The Shampoo Bar Thread [Archive] - Page 24 - The Long Hair Community Discussion Boards

Theobroma

December 15th, 2012, 04:31 AM

Neoma, I've discovered that I can get by without using conditioner at all -- it turns out that on my hair, a few drops of olive oil combed through wet makes my hair as soft and combable as conditioner!

I'm rather pleased at this discovery because (a) after the CO debacle, I'm slightly phobic about conditioner even on my length, and (b) I'm very sensitive to smell and the fragrance of most conditioners bothers me to a greater or lesser extent. So I'm glad on both counts that I seem to be able to do without the stuff entirely.

And like you, I get more body and shine from my shampoo bar regimen. On S&C I get hair that's simultaneously dried out and weighed down; with my soap, white vinegar rinse and EVOO leave-in I get softness, springiness, shine and manageability. What's not to like? :)

Neoma

December 15th, 2012, 06:50 AM

oktobergoud

December 20th, 2012, 03:44 PM

Neoma

December 20th, 2012, 07:47 PM

I bought my first shampoo bar at a fair this week, I couldn't resist! It smells so nice. I just tried it out and it lathered really well (I have tried a shampoo bar from Lush earlier, just a sample, but it was really annoying!) and after that I used some Garnier Triple Nutrtion and rinsed well. Now my hair is extremely waxy! It has dried up, but it still feels kinda wet. But it really isn't! Not the roots though, but the ends, where I used the conditioner!

It is neccesary to use something like an ACV-rinse afterwards? (She sold those as well, which I thought was funny because it was all so LHC proof :P But they were kinda expensive and basically just ACV with a essential oils. I don't have the patience for making soap, although I did try, but I can make an ACV-rinse myself! ;))

I'm sorry for not scanning this huge thread and this question must have been asked a THOUSAND times! I'm tired :P Also, can I safely use conditioner with a shampoo bar or do I really need to use something acidic?

Oh I totally forgot that I put coconut oil in the ends (kinda heavily) before washing! Might be too much for the soap bar to remove?

oktobergoud, whether you "need" an acid rinse depends on how hard your water is. People with soft water can sometimes get away without using an acid rinse.

Also, I have found that there is a big difference between shampoo bars. I'm not sure how that is possible, since the ingredients are pretty much the same from soap maker to soap maker, but it's true. With Sweet Creek Herbs bars, I can skip the acid rinse. That's not the case with CV or any other bar that I've tried.

I often add a shot of conditioner to my acid rinse. Sometimes, I will use the acid rinse, rinse it out, then apply conditioner. So, yes, you can use conditioner with shampoo bars.

I suspect that your hair "feels wet" because you didn't use an acid rinse. I would suggest trying a mild acid rinse the next time you shampoo. I would skip the conditioner, just so you can gauge how your hair looks and feels with just a shampoo bar and an acid rinse. You can always add conditioner to future washes.

Also, does your Garnier conditioner have cones? Many people suggest not mixing cones with shampoo bars. I have used cones and shampoo bars together with some success, but cone-free works better with poo bars for me as a general rule.

:flower:

oktobergoud

December 21st, 2012, 02:40 AM

oktobergoud, whether you "need" an acid rinse depends on how hard your water is. People with soft water can sometimes get away without using an acid rinse.

Also, I have found that there is a big difference between shampoo bars. I'm not sure how that is possible, since the ingredients are pretty much the same from soap maker to soap maker, but it's true. With Sweet Creek Herbs bars, I can skip the acid rinse. That's not the case with CV or any other bar that I've tried.

I often add a shot of conditioner to my acid rinse. Sometimes, I will use the acid rinse, rinse it out, then apply conditioner. So, yes, you can use conditioner with shampoo bars.

I suspect that your hair "feels wet" because you didn't use an acid rinse. I would suggest trying a mild acid rinse the next time you shampoo. I would skip the conditioner, just so you can gauge how your hair looks and feels with just a shampoo bar and an acid rinse. You can always add conditioner to future washes.

Also, does your Garnier conditioner have cones? Many people suggest not mixing cones with shampoo bars. I have used cones and shampoo bars together with some success, but cone-free works better with poo bars for me as a general rule.

:flower:

Thank you so much for your reply! :D

We do have hard water here, so that might be the problem! My conditioner is cone-free, I suspected that cones and soap might be a problem.

I'll try it with an acid rinse next time! Most of the time people use ACV, right? Just a tablespoon diluted in water? I also read you could use lemonjuice, would that be just as effective? I have tried an ACV rinse once but I can't stand the smell, plus it's harder to find here.

Thanks!

Theobroma

December 21st, 2012, 04:35 AM

Oktobergoud, I use white vinegar. A good splash (I'd estimate two or three tablespoons, but I don't measure) in a litre or more of water. There is pretty much no smell at all even while my hair is dripping wet, and certainly none once it's dry.

oktobergoud

December 21st, 2012, 02:00 PM

Ah that sounds great, will try that out! Thanks! :)

Neoma

December 21st, 2012, 05:47 PM

Thank you so much for your reply! :D

We do have hard water here, so that might be the problem! My conditioner is cone-free, I suspected that cones and soap might be a problem.

I'll try it with an acid rinse next time! Most of the time people use ACV, right? Just a tablespoon diluted in water? I also read you could use lemonjuice, would that be just as effective? I have tried an ACV rinse once but I can't stand the smell, plus it's harder to find here.

Thanks!

You're very welcome. :flower:

Yes, it seems that most people who use shampoo bars also use an acid rinse.

You can certainly use lemon juice. I have used it and like it a lot. I generally use white vinegar, which, in my opinion, smells far less offensive than ACV. I mix it with peppermint, lavender and rosemary essential oils. You could also use citric acid.

Start with a tablespoon. You may need to adjust the amount of vinegar that's right for your water.

Let us know how it turns out.

oktobergoud

December 23rd, 2012, 02:54 AM

You're very welcome. :flower:

Yes, it seems that most people who use shampoo bars also use an acid rinse.

You can certainly use lemon juice. I have used it and like it a lot. I generally use white vinegar, which, in my opinion, smells far less offensive than ACV. I mix it with peppermint, lavender and rosemary essential oils. You could also use citric acid.

Start with a tablespoon. You may need to adjust the amount of vinegar that's right for your water.

Let us know how it turns out.

Thank you! I bought lemon oil because I could only find that in the supermarket. Do I need to dilute that with water as well? :)
Will try it out at the end of this week! Will let you know the results :)

Neoma

December 23rd, 2012, 12:22 PM

Thank you! I bought lemon oil because I could only find that in the supermarket. Do I need to dilute that with water as well? :)
Will try it out at the end of this week! Will let you know the results :)

You're very welcome. :flower:

Oh, my... Lemon oil... I have no idea. I don't know whether that's an acid (though I'm sure it's acidic). Sorry I can't help with this one.

oktobergoud

December 23rd, 2012, 01:32 PM

You're very welcome. :flower:

Oh, my... Lemon oil... I have no idea. I don't know whether that's an acid (though I'm sure it's acidic). Sorry I can't help with this one.

Did I say lemon OIL?? Lol, silly me, I meant lemon juice, oops!! Does Lemon Oil even exist? :P

Neoma

December 23rd, 2012, 02:07 PM

Did I say lemon OIL?? Lol, silly me, I meant lemon juice, oops!! Does Lemon Oil even exist? :P
Whew! That's good! Yes, dilute the lemon juice. Just a tablespoon in a lot of water for starters.

Yes, lemon oil (essential oil) does exist. :flower:

oktobergoud

December 28th, 2012, 10:56 AM

Roscata

January 3rd, 2013, 02:23 AM

Thank you!

I have tried it out today (the lemon juice) but my hair is still fairly greasy. My scalp isn't a problem, but the ends are! I'm going to try it again soon. I think my hair needs to adjust? Or the shampoo bar is just not cleansing enough! It does lather well so that's not the problem... not giving up! ;)

From my experience I get greasy ends (from pre-wash oiling):
- with certain shampoos (some clean better than others),
- if I don't shampoo twice,
- if I don't liquefy (http://adelinahair.blogspot.com/2012/07/turn-shampoo-bar-into-liquid-shampoo.html) my shampoo bars (it is easier to spread the product if it's liquid).

