All about Shampoo Bars

Recently I had a customer who was not happy with her shampoo bar.

(｡•́︿•̀｡)

This is why it took me so long to formulate one.  Honestly, using natural products altogether can be a bit of a learning curve as most of us are just so use to the way mainstream products seemingly leave our hair & skin.
I blogged a bit about shampoo & conditioners here while I was trying to decide whether or not I wanted to offer them for sale. 

As we moved forward my thoughts were this;

1.) I do not want my customers to be dissatisfied with their purchase.

2.) Yet I do want folks to go all natural, for the sake of their health, for the sake of holism.

 

3.) However, a shampoo bar may not be for everyone.

After my first dissatisfied customer I quickly realized,

4.) Education is the answer here.

So onto the point of this blog post.  Hopefully it addresses all of the above.


What is the difference between a soap bar and a shampoo bar?

Soap bars have skin nourishing ingredients and shampoo bars have hair nourishing ingredients.
Shampoo bars include oils that produce more lather & are exceptionally conditioning.

Yet many of our bars are interchangeable.

I often use Holy Healing & Black Beauty bar soaps on my hair, and any of our CBD + Soap bars would be pampering to the hair.  But I would not use Yansoon since it has aniseed bits in it.  And soap bars such as Be Ye Clean (with Japanese Peppermint) and Fresh (with Tea Tree) may be drying to already dry or wiry hair.  (Not always tho.)

When we go away, I can bring one bar & use it for soap, shampoo & shaving.  Holy Healing is especially nice for this as is our all-in-one shampoo bar, Condition.

How do I use a Shampoo Bar?

Wet your hair.
Then rub the bar of choice between your hands to start the lather. Rub the bar or the lather onto your hair. Be sure that you get a really good lather. Use your fingertips and massage your scalp. Rub some onto the ends of your hair too.    You can opt to rinse or leave it in as all of our products are nourishing goodness and there really is no need to rinse them out.  However experiment this with your own hair as everyone's is different.
When I want my hair to have a good "conditioning" I will select our "Condition" shampoo bar and leave it in.
This may be too heavy for those with straight or thin hair.  It may leave one's hair oily and weighted down.  Personally, I will let my hair dry and run my fingers through it to work the oils into the hair.  This gives my hair more volume and style.  Yet I do not do this every time, nor do I even wash my hair more than twice a week.   

You might need a vinegar or citric acid rinse (See below for more details).
Dry and style your hair.
You can wash your hair with natural shampoo every day since we are not using toxic ingredients here.  






Be prepared for an Adjustment period for Shampoo Bars.

The 2 biggest things with changing to a shampoo bar is 1.) finding the right one for you and 2.) accepting the hair you have.
Everyone is different.  Hair types are different. 
As you can see, many factors come into play.
Since shampoo bars do not strip away your natural sebum (oils), it might take time to transition before your hair is rid of the chemicals and residues from your prior hair products.
Please do not give up after a week. It takes an average of 3 weeks to see and feel the benefits.  And this means there are a quite a few days of not very nice hair days.
I went cold turkey and gave up washing my hair with shampoo for over a year!  (Blogged about that here.) My hair changed dramatically.  Between the pregnancies and no product, my hair went from silky smooth & straight to course & wavy.  Using product I couldn't keep my hair curled with said products plus heating irons and even perms didn't take all that well. But today all I have to do is put it up in a bun and when I let it down it is wavy.
Many do not know what their hair is really like due to using hair products for a specific outcome.
These chemicals are stripping away your natural sebum and triggering your body to make more which is why your hair often seems more oily and needs washed more frequently than if you went all natural.  It is also why many think they have different hair than what they really have.
It was only a mere century ago when it was a common practice to wash one's hair once per week and some countries still smoke their hair versus washing all the time.  In India this is called Sambrani.  (Pictured below)   

Courtesy of http://ykantiques.com/2013/07/sambrani-incense-brass-pot.html

Do I need to use a conditioner?

You will probably find that after using a shampoo bar and rinse that you no longer need to use conditioner.
Since my hair is somewhat dry, wavy & becoming wiry from these grays, I find I still at times like to use a conditioner. Like previously stated I do what I mentioned above instead of selecting mainstream, toxic soup. Honestly, it is not so much the chemicals but rather the over intoxicating scent and taste that they leave in my mouth that I choose to abstain. 
You will need to experiment to find your perfect hair care system.

What about a vinegar rinse?

Again, many factors account for whether or not one use's a rinse.
If you have hard water you will most likely require a rinse.
If you find that your hair tangles easy you will need a rinse.
After using the shampoo bar, your hair might feel different. Some describe it feeling like straw or sticky. This is due to the alkaline level of your hair. The level is raised causing the shaft of your hair to stick out which causes tangles and the feeling that your hair is sticking together. For some people this feeling will go away when your hair dries. For the rest we advise using an acidic rinse. An acidic rinse will help close the hair cuticle(s) and prevent tangling.
You can use vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid.
A simple recipe can be found here.
Pour the mixture over your hair.
You can rinse it out or leave it in.
If using vinegar, the smell subsides substantially when your hair dries.  
You will need to experiment how often you need to use a rinse.
We are currently on the fence whether or not to sell a hair rinse. 

A Vinegar rinse is the answer to tangles & it nourishes the hair too!

The type of water you have will effect the outcome of a Shampoo Bar.

Soft water is best but not many have it these days. If you have a well & if you live where the water table is high, you will more than likely have soft water.  You do not need to use as much product with soft water. Less shampoo, less detergent, less cleaners altogether, as it will be harder to get these products out. However, soap will lather better and items will be left cleaner, your hair will be shinier with soft water. (We have experienced both & soft water is lovely.)  

For the rest of us with hard water from minerals like chalk, lime and mostly calcium & magnesium (which is desirable) you might not adjust to shampoo bars very well.  Although hard water is the preferable drinking water due to the essential minerals and better flavor, it also causes hair to feel sticky and look dull. 
If this is the case you could try purchasing a water filter for your shower head or use a vinegar rinse (see above) to adjust for the hard water.

Can I use shampoo bars if I have colored or permed hair?

Yes.
Our shampoo bars will not strip your hair as fast as mainstream shampoos. Everyone’s hair is different though and I urge you to do a strand test first to find out how your color will react.

Since there are so many who are new to shampoo bars and so many different hair types and needs, we decided to offer them in a sample size to see if they are right for you.  

'Condition'  All-in-one shampoo bar sample.  (1 ounce)

Our ALL-in-One 'Condition' shampoo bar is currently found only on our Etsy shop.