The Shampoo Bar Thread

[gabee]

I think the biggest problem with damaged hair is that its more porous, and so soap scum builds up in all the little nooks and crannies, and an acidic rinse doesn't do much. I have found that adding a squirt of conditioner that contains disodium EDTA to my acidic rinse helps with the buildup a lot. EDTA is a chelating agent, as are citric acid and ascorbic acid.
Because of this I'm thinking of trying to make a rinse containing all of the above three, to experiment and see the results.
I ordered EDTA and L-ascorbic acid today, and I will be trying different recipes. I found a post about "Miracle Water" a few days ago, where you add about a quarter teaspoon of citric acid and a pinch of ascorbic acid to a quart of water, and use only this on your hair in the shower.
I was thinking of bringing this up a notch and also adding a pinch of EDTA to this, and hopefully this combination would help remove most metal ions in the water.
Of course this is irrelevant if your water is soft.
Ill post my results when I receive my order. Can't wait! I love experimenting :D

[sfgirl]

Great advice gabee! I'm going to see if that is in my conditioner.

[gabee]

Great advice gabee! I'm going to see if that is in my conditioner.

Out of the conditioners that I have its in Suave and V05.

[sfgirl]

Out of the conditioners that I have its in Suave and V05.

I use v05, so that's probably why it's been working. :)
Seriously, before LHC I just brushed v05 off as one of those cheap things that are cheap because they don't work and probably dry your hair out (I have this problem with a lot of cheap soaps)
Boy was I wrong!

[Neya]

I use v05, so that's probably why it's been working. :)
Seriously, before LHC I just brushed v05 off as one of those cheap things that are cheap because they don't work and probably dry your hair out (I have this problem with a lot of cheap soaps)
Boy was I wrong!

Me too, especially living around hair dressers/salon owners. Thanks to LHC I finally tried vo5, and now its my fave.

My vinegar rinse is a slurry - 30ml or so of vinegar, 12oz "fluid" which is water and various vo5 conditioners. Conditioner masks vinegar smell after rinsing. I add as I go, so I have no idea how many scents are in there.

[MinderMutsig]

I gave up on trying to make the bars work. I loved the idea of shampoo bars but it just wasn't working for me. My hair was waxy and dry, fly-away and tangly and it snapped if I even though about brushing my hand through my hair. I tried everything. Different bars by different artisans, washing once, washing twice, highly diluted vinegar rinses, strong vinegar rinses, different kinds of vinegar, conditioner, well, let's say everything.

I did discover that my skin feels a lot better when washed with barsoap so I'm using up my shampoo bars by using them as body wash. I also discovered I love making soap so it's not all bad. ;)

[zsepthenne]

I gave up on the shampoo bars. I'm sad about it as I felt like I saw more growth going on. I had a problem with how stiff and waxy my hair would be when wet in the shower after using a bar. I had massive flyaways after a wash too. Didn't seem to matter if I lathered once or twice. Is this a hard water issue? I've tried a few different soaps. I have very fine hair. Any suggestions? Id like them to work.

[Guenever]

I gave up on the shampoo bars. I'm sad about it as I felt like I saw more growth going on. I had a problem with how stiff and waxy my hair would be when wet in the shower after using a bar. I had massive flyaways after a wash too. Didn't seem to matter if I lathered once or twice. Is this a hard water issue? I've tried a few different soaps. I have very fine hair. Any suggestions? Id like them to work.

It's probably been mentioned hundreds of times here, but you've tried an ACV rinse after lathering, right?
I have pretty hard water, and my hair does tend to feel a little "waxy" in the shower... but ACV rinses is the miracle cure :) super-soft hair when dry..

[zsepthenne]

I did the ACV rinse but never found a ratio that worked for me. What's yours? I see you have fine hair also.
My poor hair was horribly tangled afterwards too. It be a little better if I used some conditioner. But I'd still have the flyaways. That could just be from not finding my sweet soap yet though heeher

[sfgirl]

I did the ACV rinse but never found a ratio that worked for me. What's yours? I see you have fine hair also.
My poor hair was horribly tangled afterwards too. It be a little better if I used some conditioner. But I'd still have the flyaways. That could just be from not finding my sweet soap yet though heeher

I really don't use much of the bar on my length. I maybe run it down once or twice. But I really like them for my scalp, because CO makes my fine roots really limp.
Did you try CWC, than your rinse? I found that works well. Also, I like to lather up my scalp, and than remove the suds, and use the suds to wash my hair with.
I have really fine, damaged hair and I have noticed shampoo bars are improving it. My hair won't look or act like hair cleaned with sulphates and cones, but I can tell it's getting healthy. :)

[lostchyld]

I gave up on shampoo bars. I'll be keeping one to clarify with, because I like how they worked, but my hair got too dry and frizzy and I don't have the patience to do two things with my hair in the shower. Plus, I need the scalp access I get with CO to keep the itchy, flaky scalp in line with frequent scalp massages. So, I'm back to CO.

[Guenever]

I did the ACV rinse but never found a ratio that worked for me. What's yours? I see you have fine hair also.
My poor hair was horribly tangled afterwards too. It be a little better if I used some conditioner. But I'd still have the flyaways. That could just be from not finding my sweet soap yet though heeher
Yep, fine hair indeed :) I found that after shampoo-ing without an ACV rinse I'd get body, but also a dry, tangled mess (probably due to our hard water.. darn!) .. And unlike most people my hair doesn't like condish, so before ACV I almost gave up on finding a successful routine..

I mix approx. 2 cups of water to 1 tablespoons of ACV (x2 - so 4 cups to 2 tbsps) in an empty soda bottle and, bending over a bucket to "catch" the excess mixture, I pour it over my hair 2-3 times after shampooing.

I've also been experimenting with EVOO this week, cause while ACV moisturizes I still get the feeling of light, flyaway hair that you mention.. I always thought EVOO would be too heavy for fine hair, but so far a TEENY-TINY bit on the length after drying actually helps..
And talking about experiments.. I'm sitting here now with lightly pre-wash EVOO'ed hair, so we'll see how that works out :P

Which shampoo bar have you had the most success with?

[sfgirl]

I usually use the Cv herb garden, but I tried the babbuso and marshmallow yesterday and LOVED IT. I feel it made my hair softer with less fly always. I liked herb garden better for cleaning my scalp though. With herb garden, even with consist and acv I still smelled it all day. I do like the scent. But with the other one u could smell my conditioner. Which was a nice change. :)
By the way, I'm at the point where I hate stretching washes. I like to wash every day, every other day. Once I'm at BSL I might change this, but do you think in the meantime ill be ok with using my poo bars so often?

[Guenever]

I'm at the point where I hate stretching washes. I like to wash every day, every other day. Once I'm at BSL I might change this, but do you think in the meantime ill be ok with using my poo bars so often?
CV bars are very gentle cleansers (I usually later twice), so I see no reason why not :)

[patienceneeded]

Quick question (I hope)...

Would shampoo bars remove build-up? Right now I'm cone-free, but I do like to use cones every once in a while. Would my shampoo bars work just fine with a coney conditioner? The one I like most has bis-aminopropyl dimethicone in it, which is not supposed to be a cone that causes build-up.

I always use a diluted ACV rinse before conditioning, which I rinse out (otherwise the ACV smell lingers). I can't get away with no conditioner at all, and have been cone-free, but I want to have the option of cones if possible. I do love the shampoo bars and want to keep using them, but am hoping I can use cones sometimes too.

[MyKing'sQueen]

Quick question (I hope)...

Would shampoo bars remove build-up? Right now I'm cone-free, but I do like to use cones every once in a while. Would my shampoo bars work just fine with a coney conditioner? The one I like most has bis-aminopropyl dimethicone in it, which is not supposed to be a cone that causes build-up.

I always use a diluted ACV rinse before conditioning, which I rinse out (otherwise the ACV smell lingers). I can't get away with no conditioner at all, and have been cone-free, but I want to have the option of cones if possible. I do love the shampoo bars and want to keep using them, but am hoping I can use cones sometimes too.
I use cones with my shampoo bars and I haven't experienced any build-up. I do clarify with an sls shampoo before I do my henna which is about once every month or two. My hair is not very prone to cone build up though so ymmv.

[Corvus]

I use cones and shampoo bars and experience no negative effects.

Every 6 weeks I get my greys touched up at the salon, and she uses Redken shampoo and conditioner afterwards. I always clarify the next day and then continue to use my shampoo bars and ACV rinse in between. I have done this now for about 6 months and I have to say that my hair has never been in better condition. I'm sold on shampoo bars, and have recently found the Extra Beer & Honey one to be my favorite. Apparently, my hair loves it...........

[patienceneeded]

Thanks for the response! I will plan on using my poo bars (I'm partial to CV's Cafe Moreno) as well as my favorite coney conditioners.

[Amarante]

My vinegar rinse is a slurry - 30ml or so of vinegar, 12oz "fluid" which is water and various vo5 conditioners. Conditioner masks vinegar smell after rinsing. I add as I go, so I have no idea how many scents are in there.


This is such a good idea! I'm going to try a bit of my suave tropical coconut in mine and see if it hides the scent of the vinegar too. :D Thanks for including your measurements, I'm always wondering if mine is too strong/weak. :/

[autumnsdaughter]

Urgh. I am having problems getting poo bars to work for me. I have henna sooq's cocoveda and argan oil bars, and both seem to leave my hair too oily. I'm disappointed, because I really wanted to love them. I rinse really well, but it doesn't seem to be enough. I use a vinegar rinse, and that helps a bit, but it still is too oily. Any suggestions to make these bars work? I can't afford to buy any different bars right now. If I can't get them to work, I'll go back to CO washing with VO5.

[bunnylake]

I experienced build up any time I tried using cones when I was using CV bars. I had to use SLS shampoo to clarify after I put a serum on the ends on my hair just once.

[LittleOrca]

I found shampoo bars not too long ago at a LUSH store. I tried the Karma one and the Seanik. Was not too impressed with the seanik (go figure! lol) and I LOVE the Karma and Godiva shampoo bars. They clean my hair, leave it flowery-fresh, and my conditioners and oils seem to almost work better with this shampoo.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/485995_10100230439130128_19707057_43281889_2527338 44_n.jpg

[sfgirl]

Don't LUSH bars have SLS in them?
Anyways, I bleached my hair yesterday, and used an SLS shampoo to get the bleach out faster (the suds help), because I was in a hurry to get to a concert. I know the guitarist so I didn't want to be late. :)
My hair was felt fried, dried, and nasty. I HATED it. It was so frizzy, with my weird layers I have from breakage that it looked like I had teased me hair!
Today I used my Marshmallow CV bar with my usual CWC than ACV. My hair is soft, shiny, with no flyaways. My hair hasn't felt this nice in years.
So yes, poo bars can work with colored hair. :)

[kittensoupnrice]

Urgh. I am having problems getting poo bars to work for me. I have henna sooq's cocoveda and argan oil bars, and both seem to leave my hair too oily. I'm disappointed, because I really wanted to love them. I rinse really well, but it doesn't seem to be enough. I use a vinegar rinse, and that helps a bit, but it still is too oily. Any suggestions to make these bars work? I can't afford to buy any different bars right now. If I can't get them to work, I'll go back to CO washing with VO5.

I can't really offer you any solutions, unfortunately. I've tried several samples of Hennasooq's bars, and I've always had issues with getting them to lather and clean my hair properly. The only shampoo bar from Hennasooq I ever got to really work well was the argan oil bar, but it still didn't lather and clean as well for me as SCH or CV.

I'd really suggest trying either SCH or CV's bars at some point to see if they work better for you. They seem to be a bit easier and forgiving to use.

[kittensoupnrice]

I found shampoo bars not too long ago at a LUSH store. I tried the Karma one and the Seanik. Was not too impressed with the seanik (go figure! lol) and I LOVE the Karma and Godiva shampoo bars. They clean my hair, leave it flowery-fresh, and my conditioners and oils seem to almost work better with this shampoo.


Don't LUSH bars have SLS in them?
Anyways, I bleached my hair yesterday, and used an SLS shampoo to get the bleach out faster (the suds help), because I was in a hurry to get to a concert. I know the guitarist so I didn't want to be late. :)
My hair was felt fried, dried, and nasty. I HATED it. It was so frizzy, with my weird layers I have from breakage that it looked like I had teased me hair!
Today I used my Marshmallow CV bar with my usual CWC than ACV. My hair is soft, shiny, with no flyaways. My hair hasn't felt this nice in years.
So yes, poo bars can work with colored hair. :)

Yep, all LUSH bars have SLS in them.
That doesn't mean they don't work well, just differently from saponified oil shampoo bars.

LUSH bars are probably a good option for people with water issues, or find that artisan shampoo bars don't work well with their hair, but still like the idea of less packaging and a dry shampoo (like for traveling).

It might not be a good option for people wanting to use shampoo bars due to sensitivity to SLS, or are looking for more natural hair cleansing solutions.

[LittleOrca]

My hair does not mind SLS as much as some other's hair I'm sure. To each their own, right?

[MyKing'sQueen]

Your hair looks gorgeous, LittleOrca!:thud:

[sfgirl]

My hair does not mind SLS as much as some other's hair I'm sure. To each their own, right?

I was just wondering because the reason I use poo bars is because SLS dries my hair out, but I love LUSH like no other! Urgh they need a non SLS one soon! LOL

[Skooter]

I'm considering making a second order at Chagrin Valley (even though I haven't nearly run out of my samples, aah) and I was wondering about the new hair balms. Has anyone tried them? Unlike the oils, these fit in a flat rate envelope XD.

[autumn leaves]

Urgh. I am having problems getting poo bars to work for me. I have henna sooq's cocoveda and argan oil bars, and both seem to leave my hair too oily. I'm disappointed, because I really wanted to love them. I rinse really well, but it doesn't seem to be enough. I use a vinegar rinse, and that helps a bit, but it still is too oily. Any suggestions to make these bars work? I can't afford to buy any different bars right now. If I can't get them to work, I'll go back to CO washing with VO5.

How long have you used them? It took me two-three weeks for my hair to really adjust (reinforced, I think, by the fact that the water was quite hard where I lived when I first started using them).

Also, the oil might come from too much vinegar in the vinegar rinse (at least that's my experience).

[UpNorth]

I just placed an order on some CV sample bars. Even my boyfriend is exited to try them out:) I have used Lush bars before and I really liked them, but don´t want SLS so we´ll se how these lovely little things work out for me!

[gabee]

I just wanted to add that I've seen a HUGE decrease in shedding since I started using shampoo bars.
With CWC and especially CO I would see up to 20-30+ hairs falling out every wash.
Now when I use shampoo bars its usually a maximum of 5 hairs that fall out, even though it seems as though I'm a bit rougher in how I manipulate my hair while shampooing, just because I have to scrub well to get a good lather.
Anyways, just wanted to mention a new reason I've discovered why I love shampoo bars :cheer:

[Naddy]

At the start of the new year, I ordered CV's Butter Bar Conditioner, Mud & Clay, Cafe Moreno, Nettle, and Extra Honey & Beer samples. Thanks to everyone in this thread sharing their experiences and warnings about possible squeakiness, waxy build-up, etc, I felt like I was able to learn from what I've read here and come up with a routine that would work for my hair (and not freak out at the squeaks when they first happened). Here's the routine that I've decided to use with all of these bars:

I soak my (sometimes coconut oiled) hair with Tresemme Nourishing Moisture Naturals Conditioner and let it sit for 5 - 10 minutes Lather and rinse twice to make sure I get all of the excess conditioner and oils out Rinse with a green tea (1 liter) and ACV (1/4 cup). The water is soft here, but I thought I'd be prepared to smooth out any possible squeaks with an acid rinse anyway. I soak my ends in the mixture for a minute, then pour the rest of the mixture on the rest of my hair and detangle Apply Paul Mitchell's Skinny Serum (which is the only product with silicone that I use) and air dry

Verdict? I'm.So.Sold. I haven't experienced a single hitch in transitioning to bars and my hair loves every single one of the aforementioned samples. Unfortunately, while my length loves the Nettle bar, my scalp itches just a bit when I use it. And this isn't because of the quality of the bar by any means; I only found out that nettle and my scalp don't play well together after trying to use nettle tea as a rinse. Go me. :(

My favorite bar out of these samples was the Mud & Clay bar. I'm not sure why, but despite the description and ingredients sounding interesting when I made my purchase, I didn't expect anything earth shatteringly extraordinary from it. It turns out that this bar might very well be the best thing that has ever touched my hair in the 30 years I've been alive, haha. Seriously though, I follow the same routine when I wash with Mud & Clay that I use with the other bars, but when I use this baby, the softness and and unreal mirror like shine that I feel my hair has is incredible. Oh, my dear Mud & Clay shampoo bar, where have you been all my life? :inlove:

Today I received my 2nd CV order (which only took 8 days to make it to Finland!). Along with a few complexion bar samples and Whipped Squalane mousse, I ordered full bars of Mud & Clay (of course), Butter Bar Conditioner, Extra Honey & Beer and samples of Babassu Marsh Mallow, Neem & Tea Tree, Olive & Babassu, and Summer Sunshine. The only reason I left out Cafe Moreno was for lack of flat-rate envelope space. :p

I definitely plan on trying some products from other shampoo bar makers (such as SCH) eventually, but I'm definitely a permanent customer of Ida's and I'll be recommending CV to my friends and family whenever I get half a chance to do so. :D

[Tetroski]

Hey, all! I was wondering if any of you could help out a relative shampoo bar newbie. I've tried three kinds of Chagrin Valley 'poo bars so far (Cafe Moreno, Chamomile & Citrus, and Neem & Tea Tree Oil body/hair bar), and I'm just about ready to place another small order; I'd really like to try one of the Honey Beer bars, but I can't decide between Extra Honey Beer and Honey Beer & Egg. Pretty sure that Extra Honey Beer would be more moisturizing while Honey Beer & Egg would have more protein, but I'd like to hear some first-hand experiences of users who've tried both. Is there any noticeable difference?

