The Rundown
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Best Overall:
Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar at Lushusa.com
It’s great for regular-to-oily hair types, and the citrus scent is a perfect wake-me-up.

Best for Dry Hair:
Soap for Goodness Sake Babassu Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar at Soapforgoodnesssake.com
Quench dry hair with babassu oil, which comes from a tropical palm tree and contains antioxidants.

​Best for Fine Hair:
Lush Cosmetics Flyway Hair Shampoo Bar at Lushusa.com
Hand-harvested sea salt helps add volume and texture to hair, and lemon oil cuts grease.

Best for Itchy Scalps:
Ethique Heali Kiwi at Walmart
This bar is formulated with calming oatmeal, coconut oil, neem oil, and karanja oil to help soothe scalps.

Best for Dandruff:
Superzero Shampoo Bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp at Superzero.com
Key ingredients that fight dandruff in this shampoo include tea tree leaf oil, rosemary oil, and extract from ziziphus joazeiro bark.

Best for Color-Treated Hair:
Love Beauty And Planet Shampoo Bar at Walmart
If you're looking for something that will be gentle on your color-treated hair, consider this heart-shaped bar.

Best for Natural + Curly Hair:
HiBar Volumize Shampoo & Conditioner Set at Amazon
HiBAR’s Volumize Shampoo is designed to help curls hold their shape while minimizing frizz, and many reviewers agree.

Best Shampoo and Conditioner:
Wildland Organics The Super Bar at Wildlandorganics.com
This bar is great for anyone who wants a minimalist approach to bathing, or to save space in a tiny bathroom.

Best Overall:
Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar
The Montalbano bar has become part of my daily morning routine, and can be used without conditioner. It’s great for regular-to-oily hair types, and the citrus scent is a perfect wake-me-up. The vegan formula includes rosemary and green olives for added shine.

Lush’s shampoo bars are beloved by many Treehugger staffers, but the best one for you depends on your hair type. One of Lush's bars can replace up to three 250 milliliter bottles of liquid shampoo. If you shop in person you can get it with zero packaging, or if you order online, Lush shampoo bars usually come packaged in a small paper bag. 

Best for Dry Hair:
Soap for Goodness Sake Babassu Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar
This bar from Soap For Goodness Sake doubles as a body soap, and gets top marks from the Environmental Working Group, which independently rates the safety of product ingredients. This shampoo uses babassu oil, which comes from a tropical palm tree, is moisturizing and contains antioxidants. It has a gentle coconut fragrance. 

Soap For Goodness Sake offers two packaging options when shipping their bars: paper or compostable glassine. 

Best for Fine Hair:
Lush Cosmetics Flyway Hair Shampoo Bar
The Flyway bar is another Lush shampoo bar that gets rave reviews from the Treehugger team. One staffer reports that this bar makes her “super-fine hair super-soft.”

The Flyway shampoo bar has organic cocoa butter and calming chamomile oil that’s great for dry or sensitive scalps, while hand-harvested sea salt helps add volume and texture to hair. The sea salt also adds to a scent that’s fresh and beach-y, and lemon oil cuts greasy buildup. 

Best for Itchy Scalps:
Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo for Dandruff or Scalp Problems
Treehugger writer Katherine Martinko took a number of Ethique's products for a spin, and found that these shampoo bars deliver effective cleaning in plastic-free packaging. If you suffer from an itchy or easily irritated scalp, then the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar may be right for you.

This bar is formulated with calming oatmeal, coconut oil, neem oil, and karanja oil to help soothe scalp issues as well as dandruff. As the name would suggest, it has a fruity fragrance. Ethique also donates a portion of its profits to environmental charities.

Best for Dandruff:
Superzero Shampoo Bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp
After a month of using Superzero's Shampoo bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp, Treehugger's tester noticed fewer flakes, and overall thought this bar worked great. Key ingredients that fight dandruff in this shampoo include tea tree leaf oil, rosemary oil and extract from ziziphus joazeiro bark (an evergreen tree native to South America). The formula also includes avocado oil and shea butter to help sooth the scalp.

