You’ve opened the door to plastic-free showers but is it really going to be good? One great thing about bar shampoo is that a single bar lasts a long time. Often as long as 2-3 bottles of liquid shampoo. Our shampoos are all sulfate-free too, which is gentle on your scalp and hair. Our bars are also vegan, cruelty-free, and handmade in small batches.
If you are used to the feel of liquid shampoo in your hands it may seem impossible that a shampoo bar could actually work as well. Some shampoo bars are really just a soap bar (often they will recommend a vinegar rinse to try to get the pH back down) there may have been a breaking in period. But with our shampoos, made with non-soap ingredients you shouldn’t need to break in your hair. Your hair should be just as awesome (or better) than it was before.
Our shampoo bars are made with the same kinds of ingredients as high quality liquid shampoo. They are just missing the water (and the plastic bottle). Liquid shampoos contain about 40-70% water. Fortunately, there’s plenty of water available in your shower to add the needed water. And that’s the key, you want to make sure you add plenty of water.
First, get your hair really saturated with water. Since you are essentially adding the water that was "missing" from the shampoo you need sopping wet hair. Use warm water. Cold water will have a harder time lathering and hot water is not so great for your skin and will use up your shampoo more quickly.
Wet the shampoo bar. It is not just important to have wet hair, you also should pre-wet the shampoo. This will help activate the ingredients that foam up and make lather.
Now it is time to whip up some lather. There are two main methods; working up the lather in your hands or rubbing the shampoo directly on your hair. Or, if you are really fancy you can start the lather on the bar and then rub it on your hair. A few sweeps over the head should be enough to get the good stuff on your hair.
Then you want to put your bar down (preferably somewhere that it can drain and dry, which helps it last longer). Work the shampoo into your hair making sure to gently rub your scalp. That’s where most of the stuff you want to wash away actually is. And stimulating your scalp is good for healthy hair.
Then give your hair a good rinse. One shampoo may be enough. If you haven't had a good shower for awhile (like maybe after a camping trip) it may take a couple of shampoos to get it clean. You can judge this by how clean your hair feels after the shampoo and whether or not it lathered up. More dirt and oils on your scalp and hair will reduce the bubbles. So if you aren't satisfied, rinse and repeat. The "squeaky clean" hair from our youth is actually a sign of hair that is stripped of the natural oils it needs to be healthy so that is not the goal.
Conditioner bars are a little bit the same and a little bit different than shampoo bars. They are also concentrated ingredients without water. But, there’s nothing in there to lather. Mostly you are trying to get a little bit of melting to release the good stuff onto your hair. Fortunately, just the heat from your hands and/or head should be enough. Wet the conditioner bar and rub it between your hands and/or directly on your hair. Focus primarily on the ends working your way up. The amount your hair needs varies from person to person based on exact hair types and porosity. So you might need to experiment a bit to find the sweet spot for your hair. Be sure to give your hair a few minutes to absorb all the good stuff before rinsing.
Our conditioner bars can even be used as a leave-in conditioner. Just before you step out of the shower, give the wet bar a few strokes over your hair. Don’t go overboard because it is very concentrated. Work the conditioner through your hair with very wet hands (remember, water is the key). And then once well distributed, dry and style your hair as usual.
Because of all of the great emollient ingredients in our conditioner bars they also work great for shaving. It lets the blade slide over your skin and nourishes it at the same time. The next time you are shaving, give it a try.