I've searched through this thread for information, but haven't seen any mention of the subject. Any info would be much appreciated. :p

(and as a bonus, if anybody's happened to try the Honey Beer soap bar as a shampoo, can I ask how that worked on your hair?)

[Amanah]

I enjoy the shampoo bars, I'm finding though that I still need to use a conditioner after using the bar. I'm letting my hair go natural (salt and pepper) but I still have some chemically damaged ends. What conditioner should I use after my Shampoo bar, if anyone would care to make recommendations. I started using Loreal's Eversmooth conditioner, but, it seems to have a lot of ingredients in it that I can't really identify, so I'm not sure if its good for my hair in the long run or not.

[Myrddin]

@naddy Thank you for the explanation of your routine. I always like to read what works for people. I guess, I will try to put conditioner (with oil) before my soap wash. Do you put the conditioner on your entire hair or just the ends?

@amahan Usually, take the conditioner that works for you. For me Aubrey Organics Swimmer Conditioner works very well with shamppo bars, because it´s very nourishing. But maybe you could also start using a leave-in like oil or something selfmade like from the recipe forum.

My little update, in the winter I have found the perfect routine for me. A couple of weeks ago I have moved and now my old routine doesn´t work for me anymore. I have more waxies though the water is softer. So I'm experimenting again *sigh*.

[Naddy]

@naddy Thank you for the explanation of your routine. I always like to read what works for people. I guess, I will try to put conditioner (with oil) before my soap wash. Do you put the conditioner on your entire hair or just the ends?


No problem. I love reading people's hair routines as well, hehe. As crazy as it sounds, I condition my whole head of hair. I wash with bars twice a week and and I've been doing this routine for almost 3 months. I think lathering vigorously and rinsing twice might be the trick to removing the oil and conditioner for me, but I surprisingly haven't experienced any build up, dull hair or excessive greasiness as of yet. In fact, I'm almost waiting for it and I'm shocked whenever my hair isn't greasy. *knocks on wood* :p Mind you I have a thick amount of very coarse hair though, so with your fine, thin hair, maybe conditioning the ends would be good enough to start out with and see if that works? :)

[Myrddin]

No problem. I love reading people's hair routines as well, hehe. As crazy as it sounds, I condition my whole head of hair. I wash with bars twice a week and and I've been doing this routine for almost 3 months. I think lathering vigorously and rinsing twice might be the trick to removing the oil and conditioner for me, but I surprisingly haven't experienced any build up, dull hair or excessive greasiness as of yet. In fact, I'm almost waiting for it and I'm shocked whenever my hair isn't greasy. *knocks on wood* :p Mind you I have a thick amount of very coarse hair though, so with your fine, thin hair, maybe conditioning the ends would be good enough to start out with and see if that works? :)

Yes, I think thats makes more sense. If I oil my scalp, it takes me too long to clean my hair with shampoo bars. I will try your method probably tomorrow.

[Roscata]

Well I'm back to shampoo bars and this time around my hair loves them!

I'm using the CV Ayurvedic herb shampoo bar (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/products/details/48/49/ayurvedic-herb-shampoo-bar), ACV, and Shea butter solid conditioner (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/products/details/48/50/hair-balms-shea-butter).

A few things helped me enjoy shampoo bars:
- The solid conditioner really helped keep my hair properly moisturized. I use it as a leave in, or by lightly applying it for 15-30 minutes then rinsing my hair. The conditioner doesn't truly rinse out, it just kind of spreads through out the length better.
- Pre-wash oiling is now very light, I don't do heavy oiling anymore. When I wash it out I focus on the oiled part (usually the scalp) by applying shampoo at least 3 times in one spot in a combing motion and massaging/rinsing after the 3 applications.

This is my full routine right now:
- pre-wash scalp oiling with Neelibhringadi Oil and/or Castor oil, also considering coconut length oiling for when I wash my length.
- wet hair and apply shampoo bar in a combing motion from roots to end, or just on the scalp
- rinse out the shampoo, then follow up with and ACV leave-in rinse (one tea spoon of ACV to one 8oz cup of water)
- condition hair and scalp post wash when my scalp or length feel dry

ETA: Has anyone tried turning shampoo bars into liquid shampoo (http://www.savvyhousekeeping.com/how-to-turn-a-bar-of-soap-into-liquid-hand-soap/)?

[Amanah]

I'm oiling with coconut oil before and after my shampoo bar and I need to stop it as my hair constantly looks oiled. Coconut oil is just so addicting, the way it smells, the way it feels . . . ahhhhh!
After my shower I use it for an all over moisturizer and can't seem to resist putting in my hair too :no:

[sfgirl]

I hit a real stand still. My length (not my scalp or ends, just the middle), was always waxy. I tried lathering more, lathering less, conditioning more, and conditioning less. My hair just felt dirty no matter what. So I broke down and did a CWC with SLS shampoo. My hair feels clean now (and weirdly enough, more straight), but I also have more flyaways, and dryer ends. I'm hoping this was enough to clarify my hair and go back to CV bars. I just might have to clarify once a month or so, I have hard water (and can't install a filter because it's not my bathroom), and bleached hair, which I read soap scum builds up in.

[Amanah]

I just shampoo'd with a clarifying shampoo. I wanted to see what my hair really looked like without all the conditioners and oils on it.

My hair looks great, it's shiny, and full and I love it. It's got no glide though now, it's naturally wavy, and the ends catch on each other w/o conditioner.

Oh well, at least I got a glimpse of my hair and know that all my efforts have not been in vain. But I still need to find the right combination of moisture and glide w/o having it look like an oil slick.

[brave]

Has anybody tried Milk and Honey Naturals (http://www.etsy.com/shop/MilkAndHoneyNaturals?ref=seller_info)? I bought their solid conditioner (sandalwood rose) and shampoo (black sea mud) a while ago and had no real success (my hair got kind of lanky) but I think I'm gonna try it again.

I have a couple sample CV bars and so far it's been interesting. I love love love the smell and feel of the ayurvedic one but I think it's too drying. The coconut one is good but too oily for someone with bangs, and the Extra Honey Beer one might be just right. My hair needs incredible amounts of conditioner at the best of time so as much as I love the idea of flying with all carryon and STILL having good hair, I think I might still need conditioner on top of all this.

On the other hand, I've been doing these bars without ACV rinses (did one once, hated the smell, didn't see any benefit). I think the water in my dorm must be filtered because I haven't been getting the waxies lately.

[Naddy]

Yes, I think thats makes more sense. If I oil my scalp, it takes me too long to clean my hair with shampoo bars. I will try your method probably tomorrow.

Good luck!

[Myrddin]

ETA: Has anyone tried turning shampoo bars into liquid shampoo (http://www.savvyhousekeeping.com/how-to-turn-a-bar-of-soap-into-liquid-hand-soap/)?

No, I haven´t, but it seems to be a good idea for small pieces of soap. I think I will try it, when my shampoo bars will be too small for washing. Thanks for the link.


Good luck!

Thank you, I tried it yesterday. Since I oiled my ends the other night before with coconut oil my points feel a bit weird, though freshly cut. But I will give it maybe next week another try.


At my old home I mixed my rinse with conditioner. I tried today a light vinegar rinse and I left it in. That seems to work. I have to test it more often though.

[Roscata]

No, I haven´t, but it seems to be a good idea for small pieces of soap. I think I will try it, when my shampoo bars will be too small for washing. Thanks for the link.

You're welcome!

I hope you update with your results. I've tried it, but I think my dilution wasn't strong enough.

[AngelDoll]

Now I am anxious to try shampoo bars.

[Hello Kitty <3]

Hello Ladies :)
After reading almost 200 pages of this thread, I decided to order some CV bars and try them out. I ordered the Cafe Moreno, Summer Sunshine and Mud & Clay. Initially, I was nervous about getting the dreaded "waxies" after using them because my hair is so fine and stick straight, but so far, have had NONE!! I'm not sure if this is because I stopped using styling products, heat and SLS/Cones for almost 2 months, but whatever it is, its working!! :D

Here's my routine:
If any build up from dry shampoo (which I use when stretching washes) I CO first to remove it gently with a non-cone condish (my current fave is Suave Naturals Pomegranate Splash) Then I rinse/lather until all condish is gone.
Then I glide the bar over my hair ab 4-5 times, then lather in my hands and wash the roots and length (what I have of it, ear length) and rinse
Repeat lather and rinse 2 more times
Then I mix a few Tbsp of lemon juice and a couple drops of a non-cone condish (same as used with CO) into a solo cup and then fill that with water and do a final hair rinse with this mixture. I usually rinse mixture out and end with a COLD rinse to close the hair cuticules. Immediately my hair softens up and feels amazing.

My favorite bar, so far, is Cafe Moreno. I love the cloves smell and it makes my hair super shiny! Looking forward to trying the Mud & Clay!!

[cuties]

How do you use shampoo bars when travelling? I'm going out of country and I know the water there is hard. I'm planning to use shampoo bars, but should I take Vinegar with me or buy it there -I'm not sure about the latter one as I'm new to this place and will be staying for a week? any other way to use it? mix it with conditioner?

[Hello Kitty <3]

How do you use shampoo bars when travelling? I'm going out of country and I know the water there is hard. I'm planning to use shampoo bars, but should I take Vinegar with me or buy it there -I'm not sure about the latter one as I'm new to this place and will be staying for a week? any other way to use it? mix it with conditioner?

Hello cuties! I take shampoo bars with me everywhere! Just make sure to find a soap dish that drains well enough for the soap to dry! Most shampoo bars can even double as body soap, less packing! :D I'm not entirely sure you should bring any liquids with you, are you flying? The airport security might not let you board with it, so maybe get some when you arrive..? And YES!! mix the condish with the vinegar, it works just fine and eliminates a step in our busy shower routines!
HTH:)

[cuties]

Hello cuties! I take shampoo bars with me everywhere! Just make sure to find a soap dish that drains well enough for the soap to dry! Most shampoo bars can even double as body soap, less packing! :D I'm not entirely sure you should bring any liquids with you, are you flying? The airport security might not let you board with it, so maybe get some when you arrive..? And YES!! mix the condish with the vinegar, it works just fine and eliminates a step in our busy shower routines!
HTH:)

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm flying. Was thinking if I could checkin a small container (3-4 oz or something of ACV). Don't know if it is allowed or not? If I land and start looking for ACV, my DH would be super pissed. Does conditioner w/o ACV work as well?

[Hello Kitty <3]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm flying. Was thinking if I could checkin a small container (3-4 oz or something of ACV). Don't know if it is allowed or not? If I land and start looking for ACV, my DH would be super pissed. Does conditioner w/o ACV work as well?

I would look online for your cities' airport rules and determine if you can take it with you, I hope you can!! I'm pretty sure that in small, clear containers, it should be fine, but best to be sure and avoid having to throw it away at security :mad:

I would do a test run of Shampoo bars and just plain non-cone condish and see how your hair feels after letting it air dry. Everyone's hair reacts differently to different rinse "cocktails". If conditioner alone makes your hair happy, then go for it! It would be lovely to eliminate a step!!
Also, I have found that my hair loves plain, ordinary lemon juice mixed with condish and water! I'm don't know if this would be somewhat "easier" for you to find in another country, but its a tip nonetheless! :D

[cuties]

I would look online for your cities' airport rules and determine if you can take it with you, I hope you can!! I'm pretty sure that in small, clear containers, it should be fine, but best to be sure and avoid having to throw it away at security :mad:

I would do a test run of Shampoo bars and just plain non-cone condish and see how your hair feels after letting it air dry. Everyone's hair reacts differently to different rinse "cocktails". If conditioner alone makes your hair happy, then go for it! It would be lovely to eliminate a step!!
Also, I have found that my hair loves plain, ordinary lemon juice mixed with condish and water! I'm don't know if this would be somewhat "easier" for you to find in another country, but its a tip nonetheless! :D

I like the idea of OJ, would be easier to find than ACV I suppose. I will try the conditioner only with shampoo bar to see how well it behaves. Thanks for the input.

[UpNorth]

I got mine today! Haven&#180;t tried them yet cause i did a clarifyin wash to get rid of the cones once and for all. My BF has though and he likes them so far, his hair is a bit dry but he refuses to do ACV rinses and he wants his hair to be dry of some reason.

[valereye]

This thread is much too monstrous for me to search through, but I was wondering about the cocoveda bar from henna sooq. I ordered two and tried one out. My hair felt really waxy and weird afterward, oily in a way? It wouldn't lather like some of you are describing with your bars. I love using it on my body and the smell, so I really want to try to make it work. Are these bars just on the oilier side?

[UpNorth]

I have tried one now! I tried the Lavender rosemary one, and i really love the smell, it lathered more than I had expected, but once it was in my hair it stopped. I felt the waxiness in the shower already? I washed it twice and did a ACV rinse. After the ACV the waxiness was maybe 90&#37; gone. Will this eventually get better? Its not dry yet so I can&#180;t really tell the result. But I hope it will be good! I love the idea

[UpNorth]

It&#180;s dry now, and yeah, it feels kinda nice but still a tiiiny bit waxy. But I will stick to this routine for at least 2 month as long as it is healthy and not damaged.

[cuties]

I would look online for your cities' airport rules and determine if you can take it with you, I hope you can!! I'm pretty sure that in small, clear containers, it should be fine, but best to be sure and avoid having to throw it away at security :mad:

I would do a test run of Shampoo bars and just plain non-cone condish and see how your hair feels after letting it air dry. Everyone's hair reacts differently to different rinse "cocktails". If conditioner alone makes your hair happy, then go for it! It would be lovely to eliminate a step!!
Also, I have found that my hair loves plain, ordinary lemon juice mixed with condish and water! I'm don't know if this would be somewhat "easier" for you to find in another country, but its a tip nonetheless! :D

What is the ratio of OJ to water that you use? Currently with ACV, I use 2 tablespoon with 2 cups of water.

[Hello Kitty <3]

What is the ratio of OJ to water that you use? Currently with ACV, I use 2 tablespoon with 2 cups of water.

Actually, I have been using lemon juice..yep, right out of the yellow lemon shaped bottle! haha! I usually use ab 2-3 tablespoons with 2 cups of water. When I'm using a new shampoo bar or if my current one leaves me with the "waxies", I usually will make the mixture stronger..just in case ;)

HTH:)

[Hello Kitty <3]

I like the idea of OJ, would be easier to find than ACV I suppose. I will try the conditioner only with shampoo bar to see how well it behaves. Thanks for the input.

How did the experiment work out, cuties?

[Skooter]

This thread is much too monstrous for me to search through, but I was wondering about the cocoveda bar from henna sooq. I ordered two and tried one out. My hair felt really waxy and weird afterward, oily in a way? It wouldn't lather like some of you are describing with your bars. I love using it on my body and the smell, so I really want to try to make it work. Are these bars just on the oilier side?

I think you'd best just do a 'search this thread' on Henna Sooq. I did it just now and most people seemed to have good results with them? Did you try lathering more than once? For some bars, you need to do that to get a decent lather (some of my Chagrin Valley soaps for instance).


It´s dry now, and yeah, it feels kinda nice but still a tiiiny bit waxy. But I will stick to this routine for at least 2 month as long as it is healthy and not damaged.

Sound good :D. Just play around with it a bit, trying different bars and making the ACV rinse a bit weaker/stronger until you find what works for you ^^.

[valereye]

I'm not sure skooter, but could it be that I don't do an acidic rinse after? Is that a must with shampoo bars? I'm going to try again when I shower in a bit and see how it goes.

[valereye]

Nope...still waxy :/ Maybe my hair just isn't a fan of shampoo bars.

[Guenever]

Nope...still waxy :/ Maybe my hair just isn't a fan of shampoo bars.

How many times do you lather?

[valereye]

I probably lathered 5 or 6 times.

[Guenever]

I probably lathered 5 or 6 times.

Ah, okay.. some people just forget that poo bars are very gentle cleansers and only lather once :)

I haven't really read the entire thread, so sorry if I repeat someone else's post.. but, you've clarified before starting on the bars, right?

[cuties]

How did the experiment work out, cuties?

It was ok. I have mixed feelings about how my hair feels. No waxies though. Thanks.

[valereye]

Yes I clarified on my last wash. I'm not sure if I should try it a few times before giving up on it but I don't know if I can stand my hair feeling like this again.

[Guenever]

Yes I clarified on my last wash. I'm not sure if I should try it a few times before giving up on it but I don't know if I can stand my hair feeling like this again.

I know what you mean.. bad hair days are just...... ugh :(
You mentioned trying acidic rinses.. have you tried an ACV rinse?

[Roscata]

Concerning the waxiness, has anyone tried doing a stronger ACV rinse, like 2 tea spoons of ACV to one cup of water in stead of 1?

[UpNorth]

My hair got better during the day? now it feels so soft and shiny and i&#180;m sorry i&#180;ve accepted the wear hair up for a month challenge, I wanna show the world!

[Myrddin]

Concerning the waxiness, has anyone tried doing a stronger ACV rinse, like 2 tea spoons of ACV to one cup of water in stead of 1?

Yes me, I think there are people who make even stronger dilutions. Usually, that kind of rinse you really have to wash out with water afterwards.

[Roscata]

Yes me, I think there are people who make even stronger dilutions. Usually, that kind of rinse you really have to wash out with water afterwards.

Yeah it probably should be rinsed out, I imagine it would be drying otherwise, but it might also remove some of the build up because it's stronger.

[sfgirl]

I didn't think acv actually removed build up, just valences the ph balence. Lemon or citric acid removes minerals though. Does anyone have luck with hard water, poo bars, and lemon rinses?

[Roscata]

I didn't think acv actually removed build up, just valences the ph balence. Lemon or citric acid removes minerals though. Does anyone have luck with hard water, poo bars, and lemon rinses?