Superzero's products are shipped without any plastic, and come in a recycled paper box. As a member of 1% For The Planet, the company also donates to non-profits that work to fight plastic pollution and protect marine wildlife.
 
Best for Color-Treated Hair:
Love Beauty And Planet Murumuru Butter and Rose Shampoo Bar
If you're looking for something that will be gentle on your color-treated hair, consider Love Beauty & Planet’s Murmuru Butter and Rose Shampoo Bar. Its cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, sulfate-free, and dye-free. Plus, it is full of beautiful ingredients like Bulgarian rose petals and Amazonian murmuru butter which will give your hair a glossy “I just went to the salon” feel.

Although some shampoo bars can be hard to find at your local supermarket, Love Beauty and Planet products are carried by many national drugstores and big-box retailers.
 
Best for Natural + Curly Hair:
HiBar Volumize Shampoo & Conditioner Set
For those with curls, regular shampoo may lead to frizz, flattening or unwanted poofing. HiBAR’s Volumize Shampoo is designed to help curls hold their shape while minimizing frizz, and many reviewers agree. The featured ingredients include African dates and Vitamin B5. It’s free of sulfates, silicone and phthalates, and it’s safe for color-treated hair. 

This product may also work for people with natural hair in search of a shampoo bar. Ariel Sahar, the low-waste YouTuber, did a full review of this product on her natural curls and was happy with the results.
 
Best Shampoo and Conditioner:
Wildland Organics The Super Bar
This multitasker can be used as a shampoo, conditioner, body bar and for shaving. This shampoo bar is great for anyone who wants a minimalist approach to bathing, or to save space in a tiny bathroom. The majority of the all-natural ingredients are certified organic, and its scent is a blend of sage, bergamot, and palo santo. The Super Bar is packaged in post-consumer recycled paper. 

Although Wildland Organics' products do not have a third-party organic certification yet, the company is in the process of applying for certification and holds all of its ingredients to an organic standard. Wildland Organics also donates 1 percent of all sales to protect wilderness areas in the United States.

Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid for Hair

To be clear, hyaluronic acid is not a moisturizer (it's a humectant), but it helps by pulling moisture in from the environment. Here's how this works to benefit the hair and scalp.

• Hydrates the hair: The humectant-binding properties of hyaluronic acid perform similarly on hair fibers as it does on the skin, allowing the hair fibers to retain and seal moisture from products, according to Hill.
• Reduces frizziness: Hill adds that hyaluronic acid also helps to seal the cuticle, which prevents unwanted moisture from entering it, leading to frizzy hair and shrinkage in highly curly and coil-y hair textures.
• Plumps the hair: Farhang says that although more studies are needed, theoretically hyaluronic acid could help plump up dry, damaged hair. This plumping effect could be used for added volume at the roots, but additional ingredients would be needed to actually repair the damage, according to Farhang.
• Hydrates the scalp: Not only does hyaluronic acid benefit the hair strands, but both Hill and King highlight its benefits for the scalp as well. "Humectant molecules attract and bind moisture to the skin, allowing collagen to thrive in the skin and scalp," Hill explains. King adds that it can keep the scalp hydrated to avoid the issue of dry scalp.

Hair Type Considerations

According to Hill, all hair types and textures could benefit from using any hyaluronic acid–based products on their hair fibers. Hill explains that the ingredient's ability to bind to moisture helps all hair types and textures retain the proper balance of lipids, humectants, and proteins required for hair strength and elasticity.

More specifically, Farhang says hyaluronic acid would most benefit those with dry, brittle, and perhaps damaged hair as well as frizzy hair. King adds that even color-treated and chemically processed strands can benefit from hyaluronic acid and stresses that the more damaged the hair, the better. King explains that the hair shaft tends to be porous and hyaluronic acid can help to fill the cracks and moisturize. Farhang adds that the ingredient is particularly great for not weighing down curls and not leaving a greasy feel on the hair.

