​Last year, after a conversation with a freediver at an event for work (I know, weird flex), I made the decision that I seriously needed to do something about cutting back on my plastic consumption. We were talking about ocean plastics, and she told me a story about how dolphins like to play underwater by passing things like shells and pufferfish to each other… but now, she sometimes sees them playing with pieces of plastic. It’s been estimated that there is going to be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. And while it may be too overwhelming for most of us to go cold turkey and completely detox our homes from plastic, like this writer did, small plastic-free changes definitely make an impact. The beauty industry is a big contributor to plastic consumption—like, I hate to say it, your shampoo bottles. That’s where shampoo bars come in.

These little guys have been gaining popularity because they have way less plastic packaging than your fave liquid shampoo because, you know, they’re bars. Bonus, they’re also TSA friendly. (That also means you won’t have to use those tiny shampoo bottles they put in your hotel room.)

A word of caution to this tale: If you’re switching from a shampoo that gets super sudsy—i.e. probably contains SLS—bar shampoos may take some getting used to, because they don’t lather as much. That means your hair probably isn’t going to feel as “squeaky-clean” as it would after sudsing with a traditional shampoo. Also, most directions involve rubbing the bar directly on you head which, not gonna lie, sounds like it may be strange at first. Just like with any beauty product, not all shampoo bars are created equal. We scoured the internet to find the best shampoo bars on the market. Of course, one of those viral Lush bars made the list (and reviewers say that these bars last seemingly forever.) Behold, the fruits of our labor.

These are the best shampoo bars, according to the internet

For those of us who grew up with shampoo in a bottle, shampoo bars are a relatively new hair care product. I have written a lot of information in blogs, FAQs etc. about shampoo bars.

There is a list of links at the bottom of this page that may help answer your questions.

Shampoo bars are quite easy to use. This page is dedicated to some shampooing techniques. If you have a technique that works for you, please leave a comment to share with others. 

Why Is A Shampooing Technique Important?

Shampoo bars are superfatted and thus contain extra oils and butters to nourish your hair. If you do not lather up really well, you will have areas that remain coated with the soap oils, which will; make it look “gummy.”

If you are used to commercial shampoo and shampoo twice, you will have already noticed that the second wash produces a lot more lather. The first wash is mixing with the dirt and excess oil in your hair so the second wash is working on cleaner hair. The same is true for our shampoo bars.

So lather up, once, twice, maybe even three times at first. Then be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse!!! Again, if you have long hair, pay special attention to the middle back of the hair so that you rinse all of the soap out of your hair.

Technique #1: Use The Bar Directly On Your Hair

• Begin with thoroughly wet hair.
• Gently rub wet the shampoo bar directly onto your hair from scalp to ends in a combing motion.
• Cover each section of your hair. Gently massage scalp and hair, adding more water as needed, until a good lather forms.
• To prevent tangles, be sure to always work from the top down, don't pile your hair on your head and use your fingers like a comb, not a mixer.
• If you rub the shampoo bar directly on your hair, remember you are washing your hair with superfatted soap.
• The most common trouble spot, especially for people with long hair, is at the nape of the neck. 
• It is very important to work the shampoo into your hair with water and really build up a good lather on your head so there are no patches of soap left on your hair.
• Lathering up also allows the dirt and extra oils to be washed away.
• Rinse, rinse, rinse! 
• Repeat if desired

Technique #2: Create The Lather in Your Hands
Some find it helpful, especially in the beginning, not to rub the bar directly on their hair. They use their hands, a puff or a sponge to create foamy lather, and only use the lather to wash. It can be very helpful in making the hair less tacky until the adjustment takes place.

• Begin with thoroughly wet hair.
• Rub the wet shampoo bar between your wet hands to create a nice lather.
• Using your fingers like a comb, smooth the lather along your hair.
• Gently massage it into the scalp and hair, as you would with a bottled shampoo.
• Work up a good lather
• Rinse, rinse, rinse!
• Repeat if desired.

Relax, you can wash your hair with natural shampoo everyday if you desire! It cleans thoroughly without drying or coating your hair or scalp. Dry and style your hair as normal.
 
Ida's Technique for Long Hair
Men and women with short hair seldom have hair adjustment problems. Folks with long hair have to experiment a bit and I have found that often times the technique can make all the difference. The most common spot for build-up, especially for people with long hair, is at the nape of the neck. 

You have to experiment with your unique hair type. I have long, fine hair.

Below is my technique for using a shampoo bar.   I...

• tie my long hair into a loose ponytail
• thoroughly wet my hair 
• wet the shampoo bar and rub the bar across the top of my head in strokes from front to back until I have covered the entire scalp area. (I have found that if I rub any shampoo vigorously in all directions, my fine long hair gets very tangled)
• massage my entire scalp in a combing motion to work up a really good lather. I do not rub the bar or work the lather on the length of my hair.
• take out my ponytail and rinse, rinse, rinse allowing the shampoo to drip down the length of my hair. (I have found that this rinsing is enough to clean the length of my hair.)
• rinse for at LEAST one minute as I rub my fingers through my hair to be sure that all of the shampoo is rinsed away
• squeeze gently on the length to remove excess water and cover with a towel while I dry off the rest of me. I do not rub the towel over my wet hair because it causes nasty tangles.
• use a wide-toothed comb and gently comb from the bottom up
• dry and style your hair as usual

This "How To" is from Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve Company

Still more here >>>
Everything You Want To Know About Shampoo Bars!