Really it's a trial and error kind of thing, and with time I can now feel the oil on my length and know if my ends will be oily after they dry, so I can know if I need to shampoo again. It took me 1-2 years to figure it out, but nothing else keeps my scalp happy and I was experimenting with CO or trying to go back to regular S/C in that time. I hope you find what works for you, because shampoo bars rule! :D

Andrea H

January 3rd, 2013, 03:59 AM

My first CV bar is on its way! I went with the herb garden one because I felt like I had lost quite a bit of hair from using Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner and I also, for as long as I can remember, suffer from dandruff. I've never used a shampoo bar before and I hope it works out well for my hair. Is using a vinegar rinse ALWAYS necessary? I might have it ready just in case I need it after using the bar, but I might also see how it goes without using the rinse.

henné

January 9th, 2013, 05:38 PM

Update on my poo bar experiment, to whom it may interest :)

I've tried two shampoo bars so far and while the first two weeks were fine - more than fine actually, I was getting quite excited about this. After that, my hair became unmanageable, extremely tangly and eternally 'moist,' not to mention I had to go back to washing my hair twice a week (when I used diluted shampoo, I washed once a week and rinsed - WO - once a week) as it was getting greasier quicker. Also my scalp started flaking A LOT. I had to stop using a poo bar because it was getting to a point where I had a really hard time detangling.

I took a break and washed with a diluted shampoo once and my hair was nothing short of absolutely amazing compared to the way it was after washing it with a poo bar. Then I tried a different kind of poo bar - the same brand, but with different formula and ingredients - and the result was just as miserable as with the one before that.

After almost a month of this experimentation, I started losing a lot of hair. It's possible it has nothing to do with the poo bars, but it might. I'm going back to my diluted shampoo/WO routine and if the hairfall stops or diminishes considerably, I will know if it were the poo bars that caused it.

I love the concept of a poo bar - absolutely adore it - but it seems it's not for me, which makes me really really sad and disappointed.

I have one question - did any of you go through some sort of an 'adjustment period' when you first started with poo bars or did it just work for you from the get go and never stopped?

Theobroma

January 11th, 2013, 07:08 AM

henné

January 12th, 2013, 07:21 AM

henné, I had no adjustment period whatsoever -- used it once, loved it, stayed with it, and over six months later my hair is still just as happy as it was at the start.

As for the shedding, you aren't alone. Loepsie on Youtube had the same experience, and her shedding stopped when she went back to shampoo. It might be a specific ingredient or ingredients of the bar (or brand) you used, so perhaps you can yet make a go of this if you try different brands. I've been using Dudu-Osun African Black Soap and I love it... but I have no intention of trying anything richer (if I hear "superfatted" in connection with a shampoo bar, I run the other way) because my scalp will not tolerate oils. I switched to Dudu-Osun because CO was making me shed handfuls; so does scalp oiling; I don't want to find out the hard way that superfatted bars have the same effect!

My scalp abhors conditioners too. I never ever apply conditioner anywhere above the base of my neck for fear of some of it making it onto my scalp. It is absolutely possible this shed has been caused by the poo bars. They are filled with oils. I've been deep oiling for quite some time, but only up to once a month - usually once every two months - so I've never really seen much increased shedding. If I did shed more, I ascribed it to the scalp massage. I do hate the fact, that in order to remove excess oil after the deep oiling, I have to use a conditioner ... blah. Do you never oil your scalp? Do you do anything else to condition your scalp and/or massage it? Just curious :)

Theobroma

January 12th, 2013, 07:41 AM

Do you never oil your scalp? Do you do anything else to condition your scalp and/or massage it? Just curious :)

Nope. It seems that my scalp is quite capable of looking after itself and has a distinct preference for minimal interference, so it gets washed (with my safely non-superfatted soap) along with my hair, and apart from that I leave it strictly alone. It seems to be happiest that way, and since I'm a low-maintenance kind of gal anyway, that suits me fine. :)

Darya

January 13th, 2013, 07:19 AM

I am considering using shampoo bars again -I quit when I reached classic length due to the hassle but now that I am re-growing from the Big Chop, I think that my scalp would appreciate returning to the shampoo bars. I haven't read all 577 pages of posts here -probably just 300 :-) but was wondering if anyone out there still uses citric acid for their acid rinse, and if so, how much?

monika

January 15th, 2013, 03:13 AM

Where can I find Serpentine bars. Google search does not brings me anywhere.
TIA

Carina

January 15th, 2013, 12:29 PM

I hope that you can find something soon.
I tried but had no luck either :( .

Rosethorn

January 15th, 2013, 10:51 PM

My friend sent me a lavender 'poo bar from this lady- http://www.soapcrone.com
So far I love it. Lots of lather, nice scent and soft hair. I just ordered a few bars from lush. I've never tried their products before- soooo excited. ;)

monika

January 16th, 2013, 05:34 PM

So I have been using CV extra honey and beer soap (twice) and Olive and Bobasu (twice) and my hair is very dry and there is lots of flyaways, especially near my crown. It looks like broken hair. I only like the hair next morning, I bread my hair overnight and have nice curls next morning but by the end of the day they are are gone and the hair is very puffy and freezy. Today I added vinegar rinse (2 Tbl white vinegar in 32 oz water) and I am still having the same issues. I don't know if this matters but I had these soaps for over 2 years, so maybe the oils in them dried out? I just ordered bunch of other samples from CV and will give them a fair try. I really want this to work. Maybe my hair does not like CV and would like other shampoo bars?

I have also started honey lightening treatments at the same time, so maybe I should stop it to make sure my hair is not reacting to the honey treatment. Although from reading the very long thread on honey, this does not come up.

Prior to starting shampoo bars I was doing BS and vinegar rinses for over 2 years. I wanted to stop that as I don't lkie the vinegar smell plus it is not convenient to use when you travel

Chromis

January 17th, 2013, 06:13 AM

I used to order my bars in bulk so to say to reduce the shipping cost and it took me a couple years sometimes to go through the lot. Never found that the bars degraded at all. I do notice that you are basically doing extra honey by using a honey bar and honey treatment so that might be part of your culprit. I use honey in my henna and do get a few more flyaways, but keep doing it because it rinses out so much better. With just the two bars, it is possible that you were simply unlucky and picked a couple that your hair doesn't like. (Mine hates all the beer bars, but loves the Marshmallow ones, which used to come up on the swap board all the time!)

Also, you might not be using a strong enough acid rinse. How hard is the water where you are? I use a combination ACV and citric acid rinse. When I travel I just take a tiny container of citric acid and use whatever is at hand for mixing it in (those little plastic cups, the ice bucket, a rinsed coffee cup, you name it)

monika

January 17th, 2013, 05:39 PM

Thank you, Chromis! I will experiment with slightly higher vinegar solution.

QMacrocarpa

January 18th, 2013, 07:23 AM

I was given a sample-size CV shampoo bar, but I have yet to kind of grasp the point of shampoo bars. I'm sure this thread has lots of info, but I'm not going to make it though 500+ pages. Could someone enlighten me a bit? What advantages do they offer that make up for the inconvenience of this "transitional period" I've read about? Can one stretch washes to the same extent while using them? I've read some remarks from the slippery-haired that suggest that they decrease slip, so do they play nicely with hair that is already grippy? Thanks for any info!

Chromis

January 18th, 2013, 08:23 AM

Just think of it like reading a book. You don't have to read it all in one setting, just keep a tab open or write down which page you were on. Good excuse for a nice pot of tea! :D

Not all of us have a transitional period. I didn't, and both my scalp and hair are happier with the shampoo bars. I wash my hair once or twice a week. I don't find them inconvenient at all. Other people do. Pretty hard to predict what will work for each person.

Theobroma

January 18th, 2013, 10:43 AM

Shampoo bars are alkaline, so they will raise the cuticle of the hair and make it grabby and tangly (which I assume is what "decreasing slip" would be referring to). Which is why an acid rinse (diluted vinegar or citric acid) is needed after using a shampoo bar.

My hair is wurly and naturally a bit grippy. With shampoo bars and the obligatory acid rinse I find it's softer and less tangly than it ever was with shampoo, and I don't even need conditioner any more.

QMacrocarpa

January 19th, 2013, 07:51 AM

Just think of it like reading a book. You don't have to read it all in one setting, just keep a tab open or write down which page you were on. Good excuse for a nice pot of tea! :D
Heh, more like a good excuse for a speed-reading course and a cauldron of the magic potion that Asterix drinks! ;-)

Thanks for the tips, Chromis and Theobroma! I guess I might not have the transitional thing either, as that's maybe be associated with recent silicone-use. But I'm a bit alarmed that I found some folks saying that shampoo bars made them splittier, as I'm already split-prone. I guess I'll try it once or twice and if it doesn't work out I'll fall back on my usual diluted liquid shampoo routine.

monika

January 19th, 2013, 05:04 PM

Does anyone knows where can I buy dairy whip? I have been reading this long thread and in 2008 there was a discussion about dairy whip. Is it still available. TIA :)

Chromis

January 19th, 2013, 08:56 PM

Woohoo! SO much great info in here to read :cheer:

I've a pot of tea on for you and some fresh cookies, but I'm afraid Dairy Whip is no longer made. I recall there being no small amount of drama over the product in fact. Might be other folks that make similar things though :)

monika

January 20th, 2013, 04:57 AM

Chromis- Thanks for the tea :) I am reading few pages a day (like a book, LOL)
Anyone knows if someone is making something simmiliar do DW, please post. TIA

Chromis

January 20th, 2013, 10:00 AM

Hehe, that's how I got through the henna thread. This one I hopped in on from the start, but henna took a little longer for me to try joining in the fun. :D

umbrellabones

January 21st, 2013, 08:13 AM

Has anyone tried the new henna cv bars? definitely going in my next order. I 'm very excited to try them. I'm hoping to get some red highlights and happy hair at the same time! :)

monika

January 23rd, 2013, 11:16 AM

I am beginning to wonder if shampoo bars are for me. Or perhaps my hair does not like CV? I will try the rest of the samples, even though my hair looks so matt and lifeless (despite of using vinegar rinse in different strengths). I only like the hair second day after I braid them for the night. The look good next day but by the evening they are lifeless and matt. I am just not happy with the way they look. when I brash them after 3 days they look so horrible (like the worst freeze I have seen) and the hair looks darker as well.

