The Shampoo Bar Thread

[Fractalsofhair]

I love my current shampoo bars. They're from a local soap maker.(For those of us in the MA area, "Black Toad Herbals") The weirdest thing about them is that they've lightened my hair a bit, but I'm not sure if it's buildup or what. I don't HAVE to use a vinegar rinse with them, but my hair lays flatter if I do, but they're so mild, I don't feel any different than with a regular shampoo if I don't, though I do still need my conditioner.

[Moonstruck]

I think I'm basically in LOVE with Kathleen's (Sweet Creek Herbs) soaps. Haha. I've used her "Green Herbal" bar for well over a month now, without need for clarifying, with the lightest/most dilute vinegar rinse of all, with beautiful, soft, fluffy, shiny hair. It's funny because she says it's more for normal hair and mine tends to run SUPER oily, but this guy seems to do the trick pretty well.

I'm finding that her bars seem to last longer than Ida's, which is probably because Ida's have a lot more moisturizing oil and such, and that strips off the bar easily. So, it's even MORE economical for me.

I still LOVE CV's soaps and 'poo bars dearly. I just think that other oily heads and people looking for a great lather on their first go may find a pretty excellent deal with SCH.

Sometimes, I wish there weren't so many different poo bar makers. I just can't stay faithful =P haha.

[plainjanegirl]

I hate vinegar . So what is the purpose for the vinegar rinse ? Is it to clarify?
If so maybe I could just use shampoo once a week.

[masterofmidgets]

I hate vinegar . So what is the purpose for the vinegar rinse ? Is it to clarify?
If so maybe I could just use shampoo once a week.

The purpose of a vinegar rinse with shampoo bars is not to clarify. A lot of natural shampoo bars like CV are slightly alkaline and raise the cuticles on your hair when you use them. Using an acid like vinegar smoothes the cuticle down again and restores the pH of your hair. Some bars are more neutral and don't need an acid rinse, and you can definitely experiment to see if your hair likes going without, but for a lot of people not doing an acid rinse means waxy, stiff, awful-feeling hair.

If you don't like the smell of ACV, you could try using white vinegar, which smells milder, or citric acid, which plenty of people here use with no problem. My friend even uses lemon juice!

[plainjanegirl]

The purpose of a vinegar rinse with shampoo bars is not to clarify. A lot of natural shampoo bars like CV are slightly alkaline and raise the cuticles on your hair when you use them. Using an acid like vinegar smoothes the cuticle down again and restores the pH of your hair. Some bars are more neutral and don't need an acid rinse, and you can definitely experiment to see if your hair likes going without, but for a lot of people not doing an acid rinse means waxy, stiff, awful-feeling hair.

If you don't like the smell of ACV, you could try using white vinegar, which smells milder, or citric acid, which plenty of people here use with no problem. My friend even uses lemon juice!


Thanks for responding. So how do you know if a bar is more neutrel?

[masterofmidgets]

Other people on here can probably answer this better, but as far as I know, aside from getting a pH kit and testing them yourself it's mostly a trial-and-error thing, seeing how your hair feels with a bar before/without a vinegar rinse. Frex, the first time I used a CV bar, my hair was so waxy feeling I couldn't even run my hands down it without them sticking. The vinegar rinse made it feel like normal hair. After a few months, my hair just feels like hair after I use most bars, and I could probably skip the vinegar rinse, although I don't.

IIRC the Sweet Creek Herbs bars are supposed to be pretty mild and some people can use those without a vinegar rinse or with a very dilute vinegar rinse. (anyone else feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this?)

[Canarygirl]

Thanks for responding. So how do you know if a bar is more neutrel?

I don't personally think that it's possible for a soap/shampoo bar to be more neutral because the saponification process results in an alkalinity of 9 or 10. The bars that are considered more mild, I think they just have more moisturizers added (oils).

[Aries_jb]

plainjanegirl if you're really that opposed to using vinegar, many people find that conditioner also helps seal the cuticle. Try it and see if that works for you. I used to do that before I started ACV rinses and never had any problems, though I still prefer to use ACV and conditioner.

[metalgypsy85]

I thought I would like shampoo bars and that my hair would get used to them....but they didn't work for me. My hair just didn't feel soft while using them, so I switched back to my bottle shampoo & conditioner until I find something else to try.

[Dolly]

plainjanegirl if you're really that opposed to using vinegar, many people find that conditioner also helps seal the cuticle. Try it and see if that works for you. I used to do that before I started ACV rinses and never had any problems, though I still prefer to use ACV and conditioner.


I use ACV and conditioner also....my hair is too waxy if I don't use the ACV....

plainjanegirl, have you tried using a lemon juice or citric acid rinse? Citric acid is pretty cheap, and is also easy to travel with since it is in a crystalline form....just mix it up in some warm water and you're good to go. I tried some and it worked pretty well.....vinegar is easier for me to get though, and I don't mind the smell.

I've never tried the lemon but some ladies here swear by it.

[DolphinPrincess]

I use citric acid. Back when I first tried to use ACV, the smell was just awful, made me gag, and I never did find the right dilution for my hair. The best part of citric acid is that it's super cheap and takes very little per rinse, so it'll last a long time. And no smell! :)

[nayver]

Hi guys!!! I love my shampoo bars, but yesterday I dyed my hair with a semi-permament colour, now I'm worried that the bars would make my colour to fade... Anyone loving shampoo bars also dyes her hair?

[Madame J]

Hi guys!!! I love my shampoo bars, but yesterday I dyed my hair with a semi-permament colour, now I'm worried that the bars would make my colour to fade... Anyone loving shampoo bars also dyes her hair?

Since shampoo bars are alkaline and open up the hair shaft, they may fade the color a bit faster. Maybe if you alternate each wash between shampoo bars and CO washing? Dementia (the girl with the gorgeous purple hair) washes her hair with CO in as cold water as she can stand to keep her hair from fading quickly.

[nayver]

Since shampoo bars are alkaline and open up the hair shaft, they may fade the color a bit faster. Maybe if you alternate each wash between shampoo bars and CO washing? Dementia (the girl with the gorgeous purple hair) washes her hair with CO in as cold water as she can stand to keep her hair from fading quickly.

Thanks Madame for your answer :) but I'm getting confused about this. In the CV site they say this in the FAQ page:

Can I Use A Shampoo Bar With Color Treated Hair?

We have many customers who color their hair and use our shampoo bars. One customers who "darkens" her hair wrote to tell us that she is now able to go one month longer before re-coloring her hair. Another customer who "lightens" her hair, wrote that the color stays "nicer" longer and she does not get that "brassy" blonde color anymore. Because they are simply soap, shampoo bars will not strip color from your hair as fast as the detergents in commercial shampoos. But since everyone's hair and coloring products are different, please do a strand test to judge for yourself.

[Madame J]

Thanks Madame for your answer :) but I'm getting confused about this. In the CV site they say this in the FAQ page:

Can I Use A Shampoo Bar With Color Treated Hair?

We have many customers who color their hair and use our shampoo bars. One customers who "darkens" her hair wrote to tell us that she is now able to go one month longer before re-coloring her hair. Another customer who "lightens" her hair, wrote that the color stays "nicer" longer and she does not get that "brassy" blonde color anymore. Because they are simply soap, shampoo bars will not strip color from your hair as fast as the detergents in commercial shampoos. But since everyone's hair and coloring products are different, please do a strand test to judge for yourself.

Well, if the alternative is a sulfate detergent shampoo, then maybe a shampoo bar is better. The problem with Ida's FAQ is that the people who used her shampoo bars and found they did fade the color quickly probably just discontinued using them. Since I don't dye my hair, I can't give you a "personal experience" answer, just an answer based on amateur inferences about the chemistry. If you don't mind using yourself as a guinea pig, I would suggest taking pictures periodically (say, once a week, at the same time of day in the same light quality) to check if your hair seems to be fading more quickly than you would like it, since all hair reacts to dye differently and holds onto it at different rates. If you find your hair fading too quickly, you might want to experiment with CO washing or WO washing to hold the dye.

That's probably where the confusion comes in -- different people's hair is different. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[nayver]

Madame, you've been very helpful :) I'll use my regular shampoo bar tomorrow, hope my dye doesn't fade quickly.

[Madame J]

Just tried a new bar this morning. It's a bar from a local soap-maker that I mentioned earlier in the thread, Mystic Water Soaps. I was concerned when I emailed the soapmaker and she told me her superfat percentage was 6% for her basic soaps, but I went ahead and bought one anyway (Simply Soap). I washed how I normally do with shampoo bar, lathering twice, and doing a dilute ACV rinse afterwards, and my hair feels really nice. It's definitely more moisturizing than my other two bars, and my hair's not completely dry yet, so I haven't decided whether my hair feels a little oily or not, but the parts that are dry feel very silky, and not waxy or coated at all. The bar was $5 (because it's not scented -- she tends to go up a dollar or two for scented, colored soaps), which included sales tax, and she tossed in a little sample of her sea salt soap, which I've been using on my face.

[Fractalsofhair]

Madame, you've been very helpful :) I'll use my regular shampoo bar tomorrow, hope my dye doesn't fade quickly.

I've used manic panic on my hair and used soap based liquid shampoo while using it. It did not make it fade faster, but I am one of the few people I know that manic panic barely fades on! XD

[DolphinPrincess]

Today I tried the Chamomile and Calendula soap (not shampoo bar) on my hair and entire body, head to toe, and I think I'm in love! I've recently discovered I despise the scent of chamomile, but I love how it works for me, and I'm willing to get over it!

Has anyone tried the shampoo bar base from Brambleberry? Here. (http://www.brambleberry.com/Shampoo-Rebatching-Base-P4139.aspx) You just grate it up, and then you can scent it yourself. Sounds like it could be fun! And it's on sale because they are switching to a pre-grated version.

[BunnyBee]

I've been using my CV sample bars for a few weeks now and I've found some clean better than others.. for example the citrussy one (I think its citrus and chamomile or something like that) is VERY cleansing, but the Honey Beer and Egg one doesnt get my hair clean at all :s Wonder if that one has more moisturizers in it..?

I'm not sure I'll buy the full size bars when mine are done, I used a mix of leftover indian herbs the other day as an experiment wash and it cleaned my hair brilliantly.. I find them more predictable than the CV bars. Also a bit worried about the supposed high alkalinity of shampoo bars.. Are there any around that are more pH balanced?

[Dolly]

Hi guys!!! I love my shampoo bars, but yesterday I dyed my hair with a semi-permament colour, now I'm worried that the bars would make my colour to fade... Anyone loving shampoo bars also dyes her hair?


I use permanent dye on my hair, and use shampoo bars daily. I workout every day, so I have to do at least a scalp wash daily. CV bars make my dye fade LESS than regular shampoo.....

[talervo]

BunnyBee:
The Honey Beer and Egg has protein in it, so it won't "clean" as well. I've tried the Chamomile and found that it dried my hair out too much. The Nettle dried it out a little less, but was also really cleansing.

So far I like the Rosemary Mint, but ordered more mosturizing soaps to try out. Since I live in a high altitude my hair dries out faster. My hair is fine so it is finiky with moisture, but I'll have to try more moisturizing soaps.

[Cantabile]

Haven't updated on my shampoo habits in a while, but it's about 2 years now since I've switched to shampoo bars, and I have to say, my hair is looking mighty fantastic :laugh:

I'm still using CV bars, fallen in love with the Mud & Clay bar, and things are just good in general. :cloud9:

[wizboo]

wowee! this is a long thread! I am thinking of trying out shampoo bars, but are they suitable for oily roots, and do you need to condition after? The only ones I could readily get my hands on are Lush shampoo bars- anyone tried them?

[Canarygirl]

wowee! this is a long thread! I am thinking of trying out shampoo bars, but are they suitable for oily roots, and do you need to condition after? The only ones I could readily get my hands on are Lush shampoo bars- anyone tried them?

I'm pretty sure that the Lush shampoo bars have SLS in them (most of their products do)...just be forewarned.

[Aries_jb]

Have you guys noticed the new shampoo bar from Ida? It's an ayurvedic herb bar and it's coming in October! I'm so excited! I wasn't planning on placing an order for awhile since I have such a huge stash, but I want to get this bar for my collection!

[masterofmidgets]

Oooooh, the Aryuvedic Herb bar sounds like it smells so good. I love jasmine and hibiscus. But I've still got 2/3 of the batch I bought in June left! Well, at least that will give the rest of you time to try it out and see if you like it before I spend money on it.

[zombi]

I'm pretty sure that the Lush shampoo bars have SLS in them (most of their products do)...just be forewarned.
I thought they had re-formulated to remove the SLS?

LOL nevermind, I just looked at the site and it says at the top "most of our bars are sodium lauryl sulphate free" but if you click them they almost ALL have it as the first ingredient?? O_o;;

[DolphinPrincess]

Grrr, is anyone else having trouble with the CV website? I can't add anything to my cart... :mad:

eta: It's mostly working for me now. :shrug: No clue what happened.

[Fractalsofhair]

Have you guys noticed the new shampoo bar from Ida? It's an ayurvedic herb bar and it's coming in October! I'm so excited! I wasn't planning on placing an order for awhile since I have such a huge stash, but I want to get this bar for my collection!

Ooo... That does sound like it would smell good. I'm going to have to ask the soap maker I use if she would put some herbs into a bar for me.

[florenonite]

wowee! this is a long thread! I am thinking of trying out shampoo bars, but are they suitable for oily roots, and do you need to condition after? The only ones I could readily get my hands on are Lush shampoo bars- anyone tried them?

I've got oily roots (well, this is partially because I don't wash my hair until it really needs it :p) and use shampoo bars. I find it works best to shampoo two to three times, though, rather than just once. Whether or not you condition afterwards is a personal choice based on your own hair and how it responds to the bars. Some people condition, some don't.

[Tyrinaniel]

I've just ordered my first shampoo bar from Chagrin Valley. I'm so excited. It's a full bar of Cafe Moreno.

For while I've been washing once a week following with a [cooled] strong coffee rinse and ACV rinse to seal the color and restore any lost pH. It's done wonders for my hair! I never realized how dry it's been in the past. Now that I'm getting the "coffee bar" I'm excited to see how it works compared to the typical coffee rinse.

I'm a natural brunette, by the way. I've noticed that it makes my hair slightly redder in the sunlight, but other than that, I don't notice a difference color wise.

[linuxgirl]

Success! I tried CV bars at the end of last year, and after miserably sticky, oily hair no matter what I did, gave up. Recently I cut my hair and layered it to take out lots of bulk, and during a flare-up of my "scale-palm-syndrome" (my skin plaques, scales, and flakes off with SLS products, eeww), had it and tried a shampoo bar from plainjaneskincare on Etsy. It was very basic and cleansing, and I didn't have the problem I had with CV! Very happy.

It got me so excited I decided to give CV another whirl, and to my sheer delight, FINALLY I know what everyone's been raving about! My hair hasn't looked this good in forever, and I seriously don't need a vinegar rinse or conditioner for my coarse hair (keeping in mind I have quite soft water). Here's the ones I've tried and my opinion:

CV Extra Honey - Love it. Nice clean and warm honey-ish smell, great lather, great moisture, great lightness to hair, mild protein treatment, hard bar, WONDERFUL glistening shine. Adds bounce and end curls.

CV Rosemary Mint - Love even more! Nice, pretty minty smell with tingly freshness. Creamy, easy lather, amazing moisture, hair feels light, very hard/long lasting bar, good shine. Leaves oils behind even with good lather/rinse techniques, but left oils are light, not sticky, and distribute through hair well with a finger comb while wet. Great for thick, fat, chemically treated hair; hair feels amazing, light but moist, but less body than Extra Honey.

CV Olive & Babassu - Looks moisturizing on paper, but contains too much lathering/cleansing, going by SoapCalc. This surprised me at first since it's said here to be the most nourishing, but then I noticed it's also listed under the oily hair recommendations. Impressive lather, but drying. For clarifying only.

I'm so glad I've gotten them to work for me, so here are some additional steps for success/ideas to try for people who are desperate as I was:

1) Get a haircut. If you can't stand to lose the length, consider a few layers. It's pure hell trying to lather and rinse a soap base through very abudant hair, and I never had success without doing this. You have to use so much of the bar anyway that it gets un-economical really fast.

2) Break free of the fear of bubbles. Drugstore shampoo has gotten me afraid of a mountain of fluffy bubbles on my head.. it always means horrifying, tangly hair! But the ration of cleansers to free oils remains the same for the bars no matter how much you use, so you really must lather large and loud to cover it all! Manderly's lathering technique works great for even distribution. I was shy with the lather and never managed to thoroughly lather and mix the soap so it would rinse clean.

Happy hair days to everyone! :cheese:

[nueinsel]

Just checking in again to say that I finally tried the Babassu and Marsh Mallow bar and I am Loving it. My hair is very soft but not at all limp, it's as shiny as with the Coconut Milk bar, and it's got a decent amount of slip, plus no residue at all. I think this may be my new favorite. I meant to post a run-down of my experiences with the other bars (all from CV) I've tried this summer like you, linuxgirl, but I may put it off for awhile.

