The Shampoo Bar Thread

[nueinsel]

Thanks so much, fractalsofhair! The vinegar rinse didn't give me the waxies, it actually got rid of the waxy feeling left by several washes with the shampoo bars. It just also left my hair very limp and greasy-looking. Will conditioner remove that waxy feeling in place of the vinegar?

I have some leftover suave naturals conditioner (cone free, I think...) already on hand. Do you think that maybe with some baking soda added it would strip the cones sufficiently, or do I really need cone-free SLS shampoo as well?

I don't know if my water is hard, actually. It's well water, much less sulfer-smelling and rust-colored than the well water at our old house, but still not awesome at rinsing soap away. I'm looking into rain barrels for the house anyway, so that's a definite possibility.

Thanks for the Alaffia recommendation, I'll check it out! My new CV bars ought to arrive in another couple of days. I'm excited to try them out again.

[Canarygirl]

I have a question.. I am thinking of using a bar for the times when I do shampoo and I have a question.. is the ingredients in the bar strong enough to remove color from chemically treated hair?


My own experience is that my hair color (from henna/buxus mixes) fades more quickly using shampoo bars than it does using a mild, closer-to-neutral ph shampoo. I attribute this not to the strength of the cleansing power but to the relatively higher ph of the shampoo bars. They open the cuticle and some types of hair coloring will come out.

[Fractalsofhair]

nueinsel- I would suggest a few washes with an SLS shampoo, but you can even just use the soap bars for a month or so. (For some people up to a year!) The SLS shampoo, if you aren't allergic to it will get the cones out MUCH faster(Dawn etc and all dish washing liquids should also do the same job, but are harsher and may dry out your hair). If you have an allergy to SLS or general sensitivity, Burt's Bees detergent is good. I like 365 because it comes in little travel sized bottles, can be found fragrance free etc, and is slightly more eco friendly as a result than many other brands. If the vinegar rinse made your hair greasy, you are either using the wrong shampoo bar(too moisturizing for your hair) or you have too strong of a rinse.

How dilute is your rinse? Be sure to rinse it out fully, that helps me. Rain barrels have tons of uses! :) I'm not sure about well water, I have washed my hair with it and it seemed tangly, but that was during a horrid cone experiment known as the time of hair death as my hair went from mid thigh/classic(Ok, I was a little shorter then!) to shoulder/mid back in a short time!(Darn Paul Mitchel and the stylist who suggested it to me!) I don't think I can blame the water for that though. Nearly all conditioners are slightly acidic, so it's worth a try. Baking soda is alkaline so I wouldn't suggest using it with the shampoo bars regularly, as real soap also has a high pH!

A good way to find out if your water is soft or not is if the soap ever lathers. If you can get a good lather after 1-3 lathers, chances are your water isn't very hard. I had thought based on where I live that I have hard water. I tested it, and turned out the water is soft, which is what I thought based on how well soap can lather! You can look up your town online and get a general idea, but for me that wasn't accurate!

[Madame J]

Baking soda is alkaline so I wouldn't suggest using it with the shampoo bars regularly, as real soap also has a high pH!

Actually, the Shampoo Bar article describes how the author uses baking soda along with a shampoo bar to clarify. She doesn't mix them, but washes her hair with a baking soda solution and then washes again with the bar, or something like that -- you can check out the article to see exactly.

[Aries_jb]

Thanks so much, fractalsofhair! The vinegar rinse didn't give me the waxies, it actually got rid of the waxy feeling left by several washes with the shampoo bars. It just also left my hair very limp and greasy-looking. Will conditioner remove that waxy feeling in place of the vinegar?

From this post, I'm left with two possibilities concerning vinegar rinses:

1. The vinegar rinse ratio may have been too strong or too weak. Maybe someone else can comment on this. I'm by no means an expert in this regard.

2. Your hair may not like vinegar. There are a few alternatives that people on this thread have mentioned using with great success. Try doing a search through this thread for citric acid rinses and vitamin C crystals.

[ljkforu]

My own experience is that my hair color (from henna/buxus mixes) fades more quickly using shampoo bars than it does using a mild, closer-to-neutral ph shampoo. I attribute this not to the strength of the cleansing power but to the relatively higher ph of the shampoo bars. They open the cuticle and some types of hair coloring will come out.
That hasn't been my experience at all. Soap bars of all kinds are less likely to strip color than shampoo. I had to go to great lengths to even remove some of my color that I wanted to go.

[manderly]

From this post, I'm left with two possibilities concerning vinegar rinses:

1. The vinegar rinse ratio may have been too strong or too weak. Maybe someone else can comment on this. I'm by no means an expert in this regard.

2. Your hair may not like vinegar. There are a few alternatives that people on this thread have mentioned using with great success. Try doing a search through this thread for citric acid rinses and vitamin C crystals.

This. Adjust your vinegar rinse accordingly. It's quite common to experience greasy hair when using too much vinegar.

[NotOfThisWorld]

okay I have a dumb question here.

What would make a shampoo soap bar as opposed to just a bar of soap (I don't mean storebought Ivory soap).

Could I use goatmilk soap from the Farmers Market?

What would I be looking for in general? Lye & Oil based? What about the old fashioned... wasn't it lard based soap?

[ljkforu]

okay I have a dumb question here.

What would make a shampoo soap bar as opposed to just a bar of soap (I don't mean storebought Ivory soap).

Could I use goatmilk soap from the Farmers Market?

What would I be looking for in general? Lye & Oil based? What about the old fashioned... wasn't it lard based soap?
You most definitely can and should be really happy since we have soft water in the NW. Generally, shampoo bars contain castor oil and that is the only real difference. I only use castor oil bar once a week to avoid build up. I saw some bars at the farmer's market this weekend and went crazy. I got a bay scented bar sample and I can't wait to try it.

[Zindell]

I have a question for ye! :p

I'm tired of using schampoos filled with sulphate and other chemicals, and natural shampoo bars sounds like something I'd love to try...

however...

It seems most of you use some kind of vinegar to rinse afterwards. Is this necessary? What does it do?
I want an easy routine and I wonder if it would be enough to just rinse with water?

[Madame J]

I have a question for ye! :p

I'm tired of using schampoos filled with sulphate and other chemicals, and natural shampoo bars sounds like something I'd love to try...

however...

It seems most of you use some kind of vinegar or other acidic rinse afterwards. Is this necessary? What does it do?
I want an easy routine and I wonder if it would be enough to just rinse with water?

I find that after any soap-based cleanser, my hair feels a bit tacky, and the vinegar rinse makes it manageable again. The one time I used Dr. Bronner's soap with no acid rinse and let it dry, my hair looked fried on the ends and waxy up top.

I had read that an acid rinse balances the naturally-acidic scalp after the alkaline cleansing of a soap-based cleanser. It seems to be more necessary if you have hard water -- I have quite soft water and still need a rinse.

That said, I used conditioner instead of vinegar rinse after my shampoo bar while I was at a conference and it worked just as well. If you normally condition after you shampoo, this should take care of pH balancing your scalp.

[nueinsel]

To those of you who have suggested a more dilute vinegar rinse: I was using approximately a tablespoon to 2 cups of water. Do you think a teaspoon to a quart of water would be too dilute? Has anyone used a rinse with that ratio with success? Madame J, I'm also going to try just using the conditioner. Thanks again for the suggestions, everyone.

[Zindell]

I find that after any soap-based cleanser, my hair feels a bit tacky, and the vinegar rinse makes it manageable again. The one time I used Dr. Bronner's soap with no acid rinse and let it dry, my hair looked fried on the ends and waxy up top.

I had read that an acid rinse balances the naturally-acidic scalp after the alkaline cleansing of a soap-based cleanser. It seems to be more necessary if you have hard water -- I have quite soft water and still need a rinse.

That said, I used conditioner instead of vinegar rinse after my shampoo bar while I was at a conference and it worked just as well. If you normally condition after you shampoo, this should take care of pH balancing your scalp.

Thanks Madame J. :)

Yes, I use conditioner now so perhaps that is the way to go for me. I will order some CV soap bar samples and give them a try at least!

[Zindell]

Well then... my order from Chagrin Valley Soap & Craft Company is complete.

For my hair:
Chamomile Citrus Shampoo (Sample)
Babassu and Marsh Mallow Shampoo (Sample)

For my skin:
Chocolate Orange Soap (Large bar)

To place the soaps on:
Solid White Oak Soap Deck

I feel very satisfied. I hope this will work well, as I really want to go as chemical free as possible! :)
I guess the shipping to Sweden will take a couple of days. I don't even want to wash my hair with my old sulfate shampoo anymore so I will be a dirty girl by then. Oh the horror! :D

[NotOfThisWorld]

You most definitely can and should be really happy since we have soft water in the NW. Generally, shampoo bars contain castor oil and that is the only real difference. I only use castor oil bar once a week to avoid build up. I saw some bars at the farmer's market this weekend and went crazy. I got a bay scented bar sample and I can't wait to try it.
Thanks for answering my "dumb" question. :) Then I'll have to try this sometime. I've just been doing baking soda 2 tsp in a cup of water and then rinsing with lemon juice (a splash) in a cup of water (twice because of the length of my hair). For about a year and a half.

I find I get the sticky weird feeling without the lemon juice (vinegar I switched to lemon juice). And I can immediately tell in the shower water the difference when I pour on my rinse. I do kind of rinse it out, but thoroughly. I don't have to really scrub at all with the baking soda.

My other alternative has been like a drop or two of shampoo (coneless) in a cup of water and doing lemon juice/ conditioner rinse in the same way, splash of both in two cups of water.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

How big are the CV samples? Are they big enough for a couple of washes since their site says you should use them for a few weeks to really tell a difference?

[rose_in_bloom]

How big are the CV samples? Are they big enough for a couple of washes since their site says you should use them for a few weeks to really tell a difference?

The CV website says that the sample bars are approx. 1.5 - 2 oz. They're good for several washes (not sure exactly how many).

[Madame J]

The CV website says that the sample bars are approx. 1.5 - 2 oz. They're good for several washes (not sure exactly how many).

I was a dork and kept my JR Liggett 'poo bar in the shower all the time, so it melted quickly and one bar lasted me a little over a month at 3.5 oz. I wash every three days. My current one is holding up much better since I only bring it into the shower with me when I wash and store it in a cool, dry cabinet on a bamboo rack when I'm not using it. So if you wash as often as I do, you could probably use a sample bar for near a month if you're careful with it. That said, if you're paying shipping anyway, you may as well get a bunch, right?

[Aries_jb]

I would say a sample lasted me about a month with twice a week washes.

[masterofmidgets]

I divide my sample bars into thirds, and each bit lasts me about a week, which is usually three washes. (It's nice, I haven't bothered to buy any full bars since I started using them in Feb, because using the sample sizes I get to try out more kinds)

[Moonstruck]

Zindell, Madame J - I cannot use conditioner for pH balancing of the scalp again, nor for getting rid of the waxies. My water here is too hard, as well as the conditioner being less acidic than my vinegar solution. Additionally, I have oily oily hair - conditioner on my scalp would mean washing it again that night or so (unless I'm CO-ing, but that's a diff story).

As for the samples, mine were closer to 2.5 oz. I live in a dorm room most of the time, so my 'poo bars chill out in my room, away from the shower spray.... and they honestly last me close to 1.5-2 months, being used 3-4 times a week. They don't last as long at home, but it's still at least a month. More than enough time to figure out if they're for you. =)

Zindell - Just a heads up, I'd recommend starting with the Citrus Chamomile one. Apparently some people have difficulty transitioning in the very beginning to more moisturizing ones like the babassu bar.

[Zindell]

Thanks Moonstruck. I will start with the Chamomile soap then. :)

We have very soft water here, so I'll just try with ordinary water as rinse first. If that doesn't work I'll start look at other solutions.

[Elanor]

We have soft water and my vinegar rinse might have been a bit too strong, so that could be why my ends feel dry. I might try my light, organic hemp conditioner next time, instead of the vinegar.

I did my second shampoo bar wash yesterday and this time I used a natural-product conditioner instead of the vinegar. It seemed to soften the hair just as well, but I still didn't get too great results. My roots are greasy, even more than after the first wash, and my ends feel somewhat try again. My hair does feel a bit stronger and thicker and not so slippery, but it's very flat on the top because of the greasies/waxies. I'm not giving up though, I'm going to try this for at least two weeks and see if the waxies go away.

[manderly]

I did my second shampoo bar wash yesterday and this time I used a natural-product conditioner instead of the vinegar. It seemed to soften the hair just as well, but I still didn't get too great results. My roots are greasy, even more than after the first wash, and my ends feel somewhat try again. My hair does feel a bit stronger and thicker and not so slippery, but it's very flat on the top because of the greasies/waxies. I'm not giving up though, I'm going to try this for at least two weeks and see if the waxies go away.


Forgive me if you've already posted this (I didn't see it), but what technique are you using? How are you shampooing your hair with the bars? How many lathers?

Greasy scalp tends to be due to not lathering properly, while the waxies on the length is more often attributed to the transitioning of the bars :)

[Elanor]

Forgive me if you've already posted this (I didn't see it), but what technique are you using? How are you shampooing your hair with the bars? How many lathers?

Greasy scalp tends to be due to not lathering properly, while the waxies on the length is more often attributed to the transitioning of the bars :)

I lather two times, first time I went through both the scalp and the length and the second time I concentrated more on the scalp. When I lather I rub the bar between my hands and then rub the foam into my hair.

I was wondering if I should use more shampoo than I did? I thought it would make it even oilier and harder to rinse if I used too much, but maybe I'll try to use more next time. I do have two bars and I've only tried this one with henna in it. Next time I'll try the other one (marigold) and see if it fits better :)

[manderly]

Elanor, try this:


I wash in a "headband" pattern.

Wet hair thoroughly, rub bar gently from ear to ear. Part hair at ears (like you're doing a half-up), rub gently from ear to ear along part. Hold hair up in a pony, rub gently along nape line and neck, from ear to ear. Re-moisten and work into a lather with your fingertips at the roots and scalp, spread lather down length.

Note: Your hair should not be disturbed while rubbing....it should remain pretty much slicked down from the water. You aren't rubbing hard, just a gentle swipe across the surface.

Hope that helps

[nueinsel]

Manderly, this seems like a very silly question, but how do you go about "remoistening?" Just dip your head back under the shower stream quickly, or...?

Also, the samples I've used usually lasted at least 2 months with twice weekly washes. I stored them in the medicine cabinet when I wasn't using them.

[Kristen_Marie]

Has anyone tried J.R. Liggett's Old Fashioned shampoo bars? I got one yesterday, and just kind of wanted to see how good/bad it is, or what experiences others have had with this bar. It has tea tree oil, hemp oil, almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, caster oil, fresh pure New Hampshire spring water, sodium hydroxide and "No Fragrance added!"

I tried it last night but didn't really notice much of anything yet.

I laughed at the old New England saying on the wrapper:

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without".

[manderly]

Manderly, this seems like a very silly question, but how do you go about "remoistening?" Just dip your head back under the shower stream quickly, or...?

Yup :) Just under the shower quick enough to re-soak your hair without rinsing anything out :) (or much of anything)

Adding the water again really helps with getting a huge, frothy lather.

[ljkforu]

Manderly, this seems like a very silly question, but how do you go about "remoistening?" Just dip your head back under the shower stream quickly, or...?

Also, the samples I've used usually lasted at least 2 months with twice weekly washes. I stored them in the medicine cabinet when I wasn't using them.
Yeah, dip back under the shower briefly for me.

[Madame J]

Has anyone tried J.R. Liggett's Old Fashioned shampoo bars? I got one yesterday, and just kind of wanted to see how good/bad it is, or what experiences others have had with this bar. It has tea tree oil, hemp oil, almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, caster oil, fresh pure New Hampshire spring water, sodium hydroxide and "No Fragrance added!"

This was the first shampoo bar I tried. I used a vinegar rinse and got good results. Hair was clean and shiny, more so than with some of the SLS-free shampoos I tried. I switched to the Herbal Formula from the same company because I liked the smell. I emailed the owner with questions about his bars and he said they use the same base for all the bars and just add different extras to the different formulations.