How to Use Hyaluronic Acid for Hair

• Apply it to your scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment: Before shampooing, Hill suggests applying hyaluronic acid liberally all over your scalp and massaging it in with your fingers in circular motions, focusing on areas that are more problematic than others.
• Use it on wet or damp hair: Farhang recommends applying hyaluronic acid post-shower while your strands are still wet. Not only is this when the hair is most receptive to products, but water is also key when using hyaluronic acid. Because hyaluronic acid absorbs water, King says using the ingredient on damp hair can accelerate the effect. "Hyaluronic acid thrives when there is moisture, so make sure whenever you use hyaluronic acid, you mist plenty of water or tonic so hyaluronic acid can bind it and form a coating to keep the moisture in for maximum effect," King explains.
• Choose products formulated with hyaluronic acid: Instead of experimenting with your own hair concoction made with your hyaluronic acid skincare products, Hill suggests using a formula specifically designed for the hair. "I advise only using skin-based hyaluronic acid products to the scalp under the supervision of a certified trichologist, hair replacement practitioner, or medical professional," Hill says. "Before applying product to the scalp, it is imperative to have a keen understanding of the root causes leading you to use hyaluronic acid to treat conditions." Not only that, but King points out that hyaluronic acid skincare products can be costly, and you wouldn't necessarily want to waste it on your hair, which is technically dead.
• Use it as a leave-in conditioner: Farhang adds that hyaluronic acid hair serums could be helpful as styling treatments on damp hair or as a part of a hair mask. Hill recommends applying the hyaluronic acid to damp hair as the first layer to your styling product. Apply it from root to ends, comb through for even distribution, then layer your preferred styling product on top.
• Combine it with oils: Although hyaluronic acid could be beneficial in plumping the hair, Farhang suggests using the ingredient in conjunction with other ingredients to actually help repair the damaged hair. Farhang's top picks: jojoba and argan oils for dry hair and collagen and proteins, like keratin, for strengthening the hair.

Here are a couple more articles for you to check out:

• Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Sodium Hyaluronate
• 5 Reasons You Should Be Using Hyaluronic Acid

1. Round Thermal Brush

Best For:

• Curls, waves, volume and hair flips on normal to thick hair
• Hair Length: The longer the hair, the bigger the brush diameter
• Hair Type: Normal to thick hair

Why?
Large holes allow for great airflow, and ceramic-coated barrels dry the hair faster. Bristles are super heat-resistant AND ionic, so hair gets shiny and bouncy.

2. Square Thermal Brush

Best For:

• Waves and flips (smaller diameters) or volume and smoothing (larger diameters) on normal to thick hair
• Hair Length: The longer the hair, the bigger the brush diameter
• Hair Type: Normal to thick hair

Why?
Square shapes allow you to create more versatile looks, and large holes help with airflow. Soft-tip ionic bristles make the hair shinier and are gentle on the hair and scalp.

Pro Tip: The square thermal brush creates volume while the flat side creates straight, sleekness vs. the round thermal brush that creates a C-shape in the hair.

3. Ionic & Boar Paddle Brush

Best For:

• Daily brushing and care, touch-ups and styling
• Hair Length: Short to long
• Hair Type: Every hair type and hair extensions

Why?
Boar bristles distribute the hair’s natural oils for smooth and shiny hair, eliminating frizz and flyaways. The ionic and boar bristle combo is perfect for styling and brushing thick or curly hair.

4. Round Boar Brush

Best For:                          

• Volume (smaller diameters) and straightening on wavy, curly or very curly hair
• Hair Length: The longer the hair, the bigger the brush diameter
• Hair Type: Wavy, curly and very curly

Why?
Boar bristles distribute the hair’s natural oils, resulting in super shiny hair. The tightly packed bristles give excellent tension control when straightening. Also, remember when using this brush on curls and waves, it is NOT a detangler!

