Ever tried zero waste shampoo bars? We all hope for that genie in a shampoo bottle to free us from our hair woes. Gorgeous hair is everyone’s goal, and we’ve tried out numerous shampoo brands in that quest. And whatever be the brand, most of us have only poured out shampoo from a bottle all our lives. What’s the story of this shampoo bottle? Is it the ideal solution for clean and healthy hair? (Spoiler: NO.) Let’s take a look at what solid shampoo bars are, and why they can be a great zero waste alternative. There are plastic-free shampoo alternatives, but when it comes to packaging, shampoo bars are as close to perfect as you can get.
Some quick suggestions:
Best shampoo bar for traveling: JR LIGGETT’S All-Natural Shampoo Bar
Best shampoo bar for dandruff: Ethique Heali Kiwi Solid Dandruff Shampoo Bar
Best shampoo bar for curly hair: Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve Honey Butter Bar
Best shampoo bar for damaged or chemically treated hair: Bars Over Bottles Revitalizing Shampoo Bar
- Zero Waste Hair Care: Shampoo Bar?
- Are Shampoo Bars Better for your Hair?
- Types of Shampoo Bars
- Is the Shampoo Bar Right for You?
- Best Zero Waste Shampoo Bar Brands To Try Out
- 1 // A Wild Soap Bar / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 2 // Apple Valley
- 3 // Auromere / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 4 // Bar None / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 5 // Basin / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 6 // Bestowed Essentials
- 7 // Booda Organics / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 8 // BRÖÖ Craft Beer Bar Shampoo / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 9 // byHumankind
- 10 // Chagrin Valley
- 11 // Christophe Robin
- 12 // Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 13 // Ethique Shampoo Bar
- 14 // Friendly Soap
- 15 // HiBar
- 16 // JR Liggett’s / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 17 // Love Beauty And Planet / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 18 // Lush Shampoo Bars / Vegetarian & Cruelty-free
- 19 // Meow Meow Tweet / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 20 // OBIA Naturals/ Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 21 // Purple Prairie Botanicals/ Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 22 // Royalty Soaps
- 23 // Simply Soaps / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 24 // Très Spa / Vegan & Cruelty-free
- 25 // Buy on Etsy!
Zero Waste Hair Care: Shampoo Bar?
A shampoo bar is basically shampoo in solid form. So, yes, even Garnier can make solid shampoo, and while it would be zero waste, it certainly would not be toxin-free or ethical. What we will be discussing in this post are organic shampoo bars that are ethically produced. This will do the same extent of healthy cleaning that a regular shampoo can do, but with some benefits as well as drawbacks (which we’ll get to in a bit). Shampoo bars are formulated to eliminate dirt and product build-up, are suitable for all hair types, and generally the well made ones will be just as effective as a comparable liquid shampoo. Shampoo bars have quite a history, too, if you’re interested!
The process for making shampoo bars is the same as that for soap bars. The ingredients are different (and shampoo bars are often formulated to stand up to hard water). Cleansing agents used in shampoo bars in place of surfactants are baking soda, apple cider vinegar or/and tea tree oil. Various essential oils are included for their antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Natural oils are also included, such as coconut oil, jojoba oil or avocado oil, for their moisturizing action. They may also have aloe vera or Shea butter to help moisturize hair.
Bars are also formulated for different types of hair and different requirements, just like your regular shampoo brands do.
Are Shampoo Bars Better for your Hair?
Well, not necessarily; they’re about as good or bad for your hair as comparable liquid shampoos. Besides, a lot of advertisers, including those pushing shampoo bars, claim miraculous results from using their product. But we know that advertisers tend to exaggerate, and that there is no single product that works perfectly for everyone. There is a lot of trial and error involved, especially when it comes to finding a suitable product for your hair. For instance, what causes frequent hair greasiness in one person may be different to what causes it in another person, and even diet can never be discarded from the equation. All of this is to say that solid shampoo bars may be zero waste and awesome, but if they don’t work well for you, don’t feel bad about it. There are other ethical and zero waste shampoos that are just as gentle on the environment (and your scalp). But do give the shampoo bar a try; it may well turn out to be your miraculous hair solution, after all! You can then dry your hair with one of these sustainable towels for maximum care.