Today I was doing my honey lightening treatment and had to wet the hair. I have noticed that after I wet the hair they were all tangly and dry looking. I never had hair like this. They look like dry Barbie hair. I hope the shampoo bars have not damaged my hair. So far I have tried olive & babbasu, extra honey & bear, and conditioning batter. Today I plan on chamomile & citrus, even though is supposed to be for oily hair. But perhaps my hair does not like the moisturizing bars I have tried so far. I think I ordered most of the samples from CV. I guess I can use them as body soap if they don't work for my hair.
Or perhaps I need to pre-oil my hair for better results.
Sorry for the ramble, I will try other bars besides CV and report back.

monika

January 25th, 2013, 11:55 AM

I tried Sweet Honey Shampoo Bar from hennasooq.com and I love it. My hair finally looks moisturized and soft even on 3rd day. There was not much lather like form CV soap but my hair is soft and and clean but not stripped like after CV shamppo. I ordered more samples from them hennnasooq.

Neecola

January 29th, 2013, 10:16 AM

I am slowly making my way through this thread. I really like the idea of shampoo bars and would love it if I could make the switch. The problem is I have very hard water and I'm not sure if it will work for me. I once tried the Dr. Bonners/coconut oil shampoo recipe floating around here and it was a nightmare.

I realize I won't know for sure until I try it for myself, but I was just wondering if anyone here has successfully used shampoo bars with hard water?

Chromis

January 29th, 2013, 10:30 AM

Neecola

January 29th, 2013, 07:38 PM

The answer to your question is yes! I have a whole bunch of posts in this thread about hard water and shampoo bars. :D

Thanks Chromis! I feel a little more encouraged now. I'm only on page 73 of this thread and you've only popped up a few times, so I stalked --err, searched all of your posts in this thread and see that you use a "glug of ACV and a pinch of citric acid" in two cups of water. About how much is a glug, a few tablespoons?

Do you rinse this out?

Kittykins

January 30th, 2013, 05:55 AM

I am wanting to try out shampoo bars to reduce my plastic bottle output. My hair type is 1c/2a/F/M/iii and the area I live in has soft water. I have a choice between a bar with neem, tea tree and rosemary, a bar with sweet almond oil and a bar with coconut and lemon. Any help would be hugely appreciated. :popcorn:

Chromis

January 30th, 2013, 09:47 AM

Thanks Chromis! I feel a little more encouraged now. I'm only on page 73 of this thread and you've only popped up a few times, so I stalked --err, searched all of your posts in this thread and see that you use a "glug of ACV and a pinch of citric acid" in two cups of water. About how much is a glug, a few tablespoons?

Do you rinse this out?

I've uh...never actually measured this! :brains:

I'm going to hazard that it is between three and four tablespoons, not even halfway to the first measuring line (which is 1/4 cup). For the citric acid, I use about 1/8 teaspoon. I used to keep the teaspoon in the washroom too which is how I know the second one, but now I am pretty good at eyeballing a couple of shakes worth since the citric acid container I have now is different. I dunk my length in the cup and then pour the rest over my scalp. I do rinse very briefly, really more to make sure it spreads around a little rather than to rinse it clear. My husband still swears my hair smells like yogurt afterwards in the evening. I think his sniffer might be broken lol

And just in case I'm only imagining I've said this (which probably means you've read it five times already now :lol: ): I have much much better success with the organic apple cider vinegars. The cheap stuff in the big jug smells like vomit to me. I know many folks say the smell fades from their hair, but mine must be really porous or something. The organic stuff (or pretty much anything that says "with the mother") just smells like a sharp apple cider and seems to leave my hair much softer. I do have to strain it when I get now the bottom though, the last inch is always chunky :laugh:

Neecola

January 30th, 2013, 03:48 PM

moxamoll

January 30th, 2013, 04:05 PM

I use shampoo bars and we have hard water. They worked just fine straight up, but I have to admit that they lather much more, since I put a filter on the shower head. I use 2 tablespoons of ACV in about 2 cups of water to rinse. And without the filter, I would also do a lemon rinse to chelate every week or two.

Cheele

January 30th, 2013, 08:34 PM

Has anyone tried the new henna cv bars? definitely going in my next order. I 'm very excited to try them. I'm hoping to get some red highlights and happy hair at the same time! :)

I ordered the chestnut one a couple weeks ago. I got it to lightly blend my randomly ashy brown roots I seem to be growing now in order to stretch out the time between me needing to dye it and also to get some of that "henna strength" :eyebrows: . I've washed with it about... 5 or 6 times I think. I've never used henna before and, oh, is my hair red now haha. Okayyyy, it's not REALLY red.. but it's a lot redder than it usually is (and my hair naturally highlights reddish tints on top of the ACV tinting). I'm not sure if the condition of my hair has improved or anything.. but it definitely got some color. I wasn't expecting so much red with the blend, but I don't mind it. I prefer it to my ashy roots, and I look good with red. I'm going to keep using it and see where it gets me.

Chromis

January 30th, 2013, 09:58 PM

Excellent,Chromis! Thanks for the details; that's exactly what I was looking for :flower:

I totally agree about the ACV with the mother. I use Bragg's. Besides smelling better, I also think it works better. I add a drop of lemon or grapefruit EO and sometimes a drop of ylang ylang to my ACV rinse and it just smells citrusy to me.

I used to henna my hair with yogurt and wow, was that a sour milk smell that stuck around! I did manage to mostly cover it up with spices but then that was just more bits to wash out of my hair. I am currently trying to find a way to do a gloss without conditioner. I'm going to experiment with xanthan gum...

I'm getting way O/T here! I think I may take the plunge and order a few samples *scared* Seems like CV or PLH are the most popular choices, so I'll have a look around. Thanks again.

Those two are good starter bars. Between the two, your hair is likely to enjoy one of them if you get a few samples of each. I have much better luck with CV bars, but other folks do best with PLH, and lucky others like them both! On the bright side, any that you don't like go quickly on the swap board (many folks, myself included are fine with buying even bars that have been used a couple of times...after all it is soap!) or you can just use it on your body.

umbrellabones

January 31st, 2013, 08:48 AM

I ordered the chestnut one a couple weeks ago. I got it to lightly blend my randomly ashy brown roots I seem to be growing now in order to stretch out the time between me needing to dye it and also to get some of that "henna strength" :eyebrows: . I've washed with it about... 5 or 6 times I think. I've never used henna before and, oh, is my hair red now haha. Okayyyy, it's not REALLY red.. but it's a lot redder than it usually is (and my hair naturally highlights reddish tints on top of the ACV tinting). I'm not sure if the condition of my hair has improved or anything.. but it definitely got some color. I wasn't expecting so much red with the blend, but I don't mind it. I prefer it to my ashy roots, and I look good with red. I'm going to keep using it and see where it gets me.
sounds like you've had pretty good results! I ordered the auburn one but have only washed with it twice so far so no noticeable color change yet but I still have hope(:

Neecola

January 31st, 2013, 07:41 PM

Thanks moxamoll & Chromis! A weekly lemon rinse is a great idea~

ElisabethMD

February 1st, 2013, 03:17 PM

Holy sheep, I finally made it through this thread! It's taken me quite a while, but I did it!

In the beginning of the thread I placed an order for Chagrin Valley bars. Some pages later, Prarieland herbs. Now I'm waiting for my samples from Sweet Creek Herbal Care, and my own bars are curing. I also have more ingredients for more bars on their way. This sure is a thread full of enabling, as well as a very informative thread. I've found it very useful to read everyone's experiences while I've been trying to get my own experience with my sampes. I have oily hair that requires to be washed every day (if I'm supposed to be around other people), and finding the perfect mix of shampoo bar and/or conditioner and/or acidic rinse is an interesting process. I do have soft water, but so far it seems that I do need an acidic rinse with most of the samples I've tried.

