents noticed that their child experienced fewer flare ups while using this product.
Like many soothing skincare products, oat is the hero ingredient here, helping to heal dry skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
Score: 79/100
The Johnson’s Baby brand uses minimal fragrance to ensure the products are suitable for sensitive skin. However, parents still praised the distinctive and long-lasting scent of this classic bubble bath.
The formula proved kind on skin, containing gentle cleansing ingredients such as cocamidopropyl betaine and coconut acid, which are both mild, with good foaming ability, and shouldn’t cause irritation.
Score: 77/100
Let this tropical, coconut-scented bubble bath transport you and your little one into holiday mode. Despite its enticing fragrance, testers didn't report any irritation and found it improved dry skin.
A few pumps created a good lather, and it can be used as a body wash too.
How we test baby bubble bath
With the help of over 190 parent panel members and their pampered babies, we tested 13 brands of baby bubble bath over a two-week period. We asked our parents to assess each product on its ease of use, design, performance and overall satisfaction.
Testers provided feedback on bubble quality, longevity, scent and whether babies' skin was nourished after towelling down. In the lab, ingredient lists were assessed to determine whether they are dermatologically and paediatrician approved.
Why trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
We’ve been testing products for over 100 years at the Good Housekeeping Institute, from the best electric toothbrushes and best microcurrent devices, to the best mattresses and bedding.
Maria Kumar led the test on bubble baths. Maria previously worked as a formulation scientist and has multiple cosmetic science degrees. She used her many years of industry experience to select the best bubble bath available, and created the protocols for our panel of at-home testers to adhere to.Our lifestyle writer, Madeleine Evans, then uses this feedback to inform her reviews, highlighting any strong product claims and experiences from testers.
Read on for more tried and tested baby and parenting skincare reviews: Best baby shampoo and body wash | Best baby lotions | Best nipple creams
The verdict on the best bubble baths
For long-lasting foam and hydrated skin, our winning bubble bath from Childs Farm reigned supreme.
If you’d prefer a bubble-free bath soak instead, then Fred & Flo's Naturals Oat, Chamomile & Lavender Bath Milk is the ultimate soothing treatment for young skin.
And if your little one has a cold or suffers from recurring congestion, then LITTLE ANGELS by ASDA Vapour Bath is an excellent solution.
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
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