But if the thought of washing your hair with a solid bar of soap makes you uncomfortable – don’t worry, you’re not alone! Nowadays, so many people are cutting out harsh, commercial hair products and making the switch to a natural shampoo or conditioner bar.
At Flora & Fauna, we believe it’s one of the best ways to live more naturally while helping our environment and cutting down on plastic pollution. So, if you’re curious, we’ve put together a helpful guide to help you along the way. Keep on reading to find out how shampoo/conditioner bars work, why they’re better for the environment, and which one is right for you and your hair type.
Shampoo and conditioner in bar form? What’s that all about?
Shampoo and conditioner bars are extremely concentrated blocks of moisturising oils, made without the nasties that commercial products usually contain, e.g. parabens, synthetic fragrances, SLS’s, preservatives, and other questionable chemicals.
The average bottle of liquid shampoo or conditioner can be made up of 80% water; it doesn’t make sense to pay for a big plastic bottle that’s full of water and packed with preservatives. Depending on your hair type and how often you wash your hair, a shampoo bar can provide the equivalent number of washes as three bottles of shampoo. A conditioner bar can last 6-8 months and save you purchasing five bottles of conditioner.
Transitioning to shampoo and conditioner bars is a cost-effective, planet-friendly choice. What’s not to love?
I’m willing to give one a try. What brand should I use?
At Flora & Fauna, we have some wonderful vegan and cruelty-free haircare brands that we’re proud to support. Amor Luminis, Ethique, Viva La Body, and The ANSC all make some excellent shampoo and conditioner bars for all hair types. It can be trial and error and take a bit of getting used to, but perseverance is key. In the F&F office we've all tried a couple of different bars before settling on "The One", but it is worth it in the end.
I have [insert here] hair type. How can I find the right bar for me?
Amor Luminis has some fantastic hair care packs for Normal Hair, Oily Hair, Curly Hair or Toning & Brightening. Each pack contains one shampoo bar and one conditioner bar. You can also buy the bars individually. Ethique also offer a fab range, including Heali Kiwi - a firm favourite among those with super sensitive, flaky scalps, a super gentle oat based one for babies and even an anti-fungal shampoo bar for your dog!
I love that super foamy feeling when washing my hair. Do shampoo bars foam up like regular shampoo?
Yes, but you only need a tiny amount of product to actually wash your hair. You can either: rub the bar in your hands to produce a lather, then massage the shampoo into your hair. Or, you can rub the bar directly on your hair to create a lather. Either way, ensure you rinse the shampoo out of the hair properly to reduce the build-up of oils and residue. If you feel like your hair needs clarifying, try an all-natural and affordable apple cider vinegar rinse.
Why are shampoo and conditioner bars better for the environment?
Shampoo bars are a great plastic-free alternative to your usual hair care products. Did you know, 80 billion bottles of shampoo and conditioner are disposed of around the world every year, with most ending up in landfill, and even our ocean. That's a lot of plastic!
All shampoo and conditioner bars available at F&F have compostable packaging.
How do I store my shampoo and conditioner bars?
The most important thing is to keep the bar dry! This will help to prolong the life of your bars. We also recommend taking them out of the shower, so they are not mistaken for soap by other members of the family! We have some gorgeous wooden soap holders from Little Bit Daily and Green + Kind, which not only look good but help to prolong the life of your bar, by ensuring they are properly drained after every wash. And for travelling, just pop your bars into a leak-proof tin or container, like this one from Ethique.
If you’re still a little bit hesitant, consider trying some of the Ethique minis before you buy a full-size bar - a great way to test out making the switch.
Do you think you’ll make the switch to a shampoo or conditioner bar? If you do, let us know how you go in the comments below!