[Tyrinaniel]

Gah you two are making all antsy for my order to come home!

[Eden Iris]

Anyone tried the bars from HennaSooq yet?

[Tyrinaniel]

I'm new to the organic hair stuff, so I haven't. I keep reading this thread, though :)

I've just received my CV "coffee bar" so I'll rave about it later on today :D Is it silly to feel all excited over a shambar? I feel like a little kid :rolleyes:

[linuxgirl]

Haha, no, it's not weird to be excited over shampoo bars! I made it through Christmas and New Years' last year, thus a massive delay in posting, and when they finally arrived, I'm pretty sure I danced around in my underwear. :D

Let us know how you like it!

[Tyrinaniel]

Hehe, yay.

I've used it once already and I love it! I may need to do some washes sooner than a week because my hair needs to get used to only using this shampoo, and I think I was too shy to lather more than I did.

[wizboo]

I am new to shampoo bars and my hair likes SLS, so I decided to try the Lush shampoo bars. I use squeaky green which has a lovely herbal scent, and leaves my hair soft and clean.

I am really enjoying it so far, and I do use conditioner afterwards. I wash once or twice depending on how greasy my hair is, I ususally wash every 3 days.

One of you guys mentioned Lush shampoo bars have started to reduce the amount of SLS, and I can't wait to try some different ones.

My name is wizboo and I am a shampoo bar addict!!!

[Tyrinaniel]

I'm new to it all also :) But I'll most likely be an addict also! *hugs* I should try lush and see which ones I like best. I love the smell of the bar I bought. I should buy the extra honey next time, since it's the most popular from CV.

I love herbal scents! If there's a way to buy a sample, I'll do it :)

[missbexy]

Sorry if someone has asked this already but does anyone have any idea how much shipping to the UK from CV costs? I'm thinking of ordering a couple of their trial bars but I need to know how much shipping to UK will be to know what I can afford to get.

[Tyrinaniel]

What I did to check the shipping is go through as if I'd buy it, then see what the total came out to before I did the money stuff. The bar was $6.50 and the shipping (inside US) for me was $5 something. I bought it in the envelope shipping. Flat rate envelope worked great for me. Not sure how it would work for the UK, but I'd think there's one similar.

[florenonite]

Sorry if someone has asked this already but does anyone have any idea how much shipping to the UK from CV costs? I'm thinking of ordering a couple of their trial bars but I need to know how much shipping to UK will be to know what I can afford to get.

I imagine you can get the flat rate shipping from CV to the UK, which would cost $12.95 (about £7.80), and that will get you 7 full-size or 16 sample bars.

I haven't bought CV bars, but I bought a lovely bar from here (http://www.theremustbeabetterway.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?page=search&SS=shampoo+bar&search.x=0&search.y=0&search=ACTION&PR=-1&TB=A) (the Trevarno Rosemary one). The shipping cost £1.50, for a total cost of £4.45, so that could be an option if the CV's too expensive.

[missbexy]

Thank you both for your help :)

[linuxgirl]

Gah, the CV bars have stopped playing nice. I have to really work to get a cleansing lather with them, and no matter how thoroughly I lather, there's greasiness when I rinse. I'm not having that problem with my other bar, and it persists vinegar rinse or no.

I regret getting too excited and spending the money knowing they hadn't worked before, but I just wanted so badly to get the great results everyone went on about. I just ordered some samples from Sweet Creek Herbs and will update with how I like them. In the meantime I'll try to work out some solution.

I guess the downfall of CV is that is that they try really hard to make a luxury formula, but with so many different and exotic ingredients in each bar that even users that like a certain bar find that their hair reacts badly to one/some of them randomly.

[Tyrinaniel]

Well, nothing works the same for everyone. Hair can be just as different as anything else. Like my mom can't use the same lipbalm as others, or she'll break out. Or those who are allergic to nickel and can only wear silver/gold. I wouldn't say CV is doing anything wrong, it's just that your hair needs special treatment ;)

[florenonite]

Gah, the CV bars have stopped playing nice. I have to really work to get a cleansing lather with them, and no matter how thoroughly I lather, there's greasiness when I rinse. I'm not having that problem with my other bar, and it persists vinegar rinse or no.

I regret getting too excited and spending the money knowing they hadn't worked before, but I just wanted so badly to get the great results everyone went on about. I just ordered some samples from Sweet Creek Herbs and will update with how I like them. In the meantime I'll try to work out some solution.

I guess the downfall of CV is that is that they try really hard to make a luxury formula, but with so many different and exotic ingredients in each bar that even users that like a certain bar find that their hair reacts badly to one/some of them randomly.

Use them on your body. I use my shampoo bar to shave; it's great because it means I've only got one shower product :D

[linuxgirl]

I did figure out a solution! I can't believe I've read this whole thread through and spaced on one thing.. clarifying. It didn't hit me till I woke up today with an itchy scalp and little white flakes. Of course.

I mixed my favorite mild SLS store shampoo and an equal amount of baking soda. It lathered decadently, and I lathered for a good 2 minutes and rinsed. I followed up with one lather of the Extra Honey bar, which usually left my hair weighed down and greasy.. but lord knows after clarifying I needed the moisture! It rinsed out perfectly, and I massaged a small amount of cone-free condish through my hair and rinsed it out with a mild vinegar rinse.

Feels clean, wonderful, and full of body, and no lingering soapy smell or residue. I was afraid of the stripping effects of clarifying, but baking soda is amazingly effective but kind to hair. I know what to do now before complaining about the bars not working. :o

[kdaniels8811]

I ended up using my shampoo bars as body wash, my hair apparently hates any type of soap and responds well to herbs only. And some of those shampoo bars smell SO good!

[ooo]

i've got the brunette shampoo soap from vihreä kosmetiikka. it does really work here.

at the moment i'm also using to solid shampoos from lush.
trichomania is perfect without extra conditioning afterwards and godiva does work perfect with preconditioning. the smell is extraordinary and so intensive it fills the whole bathroom.

i can not say whether these three are good in hard water regions or not.

[rose_in_bloom]

Now that my hair is back to being short (had to cut due to damage), I can use my shampoo bars!! :D They work SO perfectly on my hair when it's short. So I'm going to keep using them until my hair gets too long. (Unfortunately, when my hair is anywhere past shoulder length, I get horrible gunk and soap scum on my length.)

[Zindell]

Hi again shampoo bar users!

So far I have been ordering soaps from Chagrin Valley but someone on another forum directed me to a a swedish site where I can order a shampoo bar called J.R. Liggett's. I understand it's made from an old recipe found in a cookbook in New England/USA many years ago.

http://www.simplynatural.se/a.asp?cidx=808
(Don't mind the swedish, you might recognize the soap on the picture I hope)

Any of you have any experience of this soap? Is it worth a try? :)

[Madame J]

JR Liggett is my bar of choice, but mostly because it's reasonably priced and I can buy it in my local health food store without paying shipping. But I think you can order them from LuckyVitamin.com, as well as from the JR Liggett website (I always just Google it). I've used the Tea Tree and Hemp Oil formula, and the Herbal formula, and I have a bar of the Original formula to try next (was on sale). I've liked the two that I've used very much, and the owner of the company responded to an email I sent him to let me know that all the soaps have pretty much the same base. They're fragranced with EOs, and clean very very well without leaving my hair feeling stripped. I do have to follow with an acid rinse, but that's how my hair is with all soap-based cleansing. HTH.

[Chanteuse87]

Hey all! After reading a lot (if not all) of this giant thread, I finally broke down and spent some of my poor-college-student fund on a few samples from CV :cheese: I have very fine hair, but a lot of it, greasy scalp and dry length. I also think I'm even wavier than previously suspected, but I haven't played around with that much yet.


Anyway, as for shampoo samples, I got some of the Citrus Chamomile, and some of the Rosemary Lavender Aloe. I also couldn't say no to her soaps, and as I've been dealing with very stubborn acne since I was 7 (we're talking three rounds of Accutane, innumerable topicals, thousands of dollars spent, and no cure) I got some of the Neem and Tea Tree, and then some of the Cucumber Lime for something a bit more moisturizing.

Since I know we have hard water where I live, I will come armed with an ACV rinse, and I can't wait for my package to arrive!!! Prior to this, I've been mostly CO, using an SLS shampoo whenever my hair feels too icky. I also must wash my scalp every day, otherwise it's a greasy mess (I've tried stretching washes), and the length needs to be at least misted, otherwise it's much too dry. Here's hoping that CV will be just what I've been looking for!

[marikamt]

I just bought my first shampoo bar... can't wait to try it tomorrow.. it is from a local company called Just Soap... the bar I bought is rosemary and the ingredients are Saponified Castor, Almond and Jojoba oil and Aloe. They are cruelty free and don't even use electricity to make them (they use a bicycle to power blade in the vat.
I am really excited!!!!!

I lied.... It is not local, I just thought it was... it is made in MA... but still cool!

[Zindell]

JR Liggett is my bar of choice, but mostly because it's reasonably priced and I can buy it in my local health food store without paying shipping. But I think you can order them from LuckyVitamin.com, as well as from the JR Liggett website (I always just Google it). I've used the Tea Tree and Hemp Oil formula, and the Herbal formula, and I have a bar of the Original formula to try next (was on sale). I've liked the two that I've used very much, and the owner of the company responded to an email I sent him to let me know that all the soaps have pretty much the same base. They're fragranced with EOs, and clean very very well without leaving my hair feeling stripped. I do have to follow with an acid rinse, but that's how my hair is with all soap-based cleansing. HTH.

Thanks Madame J! I will definatly order and try it out then. :)

Edit:
Actually... just did my order. :-D

[linuxgirl]

i've got the brunette shampoo soap from vihreä kosmetiikka. it does really work here.

at the moment i'm also using to solid shampoos from lush.
trichomania is perfect without extra conditioning afterwards and godiva does work perfect with preconditioning. the smell is extraordinary and so intensive it fills the whole bathroom.

i can not say whether these three are good in hard water regions or not.

Hi, I'm an American living in Tampere. I've actually been wanting to ask someone how the vihreä kosmetiikka bars work. Do you like them better/worse than other kinds? I might pick some up to try (hey, it'll save on shipping!), but I'm curious how they are on the cleansing/moisture scale since I have ridiculously thick coarse hair. :)

[whiteisle]

I've finally gotten around to using CV bars (had only tried PLH) and I'm sooooooo in love! So far I have sampled Babassu & Marshmallow, Cafe Moreno, and my new found favorite Extra Honey, Beer & Egg (this one gets a big WOW from me ~ unbelievably soft, silky hair!) I've got about 5 other samples to try. I'm already loading my shopping cart again with full sized bars. :D

Sorry, just had to rave!

[ooo]

i've got the brunette shampoo soap from vihreä kosmetiikka. it does really work here.


Hi, I'm an American living in Tampere. I've actually been wanting to ask someone how the vihreä kosmetiikka bars work. Do you like them better/worse than other kinds? I might pick some up to try (hey, it'll save on shipping!), but I'm curious how they are on the cleansing/moisture scale since I have ridiculously thick coarse hair. :)

i'm an austrian living in turku. so far i like the brunette bar. i can only compare it to several lush bars. most lush bars aren’t as good as this one! it's cleaning and moisturizing perfectly well. i will run some more tests with the brunette soap in the future, because until now i only used it solo without any rinse, treatment or anything.

[rose_in_bloom]

Does anybody use Chagrin Valley soaps as a shampoo instead of the shampoo bars? Are they cleansing enough? I'd like to use them as sort of a CO wash. I know people use the soaps as a conditioner.

TIA for any input/advice! :)

[linuxgirl]

I just got my samples from Sweet Creek Herbs two days ago.

I grabbed a marshmallow root shampoo sample and hopped into the shower. Holy mother of Ra, I am completely in love. I simply cannot believe the magnificent, creamy, luxurious lather. With the CV bars and my other Etsy-merchant soap, it takes a good effort and a good chunk off the bar to get a good lather. Not like this, at all!

These bars are HARD. They do not goop up in the shower, and I swear I made hardly a dent in my sample slice while getting more lather than an SLS shampoo. Value for money for sure, and especially good for hard water!

I was a bit skeptical because that much lather left my hair feeling a bit tangled and almost ratty, despite a lime rinse. But, to my surprise, the most fantastic thing.. my hair was absolute bliss to the touch. I keep stroking it in disbelief! It's like my first time using a shampoo bar, except when I pull my hand away, there's not a layer of oil picked up from my hair. These rinse clean, clean, and clean. I think it's the silk molecules she adds or something. It's brilliant.

They're my new fave, and I don't honestly think I can bring myself to use my other bars! I definitely recommend them, especially to people who want to indoctrinate others (as these are truly easy to use) or have hard water/have problems with residue from other bars. :D

[swirlytresses]

Does anybody use Chagrin Valley soaps as a shampoo instead of the shampoo bars? Are they cleansing enough? I'd like to use them as sort of a CO wash. I know people use the soaps as a conditioner.

TIA for any input/advice! :)

:waving: I do! I use both the shampoo and soap bars in my hair and find that they work well. I think, for me anyway, the soaps are a bit more moisturizing than the poo bars. I prefer the soap bars in the winter because of this. :)

[Canarygirl]

Does anybody use Chagrin Valley soaps as a shampoo instead of the shampoo bars? Are they cleansing enough? I'd like to use them as sort of a CO wash. I know people use the soaps as a conditioner.

TIA for any input/advice! :)
__________________

I do. I only use CV bars about once a week to wash (alternating with CO or "low poo"), but the soap version work just as well for me as the shampoo version,

[Canarygirl]

I just got my samples from Sweet Creek Herbs two days ago.

I grabbed a marshmallow root shampoo sample and hopped into the shower. Holy mother of Ra, I am completely in love. I simply cannot believe the magnificent, creamy, luxurious lather. With the CV bars and my other Etsy-merchant soap, it takes a good effort and a good chunk off the bar to get a good lather. Not like this, at all!

These bars are HARD. They do not goop up in the shower, and I swear I made hardly a dent in my sample slice while getting more lather than an SLS shampoo. Value for money for sure, and especially good for hard water!

I was a bit skeptical because that much lather left my hair feeling a bit tangled and almost ratty, despite a lime rinse. But, to my surprise, the most fantastic thing.. my hair was absolute bliss to the touch. I keep stroking it in disbelief! It's like my first time using a shampoo bar, except when I pull my hand away, there's not a layer of oil picked up from my hair. These rinse clean, clean, and clean. I think it's the silk molecules she adds or something. It's brilliant.

I wonder how there can be so much lather compared to the CV bars? Could it be just from a lack of oil in the bar in comparison to CV formulas? Are all ingredients in the SC bars listed on the website?

It's also interesting that you and others report hair feeling tangly after shampoo bar washing, but soft and smooth once it's dry. Linuxgirl, what is your hair texture and would you say that it is porous or non-porous? My hair is fine and porous so using shampoo bars without a lot of conditioner and/or leave-in leaves my hair super floaty and fly-away.

[marikamt]

I wonder how there can be so much lather compared to the CV bars? Could it be just from a lack of oil in the bar in comparison to CV formulas? Are all ingredients in the SC bars listed on the website?

It's also interesting that you and others report hair feeling tangly after shampoo bar washing, but soft and smooth once it's dry. Linuxgirl, what is your hair texture and would you say that it is porous or non-porous? My hair is fine and porous so using shampoo bars without a lot of conditioner and/or leave-in leaves my hair super floaty and fly-away.


I am very new to this whole 'poo bar thing... just bought my first bar and started using it... I was shocked, because I thought it would not lather or leave me feeling conditioned, but it did! Mine was an sls free, with saponified castor, almond and jojoba oil, rosemary and aloe.
I am a convert! I love it!

[Velouria]

I wonder how there can be so much lather compared to the CV bars? Could it be just from a lack of oil in the bar in comparison to CV formulas? Are all ingredients in the SC bars listed on the website?


Kathleen lists all ingredients. Her bars are true cold-process soaps. Here's a link, click on the listings for individual bars ingredients.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6293890&section_id=5660546

I believe that coconut and castor oils make up a higher percentage of the saponified oils in SCH bars than CV. These oils are known for providing a hard, lathering bar that rinses well. There was speculation on this thread that castor oil was part of the reason why so many people get such awful buildup with CV bars, but that makes no sense if you read about the properties of saponified oils...castor is known for clean rinsing. It has nothing to do with how the un-saponified oil behaves, it's a different ingredient once saponified.

I'm not sure why CV bars create such gunk....they do so in my water even on skin, and worse than any other handmade soaps I've ever tried. Maybe it's all the butters (cocoa, shea, mango, etc.) she uses in her bases, I don't know. I know that none of the SCH bars that I've tried contain butters. One of the 14 bars she currently sells does contain some shea, but it's pretty low on the ingredient list.