I've read that ACV can help remove hard water (mineral) build-up and it has worked for me a lot better than lemon rinses honestly (ETA: probably because the rinse has to have very little lemon juice in it so it doesn't end up bleaching the hair /ETA). *shurg*

Here are some sources that say ACV helps combat hard water:
ACV rinse and hard water (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=85929)
THERE'S APPLE CIDER VINEGAR REMEDIES FOR EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE! (http://www.healing-from-home-remedies.com/apple-cider-vinegar-remedies.html)
Water (http://www.trussville.com/water.htm)

ETA: And some sources that show ACV can remove soap scum:
Apple Cider Vinegar Uses (http://applecidervinegar101.com/apple-cider-vinegar-uses)
Shower Scum Removal (http://www.housecleaningforce.com/soap-scum-in-showers-tubs.html)
Alternative uses for Apple Cider Vinegar (http://frugalfineliving.blogspot.com/2011/08/alternative-uses-for-apple-cider.html)
(I probably should have linked these in my first post about ACV removing shampoo bar build-up)

[Skooter]

I didn't think acv actually removed build up, just valences the ph balence. Lemon or citric acid removes minerals though. Does anyone have luck with hard water, poo bars, and lemon rinses?

I'm in a hard water area. I did a lime rinse a few times and it worked well. But ACV works well for me too and is cheaper so I stopped doing them :D.

[brave]

I am so stupid excited. Got a package of about 6 samples coming in the mail soon! I'm super excited to try the marshmallow one and the Shea rose facial soap.

[sfgirl]

I guess it just depends on how hard the water is. My waters super hard, and I can't get a softener. ACV helps my hair with regular shampoo and condish, but shampoo bars, even with the ACV, I just can't get to work. I've played around with the dilutions and it just is not doing it. :(

[Roscata]

*big hugs* sfgirl

Have you tried Club Soda for chelation (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=78125) or baking soda (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/) to clarify? Someone recommended coconut and argan oil as well.

[Amanah]

if you have hard water, one thing you can do it take bottled water into the shower with you for your hair. We have an RO, and when I feel like it, I'll fill a jug with water to take with me for wetting and rinsing my hair. When I bring water, I am able to use my poo bar, otherwise, I just use a daily clarifying shampoo and condition/wash/condition.

[sfgirl]

*big hugs* sfgirl

Have you tried Club Soda for chelation (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=78125) or baking soda (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/) to clarify? Someone recommended coconut and argan oil as well.

I might try the club soda. Though I don't think baking soda would be much help, because after one use of my poo bar my hair just feels dirty, it's not even build up over a few washes. :(

if you have hard water, one thing you can do it take bottled water into the shower with you for your hair. We have an RO, and when I feel like it, I'll fill a jug with water to take with me for wetting and rinsing my hair. When I bring water, I am able to use my poo bar, otherwise, I just use a daily clarifying shampoo and condition/wash/condition.
Would a brita be good enough? I don't have the money to be buying distilled water (there isn't a cheap place around here unless I go a few miles back, but than I have to carry it to the bus, and than about a half a mile from the bus to my place and it's uphill!
Usually a CWC or sometimes even a CO works, I usually don't need to clarify if I'm using an SLS, but I really want to find something besides that.

[UpNorth]

I have a question, maybe it´s mentioned earlier in the thread but I haven´t seen anything here yet.

It should be a very gentle cleansing method, right? But when I have lathered a few times my hair becomes very stiff and heavy, and I need to handle it quite rough to make it clean. I doesn´t really feel like I have taken good care of it the last week because of this. But I do like how my hair feels when dry.

[brave]

Do other people not use conditioner with these? My hair is not as silky and soft as it is when I do just CO, but I like the added volume and simplicity of poo bars. I still oil the ends while it's damp. I think shampoo bars make my hair's actual wirey texture a little more apparent, but I don't mind.

Will this be a problem growth-wise if I don't condition often?

[Roscata]

I have a question, maybe it&#180;s mentioned earlier in the thread but I haven&#180;t seen anything here yet.

It should be a very gentle cleansing method, right? But when I have lathered a few times my hair becomes very stiff and heavy, and I need to handle it quite rough to make it clean. I doesn&#180;t really feel like I have taken good care of it the last week because of this. But I do like how my hair feels when dry.

Does your shampoo bar have protein in it? Is it SLS free?


Do other people not use conditioner with these? My hair is not as silky and soft as it is when I do just CO, but I like the added volume and simplicity of poo bars. I still oil the ends while it's damp. I think shampoo bars make my hair's actual wirey texture a little more apparent, but I don't mind.

Will this be a problem growth-wise if I don't condition often?

I condition my hair with oil, not just leave-in, I do a pre-wash coconut oiling. This seems to help my hair look as good as it did with CO. And yes lack of moisture can be a problem because it causes dry hair which can turn into split ends and breakage.

[brave]

I condition my hair with oil, not just leave-in, I do a pre-wash coconut oiling. This seems to help my hair look as good as it did with CO. And yes lack of moisture can be a problem because it causes dry hair which can turn into split ends and breakage.

How long do you let the coconut oil sit in your hair? I did that a few times with varying times and it was nice. Didn't see a huge difference but I was CO with cones then (woops!).

[Roscata]

How long do you let the coconut oil sit in your hair? I did that a few times with varying times and it was nice. Didn't see a huge difference but I was CO with cones then (woops!).

I leave it on my hair for about an hour. Make sure your hair is properly clarified and cone free before you start oiling regularly because those can keep the oil from getting into your hair strands.

[umbrellabones]

Hi everyone(: i've been lurking around this thread and i have a couple questions. people have mentioned an "adjustment period" when switching to bars. what does this mean exactly? does it mean it would be a bad idea to alternate between washes with 'poo bars and co/cwc regular washes? also, in regards the the acid rinse, most people use acv or wv rinses it seems. i have red wine vinegar in my cabinet and im curious about how it would fair, has anyone tried it? im just curious. thanks in advance to anyone who responds:D

[schweedie]

people have mentioned an "adjustment period" when switching to bars. what does this mean exactly? does it mean it would be a bad idea to alternate between washes with 'poo bars and co/cwc regular washes?
I have no real experience with using shampoo bars so take my words with a grain of salt, but no, I don't think that alternating between bars and another washing method would be a bad thing. :)

I actually just tried my very first shampoo bar (from sweetsnthings on Etsy) today, and I quite like it! My scalp hair feels clean and soft - much softer than it usually does after washing, really. I don't know how it'd do in the long run, with build up and stuff, but since I plan on doing the alternating thing that might not be a problem. In all, thumbs up!

[Ecliafr]

Hi everyone! I used a Chagrin Valley shampoo bar yesterday for the very first time and had to share...
I tried the Carrot and Honey one. I was a bit afraid that it wouldn't work so well, but surprise:cheese:It lathered extremely well! The only thing is that after rincing my hair, it was tangled. But I resisted the temptation to use CO and simply detangled my hair with my fingers after they were towel-dried and it worked. I'm very happy with my first CV bar experience :D

[UpNorth]

Does your shampoo bar have protein in it? Is it SLS free?


No, it´s the lavender rosemary one from Chagrin Valley! I´ve tried honey beer egg and the soapnut ones too but I like the the first best. I´m trying to be SLS and cone free and I don´t really like my hair after CO, It is so straigth and feel quite heavy so I feel this is a good compromise.

I do ACV rinses as well and I love it.

[Roscata]

The egg and beer one has protein. Check out this article: Whats wrong with my hair? Hair Diagnostic Tips (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44). Maybe there is more info on that there. I went through a protein disaster for a couple of months, it was not fun. Check one of your shed hair and see if it snaps right away, then it's protein overload and you need lots of moisture. You didn't say it is greasy or tangly so I'm thinking protein, but I'm not sure.

[brave]

As much as I love CV and have a full bar of Cafe Moreno on its way (yay! Yippee!), I am kind of interested in this one. (http://www.etsy.com/listing/84209761/neem-amla-shikakai-handmade-natural?ref=cat2_gallery_9) I liked CV's ayurvedic bar but found it too drying. I might have to try this one sometime.

[Skooter]

As much as I love CV and have a full bar of Cafe Moreno on its way (yay! Yippee!), I am kind of interested in this one. (http://www.etsy.com/listing/84209761/neem-amla-shikakai-handmade-natural?ref=cat2_gallery_9) I liked CV's ayurvedic bar but found it too drying. I might have to try this one sometime.

Let us know if you do! I've been interested in this shop because it's one of the few UK-based shampoo bar shops on Etsy.

[umbrellabones]

I've been lurking around and have decided that i'm going to try switching to shampoo bars! I plan on ordering the following samples from Chagrin Valley relatively soon.
Cafe Moreno
Summer Sunshine
Chamomile and Citrus
Herb Garden
Soapnuts and Sunflower (not sure if I should get natural scent or citrus mint. suggestions?)
Lavender Spice
Mud and Clay
SO EXCITED:)

I also am considering ordering one more sample of one of the moisturizing bars (olive and babassu or babassu mashmallow) because i have dry ends, but my scalp gets oily fast. should i stick with the list i currently have? it's already pretty long..

[sfgirl]

I've been using the lush "new" bar. It smells like cinnamon, and has it in there. :)
It leaves my hair a bit heavier than usual, and sometimes makes my scalp tingle, so if you're sensitive beware!

[nerdymomma]

Fascinating thread! I've read a few of the first pages and a few of the last. So far I've seen no mention of my favorite shampoo bar (ok, the only one I've tried). It's from a little local company called Virginia Soaps and Scents. http://www.va-soaps.com/vss2_014.htm I've been using their shampoo bars for several years now. For a couple of months I used just the shampoo bar with acceptable results. Since that time, I've added their conditioner bar to the mix and I adore how silky it makes my hair feel.

My routine: CWC - conditioner bar from the ears down, lather my scalp with the shampoo bar, scrub well, rinse, and condition all over. Every couple of months my hair starts looking dull and feeling odd, so I clarify with baking soda.

I saw mentions of a tea rinse? I'm intrigued. The only thing I miss about commercial detergent is the scent.

[papera]

Fascinating thread! I've read a few of the first pages and a few of the last. So far I've seen no mention of my favorite shampoo bar (ok, the only one I've tried). It's from a little local company called Virginia Soaps and Scents. http://www.va-soaps.com/vss2_014.htm I've been using their shampoo bars for several years now. For a couple of months I used just the shampoo bar with acceptable results. Since that time, I've added their conditioner bar to the mix and I adore how silky it makes my hair feel.

My routine: CWC - conditioner bar from the ears down, lather my scalp with the shampoo bar, scrub well, rinse, and condition all over. Every couple of months my hair starts looking dull and feeling odd, so I clarify with baking soda.

I saw mentions of a tea rinse? I'm intrigued. The only thing I miss about commercial detergent is the scent.

What a coincidence nerdymomma, I was just searching for a conditioner bar and then I read your post! :cheese:
As I may go traveling for a while I would really like to get a conditioner bar because of transport and luggage space. I do have a shampoo bar with which I'm very happy with, but no conditioner.

Is this conditioner bar from Virginia soaps good for (sometimes extremely) dry and tangle-prone hair? What is your hair type if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks! :blossom:

[Mayflower]

As much as I love CV and have a full bar of Cafe Moreno on its way (yay! Yippee!), I am kind of interested in this one. (http://www.etsy.com/listing/84209761/neem-amla-shikakai-handmade-natural?ref=cat2_gallery_9) I liked CV's ayurvedic bar but found it too drying. I might have to try this one sometime.

Hey I just bought that one and received it in the mail yesterday! It was hard for me to find a shampoobars seller who isn't based in the US (it would take way too long to ship) so I was glad I found this one. It smells absolutely heavenly, exactly like how I want my hair to smell (clean, fresh, not sweet). My mum tried it out this morning, without ACV rinse (and we have very hard water) and she said her hair felt rough in the shower, but really soft and light once dry.
I'm going to try it out in a couple of hours and will report back here.

[Amanah]

I'm trying Castile Soap for when I want to shampoo my hair.
I usually CO wash my hair, but sometimes my hair gets lank and oily and I need to shampoo it.

It dawned on me that using Castile Soap = using a shampoo bar.

Ingredients of my Castile Soap are:

INGREDIENTS: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut*, Organic Palm* and Organic Olive* Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Essential Oils**, Citric Acid, Vitamin E

* FAIR TRADE Ingredients
** Available in Peppermint, Lavender, Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Rose and Citrus Orange

All soaps are not only certified by Oregon Tilth to the same rigorous USDA National Organic Program standards that certify organic foods, but also are certified Fair Trade by the respected Swiss certifier IMO.

[Littlewing13]

Seems like most people love CV, are there any other similar brands?

[Skooter]

Seems like most people love CV, are there any other similar brands?

Sweet Creek Herbs is my personal favourite. The scents generally aren't as strong as the CV ones, but my hair LOVES all of the bars. Chagrin Valley can be a bit more hit and miss.

[nerdymomma]

What a coincidence nerdymomma, I was just searching for a conditioner bar and then I read your post! :cheese:
As I may go traveling for a while I would really like to get a conditioner bar because of transport and luggage space. I do have a shampoo bar with which I'm very happy with, but no conditioner.

Is this conditioner bar from Virginia soaps good for (sometimes extremely) dry and tangle-prone hair? What is your hair type if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks! :blossom:

I'm sorry I didn't see this until now. I had to take a break from LHC...I was being too tempted by Henna pix! lol

My hair type is 1b/F/ii and I like the conditioner bar a lot. If it gets snarly I just use more conditioner, or try not to rinse it out completely. I like that is is very silky and very gentle.

[Littlewing13]

I got a sample from ebay but I'm getting waxies. Could the bar be too moisturising for me?
Thx Skooter

[LaceyLou]

Littlewing,

I just started my shampoo bar adventure as well, and the first bar I tried gave me mad crayon head (waxies). I did a baking soda rinse, and that did NOT help. Next im going to try a clarifying shampoo, and then plan C is to try a stronger ACV rinse. If none of these work, im going to try a different bar (I have about a million to try... i went sample crazy!) from stalking this board for awhile, first step might be to make sure your hair is clarified from past products. play around with a few different things and if you still have the dreaded waxies, it may be time to just try a different one!

[Littlewing13]

Littlewing,

I just started my shampoo bar adventure as well, and the first bar I tried gave me mad crayon head (waxies). I did a baking soda rinse, and that did NOT help. Next im going to try a clarifying shampoo, and then plan C is to try a stronger ACV rinse. If none of these work, im going to try a different bar (I have about a million to try... i went sample crazy!) from stalking this board for awhile, first step might be to make sure your hair is clarified from past products. play around with a few different things and if you still have the dreaded waxies, it may be time to just try a different one!

I did 2 stongish baking soda rinses before I tried my last. Still got waxies & seemed to get more the more often I washed. Even my hands got a bit waxy which tells me it was the bar (ebay). Im now back to regular poo/cond. (the bar was fantastic on skin though so didn't go to waste. Beauty of 'poo bars)

I intend on trying some more, but in Australia there aren't too many options. The most tried & true are all from U.S, which means I'm paying more than the bar itself for postage, & Im a student & strapped for cash. Soon as I scrounge enough I might give CV a go.

I really hope this works out, as I'm actually hoping to try making my own eventually. Makes it waaay cheaper for me. But I need to make sure it is going to work before I start buying all the equipment.

[LaceyLou]

I feel you on the student front! I do have the advantage of being from the US though... perhaps there are some Aussies on here that have some unused bars they could sell you? ive only used one so far, and i think im almost at the point you are with the particular bar just isnt my thing!

[partlycloudy]

I just ordered 3 sample poo bars from sweetsnthings on Etsy. I was swayed by the prettiness of the soaps, the reviews, and the fact that the owner is a fellow henna-head :) Has anyone tried her stuff before?

I really wanted to try some poo bars from Henna Sooq, but international shipping is just too expensive. Has anyone tried hers?

[KiwiBum]

Seems like most people love CV, are there any other similar brands?


I use a couple different shampoo bars. I had a Ton of CV samples, and after I used them up I decided to experiment. :) Right now I trade off between Alpenglow (made in Alaska) and Cedar Ridge soap/shampoo bars (made in Maryland). Both make my hair look awesome - and some Cedar Ridge bars have perfume oil in them which will stay in your hair most of the day (for anyone that misses having yummy smelling hair). I've also used JR Liggetts - they were the first ones I ever tried and are a little more well known so might be easier to find outside of the US?

Oh and try browsing etsy. Tons of soap/shampoo bar makers on there!

[LaceyLou]

I just ordered 3 sample poo bars from sweetsnthings on Etsy. I was swayed by the prettiness of the soaps, the reviews, and the fact that the owner is a fellow henna-head :) Has anyone tried her stuff before?

I really wanted to try some poo bars from Henna Sooq, but international shipping is just too expensive. Has anyone tried hers?

OOO, let us know how those bars work for you! i have that store favorited on etsy :)

[Bunnysaur]

I just got a big huge order of CV samples last week, But my hair doesn't seem to like them much :( Is there some sort of adjustment period or something before your hair "gets used to" using the bar instead of regular shampoo? I do use an ACV rinse every time I wash, but my hair has been mad greasy ever since I started using these :(

[Roscata]

You've got to keep in mind that they are SLS free and might take a little extra work, especially if you're using pre-wash oils. My suggestion is to try and apply more when you use it, I run it over the same spot 3 times before moving to another, and that works, I also shampoo twice.

And to answer your question: I did not have an adjustment period, but I did have a "learning/getting accustomed to how to use it" period. It was frustrating. :lol:

[Bunnysaur]

I've been running a corner around on my scalp, then lathering that up and running the bar down my length. Does that sound like a good way to do it?

[Roscata]

I've been running a corner around on my scalp, then lathering that up and running the bar down my length. Does that sound like a good way to do it?

I use it in a combing motion from the hair line to the tips of the hair and go around the whole scalp (360 degrees) then work the shampoo into my scalp by massaging, run my fingers through my length and rinse.