5. Detangling Paddle Brush

Best For:

• Detangles wet or dry hair
• Hair Length: All lengths
• Hair Type: Every hair type

Why?
Ball-point tips are gentle on the hair and scalp, and the snag-free design makes it easier for the brush to gently glide and detangle the hair from roots to ends.

6. Vent Soft Tip Paddle Brush

Best For:

• Blow-drying, styling and daily brushing
• Hair Length: All lengths
• Hair Type: Every hair type

Why?
The large flat area straightens hair, and the vented brush head cuts down blow-drying time. The ionic bristles penetrate all the way to the scalp with gentle ball-point tips.

7. Color & Care Brush

Best For:

• Fully saturating and evenly distributing hair color, lightener and treatments
• Hair Length: All lengths
• Hair Type: Every hair type

Why?
Dual length bristles easily penetrate shallow and deep layers at the same time for full saturation without gaps. The brush removes excess product and redistributes where it’s needed for a natural blend.

8. Styler Brush

Best For:

• Styling, shaping, daily brushing and men’s styling
• Hair Length: Short to medium
• Hair Type: Fine to normal

Why?
Ball-point tips glide through the hair for faster styling, and the ceramic plate retains heat while you style. The heat-resistant, semi-circular pad helps shape the hair.

9. Teasing ­­Brush

Best For:

• Teasing, building volume, creating texture and back-brushing
• Hair Length: All lengths
• Hair Type: Every hair type

Why?
The narrow brush design is perfect for building for back-combing and building volume or texture. The tail helps for sectioning with precision, separating hair, tucking and lifting.

10. Should I Use A Brush Cleaner & How Often?

​Short answer: YES!
Whatever brush you choose, it’s ESSENTIAL to regularly clean—Mickey recommends using the Brush Cleaner between clients who lose a lot of hair and daily. This is a must for maintaining a clean, professional appearance and allows the brushes to do their jobs better!

That moisturizer your friends swear by left your face red and scaly. The cleaner you've been using for years to make your bathroom sparkle made your hands itch and burn.

For some people, the chemicals in shampoos, cosmetics, and detergents can trigger allergic skin reactions.

Causes

These reactions -- what your doctor calls allergic contact dermatitis -- happen when your immune system overreacts to chemicals that are normally harmless. They can be in products you're exposed to over and over, like cleaners, colognes, hair dyes, and personal care items.

Even if you've used them before, you can still have a reaction.

Cosmetics and personal care products have a lot of potential allergens, things you could be allergic to:

• Fragrances in soaps, colognes, deodorants, body creams, cosmetics, detergents, and tissues
• Preservatives and antibacterials, added to many liquids to keep them from spoiling
• Substances added to thicken, color, or lubricate a product
• Chemicals in permanent hair dyes and other hair products
• Formaldehyde resin, an ingredient in many nail care products
• Sunscreens, often found in cosmetic moisturizers, lip balms, and foundations

Symptoms

Your skin is one of the first places where the warning signs can show up. They often appear 24 to 48 hours later, but can start as late as a week after you come in contact with the irritating chemical.

Each person may have different chemical allergy symptoms. Some of the most common are:

• Red skin
• Scaly patches
• Blisters that ooze
• Burning or itching, which may be intense
• Swelling of the eyes, face, and genital area
• Hives
• Sun sensitivity
• Darkened, "leathery," and cracked skin

The symptoms tend to be worst where you touched the thing you're allergic to. If you get the allergen on your finger and then touch another part of your body, like your face or neck, you can set off an allergic reaction there.

Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, so see your doctor to find out what the problem is.

Diagnosis

Often your doctor may be able to diagnose your allergy by doing a physical exam and asking you about your symptoms.

Sometimes, they may suggest you see an allergist for a skin test, also called a patch test. The allergist places small samples of chemicals on your back and checks to see if you get a rash.