Neecola

February 3rd, 2013, 09:34 AM

Ok, I did it! I placed orders at both CV & PLH. It was really hard to try and predict what would work with my hair so I bought a bit of everything at CV:

Summer Sunshine
Ayurvedic Herb
Babassu Marshmallow
Chamomile & Citrus
Extra Honey Beer
Mud & Clay
Olive & Babassu

I bought Fragrant Tresses & Happy Hippie at PLH. I had put aside a little money for a hair toy and decided to spend it here instead. We're house hunting now so no more spending for me for awhile. Wish me luck!

KittyBird

February 6th, 2013, 07:16 AM

I got another package from CV today! I've used 'poo bars for months now and I've read most of this thread, but I've never actually posted anything here. Well, my name is Kittybird and I'm hopelessly addicted to pretty much everything CV has to offer. 'Poo bars, complexion soaps, facial moisturisers, deodorants, you name it!
My last order consisted of 4 samples and 1 full bar of Nettle. I absolutely adore Nettle, it's one of the best bars I've tried so far and it smells deliciously weird. The samples I got was Herb Garden, Rosemary Mint, Lavender Spice and Summer Sunshine. Wash day is tomorrow, and I don't know where to begin! :D

I've had positive experiences with most of the bars I've tried, though some have left me a bit unimpressed. Babassu Marsh Mallow was fine, but it did nothing special for my hair. I got a full Butter Bar because it was on sale, but it only left my hair waxy and nasty. It's fabulous as a body soap though!
Ayurvedic Herb, Coconut Milk, Soapnuts Shampoo and Nettle have all been wonderful, with Nettle and Coconut Milk being my favourites.

ellen732

February 6th, 2013, 07:19 AM

I am a shampoo bar convert and now have been using CV bars for a year. After trying many samples I have to say I use Summer Sunshine and Carrot Milk and Honey bars regularly. I found they work the best on my hair.

Neecola

February 6th, 2013, 08:03 PM

Hi kittybird, pretty sure I've thud-ed over your fabulous two toned updos in other threads! Do you use henna? If so, do you find the nettle bar darkens/ dulls the red? I really wanted to order that one but I was afraid of color change. I like the brightest copper I can get! I didn't order the henna bar either because it has indigo in it. The strawberry henna bar has cassia which turns my hair green due to my hard water :brains:, so that was a definite no.

KittyBird

February 7th, 2013, 06:45 AM

Aww, thank you Neecola! Yes, I use henna, and I haven't noticed any colour change with Nettle or any of the other bars I've tried. Parts of my henna has gotten a bit darker, but I think that's because I've done many applications. The areas that have been hennaed only once are very orange, especially in sunlight. I think you can safely use the Nettle bar.
Cassia + hard water = green? Goodness, I had no idea that could happen! :shudder: I have very hard water too, so I think I may have to stay away from that one. Green hair wouldn't suit me :D

Neecola

February 8th, 2013, 09:41 AM

Thanks Kittybird!

Cassia turned my hair green and I assume it was because of my water because the H4H site said it could turn hair blue, green or black if there were minerals present. I even did a chelating treatment before. It wasn't neon green but if I looked closely my hair had a strange green hue to it. DH didn't notice it until I pointed it out.

My water is so hard that I can't buy clothes that have any white in them because two washes later, they look yellow and dingy. That's why I am not so sure this shampoo bar experiment will work, but I will give it a good go anyway. They'll make nicely scented body washes at the very least :)

Neecola

February 9th, 2013, 03:53 PM

I had my first shampoo bar wash this morning! I decided to use the chamomile and citrus because the scent called my name. :cloud9: Last night I used a chelating treatment before bed.

This morning I did two washes and the second lathered beautifully. I rinsed very well and had the expected "film" but Chromis' ACV/citric acid mix took care of that. Even before the rinse it was nothing like the Dr. Bonners/coconut oil shampoo experiment before... and that was what I was most worried about - a big, dull knot of hair.

Based on the experiences of members here (still only on page 153 of this thread!) and the info on CV's site, I expected my hair to dry heavy and possibly "coated" feeling. I had the exact opposite experience. My hair is super-duper clean, very light and "skinny" feeling, with some frizz and fly-aways. But it is very shiny. The frizz might be due to the fact that I followed last night's chelating treatment with nothing (no oil, conditioner) in order not to skew the results of my experiment.

I might try a light oiling before my next wash or a more moisturizing bar on my length, but I am feeling very hopeful that this might actually work for me! Thanks to everyone here for sharing your advice and experiences~

Chromis

February 9th, 2013, 06:37 PM

Yay! I'm glad my ratios worked for you too! Having super, super hard water sure is a pain!

My hair feels, not exactly tacky but not "free-flowing" and not at all smooth until I do my acid rinse, then it flows like silk and goes nice and smooth. I never had an adjustment period of any kind with the shampoo bars, but I also have never tried using them without at least an ACV rinse, although I like the combo with citric acid better. I don't use conditioner at all. I did experiment with using it in my rinse and I have also played with both honey and molasses, but they did not net enough improvement to justify the extra complication.

My hair does have flyaways the first couple of days too. I generally oil it the next day because even damp oiling seems to just give me an oil slick rather than spreading nicely.

Neecola

February 10th, 2013, 09:45 AM

My hair does have flyaways the first couple of days too. I generally oil it the next day because even damp oiling seems to just give me an oil slick rather than spreading nicely.

I have the same problem. It seems no matter how small an amount of oil I use, it always goes crunchy/greasy in certain spots and still frizzy in others. I've tried it on sopping wet hair, damp hair, dry hair and with a wide variety of oils and it seems like my hair does best if I oil before washing. But now that I possibly have a new cleansing method, I may try again.

I braided my hair (huzzah for finally having hair long enough to braid!) yesterday and it looked really nice and stayed put. It felt very different (in a good way) from before... more like my "real" hair, if that makes any sense.

Amapola

February 10th, 2013, 04:28 PM

I'm trying the CV henna bar, the dark one that has walnut hulls in it. So far so good. But I was wondering - has anyone tried this bar, and had it color their hair? I chose this one because henna has sort of "thickening" properties, not due to color, but I was wondering if it would also color my hair. That would be OK with me, but I can't see any difference yet. I've been using it for about 3 weeks now.

I'm interested in trying more bars - perhaps a moisturizing one. The smell of the henna bar is amazing, it sort of smells like sandal wood, so I might try one that also has a good scent listed for it.

Neecola

February 13th, 2013, 10:10 AM

I used marshmallow babassu yesterday. My curls were very springy! I'm going to do some experimenting next week to see if I can calm some of the frizz. I'd be glad for any suggestions. Currently, I am washing twice, rinsing very well and using Chromis' ACV rinse and that's it. No products. I thought maybe I would try to apply some oil to my ends and rinse it out since using oil as a leave in hasn't worked very well. I do have flax seeds and might make a batch of FSG.

Amapola, your description of the scent of the henna bar sounds divine. I'm one of those weirdos who loves the smell of henna :D, so that mixed with a sandalwood sort of scent would be amazing.

Neecola

February 20th, 2013, 01:17 PM

Ok, its me again :p

So far my favorite is Olive Babassu, which makes my hair feel like silk. BUT I have been shedding quite a bit with every wash and think I might have to stop using shampoo bars. I'm on page 350-ish of this thread and so far only a few people have said the same but then most members will say they actually notice decreased shedding. Those few who had the same experience drop off the thread so I assume they gave it up. So far I have yet to read of anyone who just went though a phase and came out of it. I've just been though this same thing (massive shedding) with CO so it might just be that I have a very sensitive scalp.

I'm going to try a few more experiments and see what happens. Also, I have PLH bars on the way and maybe they will work better for me. I noticed that it is the second lather that really causes the hair loss. I think it is because of the soap scum that forms when I rinse the first lather off with my horridly hard well water. So if I find a bar that I only have to do one lather, that might help.

If anyone has any advice, I would love to hear it!

Chromis

February 20th, 2013, 01:29 PM

Hmmm, overall I shed much less with shampoo bars, but I have had times in my life where I shed more than others even with them. Many of us (using all sorts of washing methods) have had "shedding events". I usually give experiments at least six months so I can tell the difference. Sometimes the trouble is technique too. People seem to have lots of ways of using the bars as you've been reading!

Personally I stick to petting my hair with them and then gently lathering with my fingertips on the scalp and rolling the hair only a tiny bit for the length. For you, I would probably only worry about the scalp since your hair is shorter. I also find it is a very good idea to detangle *before* I shower. I know many people, especially curlies, like to do this while their hair is slippery and wet, but I don't think it is something those of us with hard water can get away with!

Neecola

February 21st, 2013, 11:04 AM

Thank you, Chromis :flower: I was starting to feel lonely! I appreciate the application tips... what do you mean by "rolling" the length?

I couldn't bear to lose more hair today so I did a diluted scalp only wash with my usual liquid shampoo and did the bar on the length. It worked perfectly! I only lost about 10 hairs but still have the shine and body that the bars give me.

