Helping divers make informed decisions about training, gear, skills, and safety at every stage of their journey.

Baby Shampoo as Mask Defog Review

Baby Shampoo

It is a cheap and common mask defog choice used by many divers, especially in training. It works under perfect conditions but fails if your mask floods or gets dunked. Not environmentally safe and not designed for diving. I no longer use or recommend it.

Overall Score: 5.2 / 10

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Extremely inexpensive per useNot safe for freshwater or marine ecosystems
Widely available and familiarWashes off easily if mask is flooded or dropped in water
Easy to mix and useInconsistent performance depending on water, prep, and dilution

Why I Chose Baby Shampoo

Like most divers, I started out using baby shampoo in training and early dives. It was cheap, easy to get, and what the instructor used. It worked well enough when conditions were controlled, but I started noticing it would fail often. Especially when my mask got bumped into the water during setup or when diving in cold environments. Once I became more concerned about the environmental impact and started exploring better alternatives, I moved away from it entirely.


Performance in the Water


Verdict

Baby shampoo is a convenient and cheap option that works okay under ideal conditions, but its limitations are hard to ignore. It’s not reliable when the mask floods, not environmentally responsible, and not consistent across dives. I no longer use it and don’t recommend it for anyone diving regularly or in sensitive locations.

Would I buy it again? No. It’s not worth the tradeoffs when better options exist.


Deep Dive into the Score

Scoring System: Each category is scored out of 10 and weighted by importance. This model is used consistently across all gear reviews for transparency.

Category Score (0–10) Weight Weighted Score
Function & Performance530%1.5
Ease of Use720%1.4
Versatility415%0.6
Durability & Build Quality315%0.45
Value910%0.9
Brand Trust & Transparency310%0.3
Total5.15

Rounded Display Score: 5.2

Deep Dive Score Explanations