[Peonyrose]

Hi all, sorry to kind of crash into the thread, but I just wanted to share some great shampoo bars especially for Australian members, but these guys do ship internationally ( no idea of their international ship fees - for once!!) ( also just want to say I am not affiliated etc but I have used their products for years and really like them). Beauty and the Bees, Tasmanian based, and they make a good range of Poo Bars, recently they have added a few more. My fave at the moment is the HennaSenna bar, AND they make a herb- infused ACV, it's a bit expensive but lasts me a while and seems a bit nicer than supermarket ACV. ( They make a whole bunch of other stuff too but don't get me started otherwise I' ll just sound like they paid me to advertise....)

[Littlewing13]

Yay! I just got my CV order. I got Summer sunshine, herb garden, Mud & clay, Neem & tea tree, as well as samples of conditioner bar, soapnuts, chamomile citrus, rosemary lavender. I'll try one out tomorrow. Fingers crossed! Let you know how it goes

[Loviatar]

Quick question:

When I've used bars, I have always used SCH or CV bars. Yesterday I used Aromaville and it felt great. I dyed my hair that evening and used a non cone conditioner (like I always use) afterwards. This morning when I washed with the Aromaville bar again, I got slightly waxy ends.

Now I know it's not coney buildup, and I used the same amount of ACV as always. If I wash with a bar tomorrow morning, will I end up with waxier hair? Do I need to clarify? I don't feel like I do, but I'm surprised that I got waxies after months of no waxiness.

Thanks.

[Littlewing13]

Quick question:

When I've used bars, I have always used SCH or CV bars. Yesterday I used Aromaville and it felt great. I dyed my hair that evening and used a non cone conditioner (like I always use) afterwards. This morning when I washed with the Aromaville bar again, I got slightly waxy ends.

Now I know it's not coney buildup, and I used the same amount of ACV as always. If I wash with a bar tomorrow morning, will I end up with waxier hair? Do I need to clarify? I don't feel like I do, but I'm surprised that I got waxies after months of no waxiness.

Thanks.

Not 100% sure as i'm new to 'poo bars, but I suspect it has a bit to do with how much/what type of oil is used in making them & how much is left over after the reaction to make soap. ie it could be a bar made with too much oil or the wrong type for your hair.

I just washed with mud & clay CV. Love the smell! I also washed my face with it & it worked great so I think if this continues to work in my hair I will use it for both.

Had a great lather, a tiny bit of residue feeling but not waxy. Hair felt clean, but a bit tangly. After ACV rinse though it was ok, less shed than usual even! Hopefully continues to work long term, I'm going to melbourne for 10 days next week, I really hope it works for that long at least!

[Gilly]

My CV bars order is on it's way!!!

I got 3 butter conditioner bars and 3 Babassu and Marshmallow!

[Myrddin]

My CV bars order is on it's way!!!

I got 3 butter conditioner bars and 3 Babassu and Marshmallow!

Are those your HG? Usually people would commend several different shampoo bars. :-)

[Gilly]

Are those your HG? Usually people would commend several different shampoo bars. :-)
Yes, they are the ones that give me the best results, the Babassu has been a fave for years, but I like to change it up now and again and the conditioner bar is great!:D

[Littlewing13]

Yes, they are the ones that give me the best results, the Babassu has been a fave for years, but I like to change it up now and again and the conditioner bar is great!:D

Probably a silly question, but do you use the conditioner bar instead of conditioner? Does it help detangle at all? I find I need a less conditioning bar for scalp but ends are dry. I have a sample of conditioner bar.

[Kathie]

I can't speak for Gilly. But I use my conditioning bar just like a would a normal shampoo bar... for me it’s just a more moisturizing version of one.

[Gilly]

I can't speak for Gilly. But I use my conditioning bar just like a would a normal shampoo bar... for me it’s just a more moisturizing version of one.

Sorry for the late reply!
I am like you and just use it as a shampoo bar, I still condition after.
I hope that helps!

[Littlewing13]

Thanks gals,
I'm away from home for just over a week & I took the chamomile/citrus & conditioner bar. Chamomile citrus works well :) conditioner is a bit heavy. I tried it as shampoo & also just ends. I don't want to get vinegar just for a week so I've just been gentle with tangles. Shouldn't be too bad on my hair right?

[prettykitty]

Hello lovely poo-bar people, I've been thinking of trying poo-bars for a long time (I wanted to try Chagrin Valley) but the longer I thought about it the less I liked the idea of wasting carbon shipping a lovely green item across all that water. A search turned up a company in Tasmania (so, a much smaller expanse of water-for non Aussies, Tasmania is our island state) making some quite nice bars with positive reviews, and a much more sustainable option for my fellow Antipodeans. The site is here-
http://www.beebeauty.com/natural-shampoo-six-pack-sampler

They have bars with nettle, a cassia bar, and some interesting bars including beer.
I'm going to put in an order tomorrow, and hopefully be test driving them later in the week. Would love to know if anyone's tried them!

[Gilly]

Hello lovely poo-bar people, I've been thinking of trying poo-bars for a long time (I wanted to try Chagrin Valley) but the longer I thought about it the less I liked the idea of wasting carbon shipping a lovely green item across all that water. A search turned up a company in Tasmania (so, a much smaller expanse of water-for non Aussies, Tasmania is our island state) making some quite nice bars with positive reviews, and a much more sustainable option for my fellow Antipodeans. The site is here-
http://www.beebeauty.com/natural-shampoo-six-pack-sampler

They have bars with nettle, a cassia bar, and some interesting bars including beer.
I'm going to put in an order tomorrow, and hopefully be test driving them later in the week. Would love to know if anyone's tried them!

I tried them a good while back and while they are very nice I found that they made my scalp get a weird dry skin coating almost like cradle cap! I figured out that it was olive oil that was causing it after trying a olive oil shampoo bar, so now I stay away from it, Ida at CV advised me of the ones that don't have olive oil in and my scalp has been fine!

[Peonyrose]

Yes, i've been a long time user of Beauty and The Bees. I actually posted about them a few posts ago, might be on the previous page on this thread. It's nice not to have to add to one's footprint and stay local etc etc. They have awesome customer service and their products are fabulous. They are who got me onto poo bars in the first place. Their other products are lovely too, and I've used everything from la mer/ la prairie and so on. I do use their ACV rinse, although it is a bit exxy for a vinegar. Just seems nicer than stuff off the supermarket shelf. Love the way it makes my hair feel.

[prettykitty]

Peonyrose, their acv rinse did look lovely, but I've been making my own herbed/floral acv for awhile now so I decided to pass. I got the sample pack with six different bars, their Cassia bar, and a new Nettle-y one. Hopefully the postage will be quick, last time I ordered something from Tasmania it arrived less than 24 hours later, wheee!

[Peonyrose]

Yes Prettykitty, if you have the time making your own herb infused ACV rinse would probably be about the same- I just dont seem to have the time. I' m in victoria & my orders usually arrive in 24-36 hours! The aromatic hair shine drops are really nice too. I've just got back into poo bars & henna after a few years, and it's taken a week to adjust but now my hair feels great again. My hair is so fine that I think the lack of conditioner residue really helps add body/ less limpness.

[Loviatar]

Long post ahead, but help me out here please, shampoo bar mavens.

I washed today with my usual ALS shampoo which I use to de-cone my hair after a few sessions with cones. I then tried a new shampoo bar, 2 latherings of Rocky Top Soap Shop coffee shampoo bar. Conditioned as normal then ACV/lemon juice rinse as normal and I got EPIC WAXIES.

In a bit of a panic, I washed again with ALS shampoo and baking soda. Didn't bother to condition as I wanted to see the state of my hair. I got EPIC WAXIES MARK II while it was drying, then very dry hair afterwards.

I clarified this evening with a gentle lemon shampoo and mixed up a deep treatment which is on my hair now and which will stay on for at least 3 hours.

HOWEVER.

Question 1. WHY are shampoo bars now not working? is it just that my hair likes CV and SCH but doesn't like other brands? This shouldnt be possible, surely it is all just similar stuff?

Question 2. As my hair is getting longer, am I not washing the length properly, leaving waxy ends?

Question 3. As it seems to be the newer bars which don't work, is it possible that only 'aged' poo bars will work for me? The old CV and Sweet Creek ones which I've had for years are fantastic. I hope I don't have to 'age up' a shampoo bar before I can use it.

It's only since switching from my old CV and Sweet Creek stash to these newer Aromaville and Rocky Top bars that makes me think there's a difference. I did an ingredients comparison between the ones I like most and the two new ones I've tried:

AromaVille Neem Amla Shikakai (my favourite scent)
Sage Hydrosol, Rosemary Hydrosol, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Avocadate, Sodium Castorate, Sodium Sweet Almonade, Grapeseed oil, Neem oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Mustard seed oil, Shikakai Powder, Amla powder, Orris Root powder, Patchouli Oil, Clary Sage oil, Vetiver oil.

AromaVille Soapnuts Babassu
Aqua, Soapnuts extract, Sodium Babassuate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Olivate, Sodium Castorate, Jojoba) oil, Grapeseed Oil, Bergamot (bergaptene free) oil, Petitgrain oil, Pink Grapefruit oil.

Rocky Top Soap Shop Coffee Shampoo
coconut oil, organic coffee, castor oil, olive oil, lye, organic & sustainably harvested palm oil, jojoba oil, and cocoa butter.

Chagrin Valley Ayurvedic Herb
Saponified oils of olive and rice bran (infused with Ayurvedic herbs Bhringraj, shikakai, hibiscus flowers, amla, tulsi, methi (fenugreek), jasmine flowers, yashtimadhu, neem), coconut, jojoba, castor bean, mango butter, neem oil, babassu; organic coconut milk; water; aloe vera; aritha, bhringraj, shikakai, amla; essential oils of tulsi, cypress, juniper berry, lavender, lemon, orange, black pepper; rosemary oil extract

Chagrin Valley Herb Garden
Saponified oils of castor bean infused with organic herbs (nettle, rosemary, chamomile, sage, green tea, parsley, comfrey leaves and root), sunflower, virgin hemp seed, coconut, jojoba, organic palm, rice bran, virgin shea butter; herbal tea; aloe vera; yucca root; essential oils of rosemary, lavender, cedarwood, sage, thyme, basil; rosemary oil extract

Sweet Creek Rosemary Honey
coconut oil, castor oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, sodium hydroxide solution, jojoba, rosemary tea, parsley powder, local honey, avocado oil, oil of rosemary

Sweet Creek marshmallow garden silk
coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil, sodium hydroxide and silk in H2O, jojoba, marshmallow root tea, MEmu facial oil, avocado oil, signature garden oil blend for scent

Question 4. What the heck is 'sodium sweet almonate' in the Aromaville bars? Is it just 'saponified sweet almond oil'? There is a LOT of sodium this and sodium that in the Aromaville bars, which there is not in the CV bars. is this just a way of saying 'sponified oils' or 'lye'?

Question 5. The SCH and CV bars have much shorter ingredient lists (oils, I mean, not herbs - CV has a ton of herbs but they're infused in the oil.) I would like to try a 'new' (i.e. not aged) CV or SCH bar and see how my hair reacted.

Question 6. In my blog Rain suggested doing the ACV rinse before conditioner - I might try that but why would it suddenly be that my usual lather-lather-condition-acv routine stops working?

Thank you for reading all of my questions! I hope someone can help.

[Roscata]

Question 1. WHY are shampoo bars now not working? is it just that my hair likes CV and SCH but doesn't like other brands? This shouldnt be possible, surely it is all just similar stuff?

Sometimes they can leave build-up behind, you could clarify your hair. Also if you have hard water, or swim in pools, you may want to chelate.


Question 2. As my hair is getting longer, am I not washing the length properly, leaving waxy ends?

Again clarifying would be a good option. You don't have to do that often, just when you notice build-up. You don't have to wash the length if it doesn't need it, you can just condition it.


Question 3. As it seems to be the newer bars which don't work, is it possible that only 'aged' poo bars will work for me? The old CV and Sweet Creek ones which I've had for years are fantastic. I hope I don't have to 'age up' a shampoo bar before I can use it.

Maybe they added a new ingredient that is building up?


It's only since switching from my old CV and Sweet Creek stash to these newer Aromaville and Rocky Top bars that makes me think there's a difference.

If the new ones aren't working, why not try the shampoo bars that do work. All shampoo bars are not created equal.


Question 4. What the heck is 'sodium sweet almonate' in the Aromaville bars? Is it just 'saponified sweet almond oil'? There is a LOT of sodium this and sodium that in the Aromaville bars, which there is not in the CV bars. is this just a way of saying 'sponified oils' or 'lye'?

I don't know what 'sodium sweet almonate' means, but lye is not a part of shampoo/soap bars, it is not an ingredient in the bars, it is just a substance used to saponify the oils. Here is a good explanation of that: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=2050044&postcount=160

Hope that helps! :)

[elfgirl]

I’ve been doing CWC for about two weeks now, and my hair seems to be enjoying it. My only worry is that I might be doing damage because the shampoo and conditioner I’m using have cones and sulfates (it’s Paul Mitchell S&C that I got a while back after a trim from the salon I was at).
I’ve been doing some reading on the shampoo bars, and it definitely seems like a healthier way to care for your hair. I’m wanting to try this instead, but am wondering which brand or type would be the best? PLH, CV, COPA? Or others??
Also, would it be recommended that I continue doing a CWC type of cleansing on my hair (with a conditioner bar, I’m thinking those would be made, or there’d be one similar out there), or could I just go to washing with the shampoo bar and doing a vinegar rinse after?
I’m new to the whole shampoo bar swing of things, and am not fully sure how to go about and proceed :o Any advice, suggestions, or thoughts are welcome.
Also…when getting rid of S&C that one doesn’t want to use, how would that be done? I’d feel kind of bad tossing a bottle of shampoo and another of conditioner (both about half full), but am not sure if it’d be weird to give a neighbor or friend shampoo….or should I just let it sit in the cabinet? :o :p
Thanks!!

[Bunnysaur]

I use old shampoo to shave my legs, but I don't know what to do about the conditioner...

[Peonyrose]

Conditioner works just as well for leg shaving....

[elfgirl]

Conditioner works just as well for leg shaving....

Fantastic!! :D Thanks! ^_^

[Loviatar]

Sometimes they can leave build-up behind, you could clarify your hair. Also if you have hard water, or swim in pools, you may want to chelate

Again clarifying would be a good option. You don't have to do that often, just when you notice build-up. You don't have to wash the length if it doesn't need it, you can just condition it.

Maybe they added a new ingredient that is building up?

If the new ones aren't working, why not try the shampoo bars that do work. All shampoo bars are not created equal.

Roscata, just to address a couple of your points:

clarifying - I tend to use an ALS shampoo to clarify maybe once a month. I did this today before using the shampoo bars. Then once I got the waxies I used the ALS again with Baking Soda. I have therefore clarified twice today. Once before the shampoo bar, to strip off any cones from my experiment with a coney conditioner, and once after the shampoo bar to try and rid myself of waxiness.

My ALS shampoo has lemon juice in it which Ktani said would help with chelating minerals when I do my monthly clarification. I do have hard water but have had no problems so far with the CV or SCH bars or with mineral buildup.

For chelation, can anyone recommend a decent chelating shampoo that doesn't cost much? I know people have mentioned Nexxus or Joico but I can't find them here.

When you say 'maybe they added a new ingredient that is building up' I think you have missed my point :flower: I do not have any new CV or SCH bars, so they could not have added new ingredients to those. They are the bars I have used since Feb with great results. I included the ingredients lists for CV, SCH, Aromaville and Rocky Top to see if I (or anyone else) could note something that was causing the issue. There also wouldn't be a build up problem as I clarify regularly. I wonder if the Aromaville and (especially) Rocky Top bars might be more moisturising than the CV and SCH.

I know that my CV bars and SCH bars work. However they are all samples and all running out, fast, and it was cheaper to do an Aromaville UK order for 4 full bars than order new samples or full bars from CV or SCH. That is why I did not 'try the shampoo bars which do work' this time. I have been happy using the CV or SCH bars since February. I have only tried the Aromaville and Rocky Top bars this month. Aromaville gave me slight waxies on the ends. Rocky Top gave me major waxies. I have ordered some CV bars on the swap board so I hope that when they come I can see if they work. I suspect I may have to swap out the Rocky Top bars but I am darn well going to persevere with Aromaville.

I hope I have explained better.

[prettykitty]

Just washed my hair with my new Beauty and the Bees Rosemary and Mint bar for the first time. My hair wasn't really dirty but I just couldn't wait :) So excited for it to dry so I can see how it worked, squee!

[Loviatar]

Rain's advice may have fixed it. I did lather-lather-acv-condition instead of my usual lather-lather-condition-acv.

My hair is fine. A bit piecey but fine. I shall try a lighter conditioner next time and a little less acv.

I've ordered more CV bars so I can check whether it's the age of the bar that gives good results or if it's the bar itself. Maybe my hair just likes the oils and proportions of oils used in the CV bars better than the Aromaville or Rocky Top.

[Peonyrose]

Oh the beauty and the Bees Rosemary Mint smells lovely Prettykitty, you are making me want to try it again, currently got the Morrocan Mud on the go from the 6 sampler box, so maybe the rosemary one will come out next (used to use it in the past so not "new"for me)...a good scent for winter....

[prettykitty]

It does smell great Peonyrose, I kept sniffing my hair while it was drying! I'm really pleased with my first poo bar experience, my hair is so light, soft and incredibly shiny!

[ratgirldjh]

Question 4. What the heck is 'sodium sweet almonate' in the Aromaville bars? Is it just 'saponified sweet almond oil'? There is a LOT of sodium this and sodium that in the Aromaville bars, which there is not in the CV bars. is this just a way of saying 'sponified oils' or 'lye'?

Question 5. The SCH and CV bars have much shorter ingredient lists (oils, I mean, not herbs - CV has a ton of herbs but they're infused in the oil.) I would like to try a 'new' (i.e. not aged) CV or SCH bar and see how my hair reacted.

