Is a shampoo bar good for hair?

If you have not used a shampoo bar before, you may be wondering how it works, and if you will still achieve the same results? Well, the short answer is yes, you can still achieve smooth, silky, clean hair using a shampoo bar. However, you do need to consider the quality of the shampoo bar. Use this guide to find the best shampoo bar for your hair type.

What is a shampoo bar?

If you’ve ever heard about shampoo bars you’re probably wondering how they work – how can a liquid product be turned into a solid bar? As the name suggests, a shampoo bar is the solid form of liquid shampoo. A shampoo bar is made using concentrated cleansing and conditioning agents – the water is then removed. A shampoo bar tends to be made by smaller manufacturers who choose to make natural and or sustainable products. Ethique is one of the leading brands for shampoo bars. Ethique shampoo bars are made with organic and pure ingredients, so they’re never drying. Pus an Ethique shampoo bar comes wrapped in recyclable and compostable packaging, making it even better for the planet. The trick with shampoo bars, like with any shampoo, is finding the best one for your hair type. Not all shampoo bars are created equal. There are shampoo bars for dry or frizzy hair and there are shampoo bars for normal to oily hair. You can even switch out speciality hair products like your best purple shampoo for a bar format. Yep, the Ethique purple shampoo bar is easily the best purple shampoo bar we’ve tried yet. This shampoo has no sulfates or petrochemical-derived dyes! It’s great for silver foxes or blondes and is the best purple shampoo for the eco-warriors out there.

Are Shampoo Bars damaging?

Whether a shampoo bar or any shampoo is damaging for your hair depends on the brand. The concern surrounding shampoo bars is that they are drying because of the no water factor. However, a good quality shampoo bar will contain lots of nourishing plant oils and extracts that work to actively nourish the scalp deeper than water can. People also confuse soap for a shampoo bar. A shampoo bar has been formulated specifically for hair. This means that it won’t have as high a pH as soap and won’t be damaging to your scalp or natural sebum production. When looking for a good shampoo bar, you should steer clear of any that have nasties like parabens and toxins. Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are two common sulphates that can dry out our hair. Always avoid SLES and SLS when shopping for shampoo, solid or liquid. You should also avoid any shampoo bars that have synthetic fragrances and colours.

What is the advantage of a solid shampoo?

There are many advantages to using a solid shampoo bar. Firstly, you’ll save money. Yep, being a solid bar product, a shampoo bar does not contain any water. This means right from the start you’re not spending money on something free (water). But it also means that the product will last longer. Shampoo bars contain concentrated ingredients that aren’t diluted by water, which means they go a long way. It takes a really long time to see your shampoo bar go down – a lot longer than it takes for your to see your regular shampoo go down. Not to mention all the times we squeeze out too much shampoo and let it go to waste. Another great benefit of using a shampoo bar is that you save on waste. Yep, a shampoo bar doesn’t need to be packaged in a plastic bottle. This means you’re helping save thousands of plastic shampoo bottles from landfills. Around the world, shampoo and conditioner bottles make up over 80 billion bottles that hit the rubbish bin each and every year. And what’s worse, the complex nature of most beauty packaging means that it doesn’t get recycled. So, using a solid shampoo bar is a great way to have a more sustainable haircare routine. Many shampoo bars like those from Ethique Australia are packaged in plastic-free and even compostable packaging.  

How do you use solid shampoo?

Like with any time you change your beauty routine, there is a transition period for switching to a shampoo bar. Because a shampoo bar will be more natural, your hair will need to get used to not being washed with lots of chemicals (if you were using a conventional shampoo before). This means that your hair will need to detox and during this time it might look and feel greasier than usual or lacking the shine you are used to seeing from silicone shampoos. But after this stage, your hair will love (and repay) you for making the switch. The best way to use a shampoo bar is to ensure your hair is thoroughly wet first before applying any shampoo. Then, you’ll want to take your shampoo bar into your damp hands and create some friction to produce suds. Then when you’ve got suds, place your shampoo bar out of the way and lather the product into your scalp using circular motions. There’s no need to rub the shampoo bar directly on your scalp, just a small amount in your hands first works great. Of course, like with any shampoo, wash the shampoo out and repeat if double-shampooing.

Do you need a conditioner with shampoo bars?

Yes, if you’re using a regular shampoo bar then you’ll absolutely want to follow it up with a conditioner. Although shampoo bars tend to contain plant oils, they’re still designed to be cleansing and not hydrating. Luckily, you can also use a conditioner bar after your shampoo though. Ethique has a range of solid conditioners that you can use to keep up your good plastic-saving work. Some shampoo bars, like those from Shampoo with a Purpose, are actually 2-in-1. Yep, there is such a thing as a shampoo and conditioner bar. A shampoo and conditioner bar will both cleanse and hydrate your hair so you can save time and money. The Shampoo with a Purpose shampoo and conditioner bar is packed with ingredients like argan oil, shea butter and coconut, so it not only cleanses but works to replenish the hair at the same time. Shampoo with a Purpose are all about creating convenience that doesn’t cost the earth. This means Shampoo with a Purpose bars are made using only natural ingredients and are packaged in plastic-free wrappings.

How do you store solid shampoo?

How you store your solid shampoo is important to the product’s longevity and hygiene. The best way to store a shampoo bar is in a dry place. Letting your shampoo bar stay moist can make it easy for germs or bacteria to grow. Ethique Australia has the perfect solution for storing your solid bar products. The Ethique compostable shower container will keep your shampoo bar dry and easy to hand.  

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