I don't think it's just a matter of oily vs. dry hair, either. My hair is frizzy, dry, and curly and CV bars were awful on it. SCH works fantastically.

[marikamt]

I thought the CV bars were supposed to be great??/ I just ordered 3 full size bars.... :(
I was loving my new 'poo bar experience so much I went all out..... I ordered the Herb Garden, Cafe Moreno and Babassu Marsh Mallow. Am I going to be unhappy w/ them? Oh, and I was so excited!

[Velouria]

Well, many people love them, but there are also many of us that had bad experiences with them. I'd say that it's pretty much a toss-up.

ETA: Also, of the people on LHC that say that their hair didn't like shampoo bars, a sizable percentage have only tried CV.

[Hedera]

I thought the CV bars were supposed to be great??/ I just ordered 3 full size bars.... :(
I was loving my new 'poo bar experience so much I went all out..... I ordered the Herb Garden, Cafe Moreno and Babassu Marsh Mallow. Am I going to be unhappy w/ them? Oh, and I was so excited!


I absolutely LOVE them; I've tried all sorts of cleansing methods, from home made egg shampoos to CO and herbal washes, and the CV bars are by far my favorites.

They don't work for everyone, of course (I don't think anything does) , but they work really well for a lot of people.

Herb Garden is one of my top-3 bars, and I rather like the other ones, too.

I can't see myself every using anyting else to wash with ever again.
:inlove:

[linuxgirl]

Canarygirl:

"I wonder how there can be so much lather compared to the CV bars? Could it be just from a lack of oil in the bar in comparison to CV formulas?"

I'm going to agree with Velouria. I think the reason some people have problems with lather/residue with CV is because it uses a lot more heavy conditioning oils and butters. Some peoples' hair likes it and they have no problems, but even in my soft water I can't get them to rinse out nicely without leaving my hands coated in oil later.

"Linuxgirl, what is your hair texture and would you say that it is porous or non-porous? My hair is fine and porous so using shampoo bars without a lot of conditioner and/or leave-in leaves my hair super floaty and fly-away."

My texture is absurdly thick and coarse (native american) and has a tendency to absorb too much dye, so I believe it's porous. As for the tangly feeling, it wasn't really bad -- it just felt way more clean/stripped than other bars left it. But it dried softer and cleaner than bars that leave a moisturized, slippy feeling. In my experience so far it seems, if you don't have a very clean, draggy, squeaky head after shampooing with a bar, there's a good chance there's still soap/excessive oil residue. HTH.

[marikamt]

I absolutely LOVE them; I've tried all sorts of cleansing methods, from home made egg shampoos to CO and herbal washes, and the CV bars are by far my favorites.

They don't work for everyone, of course (I don't think anything does) , but they work really well for a lot of people.

Herb Garden is one of my top-3 bars, and I rather like the other ones, too.

I can't see myself every using anyting else to wash with ever again.
:inlove:

well that makes me happier... especially since our hair type description is similar... I have only used my shampoo bar for a week and bought it local (not CV), but I really like it... the only reason I ordered CV was for the different flavors......

Also, I ACV rinsed the first time and did not the next two... I liked it both ways......

[Tyrinaniel]

I did figure out a solution! I can't believe I've read this whole thread through and spaced on one thing.. clarifying. It didn't hit me till I woke up today with an itchy scalp and little white flakes. Of course.

I mixed my favorite mild SLS store shampoo and an equal amount of baking soda. It lathered decadently, and I lathered for a good 2 minutes and rinsed. I followed up with one lather of the Extra Honey bar, which usually left my hair weighed down and greasy.. but lord knows after clarifying I needed the moisture! It rinsed out perfectly, and I massaged a small amount of cone-free condish through my hair and rinsed it out with a mild vinegar rinse.

Feels clean, wonderful, and full of body, and no lingering soapy smell or residue. I was afraid of the stripping effects of clarifying, but baking soda is amazingly effective but kind to hair. I know what to do now before complaining about the bars not working. :oI'm glad you said that about clarifying. I think that's what I need too. I have an oily scalp so I've done scalp washes. I'm also considering using baby shampoo on my hair so that it's still gentle. My dad was a long hair in the 70's and he recalls women using that for long hair. He was very careful with his hair also. I just love how it's my dad who was a long hair once :D

[Canarygirl]

baby shampoo is not gentle it is highly alkaline ("baby" shampoo is a misnomer)

[Tyrinaniel]

I guess i'll just do what Linuxgirl did lol

[florenonite]

baby shampoo is not gentle it is highly alkaline ("baby" shampoo is a misnomer)

It's not a misnomer; it's for babies and is meant to be gentle on the eyes. Hence its pH is similar to that of tears, which is 7.4.

[Velouria]

Yeah, it's a myth that baby shampoo is highly alkaline. It's not acidic, that's all, which most detergent shampoos are. It's just barely on the alkaline side of neutral, which is gentlest on the eyes.

It's considerably less alkaline than soap. When I use it (which I sometimes do for my version of "clarifying") I follow with a very mildly acidic rinse, less citric acid than what I use after shampoo bars.

[Velouria]

well that makes me happier... especially since our hair type description is similar... I have only used my shampoo bar for a week and bought it local (not CV), but I really like it... the only reason I ordered CV was for the different flavors......

Also, I ACV rinsed the first time and did not the next two... I liked it both ways......

What brand/variety is the bar you've been using?

[marikamt]

What brand/variety is the bar you've been using?

I bought one I thought was local, but turned out to be from MA. It is called Just Soap, they have a website, it is http://www.justsoap.com/
I like it quite a bit, it lathers well, I feel no residue (course I have only used it a hand full of times).
The ingredients listed in the pamphlet are
Saponified Castor, almond and jojoba oil, rosemary and aloe.

[ll]

Has anyone tried Henna Sooq's Cocoveda or Argan Oil shampoo bars? What did you think?:)

[Chanteuse87]

Woo hoo! My CV sample bars came, and I just washed today with the Citrus Chamomile. I was pleasantly surprised with the lather, there was a ton :) I washed twice, then did a vinegar rinse, and didn't use any leave-ins to see what would happen. My hair was super easy to detangle, and when it dried it had about twice its usual volume. The only thing is that my curlier (hence, more dry) ends didn't feel very moisturized. I think that a dab of conditioner might just take care of that.

I'm hoping shampoo bars will help me to cut down on sebum production, since CO, while cleansing, still required me to wash my scalp every day (otherwise it would be wet looking, lank, separated, pretty gross). In any case, I was relieved that the CV bars seem to work pretty well for me, although I'll probably wait a month or so to see if any unforeseen problems arise.

[Sissy]

Does anybody use Chagrin Valley soaps as a shampoo instead of the shampoo bars? Are they cleansing enough? I'd like to use them as sort of a CO wash. I know people use the soaps as a conditioner.

TIA for any input/advice! :)

I tried using their soaps instead of their shampoo bars and it did not work for me. My hair works best with their Herb Garden and Marshmallow shampoo bars. The only soap bar I tried on my hair was the Honey Butter one.

[Canarygirl]

I tried using their soaps instead of their shampoo bars and it did not work for me. My hair works best with their Herb Garden and Marshmallow shampoo bars. The only soap bar I tried on my hair was the Honey Butter one.


The honey butter bar is the richest, most moisturizing bar they make IIRC. Some people use it as a conditioner. So if that's the only soap bar you trie I can understand why it didn't work for you. I like the carrot & honey complexion bar on my hair (when I'm doing a soap bar rotation...mostly I do "CO" or low poo) :)

[Aries_jb]

I've used Shea Rose Clay as a shampoo bar with good results.

[rose_in_bloom]

I ordered samples of Babassu & Marshmallow, Olive Babassu, and Carrot Milk and Honey shampoo bars. They arrived yesterday, and I tried out the Olive Babassu this morning. It just might be my new favorite bar! :) My ends were feeling really dry for the last week or two, even though I've been oiling almost daily. I thought a more moisturizing bar might help, and it did! My ends are still a tad dry, but a drop of oil took care of it.

I'm excited to try the others too!

[Gingevere]

Just tried a shampoo bar for the first time. I used Longhairlover's Luxe Shea-mu shampoo. I loved the lather, a result of the coconut oil, I'm sure. The non-SLS shampoos I've been using for the past year or so never lather like that. I rinsed, then lathered once more and rinse again. My hair felt squeaky clean for the first time in months. I followed that with Dr. Bronner's Shikakai rinse, which I've also never used before. Probably not a good idea to try two new things at once, but I wanted to do a clarifying rinse and I don't have any cider vinegar around. The directions said to rinse well, so I did and my hair felt very, very squeaky.

Following my shower, I tried to detangle my hair as usual, but found it too difficult. I put a turbie on and waited about ten minutes. Boy, oh boy, was my hair a mess after that. The tangles were insane, so I gave in and put quite a bit of jojoba oil on the length to help me combat the tangles with my comb.

My hair is about 50% dry now, and feels very grubby. It's also lacking the glossy sheen that follows my normal catnip rinse in the shower. I know that these results are to be expected initially, of course. But I'm wondering if I'm one of the few people who needs to condition instead of clarify. Or is it too soon to tell? :confused: Any thoughts?

[rose_in_bloom]

McKanna - sorry your hair didn't like the shampoo bar. :( I've never tried Longhairlovers, so I don't know anything about their bars. I've also never tried the Dr. Bronner's rinse, but I've heard that it's very drying. Maybe try a vinegar rinse instead when you have some around?

If that doesn't work, I'd recommend trying a different brand of shampoo bars like Chagrin Valley.

Hope this helps!

[masterofmidgets]

My hair is about 50% dry now, and feels very grubby. It's also lacking the glossy sheen that follows my normal catnip rinse in the shower. I know that these results are to be expected initially, of course. But I'm wondering if I'm one of the few people who needs to condition instead of clarify. Or is it too soon to tell? :confused: Any thoughts?

That sounds like what a lot of people on here experience when they don't know or don't bother to use an acid rinse after they use a shampoo bar. I've never used Dr. Bronner's, but maybe next time around try a vinegar rinse/citric acid rinse instead?

And if you do need to condition, don't feel bad - even with a moisturizing bar I've never been able to get away without using conditioner, or I end up with hair that looks like it could eat small animals. ;)

[Madame J]

That sounds like what a lot of people on here experience when they don't know or don't bother to use an acid rinse after they use a shampoo bar. I've never used Dr. Bronner's, but maybe next time around try a vinegar rinse/citric acid rinse instead?

And if you do need to condition, don't feel bad - even with a moisturizing bar I've never been able to get away without using conditioner, or I end up with hair that looks like it could eat small animals. ;)

Dr. Bronner's is basically a citric acid rinse, I'm pretty sure. It could be, however, that the other ingredients in the rinse coated the hair or prevented the rinsing of soap buildup, and the particular acid was too drying for the hair.

McKanna, what was your dilution of the rinse? I know that I have to dilute 5% acidity apple cider vinegar in a 1:8 ratio of ACV:water to get a good result. If the Dr. Bronner's rinse has a similar acidity, that means using just 2 Tbsp. in a cup of water. It's possible that it's more acidic, which would require more dilution.

I'm going to go with the standard advice and suggest you try it with a dilute vinegar rinse to make sure it wasn't the rinse that caused problems, or even without a rinse at all, if you feel like experimenting. It looks like the Shea-Mu bar has acidic ingredients added after the initial hot-process saponification, so it may be less alkaline than other bars. Good luck!

[linuxgirl]

Along with the other great suggestions, I'd try adding a little bit of conditioner before you rinse. For me, this added just the extra kick to detangle and worked nicely with the mild acid rinse. When I use SCH bars, I can use even my salon (cone-containing) conditioner without problems.

So, don't be afraid to condition, a little or a lot! It's great that shampoo bars are non-drying and add a kiss of moisture, but for many people, it's still not enough to calm their manes. :)

[Aries_jb]

I also always use conditioner. I need something to provide slip so that I can detangle my hair.

[talervo]

I've only tried CV bars so far. I really like using the Aloe soap bar with a light CA rinse. The shampoo bars just seem to dry my hair out too much. We live in a really dry, high altitude environment, which is probably why I can use the superfatted bars.

[Liave Ekeli]

I'm completely new to shampoo bars, and just bought my first bars from CV yesterday. I'm really excited about finally trying something new for my hair, and I'm hoping that the CV bars will work as good on my hair as they have done on so many others'.

[marikamt]

I'm completely new to shampoo bars, and just bought my first bars from CV yesterday. I'm really excited about finally trying something new for my hair, and I'm hoping that the CV bars will work as good on my hair as they have done on so many others'.

I ordered my CV bars at the end of last week and CAN"T WAIT!!!!! I swear I have run the mailbox a gazillion times..... :lol:

[Liave Ekeli]

I ordered my CV bars at the end of last week and CAN"T WAIT!!!!! I swear I have run the mailbox a gazillion times..... :lol:

Glad to see I'm not the only one! I don't think they've sent mine yet though, and I live in Norway, which is quite a long way away, so it could take a while for the package to arrive. But I don't want to wait!
What kinds did you order?

[marikamt]

I ordered the Herb Garden, Cafe Moreno and Babassu Marsh Mallow. I know mine probably won't be here until the end of the week, but patience is not my strong suite.... :)

[Liave Ekeli]

I know how you feel :)
I ordered the chamomile/citrus and neem/tea tree shampoo bars, as well as the peppermint twist soap and a sample of the rhassoul/yogurt one, plus a lip balm.
It may be a bit bold to order that many as a first timer, since I have no idea if my hair is going to like them or not, but I figured that to make the shipping worthwhile I might as well try a couple of different ones :p

[marikamt]

I know... I couldn't decide which "flavors" to get... so I got them all :D I want to get the new Ayurvedic Herb one too... although I probably have enough to last me a year.... I wish I had gotten the Dog shampoo for my pooch too....
They have a lot of great looking stuff.....

[Gingevere]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I usually don't wash my hair two days in a row, but I got my hands on some ACV and I wanted to this whole shampoo bar thing again. Wow... what a difference! My hair is clean, shiny and happy once more. The gunk is gone! I also didn't need to add any oil to help with the tangles- I just didn't rinse out the ACV rinse completely. I do think that some conditioner or jojoba would do my hair some good, though. The strands feels just a little bit "stripped."

I think the problem first time around was the combination of that Dr. Bronner's rinse, which is mostly citrus, and the large helping of jojoba my hair received post-shower. Guess they weren't too fond of each other. Anyway, I like this Shea-mu stuff so far, but there are few CV samples on their way here as we speak. Nettle and herb garden... can't wait! :D

[linuxgirl]

"Glad to see I'm not the only one! I don't think they've sent mine yet though, and I live in Norway, which is quite a long way away, so it could take a while for the package to arrive. But I don't want to wait!"

I live in Finland, and CV bars get here crazy fast. It's always been 7 postal days at the most, usually more like 5 or 6. Scandinavian ladies seem to get our goodies really quickly when it comes to international orders. :)

I'm excited for you!

[Liave Ekeli]

I live in Finland, and CV bars get here crazy fast. It's always been 7 postal days at the most, usually more like 5 or 6. Scandinavian ladies seem to get our goodies really quickly when it comes to international orders. :)

I'm excited for you!

Oh, that's awesome. Now I'm even more excited:lol:

[Tinose]

I've been using the shampoo bars in general for a while now and love them, but I just tried the apple soap bar as a conditioner last night and just...wow. It's quite probably the best conditioner I've ever used, and my hair just feels wonderfully soft and thick today. Considering I was just about ready to toss it out for being too drying for the rest of my body, I'm thrilled!

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

How do CV's Marshmallow and Babassu bars measure up to their Olive & Babassu bars? are they as moisturizing or more so?

I am finding I need a good heavy oil/moisturizing bar for my hair.. otherwise its full of flyaways and frizz!

[marikamt]

Oh- I just got my bars in the mail!!!!!!!! I am looking, touching, sniffing... washed earlier but kinda wanna wash again now that I have my new bars....... even made DH sniff and he laughed at me :D
I am so doing the happy dance right now..... :disco:

[metal_sugar]

I washed my hair with CV Scarborough Fair soap today. My hair loved it. It's been really cold out these past few days so we've had to switch the heat on. My hair went a bit dry so I figured I'd try one of the CV soaps for extra moisture. Worked like a dream.

It's so weird, I have 7-8 different shampoo bars and who knows how many different soaps on rotation (Chagrin Valley and Sweet Creek Herbs), and it is hard to remember how I dealt with my hair before them. Now before I wash my hair, I assess its needs and pick a bar that suits for that day, whereas before I used the same bottle no matter what my hair was like and needed.

But yes, Scarborough Fair people, it works.

[marikamt]

So just so I am clear (since I am new to all this "bar" stuff......)
The actual soaps from CV are more moisturizing than the 'poo bars?

[RedJen]

I thought the CV bars were supposed to be great??/ I just ordered 3 full size bars.... :(
I was loving my new 'poo bar experience so much I went all out..... I ordered the Herb Garden, Cafe Moreno and Babassu Marsh Mallow. Am I going to be unhappy w/ them? Oh, and I was so excited!