Keep track of your symptoms. It will help your doctor make a diagnosis. Note details such as:

• What you were doing in the 24 to 48 hours before your outbreak
• Any products you were using before the reaction
• How much of the product you were using and how often
• Where it touched your skin (even places with no symptoms)
• Symptoms you have or had
• Any previous skin reactions

Treatment

You'll want to identify and avoid the chemical that seems to cause your allergic reaction.

If you do come into contact with it, wash your skin with soap and water as soon as possible. If you have the allergen on your hands, don't touch other parts of your body until you've washed your hands.

It may help to take off and wash any clothes or jewelry that might have come in contact with the irritating chemical.

If you use nail care products, make sure the product has dried before you touch your skin.

Got a mild reaction? You can sometimes treat symptoms yourself with over-the-counter medications such as calamine lotion, antihistamines, or cortisone ointments.
​
See your doctor if you have frequent or severe outbreaks. They can help you find out why it happens and give you prescription medications if you need them.

As a BosleyMD-certified trichologist and hairstylist/salon director at Foushee SalonSpa (@fousheesalonspa) in Littleton, Colorado, Gretchen Friese has her hands (and eyes) on everything related to hair and scalp health. Here, she shares the key characteristics, causes and best remedies behind four of clients’ most common scalp concerns.

Psoriasis appears as bumpy red patches covered with white scales—caused by the immune system attacking healthy skin cells. If the client is sick or battling an infection (strep throat is a common trigger), her immune system will go into overdrive to fight the infection, kicking off a psoriasis flare-up. Psoriasis is usually cleared up by doctor-prescribed medications.

With dermatitis, the skin will typically look dry, swollen and red. But there are several different kinds: Atopic dermatitis (eczema) begins at infancy and is usually caused by dry skin, genetics, an immune system disorder, a skin infection, exposure to certain foods, or contact with allergens—or a combination of these. Contact dermatitis is typically caused by contact with a skin irritant, inciting an allergic reaction (think poison ivy, perfumes, jewelry containing nickel, cleaning products, or creams/lotions). Seborrheic dermatitis is caused by a yeast that’s present in oil secretions on the skin. Follicular dermatitis is essentially atopic dermatitis that affects hair follicles. Control dermatitis by moisturizing regularly, or using medicated ointment, creams or dermatitis-specific shampoos.

Alopecia leads to thinning hair and also comes in various forms. Androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness, usually genetic) occurs with a sensitivity to the hormone dihydrotestosterone. Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder, is typically caused by trauma or stress. And traction alopecia happens when hair is pulled too tightly, stressing the follicle and eventually leading to hair loss. These may not have complete cures, but retail products can help fill out the appearance of thinning areas.

Finally, dandruff appears as white flakes on the scalp, which shed into the hair and fall from the head (perhaps accompanied by mild itchiness). Here, a fungus feeds on the oils on the scalp, which can have many causes: irritated or oily skin, not shampooing enough, age (it’s common in teens and young adults), weather, stress levels, medical conditions and some hair products. The condition can usually be remedied with an anti-dandruff shampoo.

Talking Points

How can a stylist sensitively broach scalp issues with clients? “It can be an embarrassing topic, so ask a benign question like, ‘How is your scalp feeling?’ or ‘Have you had any itching on your scalp lately?’” Friese advises. “Questions like this will usually open up a conversation about the issue.”
​
Similarly, Brandon Johns (@diplobrandon), an educator with Malibu C and owner of Dallas-based Studio2020, asks clients if they’ve experienced any changes to their diet or medications, then recommends therapeutic treatments to remove any mineral buildup on the hair and scalp (followed by related retail suggestions). “Clients often are looking for the stylist to bring these issues up,” Johns notes. “But it could be caused by something really simple—like if they’re using the same shampoo for six months or more, overwashing, or not washing hair often enough. They may just need a simple switch!”