Moonstruck, thanks for the testimonial against using conditioner instead of vinegar to reacidify after a wash. It could be that folks with softer water can get away with it but folks with harder water need the scum-busing power of vinegar.

[Elanor]

Thanks for the tips manderly! :) I forgot to mention that I always wash my hair upside down, but the parting-the-hair thing works just as fine that way. I did my third wash yesterday with the marigold bar and this time I got the waxies in the length as well :D I was very thorough with the lathering this time and I think the greasies in the roots are not as bad as last time. The conditioner I use afterwards has basicly just oils and emulsifier in it, so I thought it could cause some extra greasiness too, when the oils add up to the oils from the shampoo bar (if that makes any sense to anyone). Next time I'll try the vinegar again, with a milder dilution.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

My CV samples arrived today and I am trying out the coconut milk since I think the honey, beer, & egg and the olive babassu might be too much to start with after reading a few threads. I'm planning to do this routine..


Wet hair and rub 'poo bar all over scalp and nape of neck
Rinse well
Repeat
Add conditioner (Suave maybe to try it again) let sit on a few minutes
Rinse
Follow up with ACV rinse
Air dry


Will report back anything I have noticed.. I am excited and can't wait to see how my hair responds! :cheese:

[Moonstruck]

Haha, I agree Madame J.
Actually, I was wondering if anyone that HAS a shower filter could chip in - do you really not need the acid rinse anymore? Or do you normally do a fairly mild dilution? Just curious.

Elanor - The one thing for me was that I tended to miss spots when I first started. The waxies actually told me where I had cleaned, the greasies were where I missed. Sorta amusing actually - I used that as a little diagnostic in the beginning to figure out where I needed to apply more. And the waxies were an indicator to me as to where to pour my rinse. =) Your hair should feel like its all of a sudden turning into silk when it's good and clean and free of waxies.

Cherry Sprinkle - that sounds about right to me. =) I'm excited to hear how it goes!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I'm going to use the coconut most often but I decided to try out the olive & babassu since I wanted to feel the waxy feeling people were talking about.. while I applied it and lathered it up it felt like normal shampoo or soap nothing unusual but when I rinsed it did feel sort of waxy and dry.. when I applied the second time the same thing so I made sure to rinse really well then applied conditioner.. and it all went away! now that its drying it feels so soft and silky and not dry and fuzzy... silk is a good explanation of how it feels.. my roots are all that are dry at the moment but it does feel like silk! and it doesnt feel dry or frizzy anywhere!

I almost don't want to pin it up today! I'm going to get the husband to take pics in a while to see if the shine is any different today.. but one shampoo and I'm already sold! :happydance:

[nueinsel]

Alright, so... I just attempted to clarify my hair with 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a quart of water followed by a vinegar rinse (also 1 tablespoon to a quart of water). I'm hoping that did at least something to get rid of -cones left over from washing with Pantene these past three months. I'd like try a shampoo bar tomorrow, as that's my regular wash day. I have the following CV samples:

Honey, Beer, and Egg (worked the best of the ones I tried last time around, but still caused a certain amount of flyaways, tangles, and waxiness)
Extra Honey, Beer, and Egg
Olive and Babassu
Lavender Spice
Mud and Clay
Coconut Milk
Rosemary Lavender
Babassu and Marshmallow
Carrot and Honey Complexion Soap

Any thoughts on which one I ought to try first?

[Moonstruck]

HAHAHAHA Cherry Sprinkle, the thought of wanting waxies really amuses me - I went around a month with them in transition and I was miserable! But I'm really really glad it worked for you, and with no transition too... crazy awesome. :thumbsup:

Rosemary Lavender and Coconut Milk are both okay to start with (I'm guessing you have dryish hair, looking at your collection?) but personally, I'd start with the Honey, Beer, and Egg, since you would have a good base point to judge whether or not the clarification worked, you know?
Which other ones out of that group had you tried?
edit: Oh holy cow! You read through all 300 pages?! You deserve a badge or something. I was pretty chuffed at myself for finishing the 150+ something. After re-reading what your intro thingy was, my question is this. Did you use coconut oil while you used 'poo bars? In a way, people use oils in place of cones to smooth the hair back down and make the ends more manageable, though they won't really hide damage. Since your main complaint seems to be that the length looked a mess, I WOULD do a little oiling on your ends and a bit of the length after shampoo bar-ing it up. Shampoo bars will take out the coconut oil, don't worry. =)
Another thing is that you don't use conditioner. I understand that you'd like to go as natural as possible, and since you're doing a vinegar rinse anyhow... why not try a soap bar as conditioner? If that doesn't seem to work out well, you could always try a conditioner. It works pretty well for me, but sometimes I just like the convenience of a bottle of condish, especially since most of my soap bars have gritty bits in them for exfoliating, haha.
One more note - you could try different vinegars (just not balsamic), and maybe give lime/lemon juice a try (though these can be very drying), or citric acid (a powder).
Hope that helps a little!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

HAHAHAHA Cherry Sprinkle, the thought of wanting waxies really amuses me - I went around a month with them in transition and I was miserable! But I'm really really glad it worked for you, and with no transition too... crazy awesome. :thumbsup:

lol I was going to SMT or something tonight so the waxy feeling was something I figured I could clarify out if it was too weird but I don't think I will now, its so soft and silky! the only thing I have noticed is that my hair has more fly always than usual but that might also be because its softer than usual.. its slippery and smooth and feels fantastic! I applied half the coconut oil and aloe that I usually do.. had I applied more I probably could have gotten rid of them.. I will keep that in mind next time.. I can't tell about the shine, we have an overcast today so I'm not sure but I am impressed with the first 'poo!

*edit* here's today's photo... I think there is more shine?
http://www.septemberpixie.com/lj/hair/IMG_4089.jpg

[nueinsel]

Moonstruck: Yes, that does help, thanks. I think it would probably be a good idea to start with the honey beer and egg too, since I remember liking it pretty well.

I haven't had dry hair historically, I just bought samples of the shampoos I hadn't yet tried, plus the honey beer and egg to see if I still like it. Actually, I always thought of myself as having oily hair, but none of the more cleansing bars I tried the first time around worked wonderfully, so it's possible that my hair will like the extra moisture in this round of samples. I know I had that experience with my skin when I switched to the oil cleansing method.

I didn't use coconut oil while I was using shampoo bars, no. I think I tried a light oiling on the ends once, but I just ended up with clumpy, oily ends. I probably used way too much. I do plan to use it this time around, though, as well as conditioner. I want to keep my routine as close to what it is now as possible so I can tell how my hair is reacting to the shampoo bar (rather than to a lack of conditioner or coconut oil). If I can find a shampoo bar I really like, I'll start experimenting with alternatives to conditioner and see how that works out.

Just doing the BS/WV thing today has been interesting. I remember hating no 'poo so much, but that was before I had any concept of what my hair actually looked like without -cones. At the moment it's a teensy bit frizzy (by which I mean all the little baby and broken hairs have curled up and are sticking out, the bulk of my hair is still stick straight as usual) and a bit stringy (can't tell if that's because the baking soda just spread the sebum down the length instead of really washing it away, or if it's my hair's same old reaction to white vinegar), but overall it's not horrible.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely keep all of them in mind as I begin experimenting again.

[nueinsel]

Cherry Sprinkle, I can't tell if it's shinier either, but it looks really pretty!

[donna'sdaughter]

I loooooovvvvveeee CV shampoo bars. Just bought the cafe moreno (sp?) shampoo bar-amazing lather! I wonder though, are shampoo bars supposed to gtive your hair that "too clean" feeling? It's like maybe the bar stripped my hair of its natural oils. Either way I love the way they lather and the way they smell!

[Moonstruck]

Cherry Sprinkle, that's beautiful. Love those sticks and that um, thingy that drapes across it, even if I don't know what it's called, haha. It's hard to tell if it's shinier... your sig pic has MUCH stronger lighting, but either way, your hair looks quite happy!
Also, keep in mind that the different shampoos can have very different properties - some gave me tons of shine, and others, close to none. But at least you know that you can use 'poo bars in general, haha. I vote that you have more shine now too, but I might be biased. ^^"

Good luck with the experiments, Nueinsel!

[longhairedfairy]

longhairedfairy - You might want to try sending ljk4u a message if she doesn't see the question here. She experiments a lot with soap-making. I think she has made her own soap with different oils, but I'm not sure if she has tried herbs. She is also open to any questions you have about soap-making. :)
Thank you.:flower:

[Aries_jb]

Actually, I was wondering if anyone that HAS a shower filter could chip in - do you really not need the acid rinse anymore? Or do you normally do a fairly mild dilution? Just curious.

I should preface this by saying my hair is not really fussy when it comes to shampoo bars. I have a shower filter and have also used CV bars in soft water, and there's still a big difference. I use a fairly mild vinegar rinse every time I shampoo. If I don't, nothing "bad" necessarily happens and my hair looks fine when it dries, but it's almost impossible to detangle, even with a good conditioner.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I absolutely have more shine! My hair almost looks like henna now!! I can't believe how much of a difference one wash made! I am going to try and re-create my signature pic to show the difference.. :happydance:

http://www.septemberpixie.com/lj/hair/IMG_4093.jpg

[nueinsel]

Yep, those are some shiny hairs. Now I want to try the coconut milk bar...

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

Yep, those are some shiny hairs. Now I want to try the coconut milk bar...

Thank you :) I used the olive & babassu for the first time, I was going to use the coconut milk bar but when I started reading about how your hair could feel waxy I thought I would try to get that waxy feeling just so I would know what to look for lol but I didn't get that at all.. instead I got super shine and super silky hair! :happydance:

If you do end up using the coconut milk bar, let us know how it goes!! I'm already planning more orders ;) I really want to try their extra honey, beer, egg and the babassu & marshmallow

[Merewen]

I loooooovvvvveeee CV shampoo bars. Just bought the cafe moreno (sp?) shampoo bar-amazing lather! I wonder though, are shampoo bars supposed to gtive your hair that "too clean" feeling? It's like maybe the bar stripped my hair of its natural oils. Either way I love the way they lather and the way they smell!

I can't say compared to too many other washing methods, but my hair on shampoo bars doesn't seem nearly as stripped as it did with an SLS shampoo.

[ratgirldjh]

Has anyone tried J.R. Liggett's Old Fashioned shampoo bars? I got one yesterday, and just kind of wanted to see how good/bad it is, or what experiences others have had with this bar. It has tea tree oil, hemp oil, almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, caster oil, fresh pure New Hampshire spring water, sodium hydroxide and "No Fragrance added!"

I tried it last night but didn't really notice much of anything yet.

I laughed at the old New England saying on the wrapper:

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without".

J. R. Liggett is the only poo bar that has worked for me. I prefer the herb formula but don't notice much difference between it and the original actually - since i have several and they are impossible to tell apart anymore :D

CV bars gave me instant waxies with dry ends. I gave up and went back to J. R. Liggetts and have been happy ever since :)

I always do a very diluted 1 teaspoon in 32 ounces water rinse and then a cold rinse after that.

[kwaniesiam]

I LOVE the coconut milk CV shampoo bar now. I didn't like it first use, but after a few more its great. I also really like how it basically has no scent at all.

[Moonstruck]

Where do you guys think the Coconut milk falls on the moisturizing/cleansing scale? And compared to others, how was the body and shine? I'm so curious now! I love all the scents that CV offers and never even looked at coconut milk twice, but now...
And thanks Aries_jb! Interesting info.

Cherry Sprinkle - WOW that is beautiful.
Donna'sdaughter - my hair feels stripped until I use my acid rinse (ACV for me) on my hair, and then it feels super silky again. The stripped feeling for me turns out to be the waxies if I don't do anything - how did your hair turn out when dry?

[Elanor]

Thank you for your tip Moonstruck, I guess I just wasn't thorough enough with the lathering. Yesterday I did my fourth wash with sahmpoo bars and my hair turned out lovely! I lathered twice and did a lemon juice rinse, and today my hair is clean, soft and shiny but not too slippery to stay in an updo. I'm so happy about the result; CO never made my hair this clean and full :inlove:

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

Tried the coconut milk bar today.. not nearly as much shine or silky feeling as the OB bar but still quite nice and clean, I think it would be a nice bar to use as a 'standard' bar.. its left my hair soft, silky, and smooth.. its also added a little body. I think I would call it a good 'in between bar' .. if you're looking for a bar to use between moisture or protein treatments, I think it would be good for that.. not overly moisturizing and not drying. If you have ever used coconut milk as a treatment for your hair.. the results are very similar to that. :)

[nueinsel]

Well, I finally got around to using a bar yesterday. I oiled my hair the night before, then lathered and rinsed three times with the extra honey, beer, and egg bar, then did a vinegar rinse and put conditioner on the length(simultaneously) and rinsed with cool water. Despite lathering thrice, I wasn't able to create enough suds to squish any down my length, so it only got whatever minimal cleansing power my conditioner has. When my hair was completely dry, the top part (where I'd used the bar) was just fine, not luminous or amazing, but certainly as nice as with commercial shampoo. I didn't have any waxiness that I could find, which was wonderful, but the length was still completely coated with coconut oil. Not so pretty. By this morning a good bit of the oil had either been brushed out or just been absorbed into my hair, but it's still noticeably clumpy, particularly near the nape of my neck (some of that may be waxiness disguised as leftover oil, since that's where I always used to get shampoo bar residue). So I think next time I'll use the same routine, minus the coconut oil, or maybe just do a very light oiling, since I really do like what coconut oil does for my hair. Thoughts?

[Moonstruck]

Ooh, a coconut milk treatment feeling after each wash does sound pretty pleasant, haha. I'll have to try it once it stops being infuriatingly hot outside (and therefore making my hair oily so so fast).

Hm, Nueinsel... I have a similar issue. I also never have enough lather to squish down, so instead, I lather it up in my hands and let that sit on my length, like how I would do it if I were using it as a conditioner bar. That helps to get rid of any residual oils. Then I use my conditioner as usual (or a conditioner bar). Also, when I rinse it out, I let my length soak in the acid rinse by putting it right into the container, though I'm not sure if that'd reduce the oiliness. It probably wouldn't, but I end up getting the waxies on the length because I let the soap sit there, so... yeah

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

<thread hi-jack>

does anyone here use CV lotion bars? thoughts? I am thinking to try them and they look like they would be easy to travel with too so I am curious :)

</thread hi-jack>

[nueinsel]

I didn't love them. The one I tried (three butter, maybe?) took a Really long time to melt enough for me to use it and didn't seem to do all that much once I got it on my skin. I almost never use regular lotion either though, so they would have been a sort of superfluous purchase for me anyway. CV lip balms, on the other hand, are Wonderful. I use the honey butter one, and I'd be lost without it. This time around I ordered some of the bath melts and am anxious to try those on my skin and my hair both. They're definitely melty, so they might be easier to use at least.

[masterofmidgets]

I've used the lotion bars - it worked well, but it was a little awkward to use. I don't think it lasted very long, either - one bar lasted a few months, but I remembered to use it less than once a week. If I had used it regularly I think it would have been gone very quickly.

On the other hand, with my last batch of poo bars I ordered a jar of the shea butter, and that stuff is AMAZING. Very thick and rich - I use about a fingernail's worth and it's plenty - and the lavendar scent is lovely. The .5oz jar is probably going to last me most of the summer, too, using it after every shower.

I'm also a big fan of the lip balms. :D

[RedJen]

Wow, this thread is busy! It reminded me to place another CV order. The OB wasn't in stock last time I ordered, so I'm excited about getting to try that. I also ordered some of the plain unscented coconut milk shampoo.

My thoughts after months of using these bars-- I think the Cafe Moreno was nice, but made my hair color dull.

The Chamomile and Citrus smells good, but gives me the waxies.

My favorite of them all so far is Mud and Clay. No waxies at all this last time.

I use a very diluted citric acid rinse-- I can really tell if I forget it. My water is hard.

[BunnyBee]

My order from Chagrin Valley arrived today! Typical the day after i washed my hair :rolleyes:
They smell sooo good!

[Ashley]

:cry: Ack!

The first time I washed two days ago, my hair was SO lovely. Now I washed again, same bar, same routine, and my hair is so sticky and dul... really weird texture! :( I was so happy... I wondered what caused this.