I LOVE my CV bars! The olive/babassu is my favorite, but I also like the summery citrus ones. I also appreciate that she has so many vegan varieties. None of the Sweet Creek ones were vegan last time I checked.


I washed my hair with CV Scarborough Fair soap today. My hair loved it. It's been really cold out these past few days so we've had to switch the heat on. My hair went a bit dry so I figured I'd try one of the CV soaps for extra moisture. Worked like a dream.

It's so weird, I have 7-8 different shampoo bars and who knows how many different soaps on rotation (Chagrin Valley and Sweet Creek Herbs), and it is hard to remember how I dealt with my hair before them. Now before I wash my hair, I assess its needs and pick a bar that suits for that day, whereas before I used the same bottle no matter what my hair was like and needed.

But yes, Scarborough Fair people, it works.

I love the idea of a "shampoo bar wardrobe"! If the Scarborough Fair is vegan, I might try that one on my next order!

I had a bit of trouble adjusting to the bars at first, but now I have it down! I use a commercial conditioner from the ears down, then lather up one or two times on the scalp, let the suds run down. Then I do a citric acid rinse, let it sit for a minute or two, then rinse out. My hair has never looked better! And I can get away without the conditioner if I want!

[Liave Ekeli]

Oh- I just got my bars in the mail!!!!!!!! I am looking, touching, sniffing... washed earlier but kinda wanna wash again now that I have my new bars....... even made DH sniff and he laughed at me :D
I am so doing the happy dance right now..... :disco:

Aww, good for you :) I'm still waiting on mine, but I know they've been shipped, so hopefully they'll be here some time next week. I can't wait! I'm going to end up taking the longest shower, just to test everything out.

[Tinose]

So just so I am clear (since I am new to all this "bar" stuff......)
The actual soaps from CV are more moisturizing than the 'poo bars?
Yep. By a lot. Even the most moisturizing shampoo bar I've tried so far hasn't been nearly as moisturizing as the most drying soap I've tried. (Granted, I haven't tried any of the really moisturizing ones yet because my hair tends to be oily.) Well, with the exception of the neem soap and shampoo bar, but that's because that's the only one recommended for both, and that's still pretty non-moisturizing because it's designed to help with acne and scalp problems.

[marikamt]

Yep. By a lot. Even the most moisturizing shampoo bar I've tried so far hasn't been nearly as moisturizing as the most drying soap I've tried. (Granted, I haven't tried any of the really moisturizing ones yet because my hair tends to be oily.) Well, with the exception of the neem soap and shampoo bar, but that's because that's the only one recommended for both, and that's still pretty non-moisturizing because it's designed to help with acne and scalp problems.


Wow- I don;t know why, but that really suprises me.... I would have guessed it was the other way around.... now is this only true w/ sls free soaps and 'poo bars?

[linuxgirl]

"Wow- I don;t know why, but that really suprises me.... I would have guessed it was the other way around.... now is this only true w/ sls free soaps and 'poo bars?"

Yeah, this is the case for soap bars vs. shampoo bars. I know it seems counterintuitive, but shampoo bars must be "superfatted" (this means the soapmaker either adds more oils than the lye can consume, or reduces the lye so that more free oil is left over) LESS than regular soap bars because the hair is naturally oilier and harder to rinse clean than the skin. To make up for it soapers often make sure the oils used are very moisturizing to hair as well as well-lathering, or add lovely additives as in the case of CV. :)

[melikai]

I know a lot of you are big lovers of the CV bars, but I need some honest advice! I'm thinking very seriously of trying out shampoo bars, but I recently had a negative experience with a homemade soap-based shampoo. Does it depend greatly on each type of bar on whether it will work for you or not? For example, my shampoo's base was goat's milk soap. Will I likely have a similar experience with any soap, or do results dramatically vary between soap types?

I just don't want to waste the money if something most likely won't work out for me.

Also: what seem to be the most popular CV bars for people with fine hair on the straighter end of the scale?? The Chamomile and Citrus one is tempting! :D

[Madame J]

I know a lot of you are big lovers of the CV bars, but I need some honest advice! I'm thinking very seriously of trying out shampoo bars, but I recently had a negative experience with a homemade soap-based shampoo. Does it depend greatly on each type of bar on whether it will work for you or not? For example, my shampoo's base was goat's milk soap. Will I likely have a similar experience with any soap, or do results dramatically vary between soap types?

Was it a goat's milk melt and pour soap base? Sometimes those have added detergents that can be unkind to hair. Did it list all ingredients, or was it just labeled "homemade goat's milk soap?" There's a ton of difference between different soap products, so if your hair didn't like one, it may like another. Be warned, however, that plenty of people DON'T like CV bars and prefer another instead (like SCH or something). So even if you do try CV bars and don't like them, that still doesn't mean shampoo bars don't work for your hair.

Also, your hair may hate protein, and goat's milk has plenty of protein in it.

I know I loved my JR Liggett bars, but when I tried a locally-made soap bar, it left my hair stringy and greasy (higher superfat, I imagine), and another bar left my hair very dry. I have pretty resilient hair, so not a lot of drama tends to happen when I switch products, but the differences are distinct.

[kayes]

I ended up ordering a bunch of CV poo bars, I'm soooooo impressed! My hair actually has body by the end of the day, even the next day after sleeping on it. its been a long time since that's been the case. I started with summer sunshine and coconut milk bars, but I wasn't particularly impressed with either... well not as impressed as I am with the ones I ordered after that :P .... I think my hair hates coconut milk. Now I'm using mud and clay and extra honey, beer, and egg. I love how soft the extra honey beer and egg leaves my hair, but I find if I use it more than once in a row, it leaves my hair a little too, limp. I really like the results with mud and clay, and switch it up with the extra honey beer and egg when my hair gets too dry. I'd like to try some more (So far, I've doing what metal_sugar was saying, switching up based on how my hair feels in the morning), I'd love to find something that will leave my hair soft and less frizzy, like I get with the extra honey beer and egg, but that I can use more regularly. I've already ordered a bar of olive babassu... Any other recommendations for ones to try, based on people's experiences?

[kayes]

Also, I've been straightening my hair alot since I started using the poo bars because I find that my once curly, now wavy, hair loses that texture, so it looks better when I've straightened it. Anyone use any bars that are good for curls/waves?

[Aries_jb]

kayes, I find that the healthier my hair is, the curlier it gets, so I while I don't know of a poo bar that's specifically good for curls, maybe the fact that they are more gentle and nourishing will encourage your waves and curls.

I really like CV Nettle and Herb Garden. Right now I'm using Cafe Moreno (CV as well), and it's pretty good for my curls. I'm just not a great fan of the smell, but if spicy clove scents don't bother you, I would try that one too.

[kayes]

Thanks!

I ordered the Nettle bar, along with the olive babassu, and chamomile & citrus, and the chamomile & Calendula soap bar to use as a body soap the other day... so I'll see how the Nettle goes.

I'll keep the herb Garden and Cafe Moreno in mind for next time :)

[melikai]

Was it a goat's milk melt and pour soap base? Sometimes those have added detergents that can be unkind to hair. Did it list all ingredients, or was it just labeled "homemade goat's milk soap?" There's a ton of difference between different soap products, so if your hair didn't like one, it may like another. Be warned, however, that plenty of people DON'T like CV bars and prefer another instead (like SCH or something). So even if you do try CV bars and don't like them, that still doesn't mean shampoo bars don't work for your hair.

Also, your hair may hate protein, and goat's milk has plenty of protein in it.

I know I loved my JR Liggett bars, but when I tried a locally-made soap bar, it left my hair stringy and greasy (higher superfat, I imagine), and another bar left my hair very dry. I have pretty resilient hair, so not a lot of drama tends to happen when I switch products, but the differences are distinct.

Thanks for the reply.
It is a locally-made soap, containing only goat's milk, some essential oils, and lye.
My hair doesn't like protein much, but yet I've been using egg and honey as a "shampoo" and it is loving that?! When my hair responded poorly to protein, I was also in an environment with much harder water, so it may have been that combination.

[kayes]

Strangely, this morning I got up and had the urge to give the coconut milk bar another try. I only tried it a few times... less than with summer sunshine

I thought I'd try clarifying first, using baking soda... having browsed this thread a bit more since, probably incorrectly. I filled up my water bottle with 750ml of water and a couple of tablespoons of bs, added about half a teaspoon of citric acid, thinking it would help clarify, poured it on my dry hair until it was soaked, and then rinsed it out and used the poo bar like normal... my hair felt completely different, even before I used my normal citric acid rinse after, it felt less squeky clean, a bit smoother. I still used the CA rinse after, although less, and washed it out with cool water.

Now my hair is more like it was with the extra honey beer and egg, smooth but still has volume...:cheese:

I suspect it was the citric acid in the first rinse that made the difference, rather than the bs... I'll definately try that again and with some of the other bars.

[kayes]

Scratch that... I got overly excited :o

A few hours on and my hair is kind of dry and limp... oh well, guess coconut milk is still not a good fit. But I may try a little acidic rinse before I use my bars that I normally like and see what happens

[marikamt]

kayes, I find that the healthier my hair is, the curlier it gets, so I while I don't know of a poo bar that's specifically good for curls, maybe the fact that they are more gentle and nourishing will encourage your waves and curls.

I really like CV Nettle and Herb Garden. Right now I'm using Cafe Moreno (CV as well), and it's pretty good for my curls. I'm just not a great fan of the smell, but if spicy clove scents don't bother you, I would try that one too.

I am using my new Cafe Moreno right now.... while not curly like Aries_jb, my "new" waves seem okay (no less wavy than before). It DOES have a strong scent, but I love the smell of patchouli, which seems the strongest scent in the bar. It is a "love it or hate it" smell though.... DH says my hair smells like a State Street hippie shop.... :lol:

[kayes]

Cool, I'll have to try Cafe Moreno next time.

I used to have pretty big curly hair, but in the last few years its gotten thinner, the top layers are curly after I wash it, but they go more wavy within an hour or two, or frizzy. I honestly never thought I'd miss that curly hair. I hated it when I had it.

The 'poo bars have gone a long way to improving the volume, now if I can just get all of my hair to agree on a texture, without my having to iron it into submission, I'll be set :p

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

How do CV's Marshmallow and Babassu bars measure up to their Olive & Babassu bars? are they as moisturizing or more so?

I am finding I need a good heavy oil/moisturizing bar for my hair.. otherwise its full of flyaways and frizz!

[rose_in_bloom]

I did not find the Marshmallow babassu to be quite as moisturizing as the olive babassu, but it was still moisturizing. I love them both. :)

[Hedera]

I did not find the Marshmallow babassu to be quite as moisturizing as the olive babassu, but it was still moisturizing. I love them both. :)

Whereas for me, the Marshmallow Babassu is more moisturizing. ;)

It gives me lovely, 'heavy' hair, but it does mean I can't get away with waiting 5 or 6 days until the next wash, which I can do with some of the other CV shampoos.

[marikamt]

I am really finding that I can stretch washes way longer w/ my bars than w/ my regular shampoo......

[Tinose]

Does anyone happen to know which bars contain protein? I recently overdosed my hair on protein with their Extra Honey, Egg and Beer bar, and will probably use it up as an occasional wash, since my hair does well with just a little teeny tiny bit of protein. But in order to do that, I need to know which bars contain any protein so I don't overdose again. I was about to start using the Carrot, Milk, and Honey bar this morning, but then I realized that I wasn't sure if milk contained protein or not.

[linuxgirl]

Tinose.. I'd say to go for bars with less "beauty recipe" ingredients. I mean stuff like egg, avocado, milk, dairy, etc recommended for at home hair masks. In my experience those tend to be natural protein treatments rather than for moisture, and when I use them, my hair gets quite stiff.

For moisture, I love love love the Rosemary Mint bar. My hair seems to like the avocado oil in it and not react badly at all. It's very moisture-rich and gives a good lather. Basically any "heavy" bar will do you good if your hair is mad because of the protein, just be sure to lather up a mountain of bubbles on your head because heavier bars can leave residue. You can also try pre-poo oiling if you haven't already. Good luck!

[Tinose]

That seems like a good general guideline, thank you!

Actually, coincidentally enough, Rosemary Mint was the one that I ended up grabbing out of my sample pile. After a deep treatment (or okay, two deep treatments but one of them was improvised in 30 seconds as something that I could probably get away with with my hair up because I need to get to work so I'm not sure that counts), my hair stopped being horribly brittle and went back to being nicely moisturized, and the Rosemary Mint seems be maintaining that nicely.

[Zindell]

I finally found a shampoo bar that works for me and I am in love with it already!

J.R. Liggett's! :love: http://secure.jrliggett.com/images/regular.jpg

When I washed my hair it lathered real well. Afterwards my hair didn't have any of the waxy feeling I got with my earlier try (Chagrin Valley).
I used only the schampoo bar. No conditioner, no acid rinse.

Hair was easy to detangle and I still had my ordinary blonde color.
(With CV my hair looked darker for some reason. The waxiness perhaps?)

Finally I can throw away every harsh chemical ridden shampoo and conditioners! :cheese:

[Madame J]

I finally found a shampoo bar that works for me and I am in love with it already!

J.R. Liggett's! :love: http://secure.jrliggett.com/images/regular.jpg

When I washed my hair it lathered real well. Afterwards my hair didn't have any of the waxy feeling I got with my earlier try (Chagrin Valley).
I used only the schampoo bar. No conditioner, no acid rinse.

Hair was easy to detangle and I still had my ordinary blonde color.
(With CV my hair looked darker for some reason. The waxiness perhaps?)

Finally I can throw away every harsh chemical ridden shampoo and conditioners! :cheese:

I also love JR Liggett's, but I do find they sometimes build up after a few weeks. Nothing that a little baking soda in water, an acid rinse, and a SMT doesn't take care of though. I'm glad you like them!

[Dolly]

How do CV's Marshmallow and Babassu bars measure up to their Olive & Babassu bars? are they as moisturizing or more so?

I am finding I need a good heavy oil/moisturizing bar for my hair.. otherwise its full of flyaways and frizz!


Olive Babassu is definitely more moisturizing.....it is my number one staple bar! I have found that one of CV's newest regular soaps works well as a shampoo bar, too though. It is called Aloe Aloe Aloe, and my hair just drinks it up!!

[Liave Ekeli]

Yay! My CV bars arrived today, and I'm so excited:D What I really want to do is jump in the shower right this minute, but I already washed my hair today, and it really doesn't need another wash:p
I was really pleased that it didn't take more than five days for the package to arrive here (someone here from Finland told me that the packages were usually quick to arrive, but I didn't really dare to get my hopes up too much), and although the flat rate envelope had been a little banged up in transit the content wasn't damaged, and opening the mailbox to the smell of the CV bars was a really nice surprise. Also, Ida had written "thank you very much" in Norwegian on a card that came with the package, which really made me smile (I seem to remember someone else received a similar card written in Dutch).

I'm already in love with the lip balm I ordered, so if the shampoo bars do the same for my hair as the lip balm is doing for my lips, I will be a very happy woman.

[marikamt]

Yay! My CV bars arrived today, and I'm so excited:D What I really want to do is jump in the shower right this minute, but I already washed my hair today, and it really doesn't need another wash:p
I was really pleased that it didn't take more than five days for the package to arrive here (someone here from Finland told me that the packages were usually quick to arrive, but I didn't really dare to get my hopes up too much), and although the flat rate envelope had been a little banged up in transit the content wasn't damaged, and opening the mailbox to the smell of the CV bars was a really nice surprise. Also, Ida had written "thank you very much" in Norwegian on a card that came with the package, which really made me smile (I seem to remember someone else received a similar card written in Dutch).

I'm already in love with the lip balm I ordered, so if the shampoo bars do the same for my hair as the lip balm is doing for my lips, I will be a very happy woman.

Yay!!!!!! I felt the same way when my bars arrived.... :) I have only washed my hair twice since then,. so I still have another bar to try..... patience is so hard.....

[Liave Ekeli]

Yay!!!!!! I felt the same way when my bars arrived.... :) I have only washed my hair twice since then,. so I still have another bar to try..... patience is so hard.....

I wash my hair practically every day, even though I know I shouldn't. My hair get stingy/greasy really fast, and I don't feel comfortable if I have to go out in public with stingy hair. I know it's probably mostly in my head, but still... Anyway, that's partly why I wanted to try shampoo bars in the first place, to see if my hair is better with them than normal liquid shampoo. Hopefully they'll work!:)
But the dilemma of which to try first is a tough one...

[marikamt]

I wash my hair practically every day, even though I know I shouldn't. My hair get stingy/greasy really fast, and I don't feel comfortable if I have to go out in public with stingy hair. I know it's probably mostly in my head, but still... Anyway, that's partly why I wanted to try shampoo bars in the first place, to see if my hair is better with them than normal liquid shampoo. Hopefully they'll work!:)
But the dilemma of which to try first is a tough one...