Once I receive my PLH order, I will try them on my scalp and see what happens...

Chromis

February 21st, 2013, 11:54 AM

Hmm, kind of like when you rub your palms together when your hands are cold? Except with hair between your palms, not much just to distribute the shampoo.

Xena

February 21st, 2013, 01:10 PM

Hello!

Soap never worked for my hair, my lengths were full of sticky greasy soap scum. I guess its because my hair is bleached and the water here is hard. But I found a way how to use soap now! Im really happy! I bun my hair on top of my head and cover it with a plastic bag. Then I dilute Dr. Bronners Baby mild Soap and just put it on my head. Then I rinse it while I stand in the shower and do a rinse with lime juice/water. Then rinse again and open my hair and put conditioner on my lengths and rinse with water again. With this routine my lengths dont get any soap and my hair is nice and shiny.

I want to order some Chagrin Valley bars but im not sure if it works as good as with my liquid Bronner's...

Neecola

February 22nd, 2013, 01:09 PM

Hmm, kind of like when you rub your palms together when your hands are cold? Except with hair between your palms, not much just to distribute the shampoo.

Ok, that makes sense. I've been doing something similar ... it's hard to get a good lather without scrubbing, which is a bad enough idea but even worse when the cuticles are lifted!

Xena - glad you found a method that works for you! :) We are quite opposite~ my length loves the shampoo bar but my scalp does not. I love reading about all the different hair experiences people have; so interesting!

chrissy-b

February 23rd, 2013, 12:19 PM

Hi All!

I just wanted to give a heads up for anyone who is looking for a good shampoo bar for scalp issues like dandruff. I bought THIS BAR (http://www.etsy.com/listing/86818857/neem-tea-tree-rosemary-herbal-shampoo) from etsy after going through multiple different shampoos, soaps, topical anti-fungals, etc., etc., etc., and this bar -- on the first use -- calmed my scalp down immediately. Just wanted to share my results.

Also -- Can anyone recommend a good moisturizing shampoo bar? I'm looking to get away from using conditioner altogether. TIA! :flower:

Neecola

February 24th, 2013, 08:47 AM

Kittykins

February 25th, 2013, 03:56 AM

Is it possible to remove a caramel treatment with a shampoo bar? I want to try out caramel treatments but love my shampoo bar.

KittyBird

February 25th, 2013, 05:37 AM

Kittykins, I have no experience with caramel treatments myself, but I think it should be possible to get it out with 'poo bars. You'll probably have to lather up several times and rinse a lot though. I manage to get henna sludge out of my hair with CV bars, and it's actually easier with 'poo bars than with conventional products. I find my bars to be very cleansing.

Neecola

March 1st, 2013, 09:32 AM

Well, I tried the PLH shampoo bar this morning (Fragrant Tresses) and my hair has dried quite lovely! I didn't shed as much as I did when I was using the CV bars for a full wash, but I still shed quite a bit more than my diluted scalp only shampoo. I think the fewer hairs lost can be attributed to only having to lather once with the PLH.

That said, I am wearing my hair down today and when I wear my hair down, I keep my frizzies in check by gathering my hair in a low pony and smoothing down the length. I usually come away with a few hairs. I haven't lost a single one yet this morning which is very unusual, so perhaps my hair loss in the shower isn't excessive but just removing all the loose ones at once rather than me periodically dropping them throughout the day. So, I think I'll keep going. When CO was causing my hair loss, it just gradually got worse so I guess I will know if it is not the right method for me if I shed more and more while using the shampoo bars.

Simple

March 3rd, 2013, 01:45 PM

I love CV shampoo bars, my hair is very fine/oily and I have hard water, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the bars. I have been using Herb Garden, Ayurvedic Herb, chamomile and citrus for about a year. My hair grew faster, stronger and healthier and I am more than pleased with the results.

chrissy-b

March 4th, 2013, 01:04 PM

^ Wow, that bar looks really nice!

Have you tried the CV bars? I'm new to shampoo bars but found their Olive & Babassu bar to be especially moisturizing. I was scalp only washing before (with diluted bottle shampoo) and my ends started getting dry and crispy but the CV bars have fixed that.

I have tried CV bars, but not the Olive & Babassu. I'm going to check that one out and possibly the butter bar too. I'll let you know how it works out!

Neecola

March 4th, 2013, 01:18 PM

I have tried CV bars, but not the Olive & Babassu. I'm going to check that one out and possibly the butter bar too. I'll let you know how it works out!

Please do! I've also been eyeballing the butter bar...

Simple, so glad that you've been able to have good results over the long term. I really like how they make my hair feel so far. I'm really close to the end of this thread (now what will I read before bed? :laugh:) and it is interesting how many people have had to give them up for one reason or another.

Chromis

March 4th, 2013, 02:19 PM

Please do! I've also been eyeballing the butter bar...

Simple, so glad that you've been able to have good results over the long term. I really like how they make my hair feel so far. I'm really close to the end of this thread (now what will I read before bed? :laugh:) and it is interesting how many people have had to give them up for one reason or another.

I think pretty much all the washing method and various hair experiment threads are like that, especially the really long ones! :lol:

Why yes I am a serial thread reader!

ElisabethMD

March 8th, 2013, 02:49 AM

So I've been trying different types of shampoo bars the last couple of months, with/without conditioner/apple cider vinegar, and yesterday, after having another case of hair looking greasy when dry, I washed it again, this time with my Chandrika Ayurvedic soap. I washed once, and rinsed. That's it. Today, my hair feels so soft, almost like I've washed it with "regular" shampoo and conditioner. I bought the soap for $1, so if this the perfect match for my hair, I'll take it! ;) I'll definitely try it again, I'm excited to see the result over a few days.

Neecola

March 8th, 2013, 11:57 AM

Lady Mary

March 8th, 2013, 03:59 PM

Another Chagrin Valley lover checking in. Their coffee spice soapbar is my favorite but I've liked everything I've tried, around a dozen or so bars. I also use their Woodland Breeze deodorant, Whipped Shea Butter moisturizer and their Creamy Shea Butter lip balm. I'm pretty reliant on their products at this point :o

KittyBird

March 9th, 2013, 04:41 AM

Lady Mary, how are you liking the Woodland Breeze deodorant? Does it smell good? I'm currently using the Citrus Blossom one, but I'll run out soon and I want to try a different scent. :D

Lady Mary

March 9th, 2013, 07:34 AM

Lady Mary, how are you liking the Woodland Breeze deodorant? Does it smell good? I'm currently using the Citrus Blossom one, but I'll run out soon and I want to try a different scent. :D

I love it, I've used a few but this one I think is my favorite. It smells exactly like a lush pine tree. So I'd only recommend it to someone who loves the smell of pine ;)

KittyBird

March 11th, 2013, 08:35 AM

So I'd only recommend it to someone who loves the smell of pine ;)

I do like the smell of pine, but I'm not sure if I want my pits to smell of it. :D
I think I may go for Summer Rain, as it has lavender in it and I love lavender!

Chromis

March 11th, 2013, 11:13 AM

Heehee Chromis! I did notice that in 2012, there were way fewer posts here than previous years. So perhaps the shampoo bar's fifteen minutes of fame are up and all that's left are the diehard fans from "back in the day" ? :laugh:

I hope that bar keeps working for you Elisabeth. $1 shampoo would be fab! IIRC, ratgirl was using that bar with success earlier in this thread.

2012 also had a few server issues didn't it? I know there was a big gap where the boards were just plain down, but I forget when the outages were. Time flies!

Also, I think what happens is that either people try something (like shampoo bars or henna or Monistat) and don't like it, so they stop posting or they try it, like it and settle into a routine...and also stop posting. Sometimes older posters also get *really* tired of answering the same couple of questions over and over. Or maybe it just feels as if we are just repeating ourselves ad naseum! :lol: Also, a few of the folks who really like shampoo bars no longer post at this board at all.

Lady Mary

March 11th, 2013, 01:51 PM

I do like the smell of pine, but I'm not sure if I want my pits to smell of it. :D
I think I may go for Summer Rain, as it has lavender in it and I love lavender!

Good choice :rolling: otherwise you'll smell like a tree when you're sweaty (something I enjoy but I think I'm making up for a lack of actual pine trees in my area... I love pine!)

Fethenwen

March 13th, 2013, 10:33 AM

Ok, I really would like to know if anyone here has any experiences with oiling and shampoo bars? How well do they manage in washing out a deep oiling treatment?

Chromis

March 13th, 2013, 10:45 AM

Works fine for me. I prefer coconut oil and also like Nightblooming's Panacea and Triple Moon Oil. I even oil my scalp since it gets very dry otherwise. I have not tried washing out heavier oils like jojoba or olive oil since I experimented with them before I switched to shampoo bars. I do have to lather more than once if it is very oily or dirty after a long camping trip or something, but it doesn't seem to bother my hair any.