I have a couple of questions though, is it okay to leave the vinegar rinse of 2 tblspoon per 0.5 ltr IN the hair or should I rinse this out?

And is it normally speaking necessary to wash the hair twice per washing?
Also, Should I alternate between bars or is it okay to switch? I also don't know if you can get build-up from using the bars, doesn't the vinegar rinse remove the gunk each washing?

Thanks in advance. :flower:

[manderly]

:cry: Ack!

The first time I washed two days ago, my hair was SO lovely. Now I washed again, same bar, same routine, and my hair is so sticky and dul... really weird texture! :( I was so happy... I wondered what caused this.

You need a stronger vinegar rinse, most likely.


I have a couple of questions though, is it okay to leave the vinegar rinse of 2 tblspoon per 0.5 ltr IN the hair or should I rinse this out?

You can leave it in or rinse it. It doesn't matter either way, it's mostly a preference thing. I would suggest trying a stronger dilution because of your problem above. You'll know the rinse is good when your hair goes from sticky/tacky to smooth and almost feel conditioned with the vinegar.


And is it normally speaking necessary to wash the hair twice per washing?

Yes, 2 to 3 lathers is common. I personally lather until I get a good fluffy whipped cream of lather going. That's how I know the bar has cut through the grime in my hair. The first lather is usually kind of pathetic. Second is usually all I need unless I've gone a long time, done an oiling or DT, or I've done something that got my hair really gunky.


Also, Should I alternate between bars or is it okay to switch? I also don't know if you can get build-up from using the bars, doesn't the vinegar rinse remove the gunk each washing?


It's not necessary for me to switch bars. I only do it when I feel like it. :shrug: I don't notice a buildup problem, the vinegar usually does it's job well.

[Chromis]

I found the most fabulous bar on Etsy! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27232663

There is another Etsy bar people here loved, but the shipping to Canada was outrageous, so I started poking around and figured ah what the heck, I'll try it! My hair is soooo soft! I daren't go with an acid rinse still (but our water is liquid rock) but my hair feels smooth and not icky even before I do my rinse. It dries super soft too. :inlove:

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I used the honey, beer, and egg bar today and I found the smell of it to be a bit.. odd. Only while washing. not my favorite scent but my hair seems to like this too but it left my hair a bit heavy and the curl a bit loose but I think that's due to the extra protein not the actual bar itself. I haven't found a bar yet that my hair hates!! :happydance:

[Moonstruck]

Stickyness and dullness are normally caused by minerals in the water not rinsing out too well - I'd ditto what Manderly said and try making the acid rinse a bit stronger.
I personally rotate my bars a little bit because I can tell when it's getting a little too protein deficient or overly oiled or whatever, and therefore I adjust accordingly. I do also get buildup, but normally I just clarify with a liquid shampoo because I'm too lazy to figure out baking soda and such.

Chromis - how would you characterize the bar (moisturizing/cleansing)? It looks like it'd be too heavy for me, but at 3.25 for a 4 oz bar, that's phenomenal.

Cherry Sprinkle - haha, congrats yet again, then!

[Ashley]

Thanks!

After my hair dried completely, it felt somewhat stick but dry at the same time... very stiff hair. I'm not sure how to put it but different from the first time. I may have to do a pre-oiling again or something...

Maybe I should leave the vinegar rinse in? Or maybe it is the cause of the dryness after all?

[manderly]

Sticky and stiff is the funky hair that often comes when you begin using poo bars. They are not strong enough to remove any residual product/cone buildup on your hair the first few washes. You will be left with a weird waxy, ropy feeling.

Oiling is not necessary at this point. Your hair is not being over-dry.

Basically what is going on is you have soap scum buildup in your hair. An acid (vinegar) rinse will help with this. You can also try to clarify your hair to remove any excess buildup and then go back to the bars (with a strong enough vinegar rinse).

I know what I'm talking about ;)

[Ashley]

Thanks Manderly!
How strong is a strong vinegar rinse? Do you live this in or rinse out?:)

[manderly]

Honestly I don't measure my rinse. I used to keep a plastic mixing bowl in my shower and would just add a splash (my guess is it was a couple tablespoons). I've also done like a capful into a drinking glass.

Go by how it feels to you. You can test out different strengths. Mix some up in a cup, dip your ends in after you wash. They should feel slippery, tangle free. Even kind of like you just used conditioner. If they feel slimy, then your rinse is too strong and you'll look lank and greasy when you dry. :)

I've been using the poo bars for almost 2 years now and I love them. They really were just trial and error for the first few months.

I would clarify your hair with a sls poo or some BS added into your poo bar lather. Make sure you lather 2-3 times. Your hair should feel kind of funky, then dump the vinegar rinse on it and it should go all slippery and silky. Then I add conditioner and rinse out. You'll find what works for you, as long as you expect the funky hair while you work out your routine :)

[Zindell]

Ah... my CV bars arrived. It felt like my b-day opening the envelope that had travelled such a long way to li'l me! :D

I haven't tried the schampoo bars yet since I just washed my hair. (Hopefully for the last time ever with a SLS schampoo)
I have been avoiding conditioner the past three washes to get rid of any eventual buildups from cones.

The shampoo bars:
The Chamomile Citrus smelled wonderful.
The Babassu and Marsh Mallow bar smelled... funky.

The ordinary soap bar:
They sent the wrong one. I had ordered a Chocolate Orange Soap but got a Orange Creamsicle. No biggie though since it smells wonderful and my hands feels really soft after using it. :)

In about three days I will try out the Chamomile Citrus bar on my hair. I will post the results!

[nayver]

Hi guys! Well, I have switched from CO washes to shampoo bars...I wash with a bar for the first time today and I really liked! It's not all dry yet, but hair feels nice. I have a question by the way :D, I'm wondering if I can still use oils (monoi) to protect my dry ends?

[Ashley]

Thanks again Manderly! :)

I just washed with Chamomile Citrus and a somewhat stronger vinegar rinse. My scalp feels clean, even a bit dry, the hair on my scalp is, as always with these bars, voluminous. The length feels okay but the ends are like a web, my hair is always fine but they are not silky smooth... also a little dry. Maybe I just have to adjust of the feel of natural hair? It will always be somewhat different right?

I'm not sure what the end result is supposed to be, so it's a little hard to find a good routine.

Edit: The whole is messy, dry and tangly. :( blah... I just really want it to work...

[manderly]

nayver, yes, you can use oils.

Ashley, are you trying to not use conditioner?? I use Suave Coconut after every poo bar wash. If it's not your intention to go without it, I would suggest using one :)

[Sjirsten]

Yes, 2 to 3 lathers is common. I personally lather until I get a good fluffy whipped cream of lather going. That's how I know the bar has cut through the grime in my hair. The first lather is usually kind of pathetic. Second is usually all I need unless I've gone a long time, done an oiling or DT, or I've done something that got my hair really gunky.
.

I am washing every other day, and I think that makes my bars dissappear way too fast. The last few times I`ve been lathering only once, and I get a very full/fluffy lather, still feel I`m not doing it right because everyone seems to lather multiple times.
Do you think me getting such a full lather the first time, means I can get away with only lathering once?
Just asking for a professionals opinion:)

[nayver]

nayver, yes, you can use oils.

Ashley, are you trying to not use conditioner?? I use Suave Coconut after every poo bar wash. If it's not your intention to go without it, I would suggest using one :)

Thank you Manderly! My first shampoo bar experience it's been very good. I didn't even had to oil my hair.

[manderly]

I am washing every other day, and I think that makes my bars dissappear way too fast. The last few times I`ve been lathering only once, and I get a very full/fluffy lather, still feel I`m not doing it right because everyone seems to lather multiple times.
Do you think me getting such a full lather the first time, means I can get away with only lathering once?
Just asking for a professionals opinion:)

Yup :D Have you considered stretching your washings as well? The reason for the multiple lathers is because it's important to get the floofy lather for soap. You know something is really dirty when you don't get any foam (you ever wash a greasy pan and the soap doesn't foam at all?).

If 1 lather works for you, then go with it! :flowers:

[Hedera]

I am washing every other day, and I think that makes my bars dissappear way too fast. The last few times I`ve been lathering only once, and I get a very full/fluffy lather, still feel I`m not doing it right because everyone seems to lather multiple times.
Do you think me getting such a full lather the first time, means I can get away with only lathering once?
Just asking for a professionals opinion:)


I've been lathering only once for a while now, especially with the slightly more cleansing bars (Herb Garden, Aloe Lavender etc).
Works fine for me!

But, as always with shampoo bars, I have to make sure I lather up all of my hair (suds running down the length are not enough) and to really knead it well for a while.

[Sjirsten]

Thanks, I think I`ll just continue lathering once and see where that takes me...

Manderly, I have tried to stretch the time between washes and I got from every day to every other day:) Very oily scalp. Maybe I&#180;ll try stretching some more, but not until the weather cools down...

[nueinsel]

Hi again, everyone. I tried the extra honey, beer, and egg bar again this morning, with less than wonderful results. I wasn't able to get any lather at all this time, despite sudsing up three times. My hair felt slick and soapy, and there were a few bubbles on the underside, but for the most part, no lather. Now that my hair is dry, the very top, again, looks fine, but from the ears down it's just extremely oily. Not waxy, regular old greasy-feeling. In the back, the greasy feeling starts almost at my roots, though it's less pronounced there than in the length of my hair. My hair got greasy much faster with this bar than with my regular SLS shampoo, so it was quite sebum-laden when I washed this morning. I don't know if that's the reason if feels so lank and blah or if it's the vinegar still, or even if it's the conditioner. I'm inclined to think it's the former since I couldn't get the soap to lather at all. Lathering even more times on the next wash seems a little excessive, though. Any other suggestions?

I took some pictures of the horribleness that is my hair right now and put them in my album, but I don't know how to display them in a reply like this.

[manderly]

How are you using your bar?


Try this next time you wash if you haven't already:

Wet hair
Run bar gently along hairline ear-to-ear a couple times
Split hair like you're doing a half up and run bar ear-to-ear at the part line
Split hair down the middle front to back like you're making pigtails and run bar across part
Dip your head back into the shower quickly to re-soak (don't rinse!)
Massage and lather

Rinse and repeat IF NECESSARY.

This makes sure you're getting ALL your hair soaped well. HTH.

[Moonstruck]

Sjirsten - I get away with lathering just once with certain bars. I don't know how to describe it - once my hair is clean, I just know, and I don't lather any more than necessary.

Nueinsel - I can't seem to find your album, for whatever reason. That does sound strange though... I can't imagine the bar not lathering up. Have you ever tried just lathering it up a LOT in your hands and such, and applying that to your hair? It sounds like there's only enough soap to wash your top part, and it's not reaching the rest of your hair to me.

Ashley - Ditto Manderly's comment. I know lots of sites say that people find that they can go without conditioner, but from what people have posted on this site, that seems to be a certain few rather the majority. I use and love my conditioner with poo bars. If you want to eliminate other bottles entirely I'd try using another soap bar as the conditioner, or maybe even the 'poo bar all the way down if your hair tends to be fairly moisturized.

[nueinsel]

Manderly: Yep, I used exactly that method when soaping my hair, but for whatever reason, still couldn't get any suds.

Moonstruck: I think I might have the album set to friends only. I'm still figuring out how to do everything on this site. I've tried lathering up in my hands and transferring the suds in the past (not with this round of bars), but it always seemed less cleansing than rubbing the bar directly on my head. I'll try it on my next wash just for experiment's sake, though. Sometimes it seems like the most counter-intuitive idea works the best. I also haven't yet soaped up the length of my hair for fear of bringing back the waxies, but I'll give that a try next time as well. I think I may also use just the shampoo bar and the vinegar rinse, no conditioner or anything. Hopefully one of those things will make a difference! I just haven't decided when I'm actually going to wash my hair. If I stay with my regular schedule it won't be until tuesday, but it's possible my hair will get so greasy by then that the shampoo bar definitely won't be able to handle it, so I don't know.

[manderly]

Do you have very hard water? Try soaping up a pouf and dabbing that on your head. You'll get more lather than just using your hands to transfer lather. :)

[Moonstruck]

Manderly, I just wanted to ask if you ever figured out something that was even more moisturizing for your hair after all. I remember you posting about it at one point, and well, I'm curious.
Have you(or anyone else!) ever found any of the CV soap bars to be MORE moisturizing then Olive Babassu?

[manderly]

After COing, thinking my hair needed more moisture, I went back to my O&B bar and found it MORE moisturizing than just CO. It was very strange. :)

Since then my hair has been very happy with the OB. I haven't tried anything else, but I have a pending order for some dairy whip that I haven't got yet :)

[Chromis]

Stickyness and dullness are normally caused by minerals in the water not rinsing out too well - I'd ditto what Manderly said and try making the acid rinse a bit stronger.
I personally rotate my bars a little bit because I can tell when it's getting a little too protein deficient or overly oiled or whatever, and therefore I adjust accordingly. I do also get buildup, but normally I just clarify with a liquid shampoo because I'm too lazy to figure out baking soda and such.

Chromis - how would you characterize the bar (moisturizing/cleansing)? It looks like it'd be too heavy for me, but at 3.25 for a 4 oz bar, that's phenomenal.

Cherry Sprinkle - haha, congrats yet again, then!


I'm not sure! It did clean very well and it also left my hair well moisturized. I'm not sure which it is more like since it was the perfect balance for me. I will most certainly be buying more of these. The bars are also unscented for those who dislike strong smells or have allergies. Finding a bar that works well in this very hard water is like gold!

[swirlytresses]

For me, the Honey Butter bar is the most moisturizing for my hair. :)

[ljkforu]

I think I may have an idea for hard water people. I received a heaping tablespoon size slice of a bay bar at a farmers market. I chopped it up and liquefied it (it melted over a day and a half). It made about 20 oz and did 3 shampoos on hip length hair. If you use distilled or filtered water I wonder what it would do for you folks.

I was just being cheap but It worked great with my soft water. Great way to try a small sample that is too small to work into your hair & your leftover end pieces.

[Zindell]

Yesterday I did my first wash with soap bars. I used a CV Chamomile & Citrus shampoo bar on my hair and a CV Orange Creamsicle soap bar for my body. It felt really good to wash my hair and body without all the strange chemicals that my old shampoo and soap had!

Procedure:
1. First I wet my hair with water
2. The soap lathered real easy already in my hands (soft water) so I gently rubbed that onto my scalp and also gently rubbed the soap itself a couple of times over my scalp
3. Lifted the lengths up onto the scalp and gently rubbed in soap
4. I let the lather stay in my hair while I washed the rest of my body with the other CV soap
5. Rinsed hair with water
6. Lathered hair with the shampoo bar one more time
7. Rinsed with water
8. Poured some lemon water over my scalp. (I squished some pure lemon from a plastic lemon into a 50 cl plastic bottle of tap water)

My hair smelled really nice afterwards and was quite easy to detangle.
When dry it has a nice shine, from scalp through the lengths, and it feels very smooth. (Slightly, slightly waxy though)
It does however look a little darker blonde than usual. Perhaps due to the oils in the soap? (Or perhaps from me not stripping the hair from all it's natural oils as I used to with my old SLS shampoo...)

My skin feels very soft from the CV soap bar.

I am a very happy convert! :)



Follow-up on my second wash: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=669515&postcount=3118

[Zindell]

*deleted double post*

[beameupscotty]

I am so frustrated with my hair this time of the year - frizzy, too wavy, needs control and none of my products seem to be working - natural or cone! I am flip flopping horribly.

Now - the reason I am posting here - I think I am ready to try some poo bars. For thick, iii course brown hair - colored unnaturally about once every 2 months - which bars and where to get them?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to give me advice!

Denise

[nayver]

I washed my hair for the second time with my bar, and I'm still happy with the results! Loads of volume, one easy step, stretched washes!

beameupscotty, I don't have much advice for you, for I started last week with my routine. You can find poo bars from several places (I got mine from Etsy), but first, you have to be sure that they don't have sulfates or other chemicals (if you want to avoid them).