I don't think it is in your head...... I had the same problem... I tried stretching washes when I first got here and my hair was greasy day 2 and 3..... I wear it up for work, so I could hide it, but I knew and it bothered me... then I switched to SLS free..... was okay day 2, but by day 3, same issue..... with the bars, I seem good for 3 days- even day 4, only my bangs are greasy. I do tend to wash every other day though (unless I am housebound) but I feel less guilty about washing every other day because I know it is more gentle.....

[Dolly]

I wash my hair practically every day, even though I know I shouldn't. My hair get stingy/greasy really fast, and I don't feel comfortable if I have to go out in public with stingy hair. I know it's probably mostly in my head, but still... Anyway, that's partly why I wanted to try shampoo bars in the first place, to see if my hair is better with them than normal liquid shampoo. Hopefully they'll work!:)
But the dilemma of which to try first is a tough one...


The shampoo bars are really gentle on your hair, so I don't think the more frequent washing is that big of a deal.....I workout daily and sweat a lot, so I do at least a scalp wash every day (and just let the suds run down the length).....I wash the entire length really good about once a week.

My hair does really well with the shampoo bars, actually.....glad I read this thread and tried CV! My hair is thanking me!!

[florenonite]

I'm starting to think I'll need to switch from wholly shampoo bars to SLS one wash, 'poo bar the next. For the past several weeks, the bars just don't seem to be cleaning my hair properly, and by the evening after a wash it's greasy again. The exception was last week once, because I did an SLS wash (thinking perhaps my hair needed clarified) and the subsequent 'poo bar wash lasted three days (fairly average for me), but the one following that only lasted about 12 hours.

It's weird, because the bars worked fine for me for months, and now suddenly my hair doesn't seem to like them anymore :shrug:

[marikamt]

I'm starting to think I'll need to switch from wholly shampoo bars to SLS one wash, 'poo bar the next. For the past several weeks, the bars just don't seem to be cleaning my hair properly, and by the evening after a wash it's greasy again. The exception was last week once, because I did an SLS wash (thinking perhaps my hair needed clarified) and the subsequent 'poo bar wash lasted three days (fairly average for me), but the one following that only lasted about 12 hours.

It's weird, because the bars worked fine for me for months, and now suddenly my hair doesn't seem to like them anymore :shrug:

I wonder if it is hormonal??? I know at your age, my hair and skin went thru a lot of changes.......

[Liave Ekeli]

I wonder if it is hormonal??? I know at your age, my hair and skin went thru a lot of changes.......

I don't know. It could be, I suppose, but my hair's been like it is now for a good while, so I think maybe not. It would be nice though, if suddenly my skin and hair cleaned up!
I think the genes might have something to do with it, though... my mom has some of the same problems, but she's gotten her hair accustomed to fewer washes, so she can go for about three days without washing.
I guess it's mostly an evil circle. The hair feels greasy, so I wash it often, the washing wears on the natural balance of my scalp, and the hair just stays greasy :p

[ambychelle]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*

[marikamt]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*


Haha.... you definitely should try... I am a new covert!!!!! Love them!
The first one I tried was "JustSoap"... loved the results.... low/ no scent..... I ordered CV, just got them this week. Am really enjoying them, but they are heavily scented. I don't mind that so much, but FYI if you are scent sensitive.... also, my DH does not like one of the scents... I will keep my JustSoap one for when I am going out and wearing perfume so it does not compete. CV is for daily use as I do not wear scent to work (haha... except for my hair now)......

[Liave Ekeli]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*

I'm a total beginner at shampoo bars too. I started with a couple from CV because I thought that they were reasonably priced in relation to size, and the selection was pretty wide. That, and they sell sample sizes of most of their bars. And many people here have had good experiences with them (but that's true for most of the other types of bars as well).
That's just my personal choice though.

[xgwyllgix]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*

I'm practically a beginner, too, though I've been using shampoo bars for years. I've only ever used LUSH, which I thought was working well enough, but... my hair isn't really all that shiny and I've got lots and lots of flyaways. I've used just about all of the LUSH bars, but my favorites were Gentle Lentil and Godiva; they seemed to be the most conditioning. So, really, my hair was soft and pretty to touch, less so to look at.

I've ordered a handful of CV bars now and am totally looking forward to trying them out! With luck, I'll have them in the next few days, before I need to wash my hair again, so I can give them a spin right away.

[Tinose]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*

I'd say if you want to switch to regular sulfate shampoos in bar form, go with Lush. If not, go with CV.

I started with CV and don't have any real desire to switch, admittedly, but I also think they're good for newbies for a couple reasons. One is that they use different formulations on each bar, so you're experimenting with a wider variety. The others that I've looked into just use one. Two is that they sell $2 sample sizes.

I'd recommend starting with their more cleansing bars. Citrus and Chamomile's what I started with, and that actually seems to be their most cleansing bar. Other bars good to start off with: Nettle, Mud and Clay, Herb Garden, Cafe Moreno, maybe Summer Sunshine but I'm hoping that the supply will last until their new bar's curing so I kinda hate to recommend it since that's my favorite :D I'd also try some of the more offbeat bars like Honey Beer and Egg and just...whatever catches your interest really! I'm the kind of person who likes some variety in her shampoo because sticking with the same one bores me, so I firmly believe that you should have fun with your experiments.

Expect the waxies. Mine lasted a week, some people may never get over them, some people never get them in the first place. Use an acid rinse. I use ACV infused with herbs, and plan on experimenting with citric acid when I run out of that.

Above all, have fun! :cheese:

[RedJen]

I started with Lush for travel reasons. I travel a few times a year and wanted one less thing in my 3-1-1 bag. I like their green vegan shampoo. Smells so good. Doesn't do a heck of a lot for my hair-- I definitely have to condition afterwards!

I also tried Liggett's pretty early, since it is available at the health food store. It's a good basic choice for me.

Then I discovered CV and have been hooked ever since! I probably have a year's supply of shampoo bars!

[linuxgirl]

"I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*"

If I had to do it all over again, I'd try Sweet Creek Herbs on Etsy as my first bar. Not only does she have really good sample/one bar purchase deals, her bars seem compatible with most hair types, are harder and longer-lasting than other bars I've tried, and the shipping charge is more reasonable that CV for me. If I want to buy just 1 or 2 bars from CV, I have to pay 13 dollars shipping, which isn't ideal, especially considering they might not have worked for my hair at all.

But! If you're in the same country as your chosen vendor and can get a good deal, any of the brands found in this thread are good. :)

[kayes]

I'd like to try a shampoo bar, but I'm frozen with indecision! How do I even begin to choose? Lush? Liggets? CV?

I need a "Poo Bar for Beginners" *lol*

I've just started using poo bars in the least few months, after using Aubrey's, which is also soap based, and an SLS-free british brand called Naked, before that, so I didn't really go through the transition period people mention here.

I ultimately chose CV because there were so many options. From my experience, the best thing you can do is try lots of samples from different vendors, especially, if you don't have to worry about huge shipping fees. I know the first few I tried I didn't like, and if I didn't already have a couple more I might not have given it another try, but I'm glad I did because now that I've found ones I like, my hair looks incredible, full, soft and shiny. People actually comment on it.

Also, it isn't just about the poo bar itself, but how you use it. Do you use a rinse before, after?, if so, what?, vinegar, citric acid, tea? I tried ACV and the Dr. Bronner shikakai rinse, before settling on citric acid and, I just only realised that my hair is smoother if I use a little bit of citric acid before the bar, and my normal rinse after... I don't know why. But really its all about experimentation. Try new stuff on the days when you know it won't really matter what your hair looks like. If it goes well, great. You can do it again later. If not, you don't have to worry about it.

[Madame J]

I started with JR Liggett's bars because they were available in my regular health food store (where I shop every week), so I could just pick it up off the shelf without worrying about shipping. They're just under $6, so not terribly expensive, and they gave me an idea of how to use a shampoo bar, physically (i.e., figuring out how to lather it and distribute the lather over my hair), as well as what I might need after soap-based cleansing to finish my hair (vinegar rinse, in my case). It kinda helped me get over the shampoo bar learning curve, so I could try out other bars without worrying that I might be doing something wrong. If you can find a shampoo bar locally to you, I would try that first, since they're easy to get, and don't cost shipping along with the price of the bar.

[Liave Ekeli]

Ok, so I'm just checking in to say that I've now washed my hair with a shampoo bar for the first time. I just got out of the shower, and my hair's still wet so the jury's still out on the final result, but my hair feels different in a good way, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's like I've only now felt what a clean scalp feels like...

[linuxgirl]

"It's like I've only now felt what a clean scalp feels like..."

Isn't it fantastic? The skin on my scalp actually feels like (gasp!) SKIN when I use shampoo bars, not a rough-but-greasy mass like with SLS shampoos. Enjoy the true feeling of clean! :D

[Liave Ekeli]

"It's like I've only now felt what a clean scalp feels like..."

Isn't it fantastic? The skin on my scalp actually feels like (gasp!) SKIN when I use shampoo bars, not a rough-but-greasy mass like with SLS shampoos. Enjoy the true feeling of clean! :D

Haha, thank you! I've now worn my shampoo bar-cleaned hair for a day, and I think I like it. My scalp still feels good and the rest of my hair also feels clean, and yet different than I'm used to. It's soft, but it's still rougher in a way, like it's got slightly more body and texture than it did when I used "normal" liquid shampoo. Today I've worn it down (and I've been playing with it all day, almost as a reflex), but I think that if I were to braid it or put it up it would hold better than usual. That's another thing I need to test, I guess...

By the way, if anyone is curious about my routine I used the chamomile/citrus bar, lathered up and rinsed twice before I finished with a citric acid rinse and a cold water rinse. I thought about just doing the shampoo and not the citric acid rinse (because I live in an area that has soft water, I didn't think I'd need it), but after I had rinsed the shampoo out my hair felt really coarse and unmanageable, so all in all I'm glad I rinsed, because the moment I dumped the water/citric acid on my head I felt my hair instantly soften.

I also used the Rhassoul/yogurt bar on my face (I've had a problem with oily skin and acne since my early teens), and it left my face feeling really clean and soft:D

All in all, I think I'll definitely end up ordering more from CV (I have a list of soaps and 'poo bars that I want to try), but first I have to do some more testing with what I have.

[Fethenwen]

So I finally decided to try this shampoo bar thing, again. I have used LUSH bars before, but as I look back in them, they were very harsh! I guess it must be the SLS thing, they lathered so much and stuff.
But I want to give shampoo bars another go because they are more enviromental friendly than CO:ing.


So I got myself a nice natural shampoo bar from a health food store. It has no SLS nor parabens.

I have washed my hair twice today, and it got only more waxy :p geeez, this was harder than I expected.

So I should not have the need to use conditioner? (I used quite a lot, my hair "squeeked" from the shampoo and I got panicky and slathered my hair in a lot of conditioner). Maybe it it just overconditioned right now or something, it doesn't feel the slightest dry. At least my scalp feels fantastic, the bar had t-tree oil and other scalp goodies in it.

And should AVC help with the waxiness?

These questions have probably been asked a million times, but I didn' really want to read through the whole thread...

[marikamt]

So I finally decided to try this shampoo bar thing, again. I have used LUSH bars before, but as I look back in them, they were very harsh! I guess it must be the SLS thing, they lathered so much and stuff.
But I want to give shampoo bars another go because they are more enviromental friendly than CO:ing.


So I got myself a nice natural shampoo bar from a health food store. It has no SLS nor parabens.

I have washed my hair twice today, and it got only more waxy :p geeez, this was harder than I expected.

So I should not have the need to use conditioner? (I used quite a lot, my hair "squeeked" from the shampoo and I got panicky and slathered my hair in a lot of conditioner). Maybe it it just overconditioned right now or something, it doesn't feel the slightest dry. At least my scalp feels fantastic, the bar had t-tree oil and other scalp goodies in it.

And should AVC help with the waxiness?

These questions have probably been asked a million times, but I didn' really want to read through the whole thread...

I am very new at this, so I am probably the last one who should chime in but I would assume this has to do w/ water hardness/ softness???? I know w/ hard water, they say you should do an ACV rinse.... also, if you have been COing exclusively prior to this, could it be buildup??? Maybe clarify? I have used 2 different brands of bars and I have had no issues, but we have soft water... I even tried with and without ACV, no huge difference..... but I also had no buildup when I started.....

oh- forgot to answer about the conditioner... I still use a little on the length/ ends to detangle, but it takes VERY little (way less when I used regular shampoo and conditioner)

[Fethenwen]

Hmm, actually it might be conditioner build-up from the CO:ing. And the water, not sure if it is hard around here. Thanks, didn't think of those possibilities.

[Aries_jb]

I would give an ACV rinse a go, because it does help with the squeakiness and you may feel you wouldn't have to use so much conditioner, which could have made the waxies worse.

[Fethenwen]

Oh man...

I tried this ACV, it did help a bit. This second wash turned out better. But still, it's like this stuff leaves a lot of residue or something. Is this normal in the beginning of natural shampoo bar usage?

It says in the instructions that it may take up to 10 washes until the hair gets used to it and the waxiness goes away. But how can it get any better overtime :confused:

Right now I'm having both tangly and waxy hair with dandruff like things at my scalp. It's quite soft and shiny too at the same time. Weird.

The ingredients are:

Sodium palmate (crap! it contains palm oil), Sodium cocoate, Aqua, Butyrospermum parkii, glyserol, Sesamum indicum, glycine soy, montmorilionite, Rosmarinus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Melauleuca Alterniflora, Lavandula Angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract, Linalool, limonene.

[Vic]

I`m wondering `bout this new Ayurvedic Shampoo Bar from CV... I already use ayurvedic herbs but I`m really tempted... I told myself to only use my herbs but now there`s such an interesting new bar out there :-(

[Madame J]

Oh man...

I tried this ACV, it did help a bit. This second wash turned out better. But still, it's like this stuff leaves a lot of residue or something. Is this normal in the beginning of natural shampoo bar usage?

It says in the instructions that it may take up to 10 washes until the hair gets used to it and the waxiness goes away. But how can it get any better overtime :confused:

Right now I'm having both tangly and waxy hair with dandruff like things at my scalp. It's quite soft and shiny too at the same time. Weird.

The ingredients are:

Sodium palmate (crap! it contains palm oil), Sodium cocoate, Aqua, Butyrospermum parkii, glyserol, Sesamum indicum, glycine soy, montmorilionite, Rosmarinus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Melauleuca Alterniflora, Lavandula Angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract, Linalool, limonene.

What is your dilution for the ACV rinse? I started out using a 1:2 ration of ACV:water when I first tried soap-based washing, and it was horrible. I now use 1:8, and a lot of people use a lot lower dilution that that. If your hair still has residue, maybe your rinse is too weak; if your hair looks greasy/stringy, maybe your rinse is too strong.

And there's always the chance that soap-based washing is not for you. Did you clarify before starting the new washing method? It's always good to start with a clean slate. I know I had no adjustment period, but over time I've begun to wonder if my scalp doesn't like bars as much as I thought they did, and am experimenting with detergent shampoo once again. Good luck, and don't be afraid to give up on bars if you go too long with poor results.

[Fethenwen]

Hmm, clarify you say. I think clarifying would be my next option to get this work.
I did use very diluted vinegar. About 1:10, because my hair tends to get greasy easily from ACV, maybe I should try a slightly stronger next time. 1:8 maybe.

Damn I really want to make this work :headache:, this bar has such yummy ingredients and smells heavenly.

But yeah, I think if it still makes my hair horrible after 10 washes, I guess I will have to give it up.

Edit: I also wonder about the lather thrice or twice thing, isn't that very stripping to the hair? Or does it somehow nourish it at the same time so much that it does more good to lather it twice?

It says on the instruction of my shampoo bar that one should lather twice.

[marikamt]

I`m wondering `bout this new Ayurvedic Shampoo Bar from CV... I already use ayurvedic herbs but I`m really tempted... I told myself to only use my herbs but now there`s such an interesting new bar out there :-(

I want this one SO BAD!!!!!!! I have enough poo bars to last me a year, and I hate spending shipping on just one bar.... but, oh! I covet it!!!!!

[marikamt]

Hmm, clarify you say. I think clarifying would be my next option to get this work.
I did use very diluted vinegar. About 1:10, because my hair tends to get greasy easily from ACV, maybe I should try a slightly stronger next time. 1:8 maybe.

Damn I really want to make this work :headache:, this bar has such yummy ingredients and smells heavenly.

But yeah, I think if it still makes my hair horrible after 10 washes, I guess I will have to give it up.

Edit: I also wonder about the lather thrice or twice thing, isn't that very stripping to the hair? Or does it somehow nourish it at the same time so much that it does more good to lather it twice?

It says on the instruction of my shampoo bar that one should lather twice.

