Regular Shampoo vs Shampoo Bars

                                            

I've always had a hard time finding shampoo that didn't irritate my skin and dry out my scalp and hair. As I got older it seemed to be harder and harder to find a product that didn't irritate my skin. There was a time where for several years I used baking soda to wash my hair. My hair loved it and for those few years it worked really really well. Unfortunately it began to irritate my skin too and it took a long time for me to find something else that would work. After a whole lot of trial and error I came up with a green tea and aloe rinse that I use to wash my hair. It cleaned it well and added some moisture and for those times when I needed more moisture I would add grapeseed or almond oil.

Over the last year I had become curious about the natural ingredient shampoo bars. I specifically looked at lower alkaline non detergent based shampoo bars. Those shampoo bars not containing sodium lauryl sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate (they are known to strip moisture from both your hair and scalp).  I'm sure like me, you've heard someone say that a shampoo has to have a great lather to work well? Well, that lather actually has absolutely nothing to do with how well a product works. It's ingredients like those sulfates I just mentioned that are used as foaming agents and emulsifiers.

I also wanted to avoid other ingredients like parabens, phthalates, dyes, artificial scents, and formaldehyde producers. I was generally impressed with what I found. Although many did use coconut oil or coconut water which my hair hates there were still a few options available without it. Good new for anyone who has a coconut allergy or who's hair dislikes it as much as mine. 

One of the benefits of shampoo bars is of course the lack of packaging. But they also tend to last longer and do more washes per bar so you actually end up saving money. A good thing right? They're easy to use and even take up less space on that already crowded bathroom shelf or in your suitcase if you travel.

As with all hair care products you need to find what works for you and your hair type. My curly dry hair needs a lot of moisture and frizz reduction but someone with fine straight hair is going to require something completely different. So look for products that match your needs.

I did decide to try one. I've been trying an organic bar shampoo that contains limited natural ingredients (actually less than 9), but only using it on my hair and not my scalp. I've been alternating it with my homemade version. (See my previous post "My Shampoo And Conditioner Replacements " Published March 9,2020 for the recipe I use.)

 They are easy to use. You simple wet the bar down with your hands and rub the bar in a downwards motion from roots to your hair ends, then rinse it all out. I personally found that I didn't need a lot for it to work on my hair. My hair really liked this gentle formula, leaving it soft and shiny and so far no skin irritation. With ingredients like cocoa seed powder and cocoa seed butter it has a really nice soft subtle chocolate scent, which I love. It's completely free from phthalates, palm oil, sulphates, and added fragrance. Of course I just discouvered that it's no longer available at the store I purchased it. So if it continues to work well for me I will have to find it somewhere else. But for now I'm still not brave enough to give it a try on my scalp, at least not yet.


I've compiled a few helpful tips below that you might find helpful when you're looking for or using shampoo bars.

- Let your bar dry out between uses to help it last longer. A soap dish will work really well for this.

- You can use a regular conditioner after you use the shampoo. There are also conditioner bars available.

- Read the ingredients and stay away from potentially harmful ingredients/irritating like dyes, fragrances, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and silicon's.

- Look for natural butters and oils to help reduce irritated scalp.

- Many find that they don't need to wash their hair as often because there is less buildup on the hair.

Sources:

stylecaster.com/feature/should-you-be-using-bar-shampoo-425516/

sustainthemag.com/wellness/everything-you-need-to-know-about-shampoo-bars

nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/shampoo-bar-sustainable-toiletries-plastic-free

besthealthmag.ca/article/what-are-shampoo-bars/

.getthegloss.com/article/shampoo-bars-better-than-your-regular-bottle-of-hair-wash