As I mentioned yesterday I am a big fan of shampoo bars. They are usually all I use in fact because they have a big green benefit…no waste. There is no plastic shampoo bottle to throw away and that could be quite a bit of plastic over time not entering the waste stream. I have used many different shampoo bars and my favorites are the ones that come wrapped in fabric or a simple strip of paper…then the fabric/paper can be reused in crafts or composted. Shampoo bars also last me a long time too because I find I don’t need to wash my hair as much with most bars. MOST shampoo bars are also made with pretty natural ingredients…and not so much the nasty chemicals they put in liquid shampoo to make it last longer and stay mixed and not clumpy.
Some of my favorite shampoo bars include:
Solay Unscented Green Tea Shampoo and Body Bar – This is a luxurious bar made with fresh brewed green tea, avocado oil, and Himalayan salt. They are 100% vegan and 100% natural. I REALLY like these. They get my hair fresh and clean with natural ingredients and I swear I don’t have to wash it again for 3-4 days.
Burt’s Bees Shampoo Bar – My kids like this one. It cleanses with the natural lather of yucca and conditioning plant oils and oat protein. The peppermint is invigorating and really wakes you up…great for sleepy kids. You just have to be careful not to get it in the eyes because it will sting a little.
The J.R.LIGGETT Old Fashioned Shampoo Bar– I buy this one from a co-op and it is a nice product. It uses olive oil, coconut oil, Castor oil, spring water, sodium hydroxide (a binder), and earthy smelling essential oils. This one is pretty cheap too.
Knotty Boy All Purpose Shampoo Bars – These are very pretty shampoo bars and a little pricier than many others. They look awesome on the bathroom counter though and are great for travel. My hubby like them too. There are no synthetic chemicals or color or foaming agents, no animal ingredients or testing and they are 100% biodegradable so they are great for mountain-stream-washing. You can take them camping with no worries.
Blue House Soaps – This is a small indie business run by a husband and wife. I met the wife years ago and got hooked on her yummy soaps and shampoo bars. I have used…Sunshine, Coco Cay, Pure Peppermint, Oatmeal Honey Vanilla, Pink Grapefruit, and Tea Tree. The Tea Tree and the Peppermint are so strong you won’t need to drink coffee in the morning, LOL. These burn my kids eyes though and they can get soggy if left to sit in water so you will need a soap dish for these.
Happy Showering!
I can vouch for the JR Liggett bar – great stuff! Now if I can just get my wife to convert over to a bar, we would be all set. :-)
I had really bad results when I tried a shampoo bar in the past. I used it exclusively for a week and my hair was an awful oily mop. I had purchased two different kinds, so I switched to a second kind but things did NOT get better. Did you have a long adjustment period? Do you think that was normal, or should I try a different brand?
i like chagrin valley soap and craft shampoo bars! you can order them online and there are recommendations by hair type, so it gives you an idea of what might work for you. the one thing i did notice when starting these was that it took about 3 weeks for my hair to adjust! so don’t give up if your hair feels heavy or waxy at first, it has lots of icky build up. you do have to rinse REALLY well though. i also like earthly delight shampoo and conditioner (not a bar) because the ingredient list is wonderfully short and not one weird ingredient on there :)
I exclusively use LUSH shampoo bars. I have many of the varieties and I use which ever one will suit my hair needs for that washing. I also use solid conditioner and solid deodorant.
I have never heard of shampoo bars before! What a great way to help reduce waste! I am going to try one out. Can anyone recommend one for dry hair? I have had problems with several organic/natural shampoos in the past that have caused my scalp to itch.
Thanks so much for the posting!
Cheri
The vinegar is a great idea to help with the transition from chemical shampoos but you don’t even need that much. I have LONG hair and just 2 tablespoons of applecider vinegar in a cup of water is a wonderful final rinse (you don’t need to wash it out either). I’ve been using my own shampoo bars with a vinegar rinse for a while now and I’ve found I don’t even need conditioner. Nice soft shiny hair. The easiest way to apply the vinegar rinse is by reusing a lemon juice bottle. they have nice small holes. :D
Lush is no good if your looking for natural stuff. I mean what’s the point of handmaking stuff with the same chemicals you find in drug store brands?! Their only green-side is low packaging.