X

[Moonstruck]

Ljkforu - I haven't tried that, but to be honest, I doubt it would work. I've tried using distilled/reverse osmosis (soft) water on my hair at different stages of the washing process, and basically... I find that it's the rinsing of the 'poo bar that NEEDS the soft water. My hair doesn't feel waxy in the shower until after I start rinsing it and it locks up. Because I need a LOT of water to rinse clean, I doubt that the 6-7oz of shampoo fluid would really work for me? I might try it though, anyhow. Interesting idea!

Zindell - that sounds great! I thought Citrus Chamomile was reputed to be GOOD for blonds though, brightening, but I'm not sure. Glad to hear it all went well. =)

Beameupscotty - I'm not sure if you're opposed to buying online or not, but Chagrin Valley (more moisturizing) and Prairieland Herbs (more cleansing) are both popular brands. I personally LOVE the shampoo bars from Sweet Creek Herbs (she's in TN, and on Etsy).
To me, it seems that shampoo bars are more tailored for what level of oilyness/dryness your hair might be, rather than most of the hair typing stuff.The various colors of hair can be brought out/encouraged with the bars. Sooo... what color is your dyed hair, and what level of dry/oily? Additionally, they seem to work better for non-cone users, so you might want to clarify before trying them, and use a vinegar rinse afterwards.

[beameupscotty]

Beameupscotty - I'm not sure if you're opposed to buying online or not, but Chagrin Valley (more moisturizing) and Prairieland Herbs (more cleansing) are both popular brands. I personally LOVE the shampoo bars from Sweet Creek Herbs (she's in TN, and on Etsy).
To me, it seems that shampoo bars are more tailored for what level of oilyness/dryness your hair might be, rather than most of the hair typing stuff.The various colors of hair can be brought out/encouraged with the bars. Sooo... what color is your dyed hair, and what level of dry/oily? Additionally, they seem to work better for non-cone users, so you might want to clarify before trying them, and use a vinegar rinse afterwards.[/quote]

Thanks so much for the advice - I remember Chagrin Valley from older posts and thought that would be a good place to buy. My hair is dry on the ends due to coloring I am sure- it's brown, the scalp has issues - dry and some dermatitis I treat with a prescription shampoo once a week - which causes problems if I try to be completely sulphate free. I will look at the Etsy stuff - love Etsy anyway.

I should read back through this thread when I have more time tonight!

D

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I really like the Olive & Babassu from CV and they ship really quickly. I've used each of my sample bars a couple times and I store them in my bedroom (not my bathroom) so they should last me a while. You might pick up a few sample bars before ordering full size... they are pretty good size, about the soap bars you get in hotels :)

[DolphinPrincess]

Awhile back I tried some CV bars, but they never worked for me. I know now that I had "the waxies" but not sure how to overcome it. I have really hard water, and no matter how many times I washed, I never got a good lather. I've been thinking about giving it another try.

I discovered that I can't stand the smell of vinegar. I was using apple cider vinegar because that's what I had. I also have citric acid and bottled lemon juice available, but I'm not sure how much to use. I had been using a fairly dilute ACV rinse. Any suggestions?

As far as the bars go, I tried Babassu & Marsh Mallow, Cafe Moreno, Extra Honey Beer & Egg, and Olive Babassu. They're long gone now though, I passed them on to other LHCers. I was thinking about getting samples of Chamomile & Citrus, Coconut Milk, Mud & Clay, Nettle, Olive Babassu (again), and Rosemary Mint. I'm thinking a variety would be good, right?

Any help or advice cwould be greatly appreciated! :flowers:

[Moonstruck]

DolphinPrincess - a variety is just what you want. =) If you're getting really terrible waxies, it seems like people get better results using less moisturizing bars at first (at least during transition), so I'd probably start with the Chamomile and Citrus. As for how much to use with citric acid or lemon juice.... It varies, haha. Think of it this way - ACV is at a 5&#37; acidity dilution. If your ACV rinse WORKED last time around... then I would make dilute the lemon or citric acid to 5% acidity, and then use it the same way. Remember/write down what you used! Then, if your hair seems like it got greasy fast, it was probably too acidic. If it stayed waxy (and you'll be able to feel this in the shower, so maybe you might want to keep that lemon juice close at hand), you didn't use enough acid.

Beameupscotty - hmm. Going sulfate free actually HELPED my scalp. CV's Carrot Milk and Honey 'poo bar has goat milk which is really soothing to most skin issues and I think that one's pretty mild in general. Either of the Rosemary bars both helped my itchies too.
Kathleen from Sweet Creek Herbs really knows her herb stuff too, so if you ask on Etsy, she'll let you know what she'd recommend for you. There's also a really nifty sampler deal, which is basically key to finding a good poo bar for you. Lots and lots of samples!

[DolphinPrincess]

DolphinPrincess - a variety is just what you want. =) If you're getting really terrible waxies, it seems like people get better results using less moisturizing bars at first (at least during transition), so I'd probably start with the Chamomile and Citrus. As for how much to use with citric acid or lemon juice.... It varies, haha. Think of it this way - ACV is at a 5% acidity dilution. If your ACV rinse WORKED last time around... then I would make dilute the lemon or citric acid to 5% acidity, and then use it the same way. Remember/write down what you used! Then, if your hair seems like it got greasy fast, it was probably too acidic. If it stayed waxy (and you'll be able to feel this in the shower, so maybe you might want to keep that lemon juice close at hand), you didn't use enough acid.
Thanks! I never really thought of it that way!

[ljkforu]

I am so frustrated with my hair this time of the year - frizzy, too wavy, needs control and none of my products seem to be working - natural or cone! I am flip flopping horribly.

Now - the reason I am posting here - I think I am ready to try some poo bars. For thick, iii course brown hair - colored unnaturally about once every 2 months - which bars and where to get them?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to give me advice!

Denise
I really recommend Chagrin Valley Honey Complexion soap bar, my bet is that their poo bars will be to rich/waxy for you.

How oily is your hair? and How hard is your water?

[ljkforu]

Awhile back I tried some CV bars, but they never worked for me. I know now that I had "the waxies" but not sure how to overcome it. I have really hard water, and no matter how many times I washed, I never got a good lather. I've been thinking about giving it another try.

I discovered that I can't stand the smell of vinegar. I was using apple cider vinegar because that's what I had. I also have citric acid and bottled lemon juice available, but I'm not sure how much to use. I had been using a fairly dilute ACV rinse. Any suggestions?

As far as the bars go, I tried Babassu & Marsh Mallow, Cafe Moreno, Extra Honey Beer & Egg, and Olive Babassu. They're long gone now though, I passed them on to other LHCers. I was thinking about getting samples of Chamomile & Citrus, Coconut Milk, Mud & Clay, Nettle, Olive Babassu (again), and Rosemary Mint. I'm thinking a variety would be good, right?

Any help or advice cwould be greatly appreciated! :flowers:
For me variety is critical to prevent allergies to anything. I love CV soap bars instead of the poo bars. Since your in WA our water is probably pretty similar.

Anybody know the dif between Seattle and Portland?

[Merewen]

Hello all. I thought I would join your lovely thread as I keep reading it and buying shampoo bars.

I'm hoping to cut out conditioner entirely, but my hair needs moisture so my latest experiment involved using soap on my ends rather than conditioner, and it was kind of a disaster. I suspect I need a stronger vinegar rinse. I did an SMT yesterday and so next wash day, I'll try it again with a stronger rinse.

I'm developing an addiction to CV products in general. I've gotten more people than just me hooked on the lotion bars. I'm afraid to buy too many more things, because I just KNOW I'll use them and have to keep them in stock.

[Canarygirl]

Anybody know the dif between Seattle and Portland?

yeah...about 20 years worth of fashion progress. :D

Seriously, I'm just north of Seattle and our water measures 33 TDS which is very low; so, soft water here. Shampoo bars should work just fine (in addition to soap/complexion bars).

[swirlytresses]

Hello all. I thought I would join your lovely thread as I keep reading it and buying shampoo bars.

I'm hoping to cut out conditioner entirely, but my hair needs moisture so my latest experiment involved using soap on my ends rather than conditioner, and it was kind of a disaster. I suspect I need a stronger vinegar rinse. I did an SMT yesterday and so next wash day, I'll try it again with a stronger rinse.

I'm developing an addiction to CV products in general. I've gotten more people than just me hooked on the lotion bars. I'm afraid to buy too many more things, because I just KNOW I'll use them and have to keep them in stock.

Do you use the lotion bars on hair or body, or both? I bought a couple a while back. I tried one on my hair a couple of times, but then forgot about them. I want to use them and would appreciate any tips or ideas. Thanks. :)

[Merewen]

Swirlytresses, I tried the lotion bar on my hair once. It's supposed to help with split ends but I don't like the idea of sealing it with beeswax for too long so I haven't done it since. However, my Three Butter lotion bar works WONDERS on my dry hands. Also I read somewhere that the hemp mango mint can be used as a deodorant, and I'm trying it because I am curious and it's a heck of a lot more natural than my grocery store deodorant. I just started today though, so I can't report on how well it works. However, I can say that my armpits smell very minty today!

[nueinsel]

Just out of curiosity, how many washes do you guys usually give a bar before deciding that it works for you or doesn't? I washed again with the extra honey, beer, and egg with much better results than the last time, but I'm still having my same old issues with stringy-looking, flyaway hair. Again, it's worse at the back of my head. It feels very soft and smooth, and looks ok as long as it's up, but I don't feel comfortable wearing it down because of the stringiness. I'm pretty sure it's just how my hair reacts to vinegar, but this is also the first time I've actually gotten through several washes with zero waxiness, and I think that's due to my using a vinegar rinse every time. So, some questions:

1. For those of you who use lemon juice, citric acid, or any other kind of acidic rinse besides vinegar, do you find that your hair behaves differently with them than with vinegar, or do you just do it for the lack of smell?
2. For those of you who do use vinegar, what's the lowest dilution you've used successfully? Right now I'm using 1 tbsp to 1 quart water. Does that sound too strong?

Oh, and Merewen, I'm very curious to know how the hemp, mango, mint lotion bar works out!

[Madame J]

nueinsel, I noticed my hair looked awesome from the first day I washed with my JR Liggett bar. That said I had been experimenting with natural hair care and had been using Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash (i.e., mud), which made my hair feel heavy and not so clean, so it must have been thrilled to actually get washed for once.

I rinse with 1-2 Tbsp. in a cup of water, so between a 1:16 and 1:8 dilution (I've gotten to where I eyeball it in a jar). Sounds like you're using a 1:64 dilution now, so mine is stronger and successful for me. I also have soft water, but I also have oily hair and wonder if the stronger (but not too strong) acid helps cut the oil. I used to use a 1:3 or 1:2 dilution when I washed normally with mud but clarified once a week with Dr. Bronner's, and that was too strong.

[nueinsel]

Thanks, Madame J. I know I've used 1 tbsp in 1 cup of water, and I remember the reaction being less good, but it was a long time ago, so I don't know if that's accurate. Now I want to try a stronger dilution and a weaker dilution both! I'm not so good with the experimenting. It makes me want to wash my hair every day with all the different permutations of routine so I can find the best one like Now. Alas.

[Moonstruck]

Oh man - that lotion bar as a deodorant?! Why didn't I think of that! ::smacks forehead:: I really like how it smells and feels, haha. I almost never use deodorant, but when it's really hot and I'm going to be in the sun, I always have to borrow a friend's. Time to try this idea out. =)

Nueinsel - I finally see your hair! Haha. I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not (so forgive the repetition), but because 'poo bars aren't as strong (aka stripping) as normal shampoo... maybe you need to lather up your length some more? Whenever I forget to really work the shampoo into all parts of my hair, I ALWAYS leave the strip near the back at the nape of my neck unshampooed, and it's stringy and gross (probably because it got the ACV rinse AND is dirty). Your pictures look like if I forgot to wash the upper part of the length with the poo bar.
I normally work up a good lather on my hands, apply that to the area, and let it sit until all the bubbles seem like they absorbed. Wash out. Is it waxy? If NOT, I'd repeat - I keep washing until my hair feels waxy there so that I KNOW that it's gotten cleaned of any oils still there. Hopefully that helps.

[DolphinPrincess]

yeah...about 20 years worth of fashion progress. :D

Seriously, I'm just north of Seattle and our water measures 33 TDS which is very low; so, soft water here. Shampoo bars should work just fine (in addition to soap/complexion bars).
I'm out on the very tip of the peninsula, and I've heard that our water is hard. :shrug: I'm not actually positive though. I just know when I tried poo bars before, they didn't work, but I also had been using cones before that. I can't wait til I can order some and try again!

Neoma - Thanks! I think that'll be my best bet too. With any type of hair stuff, I've always had to rotate my products.

[Canarygirl]

you can contact your municipal government (do they have a website?) and look for your water supply. You should be able to see the report for the city's water supply that will show the level of TDS...total dissolved solids.

[DolphinPrincess]

you can contact your municipal government (do they have a website?) and look for your water supply. You should be able to see the report for the city's water supply that will show the level of TDS...total dissolved solids.
Thanks! Yes, they have a website, but I can't find the level of TDS, just the breakdown of individual minerals. Oh well, I'm not too worried about it. I'll just play with my acid rinse. :D

[nueinsel]

Well I tried the Coconut Milk bar today, and I am so happy with how my hair turned out. I ended up having to part it into four sections before getting into the shower and wetting and soaping each one individually to get all the hair coated, then followed with a vinegar rinse without the conditioner. I've still got a teeny bit of stringiness in the underside of my hair where, I'm assuming, I still didn't get the soap worked in, but overall my hair is really really nice. Very soft and silky and definitely shiny. I don't know if it was the bar or the way I went about washing my hair, but either way I'm happy. Horray!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I felt a little bit of the waxy feeling people were talking about... but I think it had to do with being on vacation and having different water than at home.. so I clarified and it all went away. :shrug: I think it was the change in water more than the bars though. My hair responds really well to them. :crush:

[masterofmidgets]

Cherry-Sprinkle - I've noticed that my hair isn't quite as fond of travelling now that I'm using shampoo bars instead of a sulfate shampoo. I think it's a lot more sensitive to differences in water quality and hardness. The first couple washes after I got home for the summer my hair was feeling pretty weird and I had a hard time getting enough lather, even on the second or third wash. But after that I adjusted, and now it's great again!

Question: no matter what I do, I always seem to have a little bit of soap left at the end of using a bar that's too big to throw away without feeling like a waste, but too small to use by itself. I've got a whole soap dish full of tiny ends from different bars! What do you all do with them? Do you wait until you have a bunch and wash with three kinds of shampoo at once? Do you dissolve them to use as a liquid shampoo? Or do you just toss them out?

[Merewen]

Ok, I've tried washing my hair again - used mud and clay CV bar on my scalp and used goat milk honey oatmeal soap on my length. I lathered twice well, made sure to wash and rinse really well this time, and upped my vinegar ratio.

The results seem pretty good! My hair is a little squeaky but doesn't seem overly dry. I'll wait and see what it does in a day or two.

Oh, and as for that lotion bar deodorant... it seemed to work fine for a regular non-active day, but it couldn't withstand a trip to the beach. I don't get super-stinky though so if you do, I'd go this route with caution. Also, you should REALLY like the smell of mint. It's quite potent. I used it just as a lotion on my legs after my shower once and was choking out my dad on the far side of the living room... yeah, won't do that again!

[Merewen]

Also, masterofmidgets, I was reading back in the thread and just read about someone taking old soap and poo ends, mixing them and mashing them with water and using them on their hair and body a la smoothie:


Cross-posting from my journal:



Alley Cat used to do something similar and called it a shampoo bar smoothie. :)

[Merewen]

Aaaand, since that didn't work, here is the ACTUAL text she quoted with the instructions:

I have been collecting soap and shampoo leftovers for about 1 1/2 years now - you know, those little slivers you don´t really want to use up anymore, because it´s just too much of a hassle. Some people seem to have soap sacks to use up those little bits of soap but I don´t.

So what I did is chop all those slivers in the food processor, put them in a jar with twist-off lid, cover with boiling water until all of the soap was immersed. I let that sit for 24 hours, stirring periodically. What I got was a fairly smooth but slightly chunky paste, like mashed potatoes. It is very easy to use, but it´s also easy to overdose on the hair! It looks horrible but smells divine. I use it on my hair as well as on my body.

