Picking the right type of Shampoo Bar

The benefits of shampoo bars are obvious, plastic free, easy to transport, often great value for money and many of them contain a lot less chemicals that conventional shampoo.  

However... I hear so many people say that they tried a shampoo bar once and they will never try another one again as a bar didn't suit their hair. Fortunately, like bottled shampoo not all shampoo bars are all the same so its just a case of understanding the different types and what that means for you and your hair. 

So which one is right for you?

The Shampoo Bar market is huge, and therefore so is the choice... lets face it - everyone is trying to sell you their shampoo bar and it can be a difficult decision for those deciding to make the plastic free swap.

Shampoo bars are mostly split in to two different types, Natural Shampoo Bars and Shampoo Bars with cleaning agents and detergents which are often similar to bottled shampoo.

Those wishing to wash their hair using the Curly Girl method will wish to maintain curls by cutting out products with silicones, parabens, and sulfates.

What is a natural shampoo bar? 

A natural shampoo bar is made from oils and butters usually, they work by gently cleansing the hair without stripping it of its natural oils. They can greatly benefit those who have sensitive scalps, dry skin and can be great for improving overall hair condition without using chemicals and detergents. 

Whilst all this is really super, sometimes it is not explained to consumers that hair which is new to a natural shampoo can go through a transition period - this sometimes means a waxy feeling, dryness or greasiness for a period of time until your scalp adjusts.

The reason some people experience a transition period is because conventional shampoo contains chemicals which remove natural oils and build up from hair each time it is washed, the hair then reproduces the oils until the next wash when the build up is removed again. Your hair can get used to this cycle and it begins to regenerate oils accordingly. 

When you make the transition to a natural shampoo the butters and oils used are much more gentle and don't strip hair - your hair may react strangely to start with as it is used to the cycle and needs time to adjust. Factors that affect this include how damaged hair is, how much build up of product there is on your hair follicles and even genetics. Getting used to a natural shampoo may take days, weeks or months, some might not experience a transition period at all. 

Luckily, there are things which help including using bicarbonate soda soak to remove build up and oils before washing and using apple cider vinegar as a natural conditioner however, it still might take time. Lots of people believe that it is worth the wait but others just want a straight swap with no transition. 

So what are my other choices?

If natural shampoo or transition periods aren't for you, luckily there are other options... Shampoo Bars which contain detergents will replicate a bottled shampoo - they will usually produce a lather, foam easily and leave hair feeling as it did before without a transition period. Simplistically they are a bottled shampoo in a concentrated form. 

Shampoo Bars from high street chains often contain SLS which is known for its ability to clean hair effectively by stripping hair of natural oils. SLS is used in a wide variety of products but can be harsh and irritating on skin, some prefer to avoid the use of SLS in their cosmetics. 

Our most popular shampoo bars from Bath, Bubble and Beyond contain a milder coconut based detergent which people often find is a happy medium for easy hair care. Most people report that they can have a straight swap from the bottle to the bar with increased hair health and shine.

Ultimately, hair is like anything - no one size fits all and we all have different preferences. If you have tried a bar previously and didn't get on it, I would advise doing some research about whats in the bar and trying to understand what best suits you for next time. 

Shampoo bars are super long lasting (you can get upto 80 washes from one of our bars) and often people find that they don't need to wash their hair as often, its also great to avoid all the unnecessary packaging going straight to landfill. Keep Shampoo Bars out of standing water when not in use and allow they to dry thoroughly to maximise life span.

Here at Soul Good Stuff we have helped so many people find the right eco-friendly products for them from our wide range; we would welcome you to get in touch if you have any questions - you can do this by using the little chat logo in the corner of your screen which will send us a text... :) 

Browse our full Shampoo and Conditioner range in our online store: https://soulgoodstuff.com/collections/shampoo-conditioner-bars