Neecola

March 13th, 2013, 11:19 AM

I use coconut oil, fairly generously, from ears down the night before every wash and have not had any problems so far.

Fethenwen

March 13th, 2013, 01:13 PM

^ That's great! I use coconut oil occasionally, I have it on my hair now so that is why I asked :p I will try to wash it now with the shampoo bar, perhaps I could post the results.

Fethenwen

March 14th, 2013, 08:20 AM

Ok, this is interesting. My hair is now very silky smooth but more oily than it was before washing it :p I guess my rinsing water with citric acid might have been too strong, I had one tablespoon of citric acid in a 10 liters bucket. I sometimes use the bucket method when I wash my hair because it saves a lot of water, so I used it now with added citric acid as it softens water and I thought that might be what I need in order to get the most of the shampoo bar (we have medium hard water). It lathered really well and felt slippery, I lathered twice.

But yeah, I guess I need to use less citric acid next time. The good thing is that I don't think I need to worry about this damaging my hair, it felt very very mild.

Kaelee

March 14th, 2013, 09:05 AM

chrissy-b

March 14th, 2013, 12:10 PM

I tried a shampoo bar once, years ago (it was from Burt's Bees) and it made my hair so waxy it all but stuck together.

I'm curious and might try again though. Do you all do an acid rinse after using them?

I don't. Not every time. I don't think my hair needs the rinse but I like the shine ACV in water gives me and it helps my problem scalp. If I use too much ACV my hair feels stringy and lank, but just a tablespoon in a huge glass of water works perfectly. I live in LA. Not sure how hard the water is here. Waxy buildup in my experience is from not rinsing enough.

bekstamonkey

March 16th, 2013, 01:49 AM

I've found that sometimes it depends on the poo bar. Prior to making my own, I tried using ones I'd bought locally by professional soapmakers, and they always left my hair either too oily or too dry. They never lathered particularly well, so that could be it. I never have any difficulty getting a heavy oiling out of my hair with my poo bars now...and when i oil, I go really gung-ho LOL

Fethenwen

March 16th, 2013, 05:53 AM

Hmm, now after my second wash my hair is slightly cleaner, but it is still oily. Another braids with bandana day for me :)

I might have to clarify, because I've been on WO for some time now. Meh, I don't like clarifying because that will leave my hair a little dry so I will have to do an SMT. And kind of start over.

KittyBird

March 16th, 2013, 08:05 AM

SlightlySoprano

March 18th, 2013, 10:36 AM

Hi Y'all! :D

I'm jumping back on the shampoo bar bandwagon. I used them pretty religiously about 2 years ago, but I can't even remember why I stopped? I think my mother found it weird. Anyhow, I just bought CV Lavender Spice, Coconut Milk and Butter Bar conditioning bar. Today I used the Lavender Spice, followed by the Butter Bar, followed by a 4x1 WHITE vinegar rinse, then lightly oiled with coconut oil and voila! My hair looks and FEELS fantastic! At least right now. We'll see how the day progresses! :)

Fethenwen

March 18th, 2013, 10:52 AM

Fethenwen, how many times do you lather up and rinse? Do you use the poo bar on your scalp only or on the length as well? I find that I need to re-wet and pet the poo bar over my length a lot and gently rub my hair between my palms in order to get it clean. If I don't do it, I end up with waxy hair. Usually I just wash my length once, but if my hair is very oily I have to do it twice.

Hmm.. I lathered at least twice. Iiiisch... I would not dare to wash my hair length with the poo bar. I use it only on my scalp. I'm afraid it would dry out my hair too much.

Chromis

March 18th, 2013, 11:01 AM

I lather the length too or else I have the same problem.

I think the soap bars are much more gentle than the detergents that liquid shampoos use because I do get dried out if I lather the length with regular shampoo (even when I tried ones with no SLS).

Fethenwen

March 18th, 2013, 03:52 PM

But what about damaging the hair cuticles? I mean shampoo bars may lift the hair cuticle, so I would rather not expose my length too much to this stuff :hmm: oh dear, I'm starting to think that it's better my husband uses the bar and I continue with SLS free shampoo or WO.

Chromis

March 18th, 2013, 04:30 PM

I have not seen evidence of damage, but I am lacking an electron microscope. :lol:

If your current routine is working, then I agree, no need to change it. Shampoo bars work for me, they may not work for you.

Fethenwen

March 19th, 2013, 02:48 AM

Yes, that is what I was thinking. I have fine, tangle prone fragile hair, so shampoo bars might not suit my hair. Not washing my length at all has worked so well so far. Which is a pity, it would be awesome to be able to wash my hair with a bar of soap, use only ACV instead of conditioner and be good to go. Meh.

KittyBird

March 19th, 2013, 02:56 AM

Fethenwen, maybe you could liquefy the poo bar and just gently wash your length with it? I have never done it myself, but it could be worth a try. I think you just cut some of the bar into small pieces and dissolve it in hot water.

bekstamonkey

March 22nd, 2013, 03:35 AM

wavyR

March 22nd, 2013, 01:49 PM

I've converted shampoo bars to liquid shampoo bars before by dissolving down with some water, then adding vegetable glycerine and letting it cool and thicken a little. Worked well, although I found I used a LOT more than I could have had I just used my bars ;)

Do you find it easier to wash your hair this way though? I don't like rubbing the bar directly on my scalp and I usually work up a lather in my hands, then get it in my hair. I find this time consuming.

bekstamonkey

March 23rd, 2013, 06:17 PM

Do you find it easier to wash your hair this way though? I don't like rubbing the bar directly on my scalp and I usually work up a lather in my hands, then get it in my hair. I find this time consuming.

Well, yeah, it was easier, not much different to using a regular shampoo.

SlightlySoprano

March 26th, 2013, 06:32 PM

It's been a nice week using shampoo bars. Still using the CV lavender spice followed by the conditioning butter bar and a vinegar rinse. My scalp seems slightly unhappy, but this is a relatively normal transitioning period. I figure I'll give it at least two weeks if not more! I adore the lavender spice smell and the butter bar makes my curls so defined and soft. LOVE!!! :)

Neecola

March 27th, 2013, 03:19 PM

Ooooh, slightlysoprano, I've been eyeballing that butter bar! I know you're a fine hair too so if it didn't weigh your curls down, then I am seriously tempted. *sits on hands* must....not...order...

mommy101405

April 2nd, 2013, 10:41 AM

For a few weeks now I have been desperately trying to fall in love with my CV shampoo bars. I have a very oily scalp and have been working to stretch my washes from every day to at least every other. I was using baking soda and vinegar. It was Ok, but not great. With my super hard water I had to boil and make up my bs solution ahead of time. That was a pain and then I was dumping cold water on my head. Not fun. So I decided to try shampoo bars. I love the way my scalp feels with them but my hair is a weird waxy mess. I use an acid rinse. I've done vinegar and citric acid. Neither seems to correct the problem. My hair is just shoulder length so it's not like I can throw it up and forget it. Any thoughts or ideas to deal with the funky waxy hair? It's been a few weeks of washing every other day and its not getting better. Am I just not meant to be a poo bar girl?

Chromis

April 2nd, 2013, 12:02 PM

What dilution are you using? Those of us with super hard water often need much higher ratios!

Also, boiling does not lower the pH. Letting it sit out lets chlorine (but not chloramines) offgas but I'm not sure where people got that it would do other things like changing the pH. It seems to be a pretty common misconception though! The pH changes while it is boiling but goes back the same once it cools down. If anything it'll go up if you let much evaporate. Baking soda also raises pH, which might be why no poo didn't work out well.

Chromis

April 2nd, 2013, 12:02 PM

mommy101405

April 2nd, 2013, 02:05 PM

1 baby spoon of citric acid to a ketchup bottle, lol. Very exact I know. I would say 1/2 teaspoon to 2 cups of water.

Chromis

April 2nd, 2013, 04:50 PM

Heh, mine is a good dash of citric acid and a glug of ACV in a two-cup measure, I'm not very exact either :lol:

Neecola

April 2nd, 2013, 08:06 PM

1 baby spoon of citric acid to a ketchup bottle, lol. Very exact I know. I would say 1/2 teaspoon to 2 cups of water.

Have you tried soaking your ends in the solution before dumping it over your head? I bring a shallow bowl with me in the shower and allow my ends to really soak before pouring over my whole head. Does your hair get slippery feeling?

janeytilllie

April 3rd, 2013, 07:08 AM

I've been using CleanConscienceSoaps (on Etsy) mint hair growth shampoo bar.

I used to use shampoo bars but they all left my hair dry and brittle.

Anyway I was looking for body soaps on Etsy and came across CleanConscienceSoaps . I bought some soap and noticed she sold shampoo bars, so I thought to myself why not try it, if it fails it will make a good face soap.