[Zindell]

Follow up from three days ago: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=664524&postcount=3089


Last night I did my second wash with my CV Chamomile & Citrus shampoo bar and this time it went even better!

I lathered twice but this time I didn't let the soap rest in my hair but rathered rinsed with water straight away.
Also my last lemon water rinse was more concentrated this time. My guess is about 5&#37; lemon.
(Next time I will try to lather only once and see if that is enough)

Today my hair doesn't feel waxy at all and it doesn't look darker blonde as it did last wash.
(I guess last time some oily soap was left in my hair, thus making it darker)

I'm falling in love with shampoo bars! :crush:

On another note... I told my DF about my procedure and he smiled and told me I'm strange. Last night I forgot to fix my lemon/water rinse, so I wrapped a towel around myself and walked dripping to the kitchen to fetch the plastic lemon thingie. I passed DF on the way back and he shaked his head and said once again: You are straaange... :D

[masterofmidgets]

Merewen, that sounds pretty neat. I may have to try it, just to see what it looks like. :D

[ljkforu]

yeah...about 20 years worth of fashion progress. :D

Seriously, I'm just north of Seattle and our water measures 33 TDS which is very low; so, soft water here. Shampoo bars should work just fine (in addition to soap/complexion bars).
We are low in Portland too, smarty pants :P

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

here's a photo of my elling woman's bun
http://www.septemberpixie.com/lj/hair/IMG_4619.jpg

[Merewen]

Very pretty, Cherry Sprinkle!

In other news, my hair is really funky today and the oil I put on it last night did not help all that much. I looked up my water hardness on Ida's site, and apparently the water where I am is just about hard enough to scratch diamonds. I think I'll add another lather and up my vinegar rinse to ridiculously strong and see what happens next time. Maybe I'll also find a less moisturizing bar and see what happens, even though my hair tends to be on the dry side.

[GlassEyes]

So, I tried shampoo bars before, and I got the most moisturizing ones. Probably a mistake, and my hair was wonky wonky wonky for days.

Now I know there's a transition period, apparently. How long was most of your's? And what bar did you use? I went for the most moisture since I have drydry hair, and it made my hair shiny, but coated/waxy, even with ACV (but I think ym dilution was off and I used WAAAY too much). I'm ready to reorder from CV, but I don't know which bar/bars to get. ):

[Fractalsofhair]

I've used Doc Bronners without a problem, other than it being dry on my damaged hair, and a little bit drying to the scalp. The most moisturizing isn't always the best for DRY hair, since it's like oiling. Some people with dry hair just need a touch of oil. I didn't have a transition period, but I also normally use a soap based shampoo, before that Burt's Bees,and before that SLS and cone free(after using cones for years.). So thus... My hair was pretty darn clarified! XD I haven't ordered from Chagrin Valley yet(I've been so busy, since I've had tons of medical tests), so I can't say anything on that front. The waxies happen to me if I use too strong of a vinegar rinse or don't rinse it out enough. They also happen if I rinse my hair in COLD(not cool/warmish) water.(Pity, since it brings out my curls!) Are you using cones right now? Also, sometimes using conditioner after using a soap based product can bring out waxies, though not always!(So go light on it. You can always oil after, or rewash hair with conditioner!)

[nueinsel]

GlassEyes: I don't think I ever had a "transition period" in the way most other people do. Instead I had multiple periods of "this is not working" and "ahh, this is working!" The transition was figuring out what exactly I needed to do and not do with the bars to get my hair clean and not waxy. At this very moment, I'm sitting with totally unwaxy, super awesome, day-3 hair post a wash with the Coconut Milk bar and a vinegar rinse. It's the first one that has worked more than ok for me so far. I don't know if it'll work as well the second time I use it, but I'm hopeful.

The first time I used shampoo bars was after several months of washing with random food items or water only, so the difference was immediate. I washed once with a bar and suddenly had nearly-clean hair, as opposed to the limp, slightly-less-greasy-than-before-I-put-x-on-it hair I'd been having for weeks upon weeks. The waxy residue didn't tend to show up until about the third wash with any given bar, but then I was only using a vinegar rinse when my hair felt waxy, not every time I washed. The overall appearance and feel of my hair would get better with some bars, worse with others, but always hovered somewhere around decent.

This time around, I switched straight from SLS and -cone laden shampoo to shampoo bars. I did a clarifying rinse, as suggested, before I started using the bars. After the first wash with a shampoo bar, my hair was ok, after the second wash, it was awful, after the third wash it was ok again, and after this fourth wash it was just as good as with my comercial shampoo. I used a slightly different technique each time I washed, and a different bar the last time, and, again, I don't really think it was a transition period, just a string of some things that didn't work so well, and one that finally did.

I've also always wondered how much of a transition period is just people adjusting to how their hair looks with "natural" products. When damage isn't masked by -cones (if indeed they do mask damage), and when all of your natural oils aren't stripped in a single wash, your hair looks and feels differently. I think sometimes it takes awhile for people to forget what it used to look and feel like and get accustomed to the good side of how it looks and feels naturally.

Many many many people who are Not me have said they experienced a definite transition period, though, so it's certainly possible that my hair is just weird.

I'm not really experienced enough to recommend bars, I don't think, but if the moisturizing ones didn't work for you last time, try buying a few cleasning ones this time around. I would also suggest playing about a bit with the non-shampoo-bar things you do too your hair. Use conditioner or don't, use a stronger vinegar dilution or a weaker one, oil or don't, follow with product or don't, lather more times or fewer, etc., because I think that's ultimately what was making the most difference in my hair. I'm going to continue experimenting to see if other bars work better when used this way, too.

[GlassEyes]

As far as the experimentation, I will always use conditioner with shampoo bars. I'm really only looking to them as a way to remove build up without stripping my hair; mint julep isn't really cutting it anymore, and I'm not fond of it.

And thank you!

[nueinsel]

Got it. Good luck!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

lol whoops! I think I posted the photo in the wrong thread lol but thank you! That's one of the dangers of having more than one LHC windows open lol

[Fractalsofhair]

Just a warning, to remove buildup, shampoo bars will NOT remove cones! They're great for generic oily buildup, but not cones at all.

[GlassEyes]

I know.

Build up doesn't always come from oil or from cones. Nearly anything you can put on your hair can build-up in some way, shape, or form, from the man-made chemical bases, to the natural indian herbs. In some instances, they can build up faster than cones.

It's that kind of build up I'm looking to remove---from products and oils. I'm already cone-free, and have been for more than a year now, off and on. xD; But thank you for the information.

[Aries_jb]

GlassEyes, from what you've written, I think you'll have success with less moisturizing bars as you said. If you haven't used cones for awhile, chances are your hair would be more receptive to the bars than it was in the past. Even if you weren't using cones the last time you tried shampoo bars, your hair is probably in better condition now.

My favorite CV bars that are just good basic shampoo bars are Nettle and Herb Garden, so maybe you'll be interested in those. I also use products that can build up, even though they're cone-free, and shampoo bars work really well for that purpose.

[GlassEyes]

I'll go with that one then! ^_^ Thanks!

[DolphinPrincess]

What would be the best way to go from using cones to shampoo bars? My hair hates baking soda, so that's out as a clarifier. The only shampoo in my house that is cone free is Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo. Would this possibly work? I really don't want to have to buy a full bottle of cone-free clarifying shampoo just to use it once...

On another note, has anyone else had problems with the CV website? Everytime I go to check out, some glitch happens. I don't get it. And is anyone still using Serpentine poo bars? I saw the links early in the thread, but it looks like their website and etsy has been inactive for a few months. Their scents sound so yummy!

[hennaphile]

Okay, I'm officially done with CV bars once I run out of the samples. Phooey. If I ever do go back to bars, it's going to be the mehandi ones which work very well for my hair. Plus, their lotus fragrance... mmmm:cloud9:

[Aries_jb]

What would be the best way to go from using cones to shampoo bars? My hair hates baking soda, so that's out as a clarifier. The only shampoo in my house that is cone free is Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo. Would this possibly work? I really don't want to have to buy a full bottle of cone-free clarifying shampoo just to use it once...

I think you could use the baby shampoo for a few washes (along with cone-free conditioner, if you like). That should slowly remove any build up. I myself never clarified formally (i.e. clarifying shampoo, baking soda) before tranisitioning and I used to use some heavy duty cones.

My transition, however, was from sulfates to CO to shampoo bars, so your experience may differ.

[DolphinPrincess]

I think you could use the baby shampoo for a few washes (along with cone-free conditioner, if you like). That should slowly remove any build up. I myself never clarified formally (i.e. clarifying shampoo, baking soda) before tranisitioning and I used to use some heavy duty cones.

My transition, however, was from sulfates to CO to shampoo bars, so your experience may differ.

Thanks! Once I get some samples, I'll do that!

[Merewen]

I thought that might have been the case, Cherry Sprinkle. I've got 3 LHC tabs up right now... In any case I was on that thread earlier and ogling the pretty hairdos, so I was glad to see it. [/hijack]

I had an epiphany yesterday. I've been doing CWC with shampoo bars for a while and they have been lovely. My recently crunchy hair is because I'm seeing if I can ditch the conditioner. I used a soap bar on my ends because I was afraid of it being dry and the shampoo bar on my scalp. My scalp hair as been lovely. It's just my dang ends that are doing funky things. I think I need to suck it up and use just the poo bar and see how that works.

For those of you that have had bars that were too moisturizing make your hair funky, is it mostly the ends/length or is it all of your hair from the scalp down?

[Madame J]

GlassEyes, this may have been said, but have you considered trying a vinegar rinse before you condition with a 'poo bar? I'm using a more moisturizing conditioner instead of vinegar this week (testing products that I'll review later in the week), and I'm considering just using vinegar either between the bar and condish, or after the condish to remove excesswaxiness and oil (I'm an oily-scalped 1b, rather than a bountiful type 3).

DolphinPrincess, have you looked at the travel section of your drugstore or grocery store? They often have <$1 small bottles of sulfate shampoo in different formulations that you could use to clarify. The travel size is usually good for at least 1-2 deep washes for me.

[Velouria]

I'd say that if you've already tried a few samples from CV with unpleasant results, move on to another bar maker. A few of us here, including myself, have had a much better time with the bars from Sweet Creek Herbs on etsy; they have sampler packs that are very reasonable(I swear I'm not affiliated). There are a number of sellers on etsy that make bars that I've had my eye on. Maybe do some browsing there.

I tried 4 CV samples (babassu & marshmallow, honey butter soap, nettle, and summer sunshine...so both cleansing and moisturizing bars) repeatedly, different methods, with pretty uniformly wretched results. The 4 samples from SCH I have ALL work very nicely; even if I do something wrong (like make my acid rinse too weak) it doesn't result in BAD hair, just not optimal hair.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I have found my hair works best with the more moisturizing bars such as Olive & Babassu from CV.. my hair often lacks moisture and protein so I have a sample of the Beer, Egg, & Honey also.. does anyone have any suggestions for other bars I should/could try?

[Moonstruck]

Ditto to Velouria's recommendation of SCH - her bars all seem to work pretty well for me. Some of them aren't GREAT for my hair, but it's never really BAD hair either... just not as good as some other bars of hers.

I'd say SCH's most moisturizing bars are the ones with Marshmallow (marshmallow, honey, and almond sounds amazing to me). However, I think her bars are generally less moisturizing then the CV ones, and they all contain silk (protein, so GlassEyes might hate it, and Cherry Sprinkle might love it, haha.)
If you want MORE moisture, CV's SOAP bars might be good. A lot of people seem to use the Honey Butter as conditioner, so that might be a good one to get a sample of. Chocolate Almond, Grapeseed Shea, Herbal Mist, Olive and Shea, and Shea Rose all seem like potentials as well. Have fun ;)

[Merewen]

Aaaand here is the verdict.

All my hair except the last three inches -->:smooch: <--Mud and Clay

My ends -->:slap: <-- Mud and Clay

This is a direct quote of what my ends said to me - "You've spent years abusing us doing horrible things like ripping brushes through us while we're wet, and now you're babying the NEW hair? NO FAIR!"

I appeased them with condish and shea butter. I may need condish until those ends get trimmed but other than that, the shampoo bar alone seems to make my hair wonderfully moisturized and the softest I have ever felt it. :happydance:

[Velouria]

I'd say SCH's bars are generally less moisturizing then the CV ones

I don't know, for my hair CV's bars were oilier and less cleansing than SCH, but less moisturizing also. The left oil behind and deposited a waxy substance, but also caused a lot of frizz, tangles, roughness and breakage.

The SCH bar cleanse thoroughly for me, but leave my hair silkier, smoother, and shinier, with less frizz. Relatively, that is, my hair always tends towards frizz and not towards smoothness, shine, or silkiness.

[earthdancer]

Aaaand here is the verdict.

All my hair except the last three inches -->:smooch: <--Mud and Clay

My ends -->:slap: <-- Mud and Clay

This is a direct quote of what my ends said to me - "You've spent years abusing us doing horrible things like ripping brushes through us while we're wet, and now you're babying the NEW hair? NO FAIR!"

I appeased them with condish and shea butter. I may need condish until those ends get trimmed but other than that, the shampoo bar alone seems to make my hair wonderfully moisturized and the softest I have ever felt it. :happydance:

I only suds my scalp, almost never the length. It gets perfectly clean just using ACV rinse or conditioner. Your ends may be reacting to too much soap or detergent by drying/frizzing/splitting etc. You may want to try my method to see if it helps. Unless you have a dirty or greasy job, play a lot of outdoor sports, or use an enormous amount of gel, hairspray, etc., you shouldn't need to suds your length most of the time.

The worst that can happen is that you decide it doesn't work for you. My rule for experiments of any kind: is it expensive (no); is it difficult (no); could there be harm (no). Believe me, I learned a looooong time ago that my length hates being sudsed much. My hair goes completely haywire when I do it more than once in a blue moon.

PS: Mud and clay absorb oil; why would you put it on the ends of your hair that are already dry? I don't want to offend, I'm just incredibly curious.

[Merewen]

Thank you earthdancer! I didn't even think of just not doing anything with the length. D'oh! I will try that next time.

I used the mud and clay because it was in my shower and I knew it worked well on my scalp. If my ends don't like it, they just won't get it next time. :D

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

Merewen, you might just try using the bar over what liked the bar and using just conditioner on the ends, that will keep them from drying out :)

[Merewen]

All right. Thank you! I'm feeling good about this routine. My hair is so soft! I keep squeezing my braids.

[Sammybunny711]

I just miss shampoo bars SOOO much and with my scalp acting up, I really want to use them again. Question: Will ACV mess up my blonde color (natural color)?

[Madame J]

I just miss shampoo bars SOOO much and with my scalp acting up, I really want to use them again. Question: Will ACV mess up my blonde color (natural color)?

You can use regular white vinegar, or even lemon juice, instead of ACV if you're worried about darkening/reddening.

[Sammybunny711]

So white vinegar is still alright? I used it before, but I had some problems with a smell lingering in my scalp afterwards even with lavender oil drops in it, too. I have short hair now and I think I may be able to get the vinegar out of my scalp better now. I'm definitely going to try it again!

[Madame J]

So white vinegar is still alright? I used it before, but I had some problems with a smell lingering in my scalp afterwards even with lavender oil drops in it, too. I have short hair now and I think I may be able to get the vinegar out of my scalp better now. I'm definitely going to try it again!

Did you dilute it well? When I tried no 'poo and used a 1:3 or 1:2 ratio of vinegar to water, I smelled like a pickle even when my hair dried, but now I use closer to a 1:10 vineger-to-water ratio, and the only thing I smell are the EOs I put in it. I tried Rosemary for an itchy scalp and my husband told me I smelled like a pork chop (his mom seasons pork with rosemary all the time). Lavender is much more pleasant.

[Sammybunny711]

Well, I use about 50 ml in about 22-24 oz of water (not sure what ratio that would be) but it is a PRETTY good TON of water compared to the amount of vinegar. I am going to use the poo bars again tomorrow morning and try my vinegar rinse again with a little less vinegar and see how that goes...