Question 6. In my blog Rain suggested doing the ACV rinse before conditioner - I might try that but why would it suddenly be that my usual lather-lather-condition-acv routine stops working?

Thank you for reading all of my questions! I hope someone can help.

The sodium sweet almonate (etc.) means they are saponified with lye. You notice there are some oils following the saponified (ate) ones - this is their way of telling you that these oils are saponified which is how you make soap and then superfatted with the other oils (non-ate) which means adding it in after you saponify the first oils. This means that it is more moisturizing because there are oils in the bar left to 'moisturize'. There appears to be quite a lot of oil put in to super fat these bars - maybe this is causing the waxiness?

Also some oils are 'drying' oils and for me these do not work well at all for super fatting. For instance I am pretty sure this is why Dr. Bronner's bars do not work well on my skin and hair - they are superfatted with hemp oil which is a drying oil.

CV just shows all the oils they use without telling you which ones are added after saponification. Another way of making superfatted bars is just to use a little more of whatever kind of oil/oils you are using (usually 3 - 5&#37; extra) so a little bit remains unsaponified. This is how I make my soap and perhaps the way CV makes their bars.

I would just keep using the ones that work for you. I tried CV bars a few years back and they didn't work for me and they work for lots of other people... everyone's hair is different! Also it might take a little while for your hair to get used to the bars. Also some bars don't work well with my water and others do.

For me it REALLY helps to end with a rinse of filtered water. I use my soap bar (100% lard is my favorite at the moment) and then rinse well, do an ACV rinse and rinse well, then I do a last rinse with cold reverse osmosis water.

[Bunnysaur]

The sodium sweet almonate (etc.) means they are saponified with lye. You notice there are some oils following the saponified (ate) ones - this is their way of telling you that these oils are saponified which is how you make soap and then superfatted with the other oils (non-ate) which means adding it in after you saponify the first oils. This means that it is more moisturizing because there are oils in the bar left to 'moisturize'. There appears to be quite a lot of oil put in to super fat these bars - maybe this is causing the waxiness?

Also some oils are 'drying' oils and for me these do not work well at all for super fatting. For instance I am pretty sure this is why Dr. Bronner's bars do not work well on my skin and hair - they are superfatted with hemp oil which is a drying oil.

CV just shows all the oils they use without telling you which ones are added after saponification. Another way of making superfatted bars is just to use a little more of whatever kind of oil/oils you are using (usually 3 - 5% extra) so a little bit remains unsaponified. This is how I make my soap and perhaps the way CV makes their bars.

I would just keep using the ones that work for you. I tried CV bars a few years back and they didn't work for me and they work for lots of other people... everyone's hair is different! Also it might take a little while for your hair to get used to the bars. Also some bars don't work well with my water and others do.

For me it REALLY helps to end with a rinse of filtered water. I use my soap bar (100% lard is my favorite at the moment) and then rinse well, do an ACV rinse and rinse well, then I do a last rinse with cold reverse osmosis water.

Somewhere on their website, they say their bars are superfatted so there's no more lye left over. Somewhere. I can't find it now :(

I think my hair has finally made peace with the fact that I'm using bars now. It used to feel all waxy and weird while it dried, and then felt just a little greasy, and now it's still damp and feels super duper soft. :D
The past couple days, I somehow managed to lather my bars a lot differently. I ended up with tons of fluffy lather instead of some tiny bubbles here and there. I'm not sure what I'm doing differently, but I like this! :cool:

[prettykitty]

Is it normal to need to wash more often when you first start using shampoo bars? With other poo my hair can go around three days without a wash, but I kinda need to wash my hair again, after washing it yesterday. It's not so much that it's super oily, it's just a bit flat, maybe stringy? Possibly my vinegar rinse was too strong when I washed. It's not gummy, waxy or anything too horrible, just yeah, a bit sad and limp. It's early days for me, maybe my hair is still adapting?

[prettykitty]

Ehhh, I washed it again. As soon as it was wet it actually felt dry, rather than greasy! I need to get bossy with my hair. Not washing until at least Wednesday, grrrrr!

[Bunnysaur]

Is it normal to need to wash more often when you first start using shampoo bars? With other poo my hair can go around three days without a wash, but I kinda need to wash my hair again, after washing it yesterday. It's not so much that it's super oily, it's just a bit flat, maybe stringy? Possibly my vinegar rinse was too strong when I washed. It's not gummy, waxy or anything too horrible, just yeah, a bit sad and limp. It's early days for me, maybe my hair is still adapting?

I don't know if it's normal, but I was washing twice a day when I first started bars, as opposed to my usual once. After about 2 weeks it started feeling great again.

[prettykitty]

Thanks for that Bunnysaur, guess I just need to hang in there and see how it goes :)

[RiotPrrl]

I've been planning give shampoo bars a try, so today I stopped by my local (tiny) healthfood store. They had some by AM naturprodukter/luonnontuotteet (a local brand of organic cosmetics), and since they were 50&#37; off I bought two! :D

The kinds I bought were Green Clay and White Clay. The ingredients for Green Clay are:
glycerin soap, sugar tensides, green clay and guar flour. (Or something along these lines, I translated from swedish/finnish.)
It also contain some essential oils: rosemary and lavender.
Same for the white clay, except for white instead on green clay.

Do these ingredients seem okay? I remember reading that green clay is good for problem skin and that white clay is good for sensitive skin, but otherwise I'm kind of lost when it comes to the ingredients... :shrug: All it says on the package is that they're suitable for normal/dry hair and I couldn't find any info on their website about their shampoo bars. :(

[kellinaturalmom]

I just started using shampoo bars about a month ago. I didn't have any weird waxy hair period, just great hair right off the bat! My hair is really fine and fairly thin, and shampoo bars seem to make it feel a lot thicker and fuller. I have a very sensitive scalp and it is doing wonderful so far, too.

I have been using a local brand called Pip and Lola's everything homemade, and Camamu Soaps rosemary nettle bar. I just ordered some from Prairieland Herbs, so we will see how those work.

I have been doing ACV rinses after shampooing and no conditioner.

I was wondering if you use conditioner with your shampoo bars... anyone out there who doesn't? And if you don't, do you have problems with dryness after a while? My hair seems to like not being weighed down with conditioner, and my scalp is SO happy without the conditioner, but I worry that over time my hair might get dried out.

[Theobroma]

kellinaturalmom, I haven't used conditioner for something like half a year now, just a little EVOO as a leave-in, and I've had no problems with dryness.

But I may have to start doing so again now that I'm using a shampoo bar. I switched from shampoo to African Black Soap two weeks ago and it's making my hair is much lighter and fluffier and flyaway, so I'm having trouble getting decent curl definition. I suspect my hair needs some weighing down in order to form coherent clumps!

But like yours, my scalp is much happier without condish. I used to CO wash and it ended up causing insane, epic shedding. I'm nervous of the idea of going anywhere near conditioner now because I don't know whether I can keep it completely off my scalp!

[Theobroma]

Mmph. Duplicate post...

[Bunnysaur]

I just got my new order of CV bars :D
Nettle, Neem and Tea Tree, Soapnuts and Sunflower, and samples of Babassu Marshmallow and Coconut Milk. I can't wait til shower time! :D

[moxamoll]

I don't use a conditioner per se with shampoo bars either kellinaturalmom. I do an ACV rinse and apply panacea or mineral oil while it's damp. I've been doing that for several months so far and no problems yet!

[Loviatar]

Kellinaturalmom, I use conditioner after my shampoo bars and vinegar rinse, but only on the ends.

[kellinaturalmom]

kellinaturalmom, I haven't used conditioner for something like half a year now, just a little EVOO as a leave-in, and I've had no problems with dryness.

But I may have to start doing so again now that I'm using a shampoo bar. I switched from shampoo to African Black Soap two weeks ago and it's making my hair is much lighter and fluffier and flyaway, so I'm having trouble getting decent curl definition. I suspect my hair needs some weighing down in order to form coherent clumps!

But like yours, my scalp is much happier without condish. I used to CO wash and it ended up causing insane, epic shedding. I'm nervous of the idea of going anywhere near conditioner now because I don't know whether I can keep it completely off my scalp!

Yeah Theobroma, conditioner makes my scalp greasy and causes little itchy bumps a lot of the time, depending on the brand. I also lose a crazy amount of hair. I have tried using oil as a leave-in but have not found one that works (I've used EVOO, jojoba, coconut, and avocado), it weighs down my fine hair.


I don't use a conditioner per se with shampoo bars either kellinaturalmom. I do an ACV rinse and apply panacea or mineral oil while it's damp. I've been doing that for several months so far and no problems yet!

Moxamoll, I'm not familiar with panacea. How is mineral oil compared with the oils that I said I have used in the previous post? Is it lighter?


Kellinaturalmom, I use conditioner after my shampoo bars and vinegar rinse, but only on the ends.


Loviatar, if my ends feel dry I should try this!

[RiotPrrl]

I tried a shampoo bar for the first time today! :D

The bar I used was Green Clay by AM naturprodukter/luonnontuotteet, followed by an ACV rinse (1 tbl ACV + 0.5 litres water), and so far I like the results! My hair is as clean and shiny as usual, but maybe a bit softer and a little bit more voluminous than usual. It took a bit longer to detangle than usual, though my ends have been really tangly lately anyway. I should probably look into oiling...

Ooh, and maybe my hair was slightly more wavy than usual? But that may just be wishful thinking... :p

[Theobroma]

Right, last time I washed I used my African Black Soap, rinsed, did my vinegar rinse, applied just a tiny bit of EVOO to detangle with, put on a turbie twist for a few minutes until it was (mostly) past the dripping stage... and as my very last step before airdrying, combed about a walnut-sized blob of cone-free conditioner through my length as a leave-in. Then scrunched and left to airdry as normal.

I loved the result! My hair was wonderfully soft, almost completely frizz-free, and I got some pretty good clumping and better curl definition than I've had for a long time. I may have to keep doing this.

But... I've only been using shampoo bars for less than a month. How good are they at removing conditioner buildup? At the end of my CO phase I had major buildup and clarifying leaves my hair looking and feeling like straw, so it's something I'd really like to avoid. Will I be able to remove any buildup by shampooing my length thoroughly with African Black Soap? (I'm thinking yes because I use the stuff on my skin as well and have never had the impression that it doesn't clean well enough, but hair isn't skin and I'd prefer to avoid any nasty surprises.

[bekstamonkey]

Vinegar removes residues, so if you're using an ACV rinse after shampooing, that should be pulling-out any residues from previous products (and anything of the 'poo bar not completely rinsed out)...one of the many reasons I adore ACV rinses <3 lol

[Bunnysaur]

Right, last time I washed I used my African Black Soap, rinsed, did my vinegar rinse, applied just a tiny bit of EVOO to detangle with, put on a turbie twist for a few minutes until it was (mostly) past the dripping stage... and as my very last step before airdrying, combed about a walnut-sized blob of cone-free conditioner through my length as a leave-in. Then scrunched and left to airdry as normal.

I loved the result! My hair was wonderfully soft, almost completely frizz-free, and I got some pretty good clumping and better curl definition than I've had for a long time. I may have to keep doing this.

But... I've only been using shampoo bars for less than a month. How good are they at removing conditioner buildup? At the end of my CO phase I had major buildup and clarifying leaves my hair looking and feeling like straw, so it's something I'd really like to avoid. Will I be able to remove any buildup by shampooing my length thoroughly with African Black Soap? (I'm thinking yes because I use the stuff on my skin as well and have never had the impression that it doesn't clean well enough, but hair isn't skin and I'd prefer to avoid any nasty surprises.

I find that a bar made with soapnuts lathers really nicely and seems a bit more clarifying than a regular bar. :shrug:


Vinegar removes residues, so if you're using an ACV rinse after shampooing, that should be pulling-out any residues from previous products (and anything of the 'poo bar not completely rinsed out)...one of the many reasons I adore ACV rinses <3 lol

I second and ACV rinse! I don't use them every time I use a poo bar (too lazy :p) but I think it should help clarify your hair pretty well too.

[Loviatar]

Interesting CV bar continued use development: I seem to be able to drastically reduce conditioner use.

I am either using a tiny dab on the very ends, or (as today) not at all. I still need a little more after Mud and Clay. But I have used Nettle, Ayurvedic Herb, and Coconut Milk recently and either not used any conditioner or used just a tiny touch.

And my comb goes through my hair like a knife through butter. This is SO WEIRD. I have always been a total conditioner addict. I have bottles and bottles and... well i guess I'll have to do more deep treatments... :lol:

Anyone else had routine changes after a few months? I've been a mostly-bars user (with occasional slips) since March.

[Bunnysaur]

I haven't used conditioner since I started using bars :o
My hair usually isn't soft and smooth and all after showering, I have to wait for it to dry before I can detangle it.

[Loviatar]

I did discover today that I'm getting crunchy ends with bars, which is annoying as heck. I did an acv rinse as normal and no help as well as it being a bit waxy. I re-wet my hair and then did a 50/50 acv/lime juice rinse in case citric acid was better for my hair. I have had better results, I may try neat lime next time but I'm worried about it being drying (which is why I'm not using lemon). The underlayers feel great, the canopy is STILL a bit waxy. Ugh. So annoying as I have been having great results with bars - until I hennaed/indigoed last week. I dont know if that could have anything to do with it, but I know bars didnt work for me when I henndigoed before (but I had different water and more damage).

I might switch back to regular dye and avoid the henndigo in future if switching to plain lime rinses doesn't improve the waxy canopy.


ETA:
After soaking my crispy, waxy ends in Panacea last night, I washed today with Mud and Clay CV bar, then used a 50-50 acv/lime rinse. I used 60ml in 900ml water (30ml lime, 30ml acv) instead of my usual 30ml acv in 900ml water after reading Calista's shampoo bar article where she advocated 100ml acid plus 900ml water. I think the citric acid helped a lot - I definitely need to use CA as well as or instead of just ACV. However, I then felt I had to condition as I didn't want to risk it and I know lather-lather-rinse-condition has worked for me in the past. I used a conefree, 'watery' type, not a thick creamy type. I 'lathered' it up like I do for CO as well. My hair dried quite nicely. I still have a little 'crunch' to the ends and length but not half as much as I did, and the waxies are gone. I may have to return to lather-lather-rinse-condition rather than just lather-lather-rinse.

it's a pain as I want to be able to just use bars, but hey ho.

[Heatherzilla]

So I've started using this (http://www.lush.com.au/shop/product/product/path/147_148/id/112/hair-solid-shampoo-trichomaniahttp://) shampoo bar from Lush and I'm loving it so far. Makes my hair nice and shiny and soft. It has SLS which I don't usually use but it's all coconutty and my hair loves coconut everything so it's good.

Recommend me some shampoo bars to try once this one runs out. I want to try everything. Bonus points if it smells amazing. Extra bonus points if you can also point me in the direction of a shampoo bar that would be good for my sister's bleach damaged hair because I want to buy her something nice too.

[hele911]

I have been using shampoo bars from CV from reading many good things here about them. I also ordered some from Henna Sooq and like those as well. (I order many so I can switch whenever I want to) Since I do get that "funny" feeling in my hair at times after a shampoo bar (I have ridiculously hard water) I always rinse with ACV. I did just purchase citric acid so I might try that as well. One trick I read here was to comb my hair while the ACV is still in it before I rinse it out. WOW what a difference. I mean I like the way my hair feels after a rinse anyway but for some reason it was even softer after I combed and rinsed.

Anyway hope my input helps.

Have a lovely day

[bekstamonkey]

I did discover today that I'm getting crunchy ends with bars, which is annoying as heck. I did an acv rinse as normal and no help as well as it being a bit waxy. I re-wet my hair and then did a 50/50 acv/lime juice rinse in case citric acid was better for my hair. I have had better results, I may try neat lime next time but I'm worried about it being drying (which is why I'm not using lemon). The underlayers feel great, the canopy is STILL a bit waxy. Ugh. So annoying as I have been having great results with bars - until I hennaed/indigoed last week. I dont know if that could have anything to do with it, but I know bars didnt work for me when I henndigoed before (but I had different water and more damage).

I might switch back to regular dye and avoid the henndigo in future if switching to plain lime rinses doesn't improve the waxy canopy.


ETA:
After soaking my crispy, waxy ends in Panacea last night, I washed today with Mud and Clay CV bar, then used a 50-50 acv/lime rinse. I used 60ml in 900ml water (30ml lime, 30ml acv) instead of my usual 30ml acv in 900ml water after reading Calista's shampoo bar article where she advocated 100ml acid plus 900ml water. I think the citric acid helped a lot - I definitely need to use CA as well as or instead of just ACV. However, I then felt I had to condition as I didn't want to risk it and I know lather-lather-rinse-condition has worked for me in the past. I used a conefree, 'watery' type, not a thick creamy type. I 'lathered' it up like I do for CO as well. My hair dried quite nicely. I still have a little 'crunch' to the ends and length but not half as much as I did, and the waxies are gone. I may have to return to lather-lather-rinse-condition rather than just lather-lather-rinse.

it's a pain as I want to be able to just use bars, but hey ho.

Did you not have this problem prior to dying? Have you used multiple bars from different sources/makers? I've used some commercial 'poo bars in the past which have left both a waxy type residue and horribly dry/'crunchy' lengths and prone to knotting and breaking even after multiple ACV rinses, and since i was neither dying/bleaching or using any other product, I could only put it down to the 'poo bars...the first couple weeks would be ok, then it'd just go horribly downhill, so I could never do those bar washes for too long at a time, I'd have to take 'poo bar breaks, so to speak LOL but never have a problem now that I make my own and can control exactly what goes into them, like 'quality control'...all the good stuff, none of the hidden nasties that even some companies that claim to produce 'natural' products actually add. Lush is a good example. They add SLS to all their soaps, including 'poo bars. SLS is simply added for foaming (unnecessary), but is known to strip natural oils completely which is often gonna lead to dryness issues (the 'crunch'). My apologies to Lush fans, I get passionate about my 'poo bars LOL...getting off my soapbox now (pun intended) :p

[Loviatar]

I didnt have this problem prior to henna-indigoing, Bekstamonkey. I was fine when I was using regular dye. CV is the bar I use mostly, but I have had horrible waxies from Aromaville and Rocky Top soaps. CV works best for me, then Sweet Creek Herbs.