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Types of Shampoo Bars
Shampoo bars have been used pretty extensively in the past around the world, but they were replaced with liquid shampoo, plastic bottles, microbeads, etc, as technology improved. Now, here we are – at a juncture where we ought to revert back to age-old (and therefore eco-friendly) practices for the benefit of not just the environment, but our health as well. Shampoo bars that are organic, cruelty-free, handmade and with minimum to no packaging are the ideal option to switch to. Further below in this post is a list of shampoo bar brands you can try out.
Why did I mention handmade bars? Many brands sell handmade shampoo bars that are very good (especially on Etsy; check them out). It’s a great indication of the extreme care taken while making the shampoo bar, and speaks to the dedication of the brand owners (plus, they are likely small businesses that we should support!). Plus, if you’re so inclined, you can also make your own with this zero waste shampoo bar recipe. There are three main types of shampoo bar:
1 / cold-processed shampoo bars
These have loads of natural plant-based oils to help condition your hair, and are typically free of sulfates and parabens. These are the bars you’ll find at your local farmer’s market.
2 / glycerin-based shampoo bars
These are more gentle and have a better pH balance, but don’t lather much at all (since they contain fewer cleansing agents).
3 / solid surfactant shampoo bars
These shampoo bar lather up well and cleanse very well, and have a good pH balance. But they contain surfactants known as sulphates (SLS and SLES are two types of commonly used sulphates that can dry your hair out with prolonged use). A good solution is to look for bars with gentle surfactants such as glucoside.
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Is the Shampoo Bar Right for You?
In a bid to avoid harmful surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate (which are present in commercial shampoos), shampoo bars are formulated to be gentle and low lather (less or no surfactant), with a high concentration of saponified oils, all of which are a big move away from the behavior of detergent-based shampoos.
On the flip side, though, the high amounts of saponified oils can cause waxy build-up in your hair – and you may need to rinse your hair regularly with apple cider vinegar to get rid of that (the acidic nature of the ACV helps counter the alkalinity of the waxy build-up by removing the coating and allowing your hair to breathe.)
Hair with waves and curls and texture may not be happy with shampoo bars, and can get tangled up pretty easily. I have thick, curly hair, and I usually rub the bar between my hands to gather some lather (heh!) and then apply that to my hair. This helps minimise tangling, but my hair is pretty short, so I’m not sure this will work with long hair.
However, the benefits of organic shampoo bars far outweigh the costs:
1 / Shampoo bars are long lasting and convenient
Why else have shampoo bars been popular among the camping and hiking crowds for ages! You use the bar, wait for it to dry, and then it’s just an easy-to-carry and store toiletry item. No spillage at all. It’s TSA-approved as a solid! Also, each bar, depending on the size and your usage, can last you a pretty long time (longer than liquid shampoos, which, let’s admit, we use pretty liberally most of the time).
2 / They’re better for the environment
They’re zero waste, in the sense that they have no plastic packaging (and no micro plastics in the ingredients), and are biodegradable thanks to the use of safer ingredients. Many shampoo bars can be used as soap as well, so you will be saving money!
3 / Organic, natural shampoo bars are gentle yet effective
Brands such as Lush, Ethique and others use organic ingredients, and are free from harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, propylene glycol, and sodium hydroxide. Most shampoo bar brands eschew artificial fragrances that can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. They also do not use sulphates (although some shampoo bars have sodium coco sulphate). Sodium hydroxide, an extremely strong alkali that is used to make soap along with oils and fats, is an ingredient that many bar shampoos do not include.
Well made shampoo bars can be gentle on hair while still being effective. This means you can use them on kids as well, without worrying about triggering allergies or irritating their skin. Plus, they’re very easy to use.
Best Zero Waste Shampoo Bar Brands To Try Out
So, basically if you’re looking for a zero waste shampoo alternatives, solid bar shampoos are a good option to try. And you can choose various lovely smelling options (created with natural sources) with nourishing ingredients that will freshen your hair and soothe your mood. All while knowing that this shampoo bar can be used until it disappears, and you will not have to throw anything out into the environment.
With all that out of the way, here are 25 of the top organic, zero waste shampoo bar brands (including cruelty-free products). Check out what they have on offer, and start your zero waste hair care journey.
RELATED: Are biodegradable soaps actually biodegradable?