Also, do you know if peppermint EO is damaging to the skin (say one drop)? I am thinking of mixing in a little with the lavender EO.

[Fractalsofhair]

Peppermint EO should be fine, as long as it is diluted. Otherwise, it could be a little irritating.

[Moonstruck]

SammyBunny - have you used the ACV without it smelling? If so, then your problem is probably your dilution - check your labels. ACV is always diluted to 5&#37; acidity, whereas WV can be found in 35% and 5% commonly. If it's the first one, it's not terribly surprising to find a lingering pickle scent because it's 7 times as strong!

edit: I also wouldn't use peppermint oil straight. Personally, I'd never use any essential oil "neat" (straight) because of the potential to develop sensitivities to it, let alone all sorts of ill effects like inflammation, irritation, and what not. They're extremely concentrated, powerful chemicals, and if they can do so much diluted, imagine how potent it can be by itself. Something that is antimicrobial like many EOs are is capable of killing weaker cells like certain bacteria and stuff when diluted. When straight... it can kill/damage your own skin cells. A titch too risky, IMO.

[Merewen]

Don't use peppermint oil straight. I use it in my oils and sometimes in my vinegar rinse and I looooooooove it. Mmmmm, mint!

[nueinsel]

WV can be found in 35% and 5% commonly. If it's the first one, it's not terribly surprising to find a lingering pickle scent because it's 7 times as strong!
Wow, I need to check my jug of white vinegar. I had no idea it regularly came at such a concentration!

In other news, I did a second wash with the Coconut Milk bar and I am still absolutely thrilled with how my hair reacts to it. Will coconut milk lead to brittle hair like other proteins if I use it too often? I'm ready to start trying my other samples with my new washing method to see if they work just as well, so hopefully I can find a less protein-full bar to rotate with. If I'm not endangering my hair, though, I'd seriously be happy just to use the Coconut Milk bar indefinitely.

Oh, and Merewen, I squeeze my braids all the time with shampoo bars too. The really sad part is, I make other people do it too. "No, really, feel how soft my hair is Now. It's different from the last twenty times I showed you..."

[DolphinPrincess]

[snip]
The really sad part is, I make other people do it too. "No, really, feel how soft my hair is Now. It's different from the last twenty times I showed you..."
I had to giggle, because I do this too. And every single time, my SO says "it feels like hair" :shrug: And yet I still do it!

[Moonstruck]

Nueinsel - the thing to keep in mind is just that... well, protein and moisture need to be balanced in your hair. I BET there are tons of people that have too MUCH moisture in their hair and just don't really realize it - they realize that their hair is a little off and stretchy, but nothing really tragic. Protein's definitely gets a much worse rep.
Your hair might like some protein as long as there's also some moisture added at the same time to balance things out. For me, products with protein aren't an issue if I also use moisturizing things in conjunction with it, and my hair much prefers when it does get protein. Coconut milk provides some protein but not nearly as much as say, mayo, in my experience. I'd experiment with other bars as well, especially since you have them anyhow, but I find that the 'poo bars deliver a good amount of protein to my hair without being too much. The moisturizing aspect of bars probably helps to balance the bars.

Hahaha sometimes I make my SO do that as well, and he now he puts on a really huge sarcastic grin and says "Wow! It's so amazing! etcetcetc" Hahahahaha.

[Zindell]

My earlier posts for reference.
First wash:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=664524&postcount=3089

Second wash:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=669515&postcount=3118



Meh! I am starting to get doubts now...
I have been washing my hair a total of three times with schampoo bars and on the last wash I only lathered once, quickly rinsed with water, then one more rinse with lemon/water.

My hair does look great... for about 24 hours.
The second day it gets very waxy on my scalp and the hair just hangs lank. It also looks darker blonde than usual. (Guessing from the waxiness).

Yesterday I panicked and washed it with my ordinary Herbal Essences schampoo (SLS) and conditioner ('cones in the swedish version).

My hair felt and looked great afterwards!
It now looks blonde, feels soft and is all "swingy" if that is a word.
Argh! :D

I haven't given up quite yet though. I have even ordered a couple more CV bars, and I love the ones for my skin. Hands are softer than ever.

A question arises though... what would be more damaging:
1. Wash & Condition with SLS/Cones every 4th day
or
2. Wash with an all natural shampoo bar + lemon/water rinse every 2nd day

I'd love to go all natural but if that means I have to wash my hair that often, it means I would get "mechanical" damage instead... (can't find the correct english word for it, but I think you know what I mean)

[Fractalsofhair]

It depends on how harsh the SLS is for your hair. Shampoo bars every 2 days are likely to be less damaging than a HARSH sls shampoo. I don't think I've never used herbal essences, so I'm not sure. Plenty of people here have long hair with cones...

In reference to the protein question, coconut milk does have tons of protein, and if you start to feel protein buildup, a moisture treatment is best. However, hair does need protein!

[manderly]

Zindell, I'm a little confused. Are you saying you've only used bars a total of 3 washes so far, or that everytime you use them you lather 3 times?

If you've only used them 3 times total, then you need to give them more chance. They need some time to strip off the old buildup from your cone-laden poo & condish.

Wash more frequently with the bars if you feel you need to, but give them a good month of washes or so to see how your hair really likes them - without interfering with other products in between :)

[Zindell]

Zindell, I'm a little confused. Are you saying you've only used bars a total of 3 washes so far, or that everytime you use them you lather 3 times?

Sorry if my bad english confuses you. :D
What I meant was that I have used the bars for a total of 3 washes with some days in between.

First wash: I lathered two times, and the first time I even let the lather rest in my har while i washed the rest of my body

Some days later, second wash: Lathered two times and rinsed straight away after both.

Two days later, third wash: Lathered only one time and instantly rinsed with water, then lemon/water.

Tried different times to lather to see if I got rid of the waxies, but same result every time.
First 24 hours = nice hair
After that it quickly got waxy and lanky and didn't feel clean anymore...

[manderly]

Ok, since you've only washed with the bars 3 times so far, I'm going to lean towards the theory that you are still transitioning and to give them a bit more time (without SLS poo in between) before you make a judgement on whether they work or not :) They do take a little bit of time, until then, washing more frequently is ok. :flower:

[Zindell]

It depends on how harsh the SLS is for your hair. Shampoo bars every 2 days are likely to be less damaging than a HARSH sls shampoo. I don't think I've never used herbal essences, so I'm not sure. Plenty of people here have long hair with cones...


Yes, I might stick to the sls shampoo and cone-conditioner after all. I have used them forever and my hair looks and feels nice. :)

[Zindell]

Ok, since you've only washed with the bars 3 times so far, I'm going to lean towards the theory that you are still transitioning and to give them a bit more time (without SLS poo in between) before you make a judgement on whether they work or not :) They do take a little bit of time, until then, washing more frequently is ok. :flower:

Oh quick answer! :)

Ok, I might give it some more tries then. After all I even ordered more schampoo bars! :D
Thanks!

Oh another thing, before I started with the shampoo bars I "stripped" cones from my hair with sls schampoo (and no follow up from conditioner).
Think that have been enough to get rid of cones?
(Not counting my last wash where I used cones again.. do'h me)

[manderly]

It's proabable, but there is still a bit of transition. Remember, your hair is used to sls, not soap. :)

[Zindell]

It's proabable, but there is still a bit of transition. Remember, your hair is used to sls, not soap. :)

True. :)

I will give shampoo bars a real try. A couple of weeks!
Hopefully it will work eventually and I won't need to use chemicals anymore.

And if it doesn't work I'll just go back to my old sls shampoo and cone conditioner. I don't like all the chemicals listed on the bottles but my hair does feel and look nice from them. And I haven't seen any damage from them so far.

[Moonstruck]

Can you describe this waxy feeling some more, Zindell? I don't think it's really been reported feeling the waxy feeling AFTER having clean hair - I know I only get the waxies if I didn't do an acidic rinse. Maybe what you're thinking of as the waxies is actually just normal sebum buildup from your hair getting dirty again? SLS is a really strong cleaner and strips basically all oils out of your hair. On the other hand, soap only gets the worst of the gunk out, so your scalp may be overproducing oils to try and compensate. That's why a lot of us have a transition period, but if you stick through it, most of us seem to think the reward is worth it. =)
You asked earlier if it's better to wash with SLS every 4 days, or with 'poo bars every 2. I'd say that it's EXTREMELY likely that once your scalp realizes that it's not being cleaned as harshly, it'll go to being able to be washed every 3, then 4, then maybe even 5 days! I was the same way - I needed to use 'poo bars more frequently in the beginning, but after a little while, my scalp got MUCH happier and more balanced and I've stretched my washings. To me, SLS can cause some biochemical/chemical damage, whereas poo bars can cause more mechanical damage. After using the poo bars for a while, you learn how to minimize mechanical damage as well as stretch your washes, so in the long run, the 'poo bars are less damaging IMO.

[Zindell]

Very comforting words Moonstruck. :)

Well the waxy feeling after a day is all new to me. It's not like before (sls poo) when after about 4 days my hair got an oily feeling (sebum? dirty?) and I needed to wash. With the poo bars it really feels like wax on the hair on the scalp. Very unusual feeling. It also makes my blonde hair look much darker.

But I will try the shampoo bars again. I've got plenty of them to experience with. :D

[Fractalsofhair]

The only thing about the waxies? Are you sure you're fully rinsing the bar out? I know if I leave too much of a bar in, I get waxy hair.

[Zindell]

The only thing about the waxies? Are you sure you're fully rinsing the bar out? I know if I leave too much of a bar in, I get waxy hair.

I think so, since my hair feels and looks great just after.
But I will try to rinse a bit better next time! Thanks for tip. :)

[nayver]

Still loving my poo bar :D I don't even have to use conditioner, only a light ACV rinse.

[ljkforu]

A bar finally gave me the waxie!!! (hurray)

My water is soft so it just doesn't happen.

I was a beautiful bar of homemade bay laurel poo from a farmers market and contains all the things I found suspect (being a soap maker). It had a ton of castor, coco butter and I think even a tiny amount of beeswax.

First off my hair can use a little bulk so I'll just use it less often and second when I go to the market next time I'll talk privately to the soap maker and give you my opinion (She ask for it pleadingly).

I've found that if you wash your hand with a new poo bar and water beads on your hands you might get the waxies. And, the level of beading may indicated how waxy it will be. Just my humble opinion and observation.

I have not found my samples of CV soap (not poo) to give me water beading on my hands. They lather well and leave a clean but not dried out hand.

[nueinsel]

That's an interesting test, ljkforu. I was planning on trying out one of my new CV samples today but hadn't yet decided which one to try. I might give this test a go beforehand to help make up my mind.

[Merewen]

Oh no! Ida has come out with new products! The herbal salves look really nice.

I think that I might order full bars of Mud and Clay and Chamomile and Citrus. Judges are out on Summer Sunshine as my hair is still wet. Gonna get some more samples too.

I'm afraid to use my Olive Babassu just yet. Waxy hair is no fun!

[myotislucifugus]

hmmm... I didn't get waxies with oil and babassu, I just got the lankies... no body, stringy, its ultra ultra moisturizing for me, so probably better in the winter time.

Don't be afraid... its worth it as a moisture treatment

[nueinsel]

I just washed for the first time with the Olive and Babassu bar. I was looking for something moisturizing to balance the Coconut Milk bar so as not to over-protein myself. So far I seem to be having the same experience you described, myotislucifugus. My hair is extremely soft and had almost zero tangles when I combed it out (this is Very unusual for me), but it's also somewhat stringy- and oily-looking. I haven't gotten waxies with this bar. On the contrary, my hair feels spectacular, I just don't think I'd be comfortable wearing it down outside the house because it doesn't look very good. I'll give it another couple of washes before I make a final decision.

[hydrangea]

I've used CV shampoo bars in the past, and really enjoyed them. I was just wondering if any of you have tried Soap For Goodness Sake shampoo and body bars?

http://www.soapforgoodnesssake.com/shampoo_body_bars_48.html#

I just got the Rosemary Citrus and Tea Tree last week. I especially like the rosemary citrus which is just moisturizing enough without causing any greasy/stringiness. I think my hair is still in transition mode. It doesn't help that Michigan has really hard water, at least where I live. I've been trying to get my proportions of ACV rinse right...I've done 1 T to 1 cup of water...too weak. 2 T to 1 cup of water was too strong. Overall though I've had a good experience. I like not having to wash my hair as frequently.

[Merewen]

Granted I have not read this whole thread, but I have read 174 pages of it, so I am going to ask questions that may have already been answered guilt free.

Has anyone here used both vinegar and lemon juice (separately) for acid rinses? How much lemon juice as compared to vinegar should I be aiming for? I'm trying to find something less stinky so that people don't make faces when they hug me right after my shower.

[manderly]

Merewen, you can always rinse out the vinegar rinse :)

I've never done a citrus rinse (I'm totally fine with vinegar) so I'm not sure, but it may cause lightening of your hair, so FYI :)

[Madame J]

ljkforu, I read earlier in the thread that you used Sappo Hill bars on your hair before. Are you still using them? Like them? I got a bar from my local health food store because they're 2 bucks each, and low packaging, but got slightly greasy feeling hair when I tried to wash with it. I think I may have either still had build-up from a conditioner that I tried, or else I over-oiled afterwards, but I wonder if you found them particularly moisturizing. I used the Natural one. Might try the Aloe-Oatmeal one on my itchy dog (or occasionally itchy self) after we finish off his Buddy Wash bar.

I lathered twice, dilute ACV rinsed after, and oiled with jojoba on my length. It was still nice enough to wear in a half-up, but the hairline fell in an odd, clumpy way when I tried to leave it loose.

Of course if anyone else has tried Sappo Hill bars as shampoo, I welcome the comments/testimonials!

[Merewen]

I DO rinse after my vinegar rinse. And I am cool with lightening. In fact I have been using chamomile and honey in my vinegar rinse. It smells delicious! I will probably just have to experiment with ratios with the juice like I did with the vinegar.

[ljkforu]

ljkforu, I read earlier in the thread that you used Sappo Hill bars on your hair before. Are you still using them? Like them? I got a bar from my local health food store because they're 2 bucks each, and low packaging, but got slightly greasy feeling hair when I tried to wash with it. I think I may have either still had build-up from a conditioner that I tried, or else I over-oiled afterwords, but I wonder if you found them particularly moisturizing. I used the Natural one. Might try the Aloe-Oatmeal one on my itchy dog (or occasionally itchy self) after we finish off his Buddy Wash bar.

I lathered twice, dilute ACV rinsed after, and oiled with jojoba on my length. It was still nice enough to wear in a half-up, but the hairline fell in an odd, clumpy way when I tried to leave it loose.

Of course if anyone else has tried Sappo Hill bars as shampoo, I welcome the comments/testimonials!
No special notes: we all still use them without a problem. I'd say they fall on the less moisturizing side and think you probably oiled a lot.

Me and friends have used 4 different scents and love em all. Almond, Jasmine, aloe, and sandalwood.

I just noticed that you don't use conditioner. I'd have to say that these bars are too drying to skip the conditioner. They don't leave a buildup but I've notice my hair line try and curl itself if I don't follow through with the cond/acid and a good cool rinse to finish. One fun thing is to mix the scent of the Sappo with a complimentary conditioner if you like your hair scented. Or, not if you don't want odors.

[Madame J]

No special notes: we all still use them without a problem. I'd say they fall on the less moisturizing side and think you probably oiled a lot.

Me and friends have used 4 different scents and love em all. Almond, Jasmine, aloe, and sandalwood.

I just noticed that you don't use conditioner. I'd have to say that these bars are too drying to skip the conditioner. They don't leave a buildup but I've notice my hair line try and curl itself if I don't follow through with the cond/acid and a good cool rinse to finish. One fun thing is to mix the scent of the Sappo with a complimentary conditioner if you like your hair scented. Or, not if you don't want odors.

Cool. I was hoping you'd say that. I'm going to try it in my regular routine tomorrow or Wednesday and if it's too drying for me, I can start searching for a good conditioner! Thanks.

[ljkforu]

Cool. I was hoping you'd say that. I'm going to try it in my regular routine tomorrow or Wednesday and if it's too drying for me, I can start searching for a good conditioner! Thanks.
I think I've noted before but V05 conefree conditioners are great, but Nature's Gate is just incredible.