However this shampoo bar is a keeper!:D

My really loves this shampoo bar. It smells minty clean, lathers and cleans beautifully. It is the best shampoo bar I have tried. It makes my scalp tingle and feel so nice! My hair has body, shine and is soft.

She has quite a few different shampoo bars so I might try them.
Her body soaps are gorgeous :love:

Here's my method I've been using (I have soft water)

1. I make a herbal berry flavor tea in a plastic big cup, add 1 tablespoon of normal cheap vinegar and 2 drops lavender essential oil.

2. I wash my hair flipped over ( I find it cleans better that way) I run the shampoo bar over my scalp adding a little water each time. I lather up. Rinse warm cool water

3. I repeat step 2 the same.

4. I get my prepared cup of vinegar herbal rinse. I dipped my hair ends first in the cup for 30 seconds. I then pour the rinse all over my hair and scalp.

5. I let it sit for another 30 seconds and then rinse with cool water.

6. Air dry, use my tangle teezer to brush my hair, a little jojoba oil

7. DONE happy hair, happy time :D

Fethenwen

April 4th, 2013, 05:15 AM

Damn, this shampoo bar I am having isn't doing it for me. This time I tried like someone advised that I should wash my ends with the bar too. Ok, so then I tried it out, and washed my whole head of hair with it, twice. I got a lot of suds and a scary squeaky clean feeling. And then used an ACV rinse.

When my hair dried it was ok, it did not feel as clean as I thought it would. It even felt a little oily, but dry at the same time. Kind of rough to the touch, and my ends started to flip. Then my hair also got a little staticky and fluffy.

Well, at least I tried. I don't think I will use it anymore, because it was obvious that my hair did not react well to this stuff.

Neecola

April 5th, 2013, 08:04 PM

^ Well, at least you know now, Fethenwen. If there's one thing I've learned here, its that there is no one size fits all hair care routine. Thank goodness; LHC wouldn't be nearly as interesting or as fun if there was! :)

sisi33

April 6th, 2013, 10:36 AM

:thud: FINALLY FINISHED! This is a massive thread- where's my shirt?! :p

So, since I seem to have a serious problem with experimenting, I've now started trying out shampoo bars- specifically CV ones, so far. (It's amazing that my hair likes most of what I've done to it so far... :rolleyes:) I've tried the Summer Sunshine, Mud& Clay, and the Babassu & Marsh Mallow bars so far, with the Rosemary Mint bar waiting for me in the closet. I also have the Marshmallow Root sample bar (http://www.etsy.com/listing/93354634/marshmallow-root-herbal-shampoo-bar-soap?ref=usr_faveitems) coming from FrugallySustainable (http://www.etsy.com/shop/FrugallySustainable?ref=seller_info_count) on etsy.

I ADORE the M&C bar (shiny, bouncy curls!), like the SS bar (crazy shine, but almost no waves, basically 1c texture), and the B&MM bar was waaay too much for my hair, and I got the oilies. Nuck. Now I just need to get more bars to try out! *start slightly-evil movie villain laughter* And I really do like the bunability (this is now a word!) that I get with the bars. Honey buns are now GIGANTIC! Even when it's on wash day, and my hair is not looking nice, they're still big! :cheer:

Neecola

April 6th, 2013, 04:05 PM

Hey, sisi33 - welcome to the made-it-through-the-shampoo-bar-thread club! Wasn't it funny 400 pages ago when the t-shirt was first mentioned? Think how funny it will be 400 pages from now!

That frugally sustainable bar looks nice! I bet those EOs make it smell heavenly -- please do report back. I tried CV's Egg, Beer and Honey today and my head is full of happy curls.

Chromis

April 6th, 2013, 09:00 PM

Ooooh, Sisi you've made my day! Another shampoo bar to try and best of all, she has reasonable shipping to Canada!!! :joy:

Welcome to the club!

sisi33

April 8th, 2013, 12:29 PM

Ooooh, Sisi you've made my day! Another shampoo bar to try and best of all, she has reasonable shipping to Canada!!! :joy:

Welcome to the club!

Thank you!

I received my package today, and oh. My. Goodness. :thud: That sample smells amazing! Not at all overpowering like some things can be with rosemary EO. And it's a really big sample, too. Sadly, I waded my hair yesterday, so I can't try it NOW! Like I want to :lol: I did try the Calendula and Avocado Oil bar that I got, though, and that is super nice. Doesn't leave my skin tight afterwards, even though I didn't use moisturizer!
Dang, I soooo want to go and jump in the shower- my lack of patience is (horribly) amazing :p

sisi33

April 28th, 2013, 09:04 AM

So I've used the FS bar a few, and I'm not completely armored of it. I think that it's the minimal amount of beeswax in it, which seems to build up slightly after repeated use. Does a very nice job of cleansing, and has crazy bubbles. Leaves my ends slightly dry, but nothing a little leave-in doesn't cure. Medium volume at roots. Doesn't seem to shrink very quickly, but it's not as durable as the CV Summer Sunshine bar. Smells AMAZING though, and the scent lingers for more than a day, which is basically unheard-of with bars for me. I'd give it a 7/10. I'll finish it, but I won't be getting a big bar of it.

Chromis

April 28th, 2013, 03:39 PM

Aw, that's too bad! Beeswax does sound a bit odd as a shampoo bar ingredient come to think of it!

sisi33

April 28th, 2013, 03:46 PM

cooklaezo13

May 6th, 2013, 02:59 PM

I took the plunge and decided to try out shampoo bars for my hair! I just ordered samples of four different kinds of shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley. I'm excited for them to come!

sisi33

May 6th, 2013, 03:59 PM

I took the plunge and decided to try out shampoo bars for my hair! I just ordered samples of four different kinds of shampoo bars from Chagrin Valley. I'm excited for them to come!

Which ones did you decide on getting?

cooklaezo13

May 6th, 2013, 04:53 PM

I got sample sizes of the following:
Ayurvedic herb
Mud & Clay
Rosemary Mint
Butter Bar Conditioner

I can hardly wait for them to arrive!

sisi33

May 6th, 2013, 06:25 PM

Let us know how you like them when you've tried them! I have to say that the Mud & Clay bar is defiantly my favorite, out of the ones that I've tried!

cooklaezo13

May 6th, 2013, 06:29 PM

I used to like clay washing, but I found mixing up the clay to be too time consuming and messy for me. That's what attracted me to the clay bar, and I hope it works for me.

honeybunnie8

May 6th, 2013, 10:16 PM

I got a bunch of samples from CV.
I got:
Extra Honey Beer
Honey Beer & Egg
Babassu Marsh Mallow
Soapnuts Shampoo
Butter Bar Conditioner
Coconut Milk

I have used the Coconut milk twice and I dont have any waxy weird hair but it is kind of frizzy and dry. :/ I'm hoping another one I got works better.

I have only tried the one bar but I'm already planning another order. I want to try one of the new Henna bars and some soaps.:o

sisi33

May 7th, 2013, 06:30 AM

Honeybunnie8, (I'm completely in love with your username!) you could just be transitioning, your sour rinse could be too high/low, you could need to use a dash of conditioner or oil to seal the end (your Butter Bar could work well!), or it could just not be a bar that works for you at this point in time. I'm thinking it's the bar- from other review that I've read, not on LHC, people don't know what to think of this bar. Either they love it, or can't stand it. Personally, I cannot wait till I can try it, and am going to get one in my next order!

I would try out the Soapnuts one next, as all the others are in the "deep end", so to speak, of the moisturizing bars.

honeybunnie8

May 7th, 2013, 01:25 PM

I think it's the bar. I tried the babassu marsh mellow bar this morning and I am much happier. I could finger comb my wet hair as opposed with the coconut milk where my hair felt matted. My hair isn't totally dry yet but I think it might work for me as long as I don't get oily to soon. Yay!

I'm really loving the bars so far even if the coconut doesn't work for me.

Neecola

May 8th, 2013, 09:32 AM

Oooh, babassu marshmallow is one of my favorites -- glad it seems to be working for you honeybunnie8!

Anyone been using CV henna bar (or any brand henna bar) for a few months? I'm just curious if there is any noticeable color difference?

cooklaezo13

May 8th, 2013, 10:37 AM

My package was shipped today! So excited, I hope it gets here soon.

Neecola

May 9th, 2013, 10:17 AM

My package was shipped today! So excited, I hope it gets here soon.