I also get passionate about shampoo bars - my friends buy me Lush Seanick sometimes because they know I use poo bars, and I don't like to explain all the time. I do sometimes use the Lush bars, but only when I feel my hair needs sulphates.

I washed 'right way up' today instead of upside down and it has helped the crunchy canopy. Much better. I used Ayurvedic Herb which is one of my favourites, and I used cold water in my rinse - 900ml of water plus 30ml lime juice and 30ml acv. I did condition, conefree as usual. Dried fine. Feels a little 'off' but nothing major.

Hele911 I am going to try the acv rinse combing idea, thank you, it sounds like it might work.

[bekstamonkey]

I didnt have this problem prior to henna-indigoing, Bekstamonkey. I was fine when I was using regular dye. CV is the bar I use mostly, but I have had horrible waxies from Aromaville and Rocky Top soaps. CV works best for me, then Sweet Creek Herbs.

I also get passionate about shampoo bars - my friends buy me Lush Seanick sometimes because they know I use poo bars, and I don't like to explain all the time. I do sometimes use the Lush bars, but only when I feel my hair needs sulphates.

I washed 'right way up' today instead of upside down and it has helped the crunchy canopy. Much better. I used Ayurvedic Herb which is one of my favourites, and I used cold water in my rinse - 900ml of water plus 30ml lime juice and 30ml acv. I did condition, conefree as usual. Dried fine. Feels a little 'off' but nothing major. .

Ahh, I see, that sucks! But I AM glad you've found some bars that work well!

heheh glad I'm not the only one :p

Ahh, method change, always worth a shot! :D Hopefully it's just a matter of your hair readjusting, something that will get better each time you wash :)

[RiotPrrl]

I'm starting to think this shampoo bar is way too moisturizing for my hair. It's greasy again the next day! :(
Maybe it's the fact that it's a glycerin-based shamppoo bar and aimed towards normal to dry hair... it was the only kind they had for sale.
I did try shampooing twice yesterday, but it doesn't seem to have had any effect. Right afterwards it looks really clean and shiny, but the next day...

It's a shame they don't sell any FLOW kosmetiikka shampoo bars at the local health food store. They have a tea tree bar I've had my eye on. Maybe I should just order it online instead...

[bekstamonkey]

I'm starting to think this shampoo bar is way too moisturizing for my hair. It's greasy again the next day! :(
Maybe it's the fact that it's a glycerin-based shamppoo bar and aimed towards normal to dry hair... it was the only kind they had for sale.
I did try shampooing twice yesterday, but it doesn't seem to have had any effect. Right afterwards it looks really clean and shiny, but the next day...

It's a shame they don't sell any FLOW kosmetiikka shampoo bars at the local health food store. They have a tea tree bar I've had my eye on. Maybe I should just order it online instead...

I've heard folk say this very thing about the glycerin 'poo bars (i.e. those not cold or hot processed), would surely be worth trying a different type. Cold/Hot processed soap still contains glycerin (occurs naturally as a result of saponification), but at a lower rate. Can I ask, are you doing an ACV rinse afterwards? 'Poo bars, even with a lot of water-rinsing, can still leave residues behind, ACV rinses remove the residue.

[RiotPrrl]

I've heard folk say this very thing about the glycerin 'poo bars (i.e. those not cold or hot processed), would surely be worth trying a different type. Cold/Hot processed soap still contains glycerin (occurs naturally as a result of saponification), but at a lower rate. Can I ask, are you doing an ACV rinse afterwards? 'Poo bars, even with a lot of water-rinsing, can still leave residues behind, ACV rinses remove the residue.

I do use an ACV rinse afterwards, my hair has a tendency to get tangly so I figured I needed it, even though we have soft water. And I remembered reading that it helps get rid of the soap residue.

I might end up using this 'poo bar just on my length, because my ends do need a bit of extra moisture. We'll see! At least I didn't waste much money, since they were on sale. :p

I ended up ordering a couple of bars by FLOW kosmetiikka: Tea Tree (teepuu) and Redhead (punatukka). And I didn't have to pay a lot of postage, since they're small enough to be sent as a letter in stead of a package! Yay! :D

[bekstamonkey]

I do use an ACV rinse afterwards, my hair has a tendency to get tangly so I figured I needed it, even though we have soft water. And I remembered reading that it helps get rid of the soap residue.

I might end up using this 'poo bar just on my length, because my ends do need a bit of extra moisture. We'll see! At least I didn't waste much money, since they were on sale. :p

I ended up ordering a couple of bars by FLOW kosmetiikka: Tea Tree (teepuu) and Redhead (punatukka). And I didn't have to pay a lot of postage, since they're small enough to be sent as a letter in stead of a package! Yay! :D

hahah! Awesome! On both the fact that you've ordered some, AND the discount postage! :D I hope you get some better luck with the new bars, I just love shampoo bars and ACV! :)

[tsc]

I tried the CV soapnuts bar and it left my hair super waxy the next day, which I've never had happen before. Never using that one again. :(

I typically use the ayurvedic bar and the condish bar, fairly heavy WV rinse since we're on straight well water and it's practically gravel.

[bekstamonkey]

Made a new batch of shampoo bars today, first time trying a Cassia 'poo bar! I just can't wait the 5 weeks til it's cured and hard enough to test! LOL :D

[chou]

This thread has such a wealth of info!
I just put in an order for some CV shampoo and soap bars: cafe moreno (I love the smell of clove!) and the conditioning butter bar. I've been using a soap-based shampoo (Toadstool) for a few months now with really great results but the price is getting me down and I'm curious to try a bar now. Some of them seem more rich and moisturizing than Toadstool and my hair could use all the moisture and oils it can get. Traditional shampoos, even sls-free ones, fry my hair pretty bad.
I use coney leave-ins and clarify every month or so with the Toadstool shampoo and I plan to continue to do this with the bars. I've read back through the thread and it seems like others have combined cones with shampoo bars to good effect so I guess I'll have to see how it goes! I'm especially excited to see what kind of clumping and wave formation I get with the shampoo bars.

[bekstamonkey]

This thread has such a wealth of info!
I just put in an order for some CV shampoo and soap bars: cafe moreno (I love the smell of clove!) and the conditioning butter bar. I've been using a soap-based shampoo (Toadstool) for a few months now with really great results but the price is getting me down and I'm curious to try a bar now. Some of them seem more rich and moisturizing than Toadstool and my hair could use all the moisture and oils it can get. Traditional shampoos, even sls-free ones, fry my hair pretty bad.
I use coney leave-ins and clarify every month or so with the Toadstool shampoo and I plan to continue to do this with the bars. I've read back through the thread and it seems like others have combined cones with shampoo bars to good effect so I guess I'll have to see how it goes! I'm especially excited to see what kind of clumping and wave formation I get with the shampoo bars.

FYI...if it turns-out you prefer liquid shampoo over the bar, you can easily convert your shampoo bar into liquid. I've done this, and it worked quite well! Just grate-up the bar of soap, place it into a pot on the stove, with some water (you'll want the soap to be well-covered with water, more than 50:50 ratio) and gently simmer and stir now and then to get the soap gratings melted. Once melted, take off the heat and allow to cool to about room temp. Add a tsp of glycerine and mix in well. Allow to cool completely and beat well. When completely cooled, it should have the consistency of a regular liquid shampoo, and if still a little runny, you can add a tiny bit more glycerin and let it sit longer to thicken; or if too thick, add a little water to thin-it out. beat it well to get any lumps out. You can add a preservative like optiphen plus, but I've found it actually doesn't seem to need it...unless you're grating down a billion soap bars LOL. Once it's a smooth consistency, and at desired thickness, just transfer via funnel to a pump dispenser, and voila! (and note that it will make a lot of liquid soap - last time I made it, I grated-up 2 x 90g bars and ended-up with 2.5 litres of liquid 'poo bar LOL)

[chou]

FYI...if it turns-out you prefer liquid shampoo over the bar, you can easily convert your shampoo bar into liquid. I've done this, and it worked quite well! Just grate-up the bar of soap, place it into a pot on the stove, with some water (you'll want the soap to be well-covered with water, more than 50:50 ratio) and gently simmer and stir now and then to get the soap gratings melted. Once melted, take off the heat and allow to cool to about room temp. Add a tsp of glycerine and mix in well. Allow to cool completely and beat well. When completely cooled, it should have the consistency of a regular liquid shampoo, and if still a little runny, you can add a tiny bit more glycerin and let it sit longer to thicken; or if too thick, add a little water to thin-it out. beat it well to get any lumps out. You can add a preservative like optiphen plus, but I've found it actually doesn't seem to need it...unless you're grating down a billion soap bars LOL. Once it's a smooth consistency, and at desired thickness, just transfer via funnel to a pump dispenser, and voila! (and note that it will make a lot of liquid soap - last time I made it, I grated-up 2 x 90g bars and ended-up with 2.5 litres of liquid 'poo bar LOL)

Fantastic, thanks for the tip! I'm so used to diluting my shampoo and rinsing it through my hair, this sounds quite nice. I was feeling a little hesistant about rubbing a shampoo bar over my dry, frizzy canopy to get a lather... I'll see how I like transfering the lather from my hands to hair first, though.

[bekstamonkey]

Fantastic, thanks for the tip! I'm so used to diluting my shampoo and rinsing it through my hair, this sounds quite nice. I was feeling a little hesistant about rubbing a shampoo bar over my dry, frizzy canopy to get a lather... I'll see how I like transfering the lather from my hands to hair first, though.

Good luck! :D I've found, with straight bar to hair, best to have hair sopping wet, and use the shampoo bar like a comb over the top, then i duck my head quickly under the shower again, more soap-combing etc, gets a good lather up without having to scrub the bar against your scalp which can cause breakage :)

[Peonyrose]

Has anyone yet tried the new Beauty and the Bees Voodoo Black Bamboo Shampoo bar?

[ravenheather]

This thread has such a wealth of info!
I just put in an order for some CV shampoo and soap bars: cafe moreno (I love the smell of clove!) and the conditioning butter bar. I've been using a soap-based shampoo (Toadstool) for a few months now with really great results but the price is getting me down and I'm curious to try a bar now. Some of them seem more rich and moisturizing than Toadstool and my hair could use all the moisture and oils it can get. Traditional shampoos, even sls-free ones, fry my hair pretty bad.
I use coney leave-ins and clarify every month or so with the Toadstool shampoo and I plan to continue to do this with the bars. I've read back through the thread and it seems like others have combined cones with shampoo bars to good effect so I guess I'll have to see how it goes! I'm especially excited to see what kind of clumping and wave formation I get with the shampoo bars.

I've been using toadstool, but I'm going to play with my cv bars for a while now.

[chou]

I've been using toadstool, but I'm going to play with my cv bars for a while now.

How do they compare, would you say?

[afu]

I've been a COer for the past 6 months and I love the way my hair feels with it, but recently I've become frustrated with not being able to find conditioners without parabens or certain preservatives which I avoid....so I've ordered a poo bar to try out :)

I was just wondering how people who have tried both methods would compare the two? Are shampoo bars very stripping compared to conditioner (both SLS and cone free)?

The ingredients of the bar i've ordered are:
CASTOR OIL, OLIVE OIL, PALM OIL, COCONUT OIL, MANDARIN ESSENTIAL OIL, ALOE VERA GEL

[ravenheather]

How do they compare, would you say?

I like both. I like to change between a few types of 'poo bars every other week or so or I feel like they build up. Toadstool seems more like conventional shampoo to me. I'm really just going back to the 'poo bars to get rid of the synthetic fragrance and preservative. It is hard though. I love my vanilla sandalwood scented toadstool. I think I'm also going to try a clay wash.

[bekstamonkey]

I was just wondering how people who have tried both methods would compare the two? Are shampoo bars very stripping compared to conditioner (both SLS and cone free)?

The ingredients of the bar i've ordered are:
CASTOR OIL, OLIVE OIL, PALM OIL, COCONUT OIL, MANDARIN ESSENTIAL OIL, ALOE VERA GEL

I've never tried CO'ing, but I am a shampoo bar fanatic, and have tried many different types prior to just making my own, so I can only really talk about 'poo bars in general...and the quality of the bar really does simply come down to what ingredients are in the bar - some soapmakers kinda 'skimp' and use hardly anything (as a soaper myself, I might be tempted to say that such bars are no different from regular body bars lol), some are mid-range (where I would classify the ingredient list you provided - usually a standard 2 hard oils and 2 soft oils, one of which will be castor); and then there are us soapmakers who go mental with ingredients and add a tonne of stuff especially geared towards hair (usually 6+ oils, plus butters and speciality liquids). These are generally the most moisturising and less-'stripping' of the three types. But you also gotta take into consideration a person's hair and what it wants/needs. I have a friend who uses 'poo bars, but mine are too moisturising for her hair, and she loves the bars that turn my hair to straw - depends on the individual person sometimes. But the bar you have on order, according to the ingredients, doesn't seem to be a bad one - I just wish soapers would include oil percentages, would make it much easier to say 'yea' or 'nay' lol...best bet, is to try it and see! :)

[Sorus]

Every so often I decide I want to give 'poo bars another go, try them for a few days, get sick of waxy hair, and give up. Not so this week! I dug out my one remaining CV sample, nettle, and some SCH samples, and actually got them to work!

The secret for me; lots of wetting under the shower head during lathering, and conditioner afterwards with no acid rinse. I like that it takes so much effort to get the lather built up and worked through my hair, it is a nice reminder to do scalp massages. I use 365 brand mint conditioner from Whole Foods. It is cone free, pretty cheap, and works awesomely with the bars. After rinsing the suds my hair feels WEIRD, but conditioner fixes that. I have to be very sure to work the conditioner into every strand and especially the hair at the nape of my neck. I used to get the worst waxies there last time I tried bars.

I'm really excited that this finally worked, because I have a number of fragrance sensitivities as well as eczema. The SCH fragrance free marshmallow bar left my scalp a bit itchy, but the CV bars have been awesome. Going to order more samples soon.

[chou]

I just used my CV cafe moreno shampoo bar for the first time today and I'm really happy with it! First off, it smells incredible. This has got to be the gentlest cleanser I've ever used on my hair because I decided to skip conditioner to see how the bar fared on its own, using only some leave-in, and my hair was still incredibly soft and shiny. My "everyday" conditioner is GVP conditioning balm and I NEVER EVER skip it usually because my hair is so dry so this is really fantastic. I wasn't expecting so much moisture from a soap-based cleanser, but that goes to show what I know.

Unfortunately, we had a SUPER crazy blustery day and my waves all got blown to pieces the moment I left the house, but before that they were clumping nicely and looked well-defined and bouncy, so I'm very happy about that.

I lathered twice with lots of finger scrubbing and got a nice slippery, if not foamy, easy to spread lather. My hair definitely felt totally weird and waxy after this but an acv rinse took care of that completely. I think I missed a spot near my left temple because it feels pretty grimy there. I'll just have to be more careful to really scrub all of my scalp next time and maybe do a more thorough second lather. I got this kind of griminess occasionally with Toadstool shampoo as well and it was always fixed with more rigorous washing as if it were some kind of amalgam of incompletely dissolved sebum and soap and not just soap residue on its own.

[afu]

After trialing my new mandarin and aloe shampoo bar, i have returned to CO (for the time being at least, i will likely give it another go soon). In terms of cleaning the bar was great, lathered really well and gave a really squeaky clean result - however it left my hair tangly and dry and i had to use LOADS of conditioner as well as my usual lemon rinse. When I CO my hair rarely tangles and I use my conditioner so diluted a bottle lasts at least 6 months, so for me CO seems to be the best and most economical route right now

[Loviatar]

I used a CV soap bar instead of a shampoo bar the other day. I was surprised by how nice my hair felt afterwards. I used Bananas and Cream. I don't think I could do it every time, as it might be a bit too heavy, but it made for a nicely moisturising wash.

[bekstamonkey]

I used one of my homemade cassia poo bars last night and was amazed...I don't understand it, as using it in a poo bar is not like doing a cassia treatment, it's not on the hair long enough, but I definitely noticed a difference between my regular poo bars and this cassia bar...my hair is less frizzy (still need to do some protein treatments lol) and more manageable and hardly tangling! I only made a half batch (1/2 kilo) of this, as a test, looks like I will be making more of them asap! :D

[hybrise]

I love my CV bars, but I tend to use a soap bar most often. My hair tends to be greasy at the scalp and dry at the ends, so a soap bar cleanses but is moisturizing. I still use a shampoo bar every few washes though, as a sort of clarifying wash. I use Scarborough Fair mostly and my shampoo tends to be Neem and Tea Tree. I rinse with a diluted ACV mix and rinse it out because if I don't my hair gets oddly stringy at the bottom.

I was using Coconut Milk there for a while but I got HORRIBLE dandruff within a few days. Never had that reaction to it before but it was definitely the Coconut Milk bar causing it.

[Theobroma]

What exactly is the difference between shampoo bars and soap (or "hair soap"), anyway?

I've been using African Black Soap for a month and a half now and I'm very happy with it. Tried a Savion (German brand) hair soap in between, which had some unsaponified wheat germ oil in, and shed more than I like, so I went back to the black soap. I seem to be seeing a pattern here where my scalp will not tolerate contact with anything rich like conditioner or superfatted soaps without excessive shedding.

[spirals]

Soap bars, here. In fact, I haven't tried any shampoo bars per se. Both my soaps are palm-based and my hair and scalp are generally happy. They'd be less happy without citric acid. I am now doing a 5% solution just on the top of my head where I get the itchies, and a citrified condtioner on most of my hair. I rinse all that and put a leave-in on it. I'm definitely happier with out conventional shampoo. So yeah, "regular" soap seems fine.