[archaeomanda]

I had a sample of Lush's The Blonde shampoo bar, and liked it fairly well, so I thought I'd try another one. I got a sample of Trichomania, and it seemed to make my hair rather frizzy and dry, and difficult to detangle (even with Jungle conditioner afterward). It's supposed to be for dry curly hair, too.

It works pretty well for shaving your legs, though! :p

Anyway I just thought I'd chime in with my opinion!

[DolphinPrincess]

I finally placed my CV order! I'm getting Chamomile Citrus, Nettle, and Summer Sunshine for shampoos and then Honey Butter, Chamomile & Calendula, and Castile & Calendule (for my kiddos) for soaps. I'm pretty excited! I'll definitely post how they work for me and whatnot one I get them and use them.

I was wondering, has anyone used coney conditioner along with their shampoo bars? The conditioner I use (and my hair loves) only contains dimethicone, but I've read that cyclomethicone is water-soluble. Does anyone know if that would work with a shampoo bar? I think my hair would be in heaven!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I was wondering, has anyone used coney conditioner along with their shampoo bars? The conditioner I use (and my hair loves) only contains dimethicone, but I've read that cyclomethicone is water-soluble. Does anyone know if that would work with a shampoo bar? I think my hair would be in heaven!
I have used a conditioner with cones from Suave or VO5 with my poo bars and didn't have any negative reactions :)

[DolphinPrincess]

I have used a conditioner with cones from Suave or VO5 with my poo bars and didn't have any negative reactions :)

Yay! This gives me hope! Thank you!

[Madame J]

I think I've noted before but V05 conefree conditioners are great, but Nature's Gate is just incredible.

I have pretty oily, moist hair naturally, so I'm going to see what I can do without a commercial conditioner. You were right -- I washed again with the Sappo Hill Natural bar and just rinsed with dilute ACV, with no post-oiling, and my hair feels very clean and not at all coated.

I've brought up the idea of using a honey rinse to add moisture with ktani in the Honey thread, and am also going to try a rosewater and glycerin mist that I have. Thanks!

Oh, and the Nature's Gate Herbal Daily conditioner works great in SMTs, but I don't know if I could handle the scent every wash!

[podooshka]

(Sorry if this has already been asked!)

Is the CV Cafe Moreno poo bar more acidic than the other bars are? It seems to me like the coffee would make it slightly more acidic than the others; so, would one need a vinegar rinse which is stronger on the vinegar?

Also, any poo bar recommendations for a first time poo bar user?

[myotislucifugus]

Ummm... first bar suggestions for newbies (CV bars):

Chamomile Citrus
The lavender one... Lavender Oatmeal I think...
Carrot Milk & Honey

I'm not sure the Cafe Moreno bar is acidic. I would think the coffee would make it more acidic, but I also think the soap making process would help alleviate some of the extra acidity

[Kitara]

podooshka- soap is alkaline with a PH of 8-9. The coffee may affect it slightly, but it would still be 8-9. Has to in order to be soap ;)

As for first time recommendations, it seems like people have better success with the lighter/more cleansing bars initially. Nettle and Summer Sunshine are two of my faves.

[Aries_jb]

My suggestion would be the Herb Garden bar. It's not particularly moisturizing, yet not overly cleansing. It's one of my favorites for a nice, balanced shampoo bar.

[Idun]

I ordrered CV bars for the first time a few days ago; Café Moreno, Herb Garden, Honey Beer and Egg, Nettle Shampoo. I can´t wait to get them! I hope they are as good as the one I have been using.

[nueinsel]

I know a lot of people notice more shedding with shampoo bars (though of course some people also notice less). I'm one of them, and I don't see less shedding on non-wash days or throughout wash day the way some people do. I worry that the amount of massaging I have to do to work the soap into my hair when I wash (as well as perhaps the soap itself) is causing me to lose more hair than I would otherwise. I shed a lot with regular shampoo too, but not as much as with bars. I once counted the hairs that came out in my comb after a wash (I was combing gently, and my hair was not wet) and there were around 210 of them. That's not including probably ten or so hairs that came out in the shower and however many I had lost during the day prior to the shower. I must also say that I'm perpetually paranoid about my hair thinning, so I'd be happy to find that I'm just crazy. What I'm wondering, though, is if anyone has noticed their hair actually thinning over time with shampoo bar use, or if you really feel like the hairs you shed are just more visible (either because they're not hidden in shampoo lather in the shower, or because they come out all at once in the wash and not during the rest of the day/week).

[Hedera]

I know a lot of people notice more shedding with shampoo bars (though of course some people also notice less). I'm one of them, and I don't see less shedding on non-wash days or throughout wash day the way some people do. I worry that the amount of massaging I have to do to work the soap into my hair when I wash (as well as perhaps the soap itself) is causing me to lose more hair than I would otherwise. I shed a lot with regular shampoo too, but not as much as with bars. I once counted the hairs that came out in my comb after a wash (I was combing gently, and my hair was not wet) and there were around 210 of them. That's not including probably ten or so hairs that came out in the shower and however many I had lost during the day prior to the shower. I must also say that I'm perpetually paranoid about my hair thinning, so I'd be happy to find that I'm just crazy. What I'm wondering, though, is if anyone has noticed their hair actually thinning over time with shampoo bar use, or if you really feel like the hairs you shed are just more visible (either because they're not hidden in shampoo lather in the shower, or because they come out all at once in the wash and not during the rest of the day/week).

I'm the opposite, I've gained 0,25" in thickness since using CV shampoo bars (and I even cut bangs, so it's actually a little bit more).

I don't have to work much (or at all) harder than with liquid shampoo to get a lather; in fact, I have much more and sort of 'firmer' lather than I used to get with regular shampoos.

[Merewen]

2 things:

Lemon juice is a go. No more stinky hair! :disco:

And my ends are still not thrilled but they are behaving themselves mostly. They are still tending to be slightly dry and almost creaky even with condish, but as the rest of my hair is extremely happy and they aren't protesting too much, they will have to deal I believe.

[Sissy]

I know a lot of people notice more shedding with shampoo bars (though of course some people also notice less). I'm one of them, and I don't see less shedding on non-wash days or throughout wash day the way some people do. I worry that the amount of massaging I have to do to work the soap into my hair when I wash (as well as perhaps the soap itself) is causing me to lose more hair than I would otherwise. I shed a lot with regular shampoo too, but not as much as with bars. I once counted the hairs that came out in my comb after a wash (I was combing gently, and my hair was not wet) and there were around 210 of them. That's not including probably ten or so hairs that came out in the shower and however many I had lost during the day prior to the shower. I must also say that I'm perpetually paranoid about my hair thinning, so I'd be happy to find that I'm just crazy. What I'm wondering, though, is if anyone has noticed their hair actually thinning over time with shampoo bar use, or if you really feel like the hairs you shed are just more visible (either because they're not hidden in shampoo lather in the shower, or because they come out all at once in the wash and not during the rest of the day/week).

I have not noticed my hair thinning but I definitely notice more hairs in the shower drain and when I brush after I've used CV Shampoo bars (the only shampoo bard I've ever tried). I am also worried about losing too much hair, hair thinning, etc. So, I'd love to hear others responses to this question.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

Those of you who have tried the Marshmallow and Babassu bar, how does it compare to the Olive & Babassu?

[Kitara]

Those of you who have tried the Marshmallow and Babassu bar, how does it compare to the Olive & Babassu?

I find it to be a little less heavy than the Olive Babassu, but still quite moisturizing. It's probably my favorite bar.

[Moonstruck]

For hair loss - I've noticed more loss WHILE showering, but less during the rest of the time. I still get a few strands when I brush my hair and such, but there's less coating my bed/blankets/floor/etc. So in other words, the places that I end up rubbing my hair against that I don't really realize. I'm guessing that brushing is still more... invasive, really, and therefore loosens/frees more hairs, and for a while it made me also think that I was losing the same amount of hairs during non-wash days.
My diameter has actually gone up, but that's probably a temporary result because of the shampoo bars (perhaps the castor oil content, actually?). I've actually noticed a number of baby hairs growing in - I have mild eczema on my scalp and I'm guessing the combo of non-sulfate shampoo and acid rinses helped to clear that up.
I've also been collecting hairs, which helped me realize that I'm not shedding NEARLY as many hairs as I thought I was. My hair's just longer, which means that each strand looks like 2x what it used to be.

Podooshka - Keep in mind that many other ingredients in the shampoo bar also dictate the pH level of the bar, and that even if it's more acidic, changes in pH is a TENFOLD difference in the concentration. To get down to the ideal hair mantle acidity level, you'll probably still need some acid rinse.

I finally got around to breaking out my Green Herbal bar from Sweet Creek Herbs (SCH) and it's quite possibly my FAVORITE bar of theirs so far! Great body and super shiny, keeps my hair clean for just about its max length (2 days), smells nice and herby, tangles just fall right out, my hair's super soft... yeah. Overall amazing! It does seem to have slightly more flyaways than the Rosemary Honey/Parsley for me, but it's overall better.
So my ranking of the 4 poos I've tried from her so far is this - Green Herbal, Rosemary Honey, Rosemary Green Tea, Nettle Lime.

[myotislucifugus]

I find it to be a little less heavy than the Olive Babassu, but still quite moisturizing. It's probably my favorite bar.
Hmmm. That's interesting. I find it to be heavier. I suppose it is the difference in our hair texture, or maybe natural oiliness. My hair runs to being greasy, and maybe the marshmallow mucilage sticks to the gunk in my hair naturally. very interesting.

[AnkyCece]

I wish you all stop talking about Ida's soaps! Stop! Must... not... buy... more...

Anyhoo: Here are the soaps I have tried for washing my hair:

Dudu Osun Black Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel!
Swastik Shikaikai Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel! Why is this soap pink? Gross Smell.
Nubian Heritage Soap: Two Thumbs Up! I have tried their "Black soap" and "Coconut&Papaya and Vanilla Beans" soap and it is divine!

[bttrfly857]

I just ordered samples of Summer Sunshine, & Beer, honey & egg shampoo bars, and Nettle & Tea Tree Soap bars. I'm excited!! Hopefully they'll do something for my fine, greasy hair.

(I haven't read the whole thread, ha!)

[Arielle8960]

I had a good experience with the CV Cafe Moreno bar. I was worried it might be drying, but my hair feels great. It smells great, too, but then again I don't mind smelling a little like coffee. :)

[Aer]

I just ordered a herb garden shampoo bar from CV, what are your opinions on this bar if you've tried it? Iv'e seen alot of reviews on summer sunshine, cafe moreno, and the others but not so much on the herb garden. I guess I'll find out soon enough, but I would like to hear if anyone else has tried it. I usually order the
rosemary nettle bars from the soap lady of Iowa, I love those, they are sooo awesome!! But I wanted to try something different. So if you've tried it, tell me! Also I would like to know about any obscure or unheard of shampoo bars or business that sell them, cause I like to try new things!

[ljkforu]

I wish you all stop talking about Ida's soaps! Stop! Must... not... buy... more...

Anyhoo: Here are the soaps I have tried for washing my hair:

Dudu Osun Black Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel!
Swastik Shikaikai Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel! Why is this soap pink? Gross Smell.
Nubian Heritage Soap: Two Thumbs Up! I have tried their "Black soap" and "Coconut&Papaya and Vanilla Beans" soap and it is divine!
I like the Ambi cocobutter and the black soap for hair washing. I find them nice and on the highly cleansing side. In other word, I don't think they deposit a lot of gunk.

[DolphinPrincess]

I got my samples the other day and used my Chamomile Citrus from CV two days ago. I followed with a citric acid/lemon juice rinse. It was 2 teaspoons CA and about 50 ml lemon juice in 1 L of water. My hair immediately felt silky! After it dried, it felt a little coated though. My roots and the very ends of my hair felt fine, as well as my bangs (flat-ironed) but the mid-section felt... slightly waxy? Not sure how to describe it exactly. It did get better though. Anyway, I'm about to go wash again. Going to try the same bar again, but this time I'm going to use 2 t CA and 100 ml ACV along with some EO for scent. I absolutely can't stand the smell of ACV though, so I might try conditioner this time too. Will update when dry! Could be awhile, my hair takes forever to dry.

ETA: Almost forgot to say that to clarify, I dissolved some baking soda (not sure how much, just some in the palm of my hand, maybe a tablespoon?) in 8 ounces of warm water, and dumped it on my head, massaged gently through, then rinsed. I also lathered with the shampoo bar twice.

[swirlytresses]

I've been using my sample of the grapseed shea, and I really like it. I don't think there is a bar I've tried that I didn't like, but the grapeseed and the honey butter are my fav's so far. :)

[Aries_jb]

I just ordered a herb garden shampoo bar from CV, what are your opinions on this bar if you've tried it? Iv'e seen alot of reviews on summer sunshine, cafe moreno, and the others but not so much on the herb garden. I guess I'll find out soon enough, but I would like to hear if anyone else has tried it. I usually order the
rosemary nettle bars from the soap lady of Iowa, I love those, they are sooo awesome!! But I wanted to try something different. So if you've tried it, tell me! Also I would like to know about any obscure or unheard of shampoo bars or business that sell them, cause I like to try new things!

Herb garden is one of my favorite bars! It cleanses well, but also imparts the perfect amount of moisture for my hair.

[Aer]

Aries jb, thank you so much for your review. I usually use the soap lady of Iowa's rosemary nettle bar, and its awesome, but I wanted to try something different, so I ordered the CV herb garden because the ingredients looked nourishing. I'm glad that bar does good for you, because I am really looking forward to it. I think it will be a good investment, if the picture of your hair tells anything, than I should be in hair heaven!!! Your hair is gorgeous!

[Aries_jb]

Aww, thank you so much! That's so nice of you to say :).

[nueinsel]

I washed with CV's Mud and Clay bar yesterday, and my hair is super soft and fluffy today. I'm wondering, now that I've figured out how to actually get the soap down to my scalp, if I'm going to find try any bars that Don't work well on my hair. Coconut Milk is still my favorite, but none of the others I've tried since have been at all bad, just not quite as spectacular. Thanks so much for all the suggestions on this thread, guys! I'm so happy with shampoo bars now!

[Aer]

:sun:I got my CV Herb Garden bar today, and I used it. I was worried because when I opened it, I didn't care for the smell right away, but once I got in the shower, the smell became pleasant to me. Then I got worried again, because after I washed and my hair was still damp, I ran my fingers through, and it felt draggy, almost waxy, and I freaked. I let it dry, and was surprised by thick, soft, super shiny hair, with healthy volume. I was soooo happy! My husband used it, and he's impressed too. I recommend this bar for those who like the nettle infused bars, like Karla's, from isoap, prairielandherbs( these are Karla's too,) or the different CV bars that are more nettle heavy.
And I want to know, has anyone ever used shampoo bars from Apple Valley Natural Soap? They had a bar I was curious about that had oakmoss in it, which is one of my favorite oils, and I don't recall seeing anything about them in this thread, that doesn't mean they aren't mentioned, I just didn't see it. I ordered a rhassoul spa bar, for the face, and I am waiting about to try that, but was hesitant about ordering their shampoo bars, because I had never heard anything about them.

[Aer]

oops, messed up with trying to do a different font!!!!

[masterofmidgets]

Ugh, I think I finally found a bar my hair really hates. I knew my luck was too good to last!

I've been working my way through all the different CV bars (except the couple I know I won't like, like Neem and Tea Tree), and my results have been pretty uniformly good - there are bars I've liked more or less, depending on scent and how soft/shiny/curly they made my hair, but none of them were out-and-out bad. Even Marshmallow and Babassu, and I think that's supposed to be one of the heavier ones people have a hard time with. But this week's bar was Mud and Clay, and well...not so great. When I was using it, I had a terrible time getting it to lather up, even the second and third times I could barely get any foam. And after my hair started to dry (after a vinegar rinse and conditioner, of course), if felt weird. Greasy and sticky and a little stiff. Sort of like when I need to clarify, but I did that last week. I ended up so grossed out by how it felt I got back in the shower two hours later to rinse again, thinking I missed some conditioner, but it didn't help a lot.

