Using Solid Shampoo Bars for Beautiful Hair, Naturally

Like nearly every woman, I used to spend upwards of fifteen or twenty dollars every few weeks to find the "perfect" products for healthy, beautiful hair. Many of them worked but the cost was too high. Others left me horribly disappointed, and sat half-used on the edge of the tub for months. Not only was I wasting money, I was wasting plastic and adding chemicals to our water systems and landfills. There had to be a better way. Like thousands of brave women around the modern world, I found it: Solid shampoo bars!

Earth Friendly

To the uninitiated, solid shampoos seem awkward and even frightening. "My hairdresser would never use that!" we think. "No way I'm going to put that ugly thing on my hair!" However, with our modern concerns about global warming and overflowing landfills, many of us are willing to try anything that may help alleviate the world's woes.

Bar shampoos help decrease the amount of trash in the world by requiring little packaging. Like regular bar soap, shampoo bars are often wrapped in a little paper or even sold without any packaging at all. Retailers such as Lush offer little metal tins to keep the soap in, and encourage customers to bring the tins back to purchase a refill. However, the tins are not strictly necessary; customers are also welcome to bring their own bags and containers. Occasionally I find an excellent shampoo bar that I simply toss in my purse until I get home, eliminating any packaging completely.

Additionally, the vast majority of solid shampoos are all natural or organic. You cannot pollute your local steams by pouring them down the drain. Likewise, there are no dangerous chemicals soaking the ground after you throw a bar away. But why would you? You'll be getting as much goodness as possible out of your shampoo bar to its bitter end.

Historically Proven

Contrary to what some people may think, shampoo bars are not "new" and not born of the green movement. Before the advent of modern chemistry and liquid sodium lauryl sulfate, bar soap was all we had. And that wasn't very long ago - many of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used solid soaps to wash everything from their bodies to the laundry. Eco-friendly consumers merely returned to the traditional methods of hair care that have proven successful for centuries.

Wallet Friendly

When I finally succumbed to trying solid shampoo, I was amazed by how long it lasted. The bar I purchased was smaller than a regular body soap but lasted two months. Not only was it long lasting but it cost less than $10 dollars. The littlest bits of my soap and cash went the longest way. I was a believer!

While there are high-priced solid shampoos available, generally they are priced from as little as $2 dollars up to around $15 dollars, with the majority costing between $5 and $10 dollars. The more expensive the soap is, the more likely they have incorporated high quality organic ingredients and essential oils. The most expensive are usually handmade organic soaps featuring multiple herbal oils; however, similar products are often remarkably affordable. I am easily spending half as much on solid shampoo as I used to on liquid products.

You've Got Food in your Hair!

Solid shampoo ingredients are pretty basic. The primary ingredient is oil, from natural sources such as olive, coconut and jojoba. Herbs, herbal oils and sometimes spices are added, along with other natural ingredients to provide lather and nourish the hair and scalp. The scents are often beautiful, especially once the shampoo is applied to your hair. Quite often you may find that every ingredient in your shampoo bar is not only edible, it's in your kitchen! Do not try to eat your shampoo bar. It does not taste as good as it looks, and it's better off in your hair.

All Natural but Not the Same

Once in the shower, solid shampoo is easier to use than liquid. There's no fumbling for the right bottle, popping open the top and carefully using your palm to measure the right amount. With most shampoo bars, you simply wet your hair, pick up the bar and rub it directly on your head. It seems odd at first but as the soap disperses and you smell that wonderful herbal aroma, you won't care. For crumblier soaps or longer hair, you can soap up your hands first or break off small pieces to rub throughout your hair. Give yourself a massage, make sure the shampoo is evenly distributed through your hair, and rinse.

The first thing you will probably notice when you use your shampoo is that it does not lather like liquid shampoos. Lather, the primary property of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), is the great breakthrough that made liquid soaps commercially viable. However, lather is not necessary to keep your scalp and hair healthy. Copious amounts of lather are a luxury we've become accustomed to. Some makers of solid shampoos do include SLS and similar chemical derivatives. However, the use of SLS is somewhat controversial among health and environmental advocates. Use it if you'd like, but you may find you achieve a healthier scalp by eliminating it from your hair care routine completely.

What About Conditioner?

After using a solid shampoo, an acidic rinse of some type is necessary. Solid soaps can leave a thin film on your hair. A quick rinse of lemon juice or vinegar will remove tangles and strip the film, leaving you with brilliant shine. Dottie at SimmonsNatural View recommends adding 2 TBSP lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of warm water. Rinse and leave in. I find that it helps to run my fingers through my hair to detangle while I am adding the rinse.

Freshly squeezed lemons are wonderful to use in the summertime when they are in season (strain before using). Vinegar is perfect for winter months when citrus prices rise. A bottle of vinegar may cost less than $2 dollars and last for several months, making it a far more affordable option than liquid conditioners. Whatever you use, tilt your head back and protect your eyes when applying your rinse. Do not use full strength lemon juice or vinegar; their application may sting.

Listen to Your Scalp: It Knows What Its Doing

You may choose to follow your rinse with a liquid conditioner, however, it is not necessary. After a few washes and rinses, you will find that your scalp does a wonderful job of conditioning itself. Regularly brushing your hair will help distribute the healthy nourishing oils your skin creates through your hair. Be patient: It takes a couple weeks for the scalp to adjust to a new routine.

Take the time to try solid shampoo and you will be surprised how healthy and beautiful your hair will be, naturally, with the benefits of saving both the planet and your money.

Source:

Dottie, "Get Outta My Hair - And Other Sour Tales". SimmonsNaturals View.