[evb]

I recently purchased this soap (http://www.etsy.com/listing/92010132/carrot-top-shampoo-bar-silk-shampoo-bar) from AquarianBath on Etsy. They look to have various different flavors of shampoo bars. I did a search for Aquarian in this thread and didn't get any results so was wondering if anybody had opinions or was familiar with them.

I have been using SCH and really love them but noticed that my hair likes it if I switch out the soaps occasionally. It was happiest when I was transitioning from soap bar variety one to soap bar variety two.... kinda new to the soap bar thing tho I used to use a long time ago. Anyway I am trying to get several bars into rotation

I am kinda sad about the absurd amount of shed I get with the shampoo bars. It has been almost a year since I used regular shampoo {cept for once last week when I was waiting on my new bar} and I don't remember this much shedding before. Actually I think it is due to the LHC in general. I totally notice all the hair falling out after washing my hair now. Oh well at least it is only once a week for shampoos :/

[spirals]

evb, were you washing more frequently with shampoo? Maybe you are just catching more days' worth of hairfall all at once, and it seems like a lot of shedding. I notice less shed with soap than shampoo, and my schedule is the same.

Thanks for the link. That henna/jojoba bar might work for me; my hair loved jojoba in the past. Plus, it looks like a giant Reese's cup! I might be tempted to eat it, though....

Oh, and look at this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/77350106/black-magic-clarifying-activated It's meant to be a clarifying skin bar, but I have seen washing hair with clay mentioned somewhere on the board. Maybe this would benefit someone here. This ship is great. I even know which soaps are vegan because the owner lets you know.

[evb]

Yes I do wash my hair less frequently although I have always stretched my washings. I know it is probably the all hair falling out once a week thing instead of every third day or so washing. I think it is that I am more conscious of it due to LHC discussions on shed.

My scalp feels itchity after washing prior to my ACV rinse of scalp. I ACV every wash because otherwise my hair feels brambly.... I wouldn't know how it dries without the ACV rinse cus I can't stand not having slip so do a rinse automatically

[MychelleC]

I am kinda sad about the absurd amount of shed I get with the shampoo bars. It has been almost a year since I used regular shampoo {cept for once last week when I was waiting on my new bar} and I don't remember this much shedding before. Actually I think it is due to the LHC in general. I totally notice all the hair falling out after washing my hair now. Oh well at least it is only once a week for shampoos :/

The high PH of soap lifts the cuticle layer (hence the acid rinse to close it). Over time, even with the acid rinse, this leads to more friction between the hair strands and a delicate cortex, and can end up in a lot of breakage. If the shedding becomes a concern maybe switch to a well-formulated shampoo for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference. Also, as stated above, less washings means more fallout when you do wash, so it might just seem like you're losing more. You'll know if your shedding becomes too much.

[chou]

I'm four washes in with shampoo bars, using the CV cafe moreno and butter bars and I really love this cleansing method. For one wash I ran out of acv so I used a lemon rinse instead and it left my hair very dry and dull. I wasn't expecting such a big difference, but there it was.
All of my other shampoo bar washes have left my hair extremely moisturized, though. The shine, omg! My hair has never been this shiny. I haven't been using conditioner or styling products for hold and my waves have been very shiny and defined. I can NEVER go without leave-ins with other shampoos.
Here's a pic:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q233/clairebowman/P8120119.jpg

The only thing is, I did get some stringiness in my waves with this most recent wash. It might be because I ran the butter bar over my length during the wash, or because of the dab of conditioner I worked in to help my comb glide through my damp hair. I hope it's not build up. I'm going to try a less moisturizing wash next time and see what happens.
Otherwise, I love my shampoo bars. My hair is soft and swishy and shiny! This is a big revelation for me because usually my hair is frizzy, dry and coarse even with lots of deep conditioning and pampering and I really didn't know it could be any other way.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

The only thing is, I did get some stringiness in my waves with this most recent wash. It might be because I ran the butter bar over my length during the wash, or because of the dab of conditioner I worked in to help my comb glide through my damp hair. I hope it's not build up. I'm going to try a less moisturizing wash next time and see what happens.

I had this problem when I used the butter bar too! I didn't follow up with an ACV rinse however and I just suspected it was that but I haven't tried it again... it left my hair feeling... stringy and perhaps coated or something for lack of a better description and I also ran it over my length. My hair LOVES moisture so I don't think it was that (I regularly use the Olive & Babassu) but I am thinking this might be the kind of bar I need an ACV rinse with after... or perhaps use it on my scalp only.

[KiwiBum]

I apologize if this has been listed elsewhere in the thread, but has anyone tried any of the Henna Sooq shampoo bars? I'm interested in trying them and some of their other haircare... :)

[RiotPrrl]

I mentioned a few pages back that I was switching out my glycerin-based shampoo bar for a cold-processed one because my hair was greasy again the day after washing. Turns out I was wrong, the problem was the ACV rinse (apparently you're not supposed to massage it into your scalp). However, since I'd ordered the cold-processed ones I decided to try them out.

I started with the Teatree bar (http://www.flowkosmetiikka.fi/epages/vilkas02.sf/fi_FI/?ObjectPath=/Shops/20110413-11092-34237-1/Products/302) (with tea tree oil, peppermint, rosemary and other goodies). Bad mistake. It completely dried out my scalp and brought back the itchies that had mostly dissappeared with the glycerin bar. My hair was tanglier and drier than ever, and there was some amount of waxiness. I used it for a while to see if anything would change and then I switched to the Redhead bar (http://www.flowkosmetiikka.fi/epages/vilkas02.sf/fi_FI/?ObjectPath=/Shops/20110413-11092-34237-1/Products/307) (with henna and marigold). I could feel the difference already in the shower, my hair was much smoother even before I did my ACV rinse. However, my scalp still didn't improve much. After a while I went back to the glycerin bar, but that still didn't help. My scalp still felt dry and itchy. :(

Now I'm trying out if pure henna would help with my scalp (I needed to do my roots anyway). Previously, henna has been pretty effective in removing dandruff (possibly because my henna is a bit grainy and ends up working as an exfoliator ;) ). I'll try the Redhead bar again after I wash out the henna to see if it's better now. If my scalp still itches, I think I'll try massaging it with coconut oil.

(Wow, this was a much longer post than I planned on... :o )

[Henrietta]

A few weeks ago I tried my Lush Gentle Lentil poo bar sample. It was kind of too small, or I lack experience, because I couldn't get the lather everywhere.
Even the half of my head that received enough (?) shampoo became greasy pretty fast. I'm not sure if I want to try Lush more, considering the price.

[spirals]

I'm still using the bar I got at World Market and I concentrate the citric acid rinse on my scalp. I do use a rinse-out conditioner. I have never been happier with the condition of my hair. Can anyone recommend a palm- or coconut-based bar for me to try next? My hair loves palm-based soap.

[RiotPrrl]

Can shampoo bars be addictive? I went to the healthfood store today to buy some raspberry leaf tea and "somehow" I also ended up buying a Hemp & Peat shampoo bar. :o

[Henrietta]

Can shampoo bars be addictive? I went to the healthfood store today to buy some raspberry leaf tea and "somehow" I also ended up buying a Hemp & Peat shampoo bar. :o
You can get shampoo bard in Finland? Great! I thought that one can buy them only in the Internet. And maybe in Lush stores or something.

[salisem]

But like yours, my scalp is much happier without condish. I used to CO wash and it ended up causing insane, epic shedding. I'm nervous of the idea of going anywhere near conditioner now because I don't know whether I can keep it completely off my scalp!

I tried a few weeks of CO washing and had the same problem, so I went and bought myself come CV bars. So far I have only tried the coconut bar, and it has been fantastic. I want to stick with an all-natural wash routine from now on, so after the bar wash I give my hair a coconut oiling while it's still wet, and it seems to be all the moisture it needs. :)

I haven't been doing any kind of acidified rinse after washing with the CV bars. So far my hair seems to be fine without it, so maybe my water is soft enough? Anyone else experience this?

[Theobroma]

I tried a few weeks of CO washing and had the same problem, so I went and bought myself come CV bars. So far I have only tried the coconut bar, and it has been fantastic. I want to stick with an all-natural wash routine from now on, so after the bar wash I give my hair a coconut oiling while it's still wet, and it seems to be all the moisture it needs. :)

I haven't been doing any kind of acidified rinse after washing with the CV bars. So far my hair seems to be fine without it, so maybe my water is soft enough? Anyone else experience this?

Might have something to do with the specific pH of your bars? I know I can't possibly do without a vinegar rinse because mine are very alkaline and leave my hair dull and tangly unless I use something acidic to smooth down the cuticle after washing. But I've never tried CV bars, so for all I know their pH is lower!

[bekstamonkey]

Might have something to do with the specific pH of your bars? I know I can't possibly do without a vinegar rinse because mine are very alkaline and leave my hair dull and tangly unless I use something acidic to smooth down the cuticle after washing. But I've never tried CV bars, so for all I know their pH is lower!

Exactly. My hair doesn't like bars that are closer to a neutral Ph, they just don't seem to clean, and always feels like there's residue left behind, leaves my hair flat and dull...so I use and make poo bars which are more alkaline (about a 9-10 Ph), which, like you describe, really do require some kind of acid rinse - or it's just dry, flyaway city lol It'd be interesting to get a bunch of the most popular poo bars and do some Ph testing, see how they all come in!

[RiotPrrl]

You can get shampoo bard in Finland? Great! I thought that one can buy them only in the Internet. And maybe in Lush stores or something.

Flow kosmetiikka (http://www.flowkosmetiikka.fi/epages/vilkas02.sf/fi_FI/?ObjectPath=/Shops/20110413-11092-34237-1/Categories/Hiukset) produces shampoo bars (among other things) and you can find them in many healthfood stores in Finland. And I live in Helsinki, so I can just go to the nearest Ruohonjuuri (ecoshop that's been around since the early eighties).

[salisem]

Might have something to do with the specific pH of your bars? I know I can't possibly do without a vinegar rinse because mine are very alkaline and leave my hair dull and tangly unless I use something acidic to smooth down the cuticle after washing. But I've never tried CV bars, so for all I know their pH is lower!

Hmm, I don't know! I know on CV's website, they emphasize how important a vinegar rinse is. But I'm not sure if that's because of the pH of the bar, or because they have very hard water there. I used to live about a half hour away from them, and remember how frustrating that was. Unfortunately back then I had no clue about acidified rinses (well I had no clue how to take care of my hair, period), so I had 5 years of dull frizzy hair. :p

[Loviatar]

I wish I could get some consistency with shampoo bars. I have hard water (London), always do an acid rinse, and have tried CV, Bobeam, Rocky Top Soap Shop, SCH and Aromaville. CV are usually good, but sometimes I feel I have 'doll hair' post acid rinsing - a bit crunchy on the ends. SCH are OK but nothing special; I prefer CV. Bobeam Ayurvedic and Honey&Goat Milk have left my hair waxy and sticky, and Aromaville was a little bit similar. Rocky Top Coffee turned me into a waxy oily mess.

I have clarified and chelated and god knows what. Should I just stick to CV and swap everything else out, or should I persevere with the Bobeam and Aromavilles?

I would love for bars to work for me full time - my nails are better than they've ever been and I know my scalp likes the bars. it's just my length and ends that are the problem. I wonder if it's worth doing a modified CWC - cover length in conditioner, shampoo bar on scalp, rinse, acid rinse, condition all over?

[Loviatar]

It'd be interesting to get a bunch of the most popular poo bars and do some Ph testing, see how they all come in!

I have just got some PH strips from my friend who works as a chem teacher and I shall be testing the following over the next few days:

Chagrin Valley:
Bananas and Cream
Cafe Moreno
Avocado Oats and Shea
Coconut Milk
Coconut and Shea
Summer Sunshine
Soapnuts and Sunflower
Nettle
Mud and Clay
Olive Babassu
Herb Garden
Ayurvedic Herb

Dirty Diva Soaps:
Peach Nectar

Aromaville:
Fenugreek and Burdock
Neem Amla and Shikakai
Soapnuts Babassu
Rosemary Nettle and Aloe

Bobeam:
Ayurvedic
Honey and Goat Milk
Honey and Oats
Rootz Herbal Hair Grower
Cocoa and Rhassoul

Rocky Top Soap Shop:
Coffee
Rooibos

SCH
Cedarwood & Sage
Marshmallow Root Honey Almond
Rosemary and Honey
Rosemary Green Tea

[LaurelSpring]

I have what is for me some exciting news!!! I got some CV bars several years back. I tried them a couple of times but my hair always felt gunky afterwards. I sadly put them away because I really really wanted it to work for me. I love that it is natural and they smell so great.

Anyway, also several years ago I got some of the Flower Moon Dairy whip which I loved and didnt seem to make me gunky. What I was doing though was mixing it with some baking soda and that seemed to work well. But as you may know they went out of business after a fire unless they are up and running again and if so could someone please let me know!!

So, I pulled out my old CV bars the other day and put one on a soap dish. I was going to use it as regular soap, but it sort of got melty and I soaked the soap holder and then on a whim took the soapy CV water, mixed it with baking soda and tried it on my hair. It turned out excellently! My scalp is clean and my hair is not gunky! I think I finally found my solution! This is so awesome! I can use my CV bars. I am so happy!

I am going to take a bit of CV bar, melt it in water and add the baking soda and keep it in a container as shampoo. I did use conditioner and a vinegar rinse on the ends, but I did that before with the straight bar and it didnt help with the gunky feeling on the ends. Somehow the addition of the baking soda gets rid of that for me.

[bekstamonkey]

I wonder if it's worth doing a modified CWC - cover length in conditioner, shampoo bar on scalp, rinse, acid rinse, condition all over?

I sometimes do just this. Poo bar, rinse, conditioner on fall, acv rinse, light water rinse to ensure conditioner is all out. Does give a little more moisture to ends, so worth a shot yourself! I find, for myself, that with the acid rinse, I don't need to condition over my scalp, just the lengths, but you could experiment and see what your hair needs...

[Alaia]

All right CV bar gurus:

I've just broken down and washed my hair with normal shampoo and conditioner after trying CV to use CV bars.

I have used the Coconut Milk CV bar four times (two weeks), with varying methods. First time I just used the bar, no rinse, and it was good. Second time I started to get waxy hair. So I tried the third time with an ACV rinse. Even more waxy hair. Then the fourth time I lathered twice and then used an ACV rinse. Sticky, waxy hair. I don't like the smell of the coconut milk bar so I'm quite happy not to use it.

So I thought to myself, okay, your scalp is loving it but it is now impossible to detangle your hair. And it doesn't look good and it's sticky to the touch, so try a different bar.

I tried the Lavender Spice bar, which I LOVE the smell and it felt really good, followed by an ACV rinse which I left in.

My hair was even worse. So after trying to brush my hair for 30 minutes I broke down today and washed with liquid shampoo and conditioner.

I live in London which has very hard water. BS kills my hair, so that's out. ACV doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any advice? My scalp, and actually my ends, really love the bars. Have I just not found the right one or do I need to try something like lemon juice or does my hair simply not like the bars?

Or did I simply not stick it out long enough?

[bekstamonkey]

I used to get a similar problem before I started making my own poo bars...tried a few different types, and two of those left my hair in a horrible state, no matter what rinse I used. Are you able to possibly try another poo bar maker? Like, non-CV? Sometimes our hair reacts in different ways - what works for some folk, does not work for others etc...? Just my thoughts, but as I've said, never used CV bars myself. Good luck, hope you find a solution :)

[Loviatar]

Alaia, I'm London too and having similar results. Hence my plea for bar consistency. Sometimes they work great; sometimes they're ghastly and waxy. I have found my acid rinse needs to be stronger than most folks' rinses on here.

What I'm having the most success with is:

Soak hair in shower, right way up (I normally wash upside down, but it doesnt give as good results)
Apply poo bar to scalp and rub lather through hair
Rinse and repeat
Rinse
Acid rinse: One shot glass full of ACV in one litre of water, plus one 1/2 tsp of citric acid powder (I get mine at Wilkinsons). I pour a jugful over my head.
Then 2nd acid rinse: 2nd litre of water in an old squash bottle with one shot glass full of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp citric acid
Let that sit and comb it through gently with a wide tooth comb
Condition. I have to condition afterwards or I get waxies. I add a little water from the shower head so I can emulsify the conditioner as though I were doing a CO - if I skip the emulsifying part I usually get slight waxies.
Comb through the conditioner 'foam'
Rinse and air dry.

Sometimes I even put on some home made leave-in - which I have done today - which is Biolage balm in 100ml bottled water in a spray bottle

I have a ton of full size bars I can cut sample pieces off and send to you or we can meet up and you can take them. I have CV, Sweet Creek, Bobeam, Aromaville, Rocky Top Soap Shop and Dirty Diva Soaps.

I have best results with summer sunshine bar, nettle, ayurvedic herb, cafe moreno and herb garden but YMMV. I also like Coconut milk and Mud & Clay sometimes.

[stew]

quick question about shampoo/soap bars...

i have this soap bar that was locally made and it just says "natural hand cut soap: coconut vanilla" on it.

the ingredients are listed as: olive oil, water, lye, coconut oil, cocoa butter, vanilla essence.
these ingredients seem VERY similar to a shampoo bar to me, and i was wondering if it would be safe for me to use this like a shampoo bar?

[spirals]

Loviatar, your method is similar to mine.

[bekstamonkey]

quick question about shampoo/soap bars...

i have this soap bar that was locally made and it just says "natural hand cut soap: coconut vanilla" on it.

the ingredients are listed as: olive oil, water, lye, coconut oil, cocoa butter, vanilla essence.
these ingredients seem VERY similar to a shampoo bar to me, and i was wondering if it would be safe for me to use this like a shampoo bar?