Hmmmm... I would say clarify, too. I had no adjustment what so ever..... my hair has never been happier..... I only lather once (really well) , rinse, condition then ACV rinse (I just do a little conditioner on the ends to detangle). My AVC dilution is quite weak, 1:10.......
Also, could just be that particular bar doesn't agree w/ your hair????
But before you give up, do a really good clarify... I actually went out and bought the Neutrogena clarifying shampoo (I probably didn't need to buy that, I have heard sls shampoo works fine) but I wanted to make sure I was REALLY clarified........

[Tinose]

Fethenwen, in your case I'd definitely recommend washing twice, with extra focus on scalp massage. When I wash my hair, I move the bar over my head so that I have soap all over my hair, lather my hands, massage my scalp thoroughly, and try to get some soap on all my hair while being as gentle as possible, and then repeat. I was getting lots of scalp crap and still had a bit of waxiness until I started doing that, and it worked wonders. (Granted, now I kinda miss the waxiness because it helped my hair look thicker in updos. I guess you can't have everything!)

Increasing the acidity of the vinegar sounds like a good idea too, but if your hair's prone to being damaged by vinegar, I'd be wary of increasing it much more. I'd say increase it once to see if you can get rid of the waxies that way, but remember that the longer you use shampoo bars the less you tend to need them. I forgot it entirely the other day and still had no problems. Oddly, adding a little honey to my acv rinse seemed to help me, but I'm not sure why. I have to admit I dislike clarifying my hair, so I'm not a big fan of reccing it, but if you like it I'd go ahead with it.

[marikamt]

fethewen... I will agree w/ Tinose, you may find for you, that you have to lather twice... I have softened water, so although I only lather once, I get TON of lather and am able to "wash" hair and scalp like "regular" shampoo........
I also am not a big fan of frequent clarifying, but you said you were COing before, so you might have buildup.... personally, I don't know if/ when I will carify again, but I wanted a "clean slate" when I started and I had been using cones before..... so I knew I had buildup.

[Dolly]

I think your ACV ratio is fine.....get a good clarifying shampoo. I use Suave, which is cheap, and removes ALL buildup....you can get it at most dollar stores....or you could use baking soda, which DOES work, but is VERY drying....I used to use baking sodam but found that Suave works just as well....

I think I would clarify, try another one of the CV varieties....and do keep using the ACV (or other acid rinse.....it helps prevent the waxies).....

[RedJen]

Fethenwen, I would also give it more time. I did have a long adjustment period with my bars (at least 10 washes, probably more), but now it's GREAT! It's worth it! I use a citric acid rinse (like an eighth of a teaspoon in a 1 liter bottle.) Now, my combs are even clean!

[getoffmyskittle]

I am on the bandwagon. For now, anyway. :cheese:

[moonbeam]

Two years ago I bought four kinds of shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley. I tired three of the bars and then decided that shampoo bars were not for me. I loved the increased curls in my hair and the way my scalp felt, but had a waxy feeling afterwards.
Today I was rooting around in the cabinent and found the bar I hadn't tried which is mud and clay. Decided what the heck? I washed 2x (previously I had only washed once) and followed with a jug of water vinegar mix. I don't know what is so different, but my hair feels wonderful this time. No waxiness what soever and my hair does not feel weighted down like with previus attempts. I think I will be using this bar again a few times, and then maybe see how my hair reacts again with the other leftover bars I have.

[Aries_jb]

That's great moonbeam! It's funny...Mud and Clay was one of the shampoo bars that didn't work so well for me. It's weird how some things can work so well for some but not for others. I hope that you have continued success!

Right now I'm using Cafe Moreno, and it's a pretty old bar that I bought when she first added the bar to her inventory. It's got such a rich lather now and it's so mild and moisturizing. I think I enjoy all her products much more when they're older, at least a year or so. Even though I have so many of her bars already, I'm contemplating buying some more so they can "ripen" while I use up everything else. I don't know if I can explain that to my fiance without him thinking I'm crazy for wanting to buy shampoo and bath bars to lay aside for a year, ha ha.

[Diamondbell]

I have been thinking of making the shampoo bar myself. Recipes for shampoo bar (online) contain lye or sodium hydroxide(NaOH) also known as caustic soda in it. Is that OK for hair? Or does the process of making the shampoo bar somehow change the properties of caustic soda?

[moonbeam]

Second day after washing today. Still good. Love my hair. :D

Sometimes I will think I love a product and then the second day my scalp will break out of my hair will get greasy.

[kayes]

For anyone else who is in the UK who is looking for a more local alternative...

on a whim I decided to buy a small bar of african black soap from a british website called Akamuti, because I was buying some other stuff. I don't know if this kind of soap is the same regardless of where you buy it, but the ingredients were "saponified wildcrafted virgin fairlytraded shea butter, wildcrafted coconut oil and cocoa pods".

At first when I peeled off the wrapping the bar felt worryingly soft and mushy compared to other bars I've tried, I cut off a bit to try since I was seriously worried it might fall apart in the shower, but it felt harder and solid while I was rubbing it on my hair and doesn't seem to have shrunk particularly, so I don't think I used any more than with my normal bar. One lather (tons of lather) and I followed it up with the usual citric acid rinse.

I have only tried it once, but I am very impressed so far. It seems really moisturising. I had lots of volume, very soft and moisturised, and my curls not only hung around more than usual, but looked surprisingly nice.

I have to give it another try, but so far so good.

[getoffmyskittle]

I have been thinking of making the shampoo bar myself. Recipes for shampoo bar (online) contain lye or sodium hydroxide(NaOH) also known as caustic soda in it. Is that OK for hair? Or does the process of making the shampoo bar somehow change the properties of caustic soda?

Yes, lye (NaOH) is used to saponify the oils, but there is no lye left in the actual bar of soap.

I got my first real shampoo bar today and I'm excited about trying it tonight. :cheese:

[Hedera]

For anyone else who is in the UK who is looking for a more local alternative...

on a whim I decided to buy a small bar of african black soap from a british website called Akamuti,

Thanks for the tip!

I love Akamuti anyway, their raw shea butter is wonderful, and very cheap. :cheese:

[spiderfang]

What a fantastic thread!

I have been gradually reading through this thread throughout the past few days! Up to page 100 at the moment! and determined to read all!

Been using bars for many years. Currently using 'Nature's Plus' bar. It's some sort of acidic bar (ph4.5) not a soap, does not contain lye or akalis.

I live in the UK so I tend to stick to UK based suppliers (shipping reasons!) so I have not yet tried any CV bars, would like to but for now UK based only!

.. now back to page 100!

[Fethenwen]

Well I got my shampoo bar to finally work! Thanks guys for all the tips :)

But now I wonder if this is a good solution for my hair cleaning afterall :hmm:

It's clean and doesn't feel dry, I like the thick feeling of it... but it feels like it has a rougher texture.
When I shampooed twice it lathered a lot this time, but by gods my hair got extremely rough to the touch until I poured on the ACV. That can't be good for the hair now can it :confused:

[Canarygirl]

Well I got my shampoo bar to finally work! Thanks guys for all the tips :)

But now I wonder if this is a good solution for my hair cleaning afterall :hmm:

It's clean and doesn't feel dry, I like the thick feeling of it... but it feels like it has a rougher texture.
When I shampooed twice it lathered a lot this time, but by gods my hair got extremely rough to the touch until I poured on the ACV. That can't be good for the hair now can it :confused:

I think that is the raised cuticle you are feeling, an effect of the alkaline nature of soaps. What I do to combat this is wash with conditioner, leave it on a couple of minutes, then apply soap lather to my scalp on top of the conditioner. Massage gently, rinse. I get a cleaner scalp then I would using CO alone, but I don't get the raised cuticle on the length of my hair. You could try it.

[Fethenwen]

Hmm.. sounds like an idea! That way I would surely not need as much conditioner as when I'm CO:ing, and could use my organic conditioner as well.

This I will definitely try the next time I shampoo.

[Liave Ekeli]

My hair also feels kind of 'rough' before I rinse, but I also think that it's just the raised cuticles. I haven't tried Canarygirl's conditioner trick though, but then again I've only used shampoo bars for about a week, so I still have some room for experimenting :)

Speaking of experimenting - can someone please talk me out of splurging on more CV bars? I have a list of 'poo bars and soaps I want to try, but I really shouldn't be spending my money on more shampoos and soaps right now.

[spiderfang]

Speaking of experimenting - can someone please talk me out of splurging on more CV bars? I have a list of 'poo bars and soaps I want to try, but I really shouldn't be spending my money on more shampoos and soaps right now.

Please do not buy anymore 'Wonderful' CV .... wait a minute! It's not as easy as I thought!

[Liave Ekeli]

Please do not buy anymore 'Wonderful' CV .... wait a minute! It's not as easy as I thought!

Exactly. I'm trying to resist for at least a couple of days, until the next payment of my student loan comes into my account, but it's hard.

[Tinose]

I'm fairly sure stopping splurges on CV is nearly impossible. I, for one, have held off this long solely because I want to order one of the new Ayurevedic bars the day they come out because those look yummy. (Of course, it helps that I'm about due for new facial and body bars and lotion, even if I'm not remotely due for a new shampoo bar)

[Liave Ekeli]

I'm fairly sure stopping splurges on CV is nearly impossible. I, for one, have held off this long solely because I want to order one of the new Ayurevedic bars the day they come out because those look yummy. (Of course, it helps that I'm about due for new facial and body bars and lotion, even if I'm not remotely due for a new shampoo bar)

I've only used my CV bars for a week, so I'm not nearly due for anything more yet, and as such I shouldn't buy any more either, but there are so many I want to test. I've used the neem/tee tree and chamomile/citrus 'poo bars and both of them have worked fairly well with my hair, but of course now I want to test others to see if some other bar might work better :p Virtually the same is the case with the other soaps - I can't remember the last time my skin felt soft after coming out of the shower without me having to smear body lotion all over.

[marikamt]

Oh uhhg. I sense another order coming on... you all are terrible enablers... bad influences, the lot of you....
I even want to order the doggy wash one...... why should I be the only one with beautiful hair?? :)

[whiteisle]

I was reading the cv site about the shampoo bars and it said that they don't strip the natural oils from your hair like detergents. So I was wondering if that allows the oils to actually travel down the hair shaft similar to WO or NW/SO and therefore provide the hair some protection. Does that make sense or am I way off base?

[Henna Sooq]

I found that after using my shampoo bar, and I skipped totaly on the conditioner, which I honestly never do because I like soft smooth hair. I was actually really amazed at how my hair did feel "squeaky clean" but I was actually kind of scared too. Becuase my hair has ever felt like that after using liquid shampoo. So when I brushed it out, it felt like as if I had put oil in my hair and it brushed out so smooth and soft.

I really was a bit nervous when I started out, but can't believe the difference. It's so amazingly crazy!! and itchiness. NONE!!! I have this type of oily scalp and I need to usually wash it every 1-2 days. Such a difference.

Also with this soapnut shampoo bar, I found it a bit exfoliating so I used it on my body too. Not my face because I'm kind of scared to put soap on my face. I usually use facial wash, or ghassoul once in awhile.

[Diamondbell]

Yes, lye (NaOH) is used to saponify the oils, but there is no lye left in the actual bar of soap.

I got my first real shampoo bar today and I'm excited about trying it tonight. :cheese:

OK - I could hardly believe it but it must be so! :)

I am happy for you that you have got your first shampoo bar! :cheer:

[masterofmidgets]

I'm fairly sure stopping splurges on CV is nearly impossible. I, for one, have held off this long solely because I want to order one of the new Ayurevedic bars the day they come out because those look yummy. (Of course, it helps that I'm about due for new facial and body bars and lotion, even if I'm not remotely due for a new shampoo bar)

So true! I have to keep telling myself that I don't have the money to buy new bars when I'm only halfway through the ones I have now, but everything looks so delicious it's hard to resist. And there are still so many soap bars I haven't tried out yet...

[Liave Ekeli]

So true! I have to keep telling myself that I don't have the money to buy new bars when I'm only halfway through the ones I have now, but everything looks so delicious it's hard to resist. And there are still so many soap bars I haven't tried out yet...

This is my dilemma exactly! :p

[Fractalsofhair]

I was reading the cv site about the shampoo bars and it said that they don't strip the natural oils from your hair like detergents. So I was wondering if that allows the oils to actually travel down the hair shaft similar to WO or NW/SO and therefore provide the hair some protection. Does that make sense or am I way off base?
They do strip some of the natural oils, just not as much as a regular detergent. It's a much less efficient cleanser, thus protecting our hair. It will not allow the oils to travel down the shaft, it will just remove far less of the oils, which, for most people, is enough.

[getoffmyskittle]

Has anyone else noticed a significant reduction in shedding when switching to soap cleansers for hair? I can hardly believe it, but I'm not complaining... :disco:

[whiteisle]

They do strip some of the natural oils, just not as much as a regular detergent. It's a much less efficient cleanser, thus protecting our hair. It will not allow the oils to travel down the shaft, it will just remove far less of the oils, which, for most people, is enough.

Cool ~ thanks! :)



Has anyone else noticed a significant reduction in shedding when switching to soap cleansers for hair? I can hardly believe it, but I'm not complaining... :disco:

Me! I'm postpartum shedding like crazy and it looked like Chewbacca had been in my shower when I was using reg poo and condish. Since I've gone back to using my cv bars I have much less shedding. Great relief! :)

[Liave Ekeli]

Ouch... I just checked my account and my student loan has come in...which is a good thing, but it means I'm going to have a hard time fighting off the urge to order more stuff from CV :p

[Aries_jb]

Ha ha. For me it's worse when you have no money and still have to fight the urge. I have irresponsibily dipped into my savings a time or two for my CV fix.

[Tinose]

I haven't yet gotten to the point of true irresponsibility (yet)! Go go budgets.

Honestly, though, CV's fairly cheap if you decide that that's the only type of cleanser or lotion you'll buy and stick with it. I mean, you'll be using it anyway eventually, so what's the difference when you buy?

(Who, me? An enabler? Perish the thought! :p)

[Aries_jb]

Maybe a whiff of enabling :). I agree though. I get a lot of washes out of my shampoo bars, so it's definitely worth. It's just that initial punch to the wallet that hurts.

[moonbeam]

Honestly, though, CV's fairly cheap if you decide that that's the only type of cleanser or lotion you'll buy and stick with it. I mean, you'll be using it anyway eventually, so what's the difference when you buy?



This is true, I am hoping I can stick with these now. A 6 ounce bar has got to last twice as long as a normal bottle of shampoo.

[Henna Sooq]

Usually after having a baby I did lose a lot of hair, because during pregnancy I rarely lost any. Just tiny bits here and there. So I'm not sure about postpartum as the hair loss eventually stopped, which I kind of guessed might be all the hormones going back to normal and such.

BUT that being said for sure there has been less shedding from using the shampoo bars. I had a friend of mine say she had less shedding and less breakage as well. Hardly none at all she told me.

[Liave Ekeli]

Honestly, though, CV's fairly cheap if you decide that that's the only type of cleanser or lotion you'll buy and stick with it. I mean, you'll be using it anyway eventually, so what's the difference when you buy?

(Who, me? An enabler? Perish the thought! :p)

Well, for the week I've been using them the CV bars (both shampoo and soap) have been the only thing I've been using in the shower...I've even used them for shaving soap, and they are long lasting so I'll probably have them for some time. And regular, store bought shampoos are pretty expensive compared to the bars - about 7 USD for a bottle, and considering the bars will probably last me at least twice as long as a bottle of shampoo does... I'll probably end up buying more from CV.

[marikamt]

I actually cut my bars when I get them into quarters...... that way I don;t "waste" any by them getting gunky and mushy (which dries me nuts) so far, I have 3 quarters in my shower (different flavors) and I think they will last me about 3 months... so really, 3 or 4 whole bars should take me a year.... plus, I am not cutting as often, don't use styling products like I used to, wash less and am using WAY less conditioner than I used to.......
So overall, I am actually being quite FRUGAL..... :lol:

[Liave Ekeli]

So, does anyone have any recommendations that may shorten my list of possible bars to buy? My hair is stick straight, quite fine and gets greasy very fast, and while I know that hair is specific to an individual and all that, and that experimenting is usually the only thing that works, I thought that some of CV (or other) bars might work better than others.

[florenonite]

So, does anyone have any recommendations that may shorten my list of possible bars to buy? My hair is stick straight, quite fine and gets greasy very fast, and while I know that hair is specific to an individual and all that, and that experimenting is usually the only thing that works, I thought that some of CV (or other) bars might work better than others.

I was just about to post something like this. The 'poo bar I've been using hasn't been working as well as it used to, and I've decided to try CV bars. I've calculated that a 1.5-2.0 oz sample bar costs roughly the same (if not less) in dollars as my 2.7 oz bar did in pounds, so overall it's cheaper. Furthermore, if I get 16 bars in a flat pack envelope, the shipping for each will amount to about 50p, so for a $2.50-$3.00 bar it will be £2-£2.30 for bar + shipping, cheaper than the £4.something I paid for my bar.