You can ease the transition to shampoo bars (and other natural shampoo, too!) by rinsing your hair with vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar). You just put 1/4 cup of vinegar through your hair, let it rest for a minute or two, and rinse. The vinegar smell will dissipate once it dries, and it leaves your hair very soft and shiny…I think it’s particularly good if you have hard water. Sounds weird but works!
These bars seems very cool! I have never heard of them before, but I am loving the concept. I have very long thick and coarse hair, so does anyone think these bars would really help me out and get my hair super clean? Thanks in advance!
Thanks for this post. I’ve been interested in getting a shampoo bar for a while. Also, the vinegar tips are helpful.
My favorite shampoo bars are from mi Spa. http://www.mi-spa.com/Hair-c-2.html
mi Spa is a small, indie company and Mimie, the owner, makes everything by hand in small batches. She even has a vinegar based conditioning rinse! :)
Gosh, isn’t vinegar the coolest?
I’ve never heard of shampoo bars before either but I’m going to check them out.
Thanks for the vinegar tip too.
Thanks Shannon for getting back to me!! Is Apple Cider Vinegar the best vinegar to use for your hair or would other types of vinegar be just as good? Also, is it okay to use vinegar on your hair all the time. I mean, couldn’t it hurt your scalp after some time? Just wondering! Thanks in advance.
LOVE shampoo bars for my long hair! My fav is http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com Another hippie-indy business. :)
PS It also took me about 2 weeks to transition to using bars. Using a regular conditioner a couple times a week and using a vinegar rinse helped too. I’m now down to using the vin rinse just a few times a week and my hair and scalp is very happy!
Hey there!! So could anyone help me out with my question about which vinegars are safe to use on your hair and how often can you use it that I commented a few comments above. Thanks a bunch!!
i never heard of shampoo bars! guess i’ve been under a plastic bottle too long! :)
have you ever heard of Mama’s Herbal Soaps?
http://www.mamasherbalsoaps.com/
they are great and the only soaps we use. you should really check them out. we have not been disappointed yet!!
I heard of shampoo bars before but I always wonder how to use them. Dilute the soap with water (in your hands) or use the soapbar directly on your hair. I’d love to try one b/c the bottle soap is making my hair so dry I can only wash it once a week.
I get it wet and rub it directly on my hair until I get a good lather. :)
Julie I recommend apple cider vinegar.
Julie A.–I think you can use any vinegar you like. You might want to avoid red wine vinegar or balsamic if you have light hair, though!
And how often depends on your hair. I haven’t tried the watered down method, but with straight vinegar which I rinse out, I can’t do it more than once a week. But once a week works out fine. I have very fine hair, though.
Thanks you so much everyone for getting back to me about the vinegar. I just wanted to make sure before using it. Thanks a bunch to all.
I went “no-poo” in December of 2006. Before that, I used shampoo and conditioner on my hair at least once a day. When I stopped using shampoo altogether, I went to washing with baking soda and rinsing with either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (just a VERY little bit…a tablespoon or so) at first 2-3 times per week. After about a month, I was down to only washing once a week or so. I also cut out the vinegar and went to just using a few drops of lavender or sweet orange oil as a conditioner. I’ve long been a fan of Blue House Soaps (www.bluehousesoaps.com) so I decided to try her shampoo bars and I fell in love. My favorite is the sunshine bar which has orange oil (a natural degreaser) in it. These days, I wash with baking soda about once a week or less and use the BHS shampoo bar in between. My hair has never been softer, fuller, or healthier. I also use the shampoo bars for shaving.
Google “no-poo shampoo” to read a lot about how shampoo works and why it’s bad for your hair. You’ll also find out about the transition period for your scalp to recover from long time shampoo use. Like I said, I’ve been shampoo free for just over a year now and I can easily go 6-7 days between washing my hair without it being the least bit oily. I love having a shampoo bar to freshen up and give me the psychological benefit of washing my hair more often than that though.
Blue House Soaps rocks!
OK, I just ordered the Green Tea Shampoo Bar and one for my Mom too. I’ll let you know what we think!!
This is so interesting, Tiffany! I’m looking into all of these – man, I learn a lot from you, girl! :)