I'm going to give it another shot later - I used it more than once, but the last couple weeks have been a bit hard on my hair. Two weeks ago it was my yearly bleach job to get the grown-out roots on my streaks taken care off, and then the purple dye, and last week we were at the lake, so I was slathered in oil to protect my hair. Those might have something to do with why my hair hated it so much. I'm not ready to write this bar off quite yet, especially since it's my best friend's favorite and I really wanted to like it. But I'm thinking it might be off my re-order list for the future. Ah well. I've still got plenty of others my hair does like.

[swirlytresses]

So far the only shampoo/soap bar that I found does not leave that waxy feeling after I rinse is the Grapeseed and shea bar. I use conditioner after all my bars and have no problems after rinsing the conditioner out with the "waxy" feel, but the grapeseed one is the only one so far that I don't get the waxies with. I will definitely be ordering a full size bar of the grapeseed one in the future. :)

[bttrfly857]

I got my CV samples today and used the Summer Sunshine one a little while ago. I'm mixed on it. I lathered twice, but didn't follow with a vinegar rinse. My hair felt... weird, after I rinsed. I don't know if it was waxy, but it definitely seemed like it would be harder to detangle, so I sort of panicked and used some Suave Conditioner.

My hair's pretty much dry now, and I think I'm pretty happy with it. I'll see how I like it over the next day and once I wash a few more times. I'll try a vinegar rinse next time.

I also order the honey, beer & egg bar, so I'll see how that compares in a few days.

I'm not sure if I have a questions yet, but any tips/advice people have would be great.

[CavyQueen]

Hi! I checked out the Chagrin Valley site and the bars look great! Do I have to do an ACV rinse afterwards or can I just condition as usual? Also, can I use a shampoo bar after an oil treatment? Thank you.

[CavyQueen]

Hi! Do I have to do an ACV rinse after using a shampoo bar or can I just condition as usual? Thank you.

[manderly]

CavyQueen, have you visiting the massive shampoo bar thread?

You can do either, it all depends on your hair, and your water. I would experiment to see which you prefer. I generally do a vinegar rinse prior to my conditioner, but it's more a force of habit than necessary. On the occasions when I just condition right after, my hair is just as nice. :)

[CavyQueen]

Hi manderly! Yes, I saw that thread and did not see an answer to whether I need to do an ACV rinse. Everyone seems to like the bars. They seem more like condtioners. How do they cleanse? Thank you.

[manderly]

They cleanse quite well, there is a transition period where your hair may be quite funky, though.

And I still require conditioner, while lots of others don't.

I would recommend you take some time to read the first couple of pages of that thread (I know it's absolutely massive!), skip to somewhere in the middle and read a bit, then skip to the end and read a few pages. That's a good way to get a lot of good information out of a massive thread like that. There is also a search function within each thread, so you can search for specific words or phrases to help you find if someone has already asked your question.

Then, there is always the option to comment in the thread with your question :D That thread is a mover, so it would be answered within hours. :flower:

Welcome to LHC, btw.


Hi manderly! Yes, I saw that thread and did not see an answer to whether I need to do an ACV rinse. Everyone seems to like the bars. They seem more like condtioners. How do they cleanse? Thank you.

[Madame J]

Whether you need to do an ACV rinse is a matter of how your hair reacts to the bar. Personally, I've only used conditioner after a 'poo bar while traveling, when I didn't want to deal with bringing vinegar and mixing it while living in dorm housing, and my hair was fine. That said, I never tried it long term, and I was in a very soft-water area.

The only way to tell if you need the rinse, is to try your bar with just a conditioner. If your hair feels waxy or coated, try the rinse next time. You can do both a rinse and a conditioner, in any order, if you want. If you want a more concrete answer, check out the massive shampoo bar thread, paying close attention to the locations of people that have good results with the various permutations. If a lot of people who live in your area say they need a vinegar rinse, you may need to, as well.

[florenonite]

It depends on your water. At home, with hard water, I don't do a rinse or condition, just a prewash oiling. I do finish with a cold water rinse, though I don't actually know if it makes much difference.

At uni, with soft water, I put conditioner on the length before doing a lemon juice rinse (ACV makes my hair go greasy really quickly), because my hair feels really horrible without an acid rinse. In retrospect, I don't think I did a cold water rinse the time I forgot the acid rinse, so I might try that when I get back to uni and see how it works.

I have noticed once or twice at home that I've needed to apply a wee bit of conditioner to all my hair after washing because it felt rough, but the conditioner's acidic enough to close the cuticle.

[Canarygirl]

I think that the need to do an ACV rinse (or similar) is dependent on whether your water supply is hard or soft. If hard (high mineral content), you will want to do an ACV rinse. I have soft water and don't do one; I just use a conditioner afterwards and it's good.

[Merewen]

Like I said before, all in all my hair seems to love the poo bars, but my ends have been grumpy ever since the fiasco where I tried to use a soap bar as a conditioner.

Since then I've been using conditioner on my ends (mini-CWC style). My ends were happy with CWC before. But they are still giving me grief. Since then I have clarified, SMT'd, and put conditioner on my ends before I've so much as touched a shampoo bar.

I'm not quite sure what to do about them anymore. My ends just don't seem to want to recover. I'm not even putting the shampoo on them anymore and they are still grumpy! GAAH!

/rant

[bttrfly857]

CavyQueen, have you visiting the massive shampoo bar thread?

Isn't this the massive shampoo bar thread? :confused:

[florenonite]

I got my samples the other day and used my Chamomile Citrus from CV two days ago. I followed with a citric acid/lemon juice rinse. It was 2 teaspoons CA and about 50 ml lemon juice in 1 L of water. My hair immediately felt silky! After it dried, it felt a little coated though. My roots and the very ends of my hair felt fine, as well as my bangs (flat-ironed) but the mid-section felt... slightly waxy? Not sure how to describe it exactly. It did get better though. Anyway, I'm about to go wash again. Going to try the same bar again, but this time I'm going to use 2 t CA and 100 ml ACV along with some EO for scent. I absolutely can't stand the smell of ACV though, so I might try conditioner this time too. Will update when dry! Could be awhile, my hair takes forever to dry.

ETA: Almost forgot to say that to clarify, I dissolved some baking soda (not sure how much, just some in the palm of my hand, maybe a tablespoon?) in 8 ounces of warm water, and dumped it on my head, massaged gently through, then rinsed. I also lathered with the shampoo bar twice.

By midsection do you mean around the nape? With conventional shampoos I just shampoo the roots, and I found when I switched to bars it could get greasy there. What I suspect was the problem is that the liquid shampoo runs down towards the nape area, washing out the grease, but with a bar you actually have to wash that area like you would the rest of the head.


I think that the need to do an ACV rinse (or similar) is dependent on whether your water supply is hard or soft. If hard (high mineral content), you will want to do an ACV rinse. I have soft water and don't do one; I just use a conditioner afterwards and it's good.

I think my hair's weird. I keep reading that you need an acid rinse in hard water but not necessarily in soft water, but I have the opposite experience. In soft water I need it, in hard water I just use the shampoo bar and nothing afterwards and my hair feels better than it does with anything else I've done to it. I'm going to kind of miss the water when I go back to uni :(


Isn't this the massive shampoo bar thread? :confused:

It was initially another thread that was merged in here :flower:

[manderly]

Isn't this the massive shampoo bar thread? :confused:

:lol: Yes. She posted a separate thread, the mods combined them. Keeps you on your toes. :cheese:

[bttrfly857]

:lol: Yes. She posted a separate thread, the mods combined them. Keeps you on your toes. :cheese:

Thanks! I just started with shampoo bars yesterday (still 50/50 about them), but was worried I missed an even bigger thread lol.

[DolphinPrincess]

By midsection do you mean around the nape? With conventional shampoos I just shampoo the roots, and I found when I switched to bars it could get greasy there. What I suspect was the problem is that the liquid shampoo runs down towards the nape area, washing out the grease, but with a bar you actually have to wash that area like you would the rest of the head.

Yup, pretty much from my nape to a little past my shoulders. I think I need to work on washing that area just a little better. Otherwise, my hair is loving shampoo bars!

For my rinse, I've gone on to using a bit if citric acid and conditioner, then 1L of water. It seems to be great! This morning I used only conditioner (forgot to take the CA into the shower), and my hair is still ok! Not quite as nice as with the citric acid, but still manageable. It's great!

And I like the Summer Sunshine Bar ever more than the Chamomile Citrus! :flowers:

[ljkforu]

I wish you all stop talking about Ida's soaps! Stop! Must... not... buy... more...

Anyhoo: Here are the soaps I have tried for washing my hair:

Dudu Osun Black Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel!
Swastik Shikaikai Soap: Thumbs Down. Crayon feel! Why is this soap pink? Gross Smell.
Nubian Heritage Soap: Two Thumbs Up! I have tried their "Black soap" and "Coconut&Papaya and Vanilla Beans" soap and it is divine!
They look awesome (The Nubian Heritage Soap). I just emailed to see what bases they use. I wanted to use it as shampoo.

[pixiedoo]

I got my package from CV this morning and it got to the UK so quickly! Everything smells so yummy :)

I can't wait to try out my poo bar sample. I have a question for all you poo bar gurus though. I don't have any ACV at the moment so is it ok to follow the shampoo with my normal cone-free conditioner or do I need to go buy some ACV before I use it????

TIA :)

[bttrfly857]

So I used my Summer Sunshine for a second time (second shampoo bar washing in my life). I lathered twice, followed by an ACV rinse (1:10), left that on for a few minutes then rinsed off.

My hair feels better than the first wash, but it still feels...coated I guess. I'm gonna stick it out a week or two, and maybe try my other bar (honey, egg & beer) tonight.

I'm not sure what else to do.

[Madame J]

bttrfly: Have you tried tweaking the ratio of your ACV rinse? Some people need more or less vinegar. It could be that you're not using a strong enough rinse to get out the mineral buildup, OR maybe you're using too strong a rinse (too strong a rinse left me with greasy-feeling hair).

[bttrfly857]

I haven't tweaked the ACV yet, but was considering it.

After I wash out the shampoo my hair feels kind of coated/sticky. It feels okay with the ACV in, then still feels kind of sticky once I rinse out the ACV, and finally, feels pretty decent, but still coated once dry.

It could just be my hair adjusting? But maybe tonight I'll try a stronger ACV rinse. How strong is too strong?

[florenonite]

I got my package from CV this morning and it got to the UK so quickly! Everything smells so yummy :)

I can't wait to try out my poo bar sample. I have a question for all you poo bar gurus though. I don't have any ACV at the moment so is it ok to follow the shampoo with my normal cone-free conditioner or do I need to go buy some ACV before I use it????

TIA :)

Your conditioner should be slightly acidic, particularly if it's got citric acid in it, so it might be ok. I find in Scotland I do need some kind of acid rinse because of the water, I don't know what it's like in England, though. Do you have white vinegar? Or lemon juice? In Scotland I would wash my hair, coat the length in conditioner and then use a very dilute lemon juice rinse to close the cuticle. The coating the length in conditioner is important, IMO, because lemon juice can be drying.

[pixiedoo]

Your conditioner should be slightly acidic, particularly if it's got citric acid in it, so it might be ok. I find in Scotland I do need some kind of acid rinse because of the water, I don't know what it's like in England, though. Do you have white vinegar? Or lemon juice? In Scotland I would wash my hair, coat the length in conditioner and then use a very dilute lemon juice rinse to close the cuticle. The coating the length in conditioner is important, IMO, because lemon juice can be drying.

Thanks very much for answering my question :)

I do have some white wine vinegar so I will give that a try. I can't wait to try them out and I am hoping that my hair likes them as much as my skin seems to like CV soaps :)

[Aries_jb]

I took a break from my CV bars to test out my Aubrey Primrose shampoo. Now I wish I hadn't. My hair was looking so dry and brittle and I was frustrated because I had no idea why it looked so bad.

Then today I washed with my CV Herb Garden bar, and wouldn't you know it, I'm having the best hair day in the past two months! It's soft, moisturized, not brittle at all...why do I keep trying out different shampoos?

On the upside, I now have a body wash that smells like Primrose :).

[bttrfly857]

I think I've figured out my ACV ratios!!

1:10 left my hair feeling coated,
1:5 left my scalp good, and my length feeling good but greasy when it dried
1:7 seems to be working!! (2 oz. ACV, 14 oz. water)

I might try 1:6, 1:8, etc. just for fun.

So far, I don't notice a huge difference between using my Suave S&C and shampoo bars, but it's only be 5 days. And I feel better about not using chemicals, and the Neem & Tea Tree seems to be working for my face/acne, so I think I'm going to stick with it for a little while. :)

[WildCat]

Hi! I just received some CV shampoo bars and I would really like to try them but I have hard water and I don't have any vinegar. I do have some concentrated lemon juice though but I don't know how much to dilute it by. Does anyone have any suggestions on how much I should use?

[Madame J]

Hi! I just received some CV shampoo bars and I would really like to try them but I have hard water and I don't have any vinegar. I do have some concentrated lemon juice though but I don't know how much to dilute it by. Does anyone have any suggestions on how much I should use?

No vinegar? But then how do you make sloppy joes?! shudder: (it's my favorite thing -- I can even make a veggie version with tempeh or lentils!)

Joking aside, I think the standard recommendation is a squirt of lemon juice in a couple cups of water. You can see how that works, and adjust based on your results (see bttrfly's post above for her trial and error!). One thing to be careful of is that lemon juice can cause lightening, and can be drying. If you don't want to risk lightening your hair, you might want to stop at the store and pick a bottle of vinegar -- it's cheap.

[kayes]

Hey,
I had to give up after scrolling through 20 pages, so this may have already been asked and answered...
I'm living in the uk for a couple of years, the CV bars look incredible, but it would cost more than 40 dollars to ship the 13 dollars worth of bars I want, not to mention the extra taxes when it got here.
Does anyone know of a good option in the UK, oin the EU in general?

[Canarygirl]

I just posted an excerpt from an article on naturallycurly.com about the use of soap products on curly hair. FWIW....

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=717644#post717644

It's post #48

[Idun]

No vinegar? But then how do you make sloppy joes?! shudder: (it's my favorite thing -- I can even make a veggie version with tempeh or lentils!)

I had to google sloppy joe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloppy_joe) :D. Where does vinegar enter the picture?

[Madame J]

I had to google sloppy joe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloppy_joe) :D. Where does vinegar enter the picture?

[off-topic]A lot of people get their sauce from a can, but my mom's recipe is a blend of equal parts vinegar and brown sugar, mixed with a few dashes of Worchestershire sauce, and then a bunch of ketchup. It's pretty much the only time my ACV enters the kitchen.[\off-topic]

[Velouria]

I just posted an excerpt from an article on naturallycurly.com about the use of soap products on curly hair. FWIW....

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=717644#post717644

It's post #48

I read the whole article and it reads as though sulfates (even the milder ones [like SLES]and possibly all surfactants) have at least the same damage potential. I'm thinking that anything that has the cleaning strength to cut through scalp sebum inflicts some wear on the hair.

IME, shampoo soaps are the least damaging of any method that thoroughly cleans my scalp. I do think that very frequent use of them is something to be avoided, almost as much as frequent shampooing (except perhaps for those with very strong and oily hair).

So, I condition-rinse my length and use cleansing herb rinses in between bar uses. I wash with shamp. bars about once a week, and my hair seems better off with that than it was with weekly usage of diluted detergent shampoo, whether sulfate or no.

I also only suds up my scalp and roots, never the length, and I always use an acid rinse.

[Dolly]

OK, I am a total CV shampoo bar addict! I finally took some to my fiancee's house and left them there, because I hated washing with regular shampoos when I would go stay at his house.

Anywho, the point of this post is that I normally use the Olive Babassu or the Babassu Marshmallow, sometimes throwing in the Cafe Moreno or Summer Sunshine on oilier days.....I do use some of Ida's soaps on my body. Well, in my most recent order, I ordered some of Ida's new Aloe Aloe Aloe soap. Now, this is a soap, not a shampoo bar. BUT, it works beautifully as a shampoo on my dry hair! My hair is soft, shiny, and silky! I think I am going to order some more to keep on hand and add to my rotation....I LIKE!