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1 // A Wild Soap Bar / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $7.00
2 // Apple Valley
Price: $8.00
3 // Auromere / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $5.95
100% Biodegradable | Paraben-free | Palm-free
4 // Bar None / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $12.00
Customer Review: “It’s been so long since I’ve washed my hair and actually had nice waves/curls naturally form without adding any serums/oils etc. My hair feels so nice and soft, smell is subtle but nice and I am so happy with how my hair looks naturally for the first time in over a year!”
5 // Basin / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $8.99
Customer Review: “I was a bit skeptical about trying a shampoo bar in general, but this one is great! It lathers up with no problem and is very easy to use, and it makes my hair so soft. Highly recommend! My only suggestion is to buy 2 shampoo bars with 1 conditioner bar because I’ve been using the shampoo bars up twice as fast.“
6 // Bestowed Essentials
Price: $10.99
Customer Review: “Am glad to not be using shampoo in plastic bottles! Do close your eyes when applying, as this can sting some. It cleans hair well. I store it on the upside down lid to dry, and keep it out of the shower unless I am washing hair. Agree with other comments, that conditioner is needed after washing.”
7 // Booda Organics / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: AUD$6.95
Customer review: “I have used this soap on my body for months and love it. However, I had a 3 week trip to the deserts of Namibia planned and was just taking a carryon. I knew that a bottle of shampoo would be confiscated in the airport. I read the description here on the web page and they said you could use the soap for your hair. Bingo! So, I took a bar of soap for cleaning my skin and also my hair. I loved it! I got home 3 days ago and am still using it as a shampoo. I could wash it and let it air dry with no problems at all. I love this stuff and this company!”
8 // BRÖÖ Craft Beer Bar Shampoo / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: ‘Currently unavailable’
9 // byHumankind
Price: $15.00
10 // Chagrin Valley
Price: $9.50
11 // Christophe Robin
Price: $22.00
Customer review: “This is a fabulous little bar and lasts for a long time. Leaves your hair feeling fresh and thicker.”
12 // Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $4.99
13 // Ethique Shampoo Bar
Price: $15.00
14 // Friendly Soap
Price: £2.95
15 // HiBar
Price: $13.95
Customer review: “These bars are perfect. I have been interested for a long time in bars as opposed to bottles. The shape this particular brand works great on a slatted soap dish. My hair loves them too:)”
16 // JR Liggett’s / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $7.99
17 // Love Beauty And Planet / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $4.99
Customer review: “I have been trying to cut out single-use plastics little by little. I love that this shampoo bar has no plastic packaging, lathers up nicely (if you rub it directly on your hair), isn’t expensive, and smells AMAZING! My hair feels so clean, and there’s no residue.”
18 // Lush Shampoo Bars / Vegetarian & Cruelty-free
Price: $14.50
19 // Meow Meow Tweet / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $12.00
Customer review: “Determined to ditch plastic, I’ve tried many shampoo bars, and these (I’ve used both scents) are by far the best. My hair is fine and this gives me so much body it’s like i have a whole new head of hair! Amazing. I have a whole-house water softener, and this lathers like crazy. a little rub goes a long, long way. it is the only shampoo bar i’ll use. thank you for an excellent product. p.s. I love the deodorant sticks, too!”
20 // OBIA Naturals/ Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $10.00
21 // Purple Prairie Botanicals/ Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $4.44
22 // Royalty Soaps
Price: $10.00
23 // Simply Soaps / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: £4.25
24 // Très Spa / Vegan & Cruelty-free
Price: $12.00
25 // Buy on Etsy!
Price: From $6.50
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NOTE: All brand photographs belong to the respective brands/businesses.
People in my area don’t know that shampoos that grow your hair faster and longer (obviously without any sulfates, parabens or DEA) even exist. Folks are now able to experience longer hair and achieve more possibilities. Certainly worth reading.
When you’re going over hair loss, damaged hair, avoiding hair disorders, hair growth, hair and scalp health generally, the same rules actualize.
Generally, you should try to steer clear of hair products and treatments that contain chemicals such as parabens, DEA and sulfates.
What is healthy for your hair is beneficial for your skin as well.
Clearly your content here hits the nail in the head for so many reasons. It stays away from the accustomed mistakes and traps so many fall into- utilizing defective alternatives. Thank you!
Thank you!