How do I Use a Shampoo Bar?
Post by Meredith Newberry
It’s a good question. We get it a LOT!
The first time I was ready to use a natural shampoo bar, I google’d it. Seems funny to have to google how to use shampoo — but I did! Natural shampoo bars ARE different than the average liquid shampoos you’d buy on a store shelf.
Our shampoo bars are formulated to work with the natural oils your scalp normally creates. It’s about balancing what your body naturally does on its own with a gentle shampoo. Detergent-based shampoos (and yes they can be organic, phalate-free, SLS-free, etc. but they are still detergents) can add silicones or other softening agents to your hair to make it manageable and shiny. Our shampoo bars work with just gentle plant-based cleaning and don't strip your hair of natural, healthy oils.
- If your hair is oily, you might choose one of our bars with charcoal and clay or fresh rosemary.
- If your hair is dry, try a more conditioning formula with silk and shea butter.
Natural shampoo bars CAN make your hair soft, shiny and manageable without all the extra stuff. As with all of Good Neighbour natural products, we don’t use synthetic fragrances, preservatives, foaming agents or anything else you wouldn’t find naturally. The best part of a natural shampoo bar is you aren’t adding another piece of plastic to landfill when you’re done. We wrap our bars with a simple, recyclable paper wrapper, and that’s it. No waste, more nature.
So here’s the low-down on how to transition from liquid shampoo to natural shampoo bars.
Lather: You use a shampoo bar just like you would a bar of soap. You can do it a few different ways, but with long hair, I find it most effective to just lather the bar directly on my hair until the bubbles form, then I keep giving my head a full lathery massage to work the shampoo through.
Rinse: Rinsing is more important lathering. It's common advice to spend three times as long rinsing as you do lathering, so keep on rinsing until you feel squeaky clean. Then rinse a little more ;-)
Repeat: Sure. You can do that if you want to. No problem there. It all depends on your hair and scalp.
Conditioner? When you first switch from ‘regular’ liquid shampoo to a natural bar shampoo your hair will probably feel different. Mine did! I still had some conditioner around so I threw some of that in there after my shampoo to help with the transition period and it kept my hair soft. But after the first week or two I stopped that and went completely natural. (Note that's not me below...I have to work on a hair picture for you guys to see!)
If you switch to a natural shampoo bar, you will probably find that your hair feels different at first. Perhaps dryer, perhaps oilier…it all depends on your hair and scalp. Don’t panic!
A Few Tricks to Transition to Natural Shampoo:
Before you transition to natural shampoo, try less frequent washes with your regular shampoo. It will help your hair adjust more quickly.
If Your Hair is Feeling Dry
Add a few drops of hair serum or a tiny dab of nourishing balm BEFORE you wash if you find your ends are dry. I apply our Lavender Hair Serum or even a bit of our Shea Body Butter to just the ends of my hair about 15 minutes before washing. I then shampoo as usual to get it out. Don't use too much. Trust me. ;-)
If Your Hair is Feeling Oily or Greasy
If you find your hair is oily, try baking soda for a quick clean. Make a paste of baking soda and water; you don't need much, start with a tablespoon of baking soda. Then massage the scrub into your hair and scalp. Wash and then rinse super well. This will help rid any of the build up in your hair but it's not a long term solution! Just do this to start the transition then move entirely to the shampoo.
If Your Scalp is Feeling Flaky
If you find your scalp is flaky, use a more gentle lathering massage and rinse for longer with cool water.
The best advice I can give is -- don't give up after a short time. Once your hair adjusts you will easily slip into this new routine.
Let us know how this shampoo works for you!