You may have seen bar shampoo products when you’ve gone camping or traveling—they’re super easy to pack and totally TSA-friendly. However, in the wake of the “no poo” craze, the idea of lathering up with something other than liquid shampoo has become more and more common for your everyday. Thinking about swapping your traditional hair cleanser for a good ol’ bar? We consulted the experts to find out what you need to know before making the switch.

Essentially, bar shampoo is simply shampoo in bar form. As Brianne West, product formulator of Ethique says, “A good solid shampoo should do what a good liquid does—leave you with body and shine, without either drying the hair out or adding too much buildup.”

The Pros

Aside from being travel-friendly and seemingly longer-lasting than liquid shampoo, bars are touted as being able to get your hair back to its original, shiny, voluminous state by clearing away residue left from the chemicals found in traditional hair cleansers. “Plus, since shampoo bars do not strip hair in the same way as detergent-based shampoos can, you will notice a difference in the way your wet hair feels after washing,” Jamyla Bennu, creator and Grand Mixtress of Oyin Handmade, says.

How? Because many shampoo bars don’t include some of the icky additives used in commercial shampoos, such as sodium lauryl sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate. “Many educated consumers have become wary of the detergents found in commercial shampoos, finding them unnecessarily stripping of the natural moisture of the hair and scalp,” she says.

Gentle, low-lather bar cleansers leave hair clean without feeling dry the way many detergent-based shampoos can. For some people, conditioner isn’t even needed after their hair adjusts in a couple washings with a bar.

The Cons

Chicago-based master stylist Jon-David says that because of the high concentration of cleanser in bar shampoos, they tend to have more a waxy consistency, which can build up in your hair.

“This happens because the soap—which is saponified oils and an alkali—reacts with water when you use it, and this forms soap scum,” says Kirsten Connor, formulator and creator at Flourish Body Care. To avoid this, many bar shampoo users rinse with apple cider vinegar to remove the coating and shine their hair.

Those with long, porous or curly hair especially may also experience tangles and frizz, along with that “coated” feeling, something Susonnah G. Barklow, editor at NaturallyCurly.com, knows all too well. “Personally, I find the act of rubbing a bar of soap on my head awkward,” she says. “And it almost always results in very tangled hair.”

How to Choose One

If you want to go for it, there are actually three broad categories of shampoo bars out there, according to hair and makeup pro Grace Mahoney, owner of Blushing Brides. The first are cold-processed shampoo bars (typically made by home crafters and natural products companies). They’re usually chock-full of natural oils, which help condition your hair, and are typically free of sodium lauryl sulfate. (These tend to be the ones that cause buildup, she says, and might require an apple cider vinegar rinse).

Then, there are glycerin-based shampoo bars, which tend to be more gentle and pH balanced, but they might not be as clarifying as other shampoos and won’t lather as well. Finally, there are solid surfactant shampoo bars (think of the kind made by Lush), which lather the best and are more pH balanced but can be a bit too clarifying for some hair.

Really, it’s all about trial and error and, of course, avoiding products with bad-for-hair ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate. (Really, any sulfates should be avoided). Sodium hydroxide—an extremely strong alkali that is used to make soap along with oils and fats—is another one to look out for. “The reaction that takes place produces a mildly alkali product—soap with a pH of 8–9,” Bennu says. “Since hair varies between pH 4 and 5 and doesn’t have an acid mantle like skin, this pH difference leaves the cuticle sticking up, resulting in rough, dull hair, which over time can cause damage.”

To use, natural hair expert Amanda Starghill, of NaturallyCurly.com, suggests cutting the bar into smaller portions so it’s easier to apply directly to the scalp. Ahead are some top-rated options to get you started.

 
This article is from StyleCaster

Have I told you Orange is my favorite season?
​
I don’t know about you, but I was sure happy to see “Karl the Fog”.   Don’t get me wrong, I love that we finally had a summer this year.  It had just been TOO hot for my liking lately.  One nice thing about San Francisco, though, is that if you don’t like the weather just wait a couple days and it will definitely change.

There has been quite a bit of chatter recently about shampoo bars so I thought I’d pass along some information.  Although they may seem new to many, solid soap shampoos were commonly used before liquid detergent shampoos became popular in the 1940’s.    A little over 20 years ago Cosmetics to Go, the company that later became Lush, successfully applied for and won a patent to protect their revolutionary and exciting new invention.  So, it's definitely not a “new” phenomenon.  We are all wanting to be more conscientious about plastics and the environment and bar shampoos are one option to reduce wastes.  Using a shampoo bar is different than a liquid so it may take a little getting used to.   I have a couple articles you’ll find helpful if you’re thinking of making the switch.

I have some of the best clients (yeah, that’s you) so I don’t really need to pass this information along to you, BUT…
Even the most well meaning of us need an occasional reminder to put our best selves forward.  That said, I have an article of salon etiquette essentials.

We're all counting the hairs on our head (or in the sink).  Not literally “counting, but you know what I mean.   I have an article for you on things you can check so you’ll know if those hairs in the shower or brush are within normal limits.   

That’s just some of what I have for you this month in “As the Chair Turns”.
 
Enjoy!