Shampoo bars generally have more rich hair-loving oils, usually castor is involved, and often others (rice bran, avocado, apricot kernel etc), but that doesn't mean it's not a hair-friendly bar of soap you have there! Best way to discern a yay or nay, is to try it! :)

[terylenerose]

I live in London which has very hard water.
Can't you just get a filtering showerhead? I never hear about those on LHC that often, but they ought to help somewhat. (I wouldn't know -- I have one and it doesn't seem to do a whole lot, but maybe it just needs its cartridges replaced.)

As for me, I'm glad I know what CV means. I used to think it stood for "cider vinegar". :p I haven't ever tried shampoo bars, but I'd like to sometime.

[salisem]

..........

[Loviatar]

I have done some PH testing but it doesn't seem to have helped.

CV bars seem to be around 8.5 - Nettle is closer to 10, Summer Sunshine and Herb Garden closer to 8.

My SCH bars are closer to 10.

My Bobeam bars are around 9, as are my Aromaville bars.

Regular shampoos, Aussie Mega and Tigi Moisture Maniac, are both close to 6.

Biolage conditioner barely changes the strip colour at all, I suspect it is close to 5.

My acid rinse is a 3.

[salisem]

I have done some PH testing but it doesn't seem to have helped.

CV bars seem to be around 8.5 - Nettle is closer to 10, Summer Sunshine and Herb Garden closer to 8.

My SCH bars are closer to 10.

My Bobeam bars are around 9, as are my Aromaville bars.

Regular shampoos, Aussie Mega and Tigi Moisture Maniac, are both close to 6.

Biolage conditioner barely changes the strip colour at all, I suspect it is close to 5.

My acid rinse is a 3.

Very interesting to know!

The goal for our hair is neutral to slightly acidic, no? If we were to try and do the math, is there a way to figure out how to balance the alkalinity of the shampoo bar with acidity of conditioner or acidic rinse? I'm trying to remember what I learned in chemistry so many years ago, but I'll have to dig deep for that one... :)

[alexis917]

I'm considering converting to shampoo bars, not because my shampoo isn't satisfying, but I want to go all natural. Or at least close to it, with my hair care! I want to try CV brand bars because they're cheap and seem to be popular amongst my fellow LHCers. For those of you using CV bars, what are your suggestions?

[holy7231]

Wow, seems the shampoo bar is really a good thing. Maybe I can also have a try, too.

[Loviatar]

Has anyone found that shampoo bars strip their chemical colour?

I lost almost all yesterday's colour with one wash this morning.

[Alaia]

My colour seems to be a little more lustrous with the bars. It is probably the acidic rinses doing the stripping? Also I lighten my hair - and only by a little.

Thanks for your advice Lovi. Have just washed with Lavender spice and done a lemon juice rinse then a foamy conditioner rinse. Will see how it goes. I don't have citric acid powder and I am a little bit leery of getting it until I know if lemon by itself will work.

I would love to meet up (at some point in the near future hopefully if my schedule lets up!) and try some non-CV bars, actually! The only CV bar I don't have is Cafe Moreno and I think the citrus summer one or similar (can't remember the name), for reasons that I can't remember (probably because I could only get 14 and they weren't ones I anticipated rating highly). :flowers:

[Loviatar]

I have a full bar of Cafe Moreno but it might darken your hair. The citrus Summer Sunshine is my favourite.

I'm happy to chop up some Aromavilles, Bobeams and Rocky Tops to let you try them. I cut all mine and store the larger bars while using the smaller slices. They last for ever.

My citric acid was about &#163;1-50 from Wilkinson's.

[bekstamonkey]

Has anyone found that shampoo bars strip their chemical colour?

I lost almost all yesterday's colour with one wash this morning.

I use my own homemade poo bars, and an ACV rinse, and never get any colour loss...I put a semi-permanent in about two months ago, to semi-cover my old blonde streaks prior to hennaing...unfortunately the chick at the pharmacy completely misjudged my natural hair colour and the dye made my hair too dark, so had to remove it before henna, or I'd be left with a nasty regrowth line...and found that my washing regumen was removing NONE of the colour...so now have been washing with some nasty anti-dandruff shampoos to try and strip the semi-perm dye fast (it's working really well!), which is leaving me with such dryness, so oiling very regularly (every second day) and doing SMTs to counter it...but yeah, may be the poo bar you're using is a stripper, or perhaps your ACV ratio?

[Loviatar]

Bekstamonkey I doubt it's the acv, the dye I use is reported to play very well with anything acidic and prefers an acidic environment. I think I'll have to switch to CO for a while til my colour's settled down, the bars I use are PH 8-10 so i think it's too alkaline.

[alexis917]

Has anybody tried Newberry Naturals? They're cheaper than Prairieland Herbs and Chagrin Valley but their website is ....pretty vague.

[bekstamonkey]

Bekstamonkey I doubt it's the acv, the dye I use is reported to play very well with anything acidic and prefers an acidic environment. I think I'll have to switch to CO for a while til my colour's settled down, the bars I use are PH 8-10 so i think it's too alkaline.

Odd..my homemade poo bars are 9-10 Ph, and no problem with me - quite the opposite...perhaps it's the dye used, maybe some react in such a way with high alkalinity, while others don't...but good idea to avoid until colour settles a bit...good luck! :)

[organicmoon]

I have been on CV shampoo bars for several months now with a gap in between when I would run out (someone kept using it lol) & bridged that gap w/ BS & ACV only. My hair is long, dark brown, fine & dry (winning combination right?) Cafe moreno works well for my hair cause it makes my color "pop". But it will weigh it down b/c it is moisturizing. I recently ordered a Nettle shampoo bar sample and it worked really well. Have been alternating w/ the 2. Have to be careful with Nettle since its very cleansing & my hair is already dry. One thing that happened was right before I went for a trim (18 months since my last) my ends were very crunchy. Decided to swipe my CV Honey Butter soap on the very tips only while washing everything else and after ACV then final rinse they looked and felt great! I use about 2 tbs in 2 cups of water for reference on acv rinse. Hope this helps any newbies. Fight the urge to throw in the towel b/c the results are worth it. Am still on the hunt for my favorite CV shampoo bar but these 2 are pretty great.

[TryForBliss]

Hello! I was wondering what various solutions to stringy/waxy/greasy hair were found in this discussion! I'm on my phone; searching the thread is a bit of a pain.

I ask because this is a problem I was having for the longest time - and what finally resolved it was more vinegar - and this seems to run counter to all the advice I've received previously (oily->too much vinegar, use less).

What works for me in our rock hard water: wash scalp and hair with CV Ayurvedic Herb (hair and scalp both love the suds). Rinse. Pour 1.5-2 tbsp ACV into the little bowl I keep by the shower (about 2 cups) & fill with water. Pour over hair and scalp, wait 10+ seconds, rinse. Same ACV/water ratio, poured over scalp and hair, and not rinsed out. Hair can be air dried or heat styled with no stringy/waxy/greasy ends or clumps.

Apologies if I'm :horse:

[curlsgalore]

Just ordered the Conditioner bar and the babassu marsh mallow one form chagrin valley...I really had to resist buying anymore right now since I also ordered from Applevalleynaturals. :D

[Rosetta]

I just ordered for the first time from Chagrin Valley, several samples of shampoo bars and facial soap :) I have tried a few other shampoo bars already, will be interesting to see how they compare with CV.

(Just hope my order will not get stuck at the customs and I won't get stung with extra VAT charges; I shouldn't in case it arrives before January, but otherwise I will, as the VAT limit for purchases from outside EU will be a lot lower from 1st Jan :?... I got a bit carried away when making my order and completely forgot about that ;))

[Rosake]

I've been using CV soaps for quite a long time. I absolutely loved them at first, but now it seems like they make my hair greasy, tangled, and annoying (even though I use conditioner). I do have hard water here but I use a shower filter; is that not enough and do I need to use a vinegar rinse as well? I honestly would like to stay away from that.. it smells bad and it doesn't make my hair feel particularly good. I was wondering if someone knows any alternatives? Or maybe even different bars or shampoos that don't need an acid rinse (and don't have bad ingredients)?

Also, did anyone try the CV Butter Bar Conditioner? What's your experience? :)

[Chromis]

If you have hard water, you'll need an acid rinse. I tries going back to conventional shampoo for a while even and I still needed an acid rinse! I find the "good" apple cider vinegar smells better or you can just use a dash of citric acid (I use a combination).

[Neoma]

I've been using CV soaps for quite a long time. I absolutely loved them at first, but now it seems like they make my hair greasy, tangled, and annoying (even though I use conditioner). I do have hard water here but I use a shower filter; is that not enough and do I need to use a vinegar rinse as well? I honestly would like to stay away from that.. it smells bad and it doesn't make my hair feel particularly good. I was wondering if someone knows any alternatives? Or maybe even different bars or shampoos that don't need an acid rinse (and don't have bad ingredients)?

Also, did anyone try the CV Butter Bar Conditioner? What's your experience? :)Rosake. the smell of ACV makes me gag. But I don't find white vinegar to be very offensive. I add essential oils -- peppermint, rosemary and lavender -- to mine, and that makes it smell even better.

You may also try lemon or lime juice -- either will work.

Citric acid is cheap and totally odorless.

[bekstamonkey]

I'm with Neoma on this one, I add a dash of Lavender EO to my diluted acv, kinda 'cuts' the smell a little while my hair's wet :)

[Neoma]

After a long hiatus from shampoo bars, I placed an order with SCH today:

4 shampoo soaps of the following:
*Lavender shea
*Herb garden
*Marshmallow Peppermint
*Marshmallow Signature Garden
*1/2 oz. Euro dropper bottle with Signature Garden blend (essential oil blend for use as perfume)
*Horsetail Butter, 1.25 oz. (for hair)

I am really looking forward to receiving this order. I have lost between 30 and 50% of my hair in the past few months. So far, they have found no medical reason for this.

I've been using Invati products, and they are growing a bunch of baby hairs. But I can't envision paying $100+ per months for these products.

I'm convinced that using all natural products, such as shampoo bars, will restore my hair. Time will tell.

[Rosake]

Sounds pretty good, will try it. Thanks! :D

[Neoma]

Sounds pretty good, will try it. Thanks! :D
You're welcome. Let us know how it works for you. :flower:

[chelles2kids]

I apologize if this has been listed elsewhere in the thread, but has anyone tried any of the Henna Sooq shampoo bars? I'm interested in trying them and some of their other haircare... :)


I would love to know this as well KiwiBum...
I'm looking at placing an order with them for my dd. and thought their shampoo bars looked great plus they seemed to have good reviews on the site.

I'll be watching this thread to see if anyone replies.:popcorn:

[henné]

Hello everyone! I've just received a package with 6 different poo bars (smaller size - sample) from Nea of Sweden and I would love to find anyone that has any experience with their poo bars :)

Also, what do you think of these ingredients (it's just two soaps out of the total of 6 I bought)?

1. Sodium canolate, sodium olivate, sodium cocoate, sodium castorate, sodium shea butterate, jojoba oil, water, white clay, lavender (both flowers and essential oil), rosemary caprylic triglyceride (antioxidant), peppermint essential oil, linalool and limonene from essential oils.

2. Glycerine, water, sodium palmate, sorbitol, sodium cocoate, decyl glucoside, sodium chloride, palm acid, coconut acid, pentasodium pentetate, tetrasodium etidronate (eco glycerin soap), canola oil, olive oil, marigold, rosemary oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, glycerine, grape seed extract, food yellow, limonene, linalool, citral, geraniol and citronellal

I'll be following this thread from now on. I'm also planning to read through the whole thread ... or as many pages as I can, lol, since it's almost 600 now :shocked:

[Rosetta]

I apologize if this has been listed elsewhere in the thread, but has anyone tried any of the Henna Sooq shampoo bars? I'm interested in trying them and some of their other haircare... :)

I would love to know this as well KiwiBum...
I'm looking at placing an order with them for my dd. and thought their shampoo bars looked great plus they seemed to have good reviews on the site.

I'll be watching this thread to see if anyone replies.:popcorn:

I have tried just a sample of Henna Sooq's ayurvedic bar (I think it was called Cocoveda?) I must say imo it wasn't as good as another ayurvedic shampoo bar I've tried, it didn't lather much at all and didn't leave my hair feeling as good, but please don't let this put you off but try yourself! :) After all your experiences may be very different.

[bekstamonkey]

Also, what do you think of these ingredients (it's just two soaps out of the total of 6 I bought)?

1. Sodium canolate, sodium olivate, sodium cocoate, sodium castorate, sodium shea butterate, jojoba oil, water, white clay, lavender (both flowers and essential oil), rosemary caprylic triglyceride (antioxidant), peppermint essential oil, linalool and limonene from essential oils.

2. Glycerine, water, sodium palmate, sorbitol, sodium cocoate, decyl glucoside, sodium chloride, palm acid, coconut acid, pentasodium pentetate, tetrasodium etidronate (eco glycerin soap), canola oil, olive oil, marigold, rosemary oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, glycerine, grape seed extract, food yellow, limonene, linalool, citral, geraniol and citronellal

They're both got a good selection of hair-loving oils (1: Canola, Olive, Cocoa, Coconut, Castor, Shea Butter, Jojoba; and 2: Palm, Coconut, Canola, Olive). The second seems to be a glycerine soap rather than regular cold/hot processed because of the inclusion of Sorbitol, Decyl Glucoside and Glycerine. These three ingredients, when added to a gelled hot process soap create a glycerine melt and pour soap base (sugar, surfactant/alcohol, and glycerine). Not entirely sure about some of the ingredients, like the necessity of using caprylic triglyceride (CCT) and tetrasodium etidronate (EDTA), although some soapers would disagree with my purist soaping ways LOL (the first is an oily liquid derived from fractionated coconut oil that's supposed to aid in reducing moisture loss to skin, and the second is basically a colour/fragrance stabliser). I'm also curious as to why the maker has used Linalool, limonene, geraniol etc when also using EO's...these are chemicals extracted from plants (and form *part* of many essential oils, but distinct synthetic fragrance from EO's). I don't use them in my soaps because they can break down and oxidise and cause irritation for some folk.

I've never used their 'poo bars, guess the only way to find out is to try them...and let us know :p

[henné]

They're both got a good selection of hair-loving oils (1: Canola, Olive, Cocoa, Coconut, Castor, Shea Butter, Jojoba; and 2: Palm, Coconut, Canola, Olive). The second seems to be a glycerine soap rather than regular cold/hot processed because of the inclusion of Sorbitol, Decyl Glucoside and Glycerine. These three ingredients, when added to a gelled hot process soap create a glycerine melt and pour soap base (sugar, surfactant/alcohol, and glycerine). Not entirely sure about some of the ingredients, like the necessity of using caprylic triglyceride (CCT) and tetrasodium etidronate (EDTA), although some soapers would disagree with my purist soaping ways LOL (the first is an oily liquid derived from fractionated coconut oil that's supposed to aid in reducing moisture loss to skin, and the second is basically a colour/fragrance stabliser). I'm also curious as to why the maker has used Linalool, limonene, geraniol etc when also using EO's...these are chemicals extracted from plants (and form *part* of many essential oils, but distinct synthetic fragrance from EO's). I don't use them in my soaps because they can break down and oxidise and cause irritation for some folk.

I've never used their 'poo bars, guess the only way to find out is to try them...and let us know :p

Thank you for looking them over!

I'll definitely let you know how they're working for me and which ones are the best.

[Theobroma]

I am really looking forward to receiving this order. I have lost between 30 and 50% of my hair in the past few months. So far, they have found no medical reason for this.

Oh dear, I really feel for you. I lost almost that much to excessive shedding from CO washing -- kept telling myself it only looked like too much shedding, but my hair had grown so the same number of hairs made a bigger wad, until I woke up and realised I'd lost significant thickness. Blood work came back normal; I stopped letting conditioner touch my scalp and the shedding dropped to 25% of what it had been.

I'm glad there was no medical reason for it, but it still sucks. And it's the reason I'm now using soap on my hair (and hence reading this thread) -- any kind of shampoo dries it out way too much. I hope your regrowth keeps right on coming as you start using your shampoo bars!

[Rosetta]

Theobroma, that's a really scary effect of CO washing! :eek: Of course losing that much hair is horrible anyway, but I've never known CO washing could cause that much shedding! Now I'm glad I prefer shampoo (bars included)...

[Theobroma]

Mmm, well, Loepsie has a video somewhere on YouTube where she reports that she lost significant thickness from using... a shampoo bar! And her shedding stopped when she gave up the bars. I think the bottom line is that not everything works for every scalp. Unfortunately, finding out what works for your particular scalp (and hair) is a bit of a black art!

For my part, I'm frankly scared to try anything but the bar I'm using now (Dudu-Osun African Black Soap). I have a suspicion that any kind of superfatted shampoo bar would make me shed just as CO did, because my scalp doesn't seem to like rich stuff getting on it. So I'm sticking to this routine and not experimenting no matter how much I see people rave about this or that other shampoo bar! :)

[Neoma]

Oh dear, I really feel for you. I lost almost that much to excessive shedding from CO washing -- kept telling myself it only looked like too much shedding, but my hair had grown so the same number of hairs made a bigger wad, until I woke up and realised I'd lost significant thickness. Blood work came back normal; I stopped letting conditioner touch my scalp and the shedding dropped to 25% of what it had been.

I'm glad there was no medical reason for it, but it still sucks. And it's the reason I'm now using soap on my hair (and hence reading this thread) -- any kind of shampoo dries it out way too much. I hope your regrowth keeps right on coming as you start using your shampoo bars!
Thank you, Theobroma. :blossom: That's very frightening about CO'ing causing your dramatic shed. I'm glad that you found something that is working well for you. :flower:

I've been using a SCH Nettle/Neem shampoo bar for the past few days while I wait for my shipment. I loath the fragrance of Neem, but this bar honestly doesn't have much of a fragrance. I love the way that shampoo bar lather feels. I don't know how to describe it...

I do have to use conditioner, especially on the length. The ends are too snarly without conditioner, regardless of my cleansing method.

My hair has far more body, shine and deep auburn highlights when I use shampoo bars.