Woo-hoo! :disco:

honeybunnie8

May 9th, 2013, 07:19 PM

There shipping is pretty fast so you should get it soon!:)

I tried the babassu marsh mellow again and added some of my butter bar to my ends and my hair is so nice and silky. I'm almost afraid to try some of my other samples in case they don't work as well.:o
My fine hair just likes the moisturizer I guess and so far my hair isn't greasy.

cooklaezo13

May 9th, 2013, 09:02 PM

My package came today! Will wash with one of the shampoo bars on Saturday. Now to decide which to try first.

honeybunnie8

May 9th, 2013, 09:36 PM

Ohh I would try the Ayurvedic herb one since I am curious about it. I'll probably get it in another order since I want to try some soaps

bekstamonkey

May 10th, 2013, 07:08 AM

It's really just in there for hardening properties... And if I'm correct in my memory, then you can only use either 1 or 3 tablespoons worth of beeswax per pound of soap. (Granted I could be completely off, as it's been a while since I read that book...) Hello random knowledge!

Using beeswax in soap could only really be to add hardness to the bar, but IMO it's a silly idea - particularly for a shampoo bar. It'd definitely add a waxiness to the end product. I don't understand the logic of adding beeswax for hardening (or any other reason lol!), as there are bunch of different hard oils which would make a really hard bar. I use 6 different oils in my shampoo bars, and the coconut oil addition is enough to create a really hard bar. No wax necessary, despite my liberal use of soft oils and butters! Craziness. Still kinda reeling on the use of beeswax...I'm confused! LOL

sisi33

May 10th, 2013, 07:36 AM

I second the AH bar- people seem to do better when they start out with a slightly less moisturizing bar the first time.

sisi33

May 10th, 2013, 07:40 AM

Using beeswax in soap could only really be to add hardness to the bar, but IMO it's a silly idea - particularly for a shampoo bar. It'd definitely add a waxiness to the end product. I don't understand the logic of adding beeswax for hardening (or any other reason lol!), as there are bunch of different hard oils which would make a really hard bar. I use 6 different oils in my shampoo bars, and the coconut oil addition is enough to create a really hard bar. No wax necessary, despite my liberal use of soft oils and butters! Craziness. Still kinda reeling on the use of beeswax...I'm confused! LOL

I know! I would think that you would have a perfectly hard bar without any beeswax, but what can you do? I didn't end up finishing the bar, it got thrown out, as there was too much build-up. And I never get build-up! Back to my beloved CV bars! :crush: Although, I have been eyeing some other bar makers on Etsy, but I'm wary now.

cooklaezo13

May 10th, 2013, 04:41 PM

I tried the rosemary mint bar today. I liked the scent of this bar best out of all the samples. The lather was not very foamy and sudsy, but it was very creamy and rich. My hair felt slippery when the soap was in it. It felt dry and tangly once I rinsed it out. I followed with a citric acid rinse, and then my hair felt slippery and easy to detangle again. My hair is still drying. I will report on how it is once it is dried.

bekstamonkey

May 10th, 2013, 04:44 PM

I know! I would think that you would have a perfectly hard bar without any beeswax, but what can you do? I didn't end up finishing the bar, it got thrown out, as there was too much build-up. And I never get build-up! Back to my beloved CV bars! :crush: Although, I have been eyeing some other bar makers on Etsy, but I'm wary now.

awww such a pity that this experience has made you wary of never tried before makers - there ARE good 'poo bars out there! Thankfully this is the first time I've ever heard of someone adding beeswax to a soap for hardening, so obviously not very common at all :)

MegaMystery

May 11th, 2013, 08:09 AM

My package arrived today! I used a random number generator to choose which shampoo bar I would try first, and citrus mint&soapnuts it is!
I also got a few body soaps and face soaps, Seasalt&seaweed smells divine, so I'll definitely be trying that one out tonight for my body, as well as the dead sea spa for my face.
Very excited, can't wait to get in the shower! Teehee :cheese:

cooklaezo13

May 11th, 2013, 08:53 AM

So when my hair dried, my roots were clean, soft and fluffy. By my ends were still oily. I definitely will rub the soap on my whole length next time, not just the scalp like I do with shampoo.

cooklaezo13

May 11th, 2013, 02:14 PM

After some hours, the remaining coconut oil has absorbed into my hair, and it looks nice and non-greasy.

MegaMystery

May 11th, 2013, 02:25 PM

The citrus mint & soapnuts bar was really nice to use. I only lathered once because my hair wasn't really dirty or anything so it didn't need it. My hair did feel tangled an squeeky after rinsing, but when I poured my citric acid/water mixture on there it felt pretty good. I didn't rinse that out.

After the shower I put some Nightblooming's panacea winter salve in my hair and let it dry. It's now very soft and fluffy, but my ends are a little bit tangly. Anyone have any suggestions as to how that may be?

sisi33

May 11th, 2013, 02:31 PM

So when my hair dried, my roots were clean, soft and fluffy. By my ends were still oily. I definitely will rub the soap on my whole length next time, not just the scalp like I do with shampoo.

When you can't get bigger, fluffier bubbles, try re-wetting your hands, as it will make a tremendous difference in the amount of lather.

So, even though I'm on a self-imposed hair product "no-buy", I just had to get one of these (http://graceandmissmousesoaps.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=16&osCsid=995500f734e4cc03ab0b553b2efb38a4) bars today at a fair. The woman who makes them was there, and we had a lovely chat about soap. :lol: I did make sure that the superfatting was within the proper range (it's 5%), and although it doesn't smell positively amazing, it's pleasant enough. I admit to getting it purely based on the ingredients! And she seemed really surprised that I was going to use it on myself- I guess no one's tried it before, so I think I'll wash my hair tonight to see how it feels.

cooklaezo13

May 15th, 2013, 09:34 AM

Neecola

May 15th, 2013, 11:47 AM

Staying tuned for your results!

sisi33

May 15th, 2013, 02:24 PM

So last night I washed using shampoo bars for the second time. Once again, I used the rosemary mint on my scalp. This time I also used the butter bar on my length. I got better lather using wet hands, as someone here suggested. So far I really like how my ends feel. I'm going to try washing my whole head with the butter bar next.

I used the Rosemary Mint on my hair last night, and it seems to be one of the more moisturizing bars,basically CO-like results. Maybe you're one of those people whose hair REALLY likes the moisturizing bars? Also, are you using a sour rinse of some sort? Happy that the Butter Bar is working well so far!

sisi33

May 15th, 2013, 02:26 PM

cooklaezo13

May 16th, 2013, 01:59 PM

I use a citric acid rinse. My hair looks good, but does feel a bit dry, so I think I might really need a more moisturizing bar.

sisi33

May 16th, 2013, 02:09 PM

Have you tried using a little less CA? Or diluting it further? I know that when I use what my hair considers a "cleansing" bar versus a "moisturizing" bar, I have to use a higher dilution of ACV. For instance: 1 teaspoon in 3 cups versus 1 tablespoon in 3 cups. (Note, I'm not measuring IRL)

Then again, your hair could just not like it right now. :shrug: You can always come back to it, if you don't like it right now!

Neecola

May 18th, 2013, 08:30 AM

I use a citric acid rinse. My hair looks good, but does feel a bit dry, so I think I might really need a more moisturizing bar.

I used to oil my hair fairly generously the night before a wash. If you aren't already doing that, perhaps that would help? I haven't used bottled conditioner for a few months now and using flaxseed and marshmallow root have really helped moisturize my hair... I've also started oil rinsing instead of/in addition to applying oil the night before. This thread by spirals inspired me to try the marshmallow root: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110611

battles

May 23rd, 2013, 07:39 PM

I still have a few Sweet Creek Herbs shampoo bars left, so I think I'm going to give it another try now that my hair is a bit longer. I know I really loved how my hair felt when I used shampoo bars before, but I find it extremely difficult to settle into a new wash routine.. Hopefully things go beautifully and I can stick with it this time.

I think I may try CV bars once my SCH bars are used up.

honeybunnie8

May 27th, 2013, 04:47 PM

I have been using the Babassu Marsh mallow and as long as I wash my length also it works great. If I oil my hair I need to use the Soapnuts bar or my hair is left way to oily.
So far so good. :)

MegaMystery

May 30th, 2013, 06:12 AM

I've been using the Soapnuts bar and the Extra Honey Beer bar, both work very well, except for the one time I decided to oil my hair with olive oil and only shampood once, that didn't work and my hair was still very oily after the wash. I washed it a second time though and it came out fine :).
I do feel like I have to wash my hair a little more often (about 3 times a week now), but I don't mind it as much because I feel like it's not harming my hair as much as SLES shampoo would.
I also like to oil before washing, with coconut oil mostly, and I also ordered some monoi oil from yves rocher which has coconut oil as the main ingredient but also some other things in there and it smells really really nice on my hair :)
All in all, I had hoped using shampoo bars would make my washing easier, but it just made the washing proces different. I still use a tiny bit of (coneless)conditioner on my ends (don't know if it's really necessary but it feels pretty good on my hair) and after that I do an acidic rinse, which I then rinse out (I use a pretty strong acidic rinse so I feel the need to rinse it out again). I do wonder how I'll go about that when I go on vacation, should I bring a bottle and a little (ziplock)bag