However, I have no idea what kind of bar to get. I've got fine, straightish, thick hair that I like to wash every three days at the most. Lately with the bar I was using (this (http://www.theremustbeabetterway.co.uk/acatalog/Trevarno_Rosemary_Shampoo_Bar.html#top) one) my hair gets noticeably greasy within 24 hours, unless I alternate it with an SLS wash, in which case it lasts about 48 hours.

So for other folk with fine, greasy hair, what bars do you recommend?

Oh, I've got soft water here, if that makes a difference. I don't use ACV rinses, because they make my hair greasy (even though I only use 1T to a pint of water). I did lemon juice for a while, but that was a lot of faff because the lemon juice needed kept in the fridge. So if you've had success with using particular ones without an acid rinse I'd appreciate feedback.

ETA: How long do these bars keep for? I got my current one in April and have recently started using it for shaving, so I figure that each sample bar will last a couple months for hair & body, but if my hair doesn't like any of them it'll be relegated to shaving only. This means that 16 samples will probably last me a couple years, and I don't want any of them to go bad. I figure if I keep them dry they should last a couple years, but I was wondering if anyone has experience with this. Thanks!

[Liave Ekeli]

Glad to see I'm not alone. I've been using the chamomile/citrus bar from CV for about a week now, and it works okay for me. I didn't get the waxies or anything, but it's still just an 'okay' bar for my hair. Same with the neem/tee tree one, which I've also tried.

[florenonite]

Glad to see I'm not alone. I've been using the chamomile/citrus bar from CV for about a week now, and it works okay for me. I didn't get the waxies or anything, but it's still just an 'okay' bar for my hair. Same with the neem/tee tree one, which I've also tried.

Can I ask how long you go between washes with these ones? And how does that compare to with SLS? How often do you need to lather?

These are my main concerns with shampoo bars. With SLS I wash every 3-4 days and lather once. With my current 'poo bar I lather 2-3 times, making the shower longer, and need to wash ever two days.

I also realised after posting that there are only 17 different shampoo bars, so I might just order one of everything and pick the one that looks to smell the worst to leave out :p I would still like any information on the best ones for hair like mine, and any particularly moisturising ones to avoid :)

[Liave Ekeli]

Can I ask how long you go between washes with these ones? And how does that compare to with SLS? How often do you need to lather?

These are my main concerns with shampoo bars. With SLS I wash every 3-4 days and lather once. With my current 'poo bar I lather 2-3 times, making the shower longer, and need to wash ever two days.

I also realised after posting that there are only 17 different shampoo bars, so I might just order one of everything and pick the one that looks to smell the worst to leave out :p I would still like any information on the best ones for hair like mine, and any particularly moisturising ones to avoid :)

I usually wash my hair every day, both when I used SLS and with the bars. I know that I really shouldn't, because it wears on my hair, my I don't like going out in public with stingy hair, and my hair is stingy on day 2. But I have had a problem with greasy hair (and oily skin) since my early teens, so I don't think that's going to fix itself over night anyhow. My mother did remark that my hair didn't look as bad on day 2 when I washed with the bars though, so maybe they do help more than SLS. With bars I lather once or twice, depending on what kind of time I have, but I haven't noticed that big of a difference between the two, so I think one lather is enough for me.

As for moisture, I think you should avoid the Honey Beer and Egg and the Extra Honey Beer and Egg. I haven't tried any of them myself, but I know that many here only use them as an occasional protein boost, and judging from the ingredients I think they would be murder on hair that's on the greasy side. That's just my observation though - If anyone has experiences to the contrary feel free to correct me.

[florenonite]

I usually wash my hair every day, both when I used SLS and with the bars. I know that I really shouldn't, because it wears on my hair, my I don't like going out in public with stingy hair, and my hair is stingy on day 2. But I have had a problem with greasy hair (and oily skin) since my early teens, so I don't think that's going to fix itself over night anyhow. My mother did remark that my hair didn't look as bad on day 2 when I washed with the bars though, so maybe they do help more than SLS. With bars I lather once or twice, depending on what kind of time I have, but I haven't noticed that big of a difference between the two, so I think one lather is enough for me.

As for moisture, I think you should avoid the Honey Beer and Egg and the Extra Honey Beer and Egg. I haven't tried any of them myself, but I know that many here only use them as an occasional protein boost, and judging from the ingredients I think they would be murder on hair that's on the greasy side. That's just my observation though - If anyone has experiences to the contrary feel free to correct me.

Thank you :)

So if your hair is slightly better on day 2 than it used to be on SLS, I can hope that my hair won't be any worse than it was on SLS. It's also comforting to know you only lather once; I've sometimes had to lather three times and it takes ages!

Yeah, the Honey, Beer and Egg one doesn't look great for my hair, particularly as it emphasises the moisture. Not good for me :p

ETA: did you see the bar recommendations based on hair type on the website? I just noticed it, so I'm off to have a look at it. I feel silly for not having seen it before ><

[Liave Ekeli]

Thank you :)

So if your hair is slightly better on day 2 than it used to be on SLS, I can hope that my hair won't be any worse than it was on SLS. It's also comforting to know you only lather once; I've sometimes had to lather three times and it takes ages!

Yeah, the Honey, Beer and Egg one doesn't look great for my hair, particularly as it emphasises the moisture. Not good for me :p

ETA: did you see the bar recommendations based on hair type on the website? I just noticed it, so I'm off to have a look at it. I feel silly for not having seen it before ><

Glad I could help :)
Yeah I know. I lather once if I have somewhere to be or something to do, twice if I have the time to spend half an hour or so in the shower ;)
Yeah, I've seen those. That's partly why I ordered the chamomile/citrus to start out with. I might order some of the other ones recommended for oily hair this time around. I had most of them on my 'want' list anyway.
I don't think it's strange that you didn't see them right away, though. There's a lot of into on the CV pages, but sometimes you have to dig around for it.

[Henna Sooq]

Marikamt, I think cutting them is a great idea! I'm going to have to do that because I agree that the whole bar does get a bit more mushy all together, whereas if it was seperate and used one part at a time, I am sure that'll make it last longer. I'm going to do that!

[kayes]

I've tried quite a few of the CV bars now.

I started by looking at the recommendations on their website, but found that my hair actually didn't do what I expected. I've always had pretty oily scalp, so I bought more cleansing bars, and a couple of more moisturising ones to try in case... but I found the more cleansing ones were leaving my hair too dry, and the ones for dry hair, and even some body soaps, actually left me with a nicer result, even though I always thought I had oily hair.

I think the one I really liked most was mud and clay. Its listed as being for both oily and dry hair and for volume. But even then I find I need to occasionally swap it out with something like extra honey beer and egg or olive babasou if my hair feels too dry.

If you are going to order a bunch of samples and you don't want to pay shipping several times, order a bunch, even ones you don't think you'd like. I ended up placing a few orders in the end because the ones I expected to like, I didn't, and ones I never thought would be good for my hair, I did.

florenonite (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=11645):
Have you tried citric acid? You can buy a box, its made by Dripak in the UK, for a pound or two, it lasts ages and it doesn't need to be refrigerated. I reuse a 750ml water bottle with water and maybe a tsp or two of citric acid in the shower and just refill it when its empty, usually after a week or so. I even checked with the dripak, just in case, to make sure it wouldn't go off, or breed mold or bacteria if it was left in the bathroom for a week or two, and its fine. I don't know if it would be better for your hair than ACV.

[florenonite]

I've tried quite a few of the CV bars now.

I started by looking at the recommendations on their website, but found that my hair actually didn't do what I expected. I've always had pretty oily scalp, so I bought more cleansing bars, and a couple of more moisturising ones to try in case... but I found the more cleansing ones were leaving my hair too dry, and the ones for dry hair, and even some body soaps, actually left me with a nicer result, even though I always thought I had oily hair.

I think the one I really liked most was mud and clay. Its listed as being for both oily and dry hair and for volume. But even then I find I need to occasionally swap it out with something like extra honey beer and egg or olive babasou if my hair feels too dry.

If you are going to order a bunch of samples and you don't want to pay shipping several times, order a bunch, even ones you don't think you'd like. I ended up placing a few orders in the end because the ones I expected to like, I didn't, and ones I never thought would be good for my hair, I did.

florenonite (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=11645):
Have you tried citric acid? You can buy a box, its made by Dripak in the UK, for a pound or two, it lasts ages and it doesn't need to be refrigerated. I reuse a 750ml water bottle with water and maybe a tsp or two of citric acid in the shower and just refill it when its empty, usually after a week or so. I even checked with the dripak, just in case, to make sure it wouldn't go off, or breed mold or bacteria if it was left in the bathroom for a week or two, and its fine. I don't know if it would be better for your hair than ACV.

Hmm, I might try citric acid. I think I'll try it without first and if it doesn't seem to work I'll use the citric acid.

I do fully intend to order the full 16 samples for the flat pack; I figure the shipping's the same regardless of how many I buy, I might as well try as many as possible! It'll come to about £30, which is a lot, but it'll last me a couple years, assuming they work. And if they don't they'll work wonderfully for shaving, I'm sure.

[kayes]

I actually just ordered a bar from Sweet Creek Herbs http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6293890&section_id=5660546, since I had only tried a couple of brands up until now, I thought I'd try something new. It just came today, so I haven't tried it yet.

But according to the website it shouldn't need any sort of acid rinse. I don't know if that is true (other people here may have tried them and be able to answer that), but I'll use it within the next couple of days and if no one else has responded, I can let you know if that was the case. If you order one bar, the postage from the US is 6 dollars, which isn't as bad as some other places. I don't know how much it would be for a few samples, I imagine the same since it would take up as much space.

[florenonite]

I actually just ordered a bar from Sweet Creek Herbs http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6293890&section_id=5660546, since I had only tried a couple of brands up until now, I thought I'd try something new. It just came today, so I haven't tried it yet.

But according to the website it shouldn't need any sort of acid rinse. I don't know if that is true (other people here may have tried them and be able to answer that), but I'll use it within the next couple of days and if no one else has responded, I can let you know if that was the case. If you order one bar, the postage from the US is 6 dollars, which isn't as bad as some other places. I don't know how much it would be for a few samples, I imagine the same since it would take up as much space.

I haven't used a Sweet Creek Herbs bar, but with the bar I've been using I don't use an acid rinse, so unless you've got very hard water you might as well try that.

[kayes]

We supposedly have soft water, according to our water provider's website, but all the bars I've tried I've needed to use an acidic rinse, or I end up with really big tangly hair. I'll be curious to see if this one is any different.

[Hedera]

I don't think you need to worry about the CV bars going 'off'; they get a little harder with age but they work, if anything, even better.
They sort of continue to cure slowly.

I stock up twice a year, buying as much as I can fit in one flat-rate envelope (usually along with some other goodies, like lip butters and lotion bars, which are terrific for dry winter-knitter's hands!), and I always have some left over at the end of the 6 months.

So, slowly, I'm building up a tiny bit of a stockpile. ;)

[florenonite]

I don't think you need to worry about the CV bars going 'off'; they get a little harder with age but they work, if anything, even better.
They sort of continue to cure slowly.

I stock up twice a year, buying as much as I can fit in one flat-rate envelope (usually along with some other goodies, like lip butters and lotion bars, which are terrific for dry winter-knitter's hands!), and I always have some left over at the end of the 6 months.

So, slowly, I'm building up a tiny bit of a stockpile. ;)

OK, thanks! I'm thinking if I get 16 samples, given the amount of time my current bar's lasted, they'll probably last six to eight weeks. This would make them last between 24 and 32 months (if my math's correct :p) in total, so I'd be a bit disappointed if some of them went off.

[florenonite]

Ooh, question about the Chamomile & Citrus (sorry for spamming this thread :oops:): for those of you with tawny/cendre hair or other hair that bleaches easily in the sun, do you find that it lightens your hair? I don't like my hair when it's blonde, and do my utmost to keep it brown, but because it's on the cusp between brown and blonde it tends to lighten.

Additionally, the Cafe Moreno says it gives warm brown tones? Does anyone have experience with the degree to which it does this? Like I said above, I like to keep my hair on the brown side, but I also don't want to warm it up much, because it's very ashy and I like it like that, it's unusual. So darkening = good, warming up = bad.

Cheers!

[Liave Ekeli]

Ooh, question about the Chamomile & Citrus (sorry for spamming this thread :oops:): for those of you with tawny/cendre hair or other hair that bleaches easily in the sun, do you find that it lightens your hair? I don't like my hair when it's blonde, and do my utmost to keep it brown, but because it's on the cusp between brown and blonde it tends to lighten.


I haven't noticed much of a bleaching effect with the chamomile/citrus, and my hair usually tends to lighten in the summer months, but then again my hair is quite dark all year around, so maybe it wouldn't show much even if it did... Maybe someone with lighter hair has got a better answer.

[Henna Sooq]

What are some of the reasons some of you use ACV? I have never tried it and didn't think I would need it. So wondering why would choose to do that? To untangle, for soft water...etc?

[getoffmyskittle]

What are some of the reasons some of you use ACV? I have never tried it and didn't think I would need it. So wondering why would choose to do that? To untangle, for soft water...etc?

ACV is to remove the coating that comes from using the shampoo bars in hard water. You must have pretty soft water if you don't need it. :) I didn't need it the first time I used soap in my hair, but I have since. The texture of my hair transforms instantly - it goes from squeaky and kind of hard-feeling to soft and tangle-free. :D

[florenonite]

What are some of the reasons some of you use ACV? I have never tried it and didn't think I would need it. So wondering why would choose to do that? To untangle, for soft water...etc?

When I first started with 'poo bars, my hair felt rough if I didn't use an ACV rinse, presumably because bars are alkaline. I stopped out of laziness and found it fine in both hard and soft water, and I could wash less frequently without it.

Considering where you live, I would have thought you'd be more likely to need it than less, as most folk who require them live in hard water areas. I live about an hour from Brampton and the water at home is very hard. It's also got a pH of 7.4, which is slightly basic.

[mishmish]

So I just discovered a new soapmaker, who is local to me, and sells her wares at local farmer's markets. I would love to transition to totally locavore personal care products, and I currently am loving my 'poo bar, but she says she doesn't make a shampoo bar because she could never get them to work in her own hair, and therefore couldn't in good conscience sell one explicitly as a shampoo. But she does say that some of her customers use them as shampoo. So what should I look for in a soap bar to be used as shampoo? I'm pretty sure she uses an olive oil base in most of her soaps, with some that have a cocoa/shea butter base. And I'm pretty sure she puts coconut oil in some.

She did mention that if she did make a shampoo bar, she would use a high percentage of castor oil. Maybe I'll be able to convince her to try to make one.

So, for the soap-makers out there, is it rude to ask what the superfat percentage of her various soaps are? And if not, what is the typical superfat percentage of a shampoo versus a soap bar? I have pretty nice hair already, if sometimes a little oily, so I'm up for some experimentation, but it would be good to know where to start.

Her company is Mystic Waters Soap (http://www.mysticwatersoap.com/index.htm), and her webpage doesn't give a lot of info about specific ingredients. I was considering trying Simply Soap first, because it's supposed to lather nicely, and doesn't have EOs that would affect my hair. But she makes soaps in all sorts of lovely fragrances!

How funny! I joined the other day and found my name in this thread! Hi, Madame J, I wanted to tell you that you piqued my interest about shampoo bars with your informed questions at the market, and I'm going to do a few trials. :) It's interesting to hear other people's experiences with them and I'm encouraged that so many people have had better experiences than I did (I've only tried the Liggett's bar). I'm in awe of the beautiful hair pics everywhere on this forum, and hope to improve my own. Btw, never worry about asking questions of a soapmaker - we love to talk about our craft! Because of your post, I'll be adding ingredient info to my website - and pictures of my products, too. ;)

[shwankie]

Madame J,

I'd love to go totally locavore and natural on hair products, but am having the same issue. No one around here makes 'poo bars, body butters, lotion bars, etc. Lots of standard goat soap bath bars, but that's about it. Don't get me wrong, I love goat soap, and use it frequently; but, I much prefer some of the CV style products.

When I ask soapmakers about it, they think I am crazy. One actually asked me why I would use bar soap on my hair and ruin it, when it was so lovely? She was shocked to find out I used "bar soap" on it already! I don't think I convinced her, though :-( I could make my own, I suppose; but, I doubt I could do it any more cheaply than I can buy it from CV or other places online, and I doubt I'd do it as well. And, honestly, I have limited interest and time.

So, let's hope locavore natural body care catches on soon, in more than just standard soap!

[Madame J]

How funny! I joined the other day and found my name in this thread! Hi, Madame J, I wanted to tell you that you piqued my interest about shampoo bars with your informed questions at the market, and I'm going to do a few trials. :) It's interesting to hear other people's experiences with them and I'm encouraged that so many people have had better experiences than I did (I've only tried the Liggett's bar). I'm in awe of the beautiful hair pics everywhere on this forum, and hope to improve my own. Btw, never worry about asking questions of a soapmaker - we love to talk about our craft! Because of your post, I'll be adding ingredient info to my website - and pictures of my products, too. ;)

Wow, what a coincidence! I'm experimenting a little more with detergents lately, but I would be happy to try any new shampoo bar you come up with. My scalp is a little itchier lately with normal shampoo!

Shwankie, I met a lavender farmer from Warrenton (or something) at the Silver Spring market a month ago, and she had handmade bars with a low super fat percentage at her stall. Michelle (Mystic Water Soaps, which I've posted before) is local to the MD side of DC. You can also do a regional search on Etsy. But, as you can see from her post, Michelle is more than happy to look into hair soap.

[Henna Sooq]

Yes we do have hard water here for sure. Because we have an aquarium at home, and just recently started testing it a bit regularly (cause my fish got sick with ich and I was concerned), so anyhow the water is hard and that showed up on the test.

So ACV would just be putting apple cider vinegar in my hair after washing with a shampoo bar right after the shower? I admit my hair does feel squeaky clean but thought that was normal. It brishes out nicely, and smoothly. Would we then say that EVERY hair texture/type would require ACV if they have hard water? Are there different recipes? Because I could imagine this would be a bit stinky. and I am not about to want to have stinky hair .... :)

[kayes]

Yes we do have hard water here for sure. Because we have an aquarium at home, and just recently started testing it a bit regularly (cause my fish got sick with ich and I was concerned), so anyhow the water is hard and that showed up on the test.

So ACV would just be putting apple cider vinegar in my hair after washing with a shampoo bar right after the shower? I admit my hair does feel squeaky clean but thought that was normal. It brishes out nicely, and smoothly. Would we then say that EVERY hair texture/type would require ACV if they have hard water? Are there different recipes? Because I could imagine this would be a bit stinky. and I am not about to want to have stinky hair .... :)

From that I understand, not everyone uses an acv rinse. If you haven't found you've need one, then I wouldn't bother. If you are curious what it would do, you could always try it on a day you don't care what your hair looks like. I apparently have soft water, but I use an acid rinse or my hair just gets big and frizzy and tangled because the cuticle is raised. To get it to go down I use diluted citric acid (which I rinse out) and a final rinse with cold water.

How much ACV you use depends on the person. I'd try a very little bit diluted in water. Some people rinse it out, other leave it in. I suppose it all comes down to personal preference. If you don't want stinky hair, the alternative is something like citric acid, or vitamin c, which are also acidic, but don't smell. With vinegar rinses, people also mix in things like herbs and essential oils depending on what they want to it to do to their hair or want it to smell like. I've never tried it, but there may be recipes on here somewhere. Other things like tea or diluted honey may work, I didn't have much luck with chamomile tea (not acidic enough for me), never tried honey.

[Henna Sooq]

Thanks Kayes perfect! I think I'll try some ACV just to see what its like, and add a little essential oil to help with the scent. I am sure it wont hurt to try it once at least

[Liave Ekeli]

And there I ordered another bunch of stuff from CV... *sigh* I hope I can avoid keeping this pace up, because I can already feel my wallet looking menacingly at me.
Bought loads of sample bars this time around, figured it was a good way to test out more of the different ones. I ended up with samples of lavender/spice, mud and clay, nettle, olive babassu, rosemary/lavendel/aloe, rosemary/mint and summer sunshine, as well as a full size bar the citrus/green tea soap and a lotion bar.

[shwankie]

Shwankie, I met a lavender farmer from Warrenton (or something) at the Silver Spring market a month ago, and she had handmade bars with a low super fat percentage at her stall. Michelle (Mystic Water Soaps, which I've posted before) is local to the MD side of DC. You can also do a regional search on Etsy. But, as you can see from her post, Michelle is more than happy to look into hair soap.

Wait...I missed a post by a VA soapmaker who's experimenting with shampoo bars?! I am going to have to go back in the thread and find Michelle! I am soon to be even farther south in VA (Lynchburg, actually); so, I'd love to find a soapmaker in that area. I'll try a regional on Etsy, thanks so much!! I already use local goat soap for my face and bathing, but would love more choices in ingredients, as well as other products; so, I'm going to give the Etsy thing a try as soon as we move. Thanks again!

[marikamt]

Ooh, question about the Chamomile & Citrus (sorry for spamming this thread :oops:): for those of you with tawny/cendre hair or other hair that bleaches easily in the sun, do you find that it lightens your hair? I don't like my hair when it's blonde, and do my utmost to keep it brown, but because it's on the cusp between brown and blonde it tends to lighten.

Additionally, the Cafe Moreno says it gives warm brown tones? Does anyone have experience with the degree to which it does this? Like I said above, I like to keep my hair on the brown side, but I also don't want to warm it up much, because it's very ashy and I like it like that, it's unusual. So darkening = good, warming up = bad.

Cheers!

I use the cafe moreno on my hennaed hair (dark brown naturally) and don;t notice a huge change... however, it is VERY fragrant... I love the smell, but DH does not..... the patchouli really comes thru

[SeaPhoenix]

Hey - I've been trolling through the boards and haven't found a review of Henna Sooq's shampoo bars yet... I've been off the shampoo bars for a little while but am wanting to maybe start adding them back in and was wondering how Henna Sooq's bars are in comparison to, say, Chagrin Valley's bars?
I'm not completely in love with Chagrin's shampoo bars - though some of them have worked well enough when I get the balance right on a citric acid + conditioner diluted water rinse. The one I wanted to try is listed as out of stock (cocoveda) so thought perhaps there are some folks lurking in this thread who may have tried it and contributed to the out of stock thing, and would hopefully have some reviews to pass on about them...? :-)

[florenonite]

And there I ordered another bunch of stuff from CV... *sigh* I hope I can avoid keeping this pace up, because I can already feel my wallet looking menacingly at me.
Bought loads of sample bars this time around, figured it was a good way to test out more of the different ones. I ended up with samples of lavender/spice, mud and clay, nettle, olive babassu, rosemary/lavendel/aloe, rosemary/mint and summer sunshine, as well as a full size bar the citrus/green tea soap and a lotion bar.

Let me know how those work for you! :lol:


I use the cafe moreno on my hennaed hair (dark brown naturally) and don;t notice a huge change... however, it is VERY fragrant... I love the smell, but DH does not..... the patchouli really comes thru

Hmm, I don't know that I want one that smells if it's got coffee in it; I find the smell of coffee nauseating. I don't know what patchouli is, but depending on how that smells I may or may not like it.

[SeaPhoenix]

I went looking for Serpentine Hair shampoo bars online (they really did work the best for me of all the shampoo bars I tried), only to find they'd gone away. Well - sort of... looks like they changed their name. For anyone who may have liked the Serpentine bars, the name changed to "La Vida Dulce"... some of the shampoo bar flavors have changed, some are the same, and the prices are the same too. :-)
(Definitely still curious as to how henna sooq's shampoo bars compare though!)

[Madame J]

Wait...I missed a post by a VA soapmaker who's experimenting with shampoo bars?! I am going to have to go back in the thread and find Michelle! I am soon to be even farther south in VA (Lynchburg, actually); so, I'd love to find a soapmaker in that area. I'll try a regional on Etsy, thanks so much!! I already use local goat soap for my face and bathing, but would love more choices in ingredients, as well as other products; so, I'm going to give the Etsy thing a try as soon as we move. Thanks again!

No, I actually met her in person. I don't remember the farm's name, but she's at the Silver Spring farmer's market on Saturdays, if you can make it up that far. Plus, around Charlottesville area, I'm sure there are a ton of handcrafters. Michelle's name on the board is mishmish, and she just joined, but I posted a link to her website a few pages back. She has an extensive schedule of mostly-Maryland crafy shows and markets.

[Liave Ekeli]

Let me know how those work for you! :lol:

Will do! :D

[Henna Sooq]

I did get some patchouli and sometimes I wonder why I have it, but some people like it. I actually really don't like the smell. It's kind of woodsy and a bit sharp for me. I like citrus scents, and peppermint scents a lot. So those are my fave oils. Because they are really invigorating and refresher, but I probably would like the coffee as well. I wonder if the caffeine in it affects the system at all? It sounds kind of yummy, but if it has patchouli in it, not really for me.

SeapPhoenix, me too! I could tell you, but I'm pretty biased. lol! I can only say what I have been told directly, but I deal with a lot of first timers generally, so I don't have a comparison on hand as yet.

[Liave Ekeli]

Yay, my CV order has been sent! Lots of new samples and other goodies coming my way! Hopefully, if the shipping moves as fast as last time, it should be here sometime next week. Yay!

...*ahem* Sorry, I get childishly excited by rather small things.

[GlassEyes]

Let me know how those work for you! :lol:



Hmm, I don't know that I want one that smells if it's got coffee in it; I find the smell of coffee nauseating. I don't know what patchouli is, but depending on how that smells I may or may not like it.


I'm with you on the coffee--ut my body is pretty much intolerant to it anyway.

As far as the patchouli, it depends on the kind and what it's mixed with, but it generally has a strong, earthy scent. You either like it, or you hate it. To me, it depends, but most of the time, it stinks. :p It also depends on the person wearing it.

[marikamt]

The coffee smell does not come thru at all... it is the patchouli that is strong... glasseyes is right, it is either a smell you love or hate... I love it, DH hates it.... says my hair smells like a hippie shop..... :D

[mishmish]

Is there consensus as to what superfat oil is best for shampoo bars? I am excited about giving this a try, and would like to start out with a fairly simple bar high in castor oil and with a 3% superfat. I'm thinking of using jojoba as the superfat oil the first time around. But I've got allmond, shea, coconut, sunflower, avocado, grapeseed, hazelnut, emu...

Would anyone like to make suggestions as to their ideal shampoo bar? :)

[Fethenwen]

Seems shampoo bars really aren't for me after all :(
It made my hair really straggly, with only three shampooings. And my scalp got very dry from it, even if I used conditioner before shampooing. But my hair is alright now after scalp oiling and one SMT.

But the good news is that my sweetheart really likes my shampoo. I agree with him that it suits his hair type very well. It gives a lot of texture and he can skip a washing day or two because it makes his hair less oily :) It also seems to stop his shedding and dandruff.

[mishmish]

That was my experience too, which is why I never felt comfortable making them...but reading this thread has gotten me excited about trying to make one: I like a challenge and so I hope that I can come up with something that will work well. I'm still unclear about the function of ingredients like honey in a shampoo bar - in regular soapmaking, sugar (and honey) is considered good for boosting lather, but honey also has a moisturizing function in 'poo bars? If I were formulating a bar soap for oily skin I'd skip butters and use some lighter oils like grapeseed and hazelnut, and for dry skin I'd pile on the butters and avocado and olive...how different is that from hair? If anyone wants to talk about this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[Henna Sooq]

Coconut oil is good when it is raw, and cold-pressed, being rich in moisturization, and full of nutrients for both hair and skin.

Coconut oil is not a good oil to make saponified. Because once it becomes saponified it becomes drying to the hair. Once coconut oil is saponified, there is no coconut oil. It’s a whole other chemical structure after attaching itself to a lye molecule. When that happens, some oils make a moisturizing soap structure & some don’t. Same thing happens with palm and animals fats.

[mishmish]

Although it's true that saponified coconut oil can be drying, it depends a lot on what other oils it's used with, in what proportions and with what degree of superfat; many oils that wouldn't make a good soap all by themselves are valuable in combination with others.

Henna Sooq, would your first choice for a superfatting oil be cold-pressed organic coconut? Does coconut oil work best on thick, coarser hair? I'm thinking of countries where coconut is traditional for haircare, like India and Polynesia...

[firenze]

It's been a long time since I've posted but thought an update might help those struggling with 'poos bars.

After dealing with a lot of damage and annoying layers, I had a huge chop--from 28 inches to 15 inches (eek!). I haven't regretted it because my hair feels so much healthier now, but I'm ready to grow again. When I tried CV 'poo bars back in May, I had the waxies, big time. It was especially disappointing because it made my picky, high maintenance scalp feel great. So, I gave up on them and subsequently tried CO-ing with Suave Naturals and had problems with an itchy, irritated scalp despite happy hair. Since then, I've been using both SLS and SLS-free shampoos but still had a really angry scalp. I found some of my CV samples the other day and figured I didn't have anything to lose by trying them again.

I used Lavender Spice and then Rosemary Lavender and my hair feels great. I didn't even clarify before using them. I'm not sure if it's because I've moved back home after being in university and the water is drastically different. But I really, really wonder if it's because I'm using it on much healthier hair. My only task now is trying to figure out how to stretch my washes because I seem to get a bit greasy the day after I wash. Maybe I can't do it on shorter hair, I'm not sure. Or maybe I'll try another brand. Anyway, I'm so excited. I feel like this will really help me grow long healthy hair this time (that and not blowfrying and flat ironing everyday for years, you know!). :D

Moral of the story: If you're struggling with 'poos bars and are disappointed, I suggest giving them some time and trying to figure out what works for you best. It might not work the first time, but that doesn't mean you won't find another brand or be able to tweak something to make it work for you. Hope that helps, I know reading other peoples' experiences on here have really helped me. :cheese:

[Tinose]

Now this is odd. After washing my hair last night, my hair got a texture that I've never seen from it before. It's not the waxies that I got when I was switching over because the texture is all wrong, but it's clumping a bit and managing to be stiff, while still being very silky and clean-feeling, if that makes any sense. I washed normally and used my normal acv honey rinse, with the only possible difference being how thoroughly I oiled my hair beforehand.

Has anyone else ever gotten that kind of reaction?

[Amara]

I'm excited - I just reordered my favorite two shampoo bars after a prolonged bit of poorness (and so CO washing at home with $1 conditioner). Babassu Marshmallow and Cafe Moreno. I also ordered a Honey Butter Soap bar to try as a conditioner, which I've never tried before. Woohoo!

[Liave Ekeli]

I'm excited - I just reordered my favorite two shampoo bars after a prolonged bit of poorness (and so CO washing at home with $1 conditioner). Babassu Marshmallow and Cafe Moreno. I also ordered a Honey Butter Soap bar to try as a conditioner, which I've never tried before. Woohoo!

Good for you! I'm waiting for a host of CV samples to arrive, and I'm super excited to try them all... my current order batch doesn't include your favorites, but maybe I'll try them on my next order

[Madame J]

Although it's true that saponified coconut oil can be drying, it depends a lot on what other oils it's used with, in what proportions and with what degree of superfat; many oils that wouldn't make a good soap all by themselves are valuable in combination with others.

Henna Sooq, would your first choice for a superfatting oil be cold-pressed organic coconut? Does coconut oil work best on thick, coarser hair? I'm thinking of countries where coconut is traditional for haircare, like India and Polynesia...

Heh. If you check out the Herbal Haircare forum, there are a lot of us who use straight coconut oil on our hair. My favorite shampoo bar so far is the JR Liggett bar, and a lot of people use Chagrin Valley bars, which use coconut oil. Probably a basic coconut-olive-castor oil soap might be a good place to start, with just EOs to scent it and no added colorings. There's also a thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=427&highlight=shampoo+bar*)about making your own shampoo bars on the Crafts and Hobbies off-topic forum.

[florenonite]

I just ordered samples of the Babassu and Marsh Mallow, Chamomile Citrus, Coconut Milk, Herb Garden, Lavender & Spice, Mud & Clay, Nettle Shampoo, Rosemary Lavender Aloe, Rosemary Mint and Summer Sunshine bars from CV. I was going to get the Neem and TTO but they're out till November.

Now I'm &#163;25 poorer and eagerly awaiting them ^.^

[kayes]

Now this is odd. After washing my hair last night, my hair got a texture that I've never seen from it before. It's not the waxies that I got when I was switching over because the texture is all wrong, but it's clumping a bit and managing to be stiff, while still being very silky and clean-feeling, if that makes any sense. I washed normally and used my normal acv honey rinse, with the only possible difference being how thoroughly I oiled my hair beforehand.

Has anyone else ever gotten that kind of reaction?

I haven't had quite that reaction, my wasn't clumping, but I've had times where my hair was still soft, but it felt off... I can't really explain it, it just didn't feel right. After trying a whole bunch of things I tried clarifying, which completely sorted it, soft normal feeling hair.
I poured about 500mls of water with baking soda in my hair and massaged it in a bit before I shampooed it made a huge difference. I also added a tiny bit of citric acid, I haven't tried it without the acid yet (I tried just the citric acid, not nearly the same result), I doubt the CA makes a difference since the tiny bit of acid would be neutralised by the BS... but I kind of like the fizzy thing it does when you combine them :p
Alternatively, one time, my hair felt too dry because it needed more protein... I used the x. honey beer and egg, and that sorted it.
I don't know if either of those will help you.

Florenonite- Good luck with the samples. The first time I ordered I had them within five days, but the last time it was over two weeks, which I can only assume is due to the strikes :(.
Hopefully you'll get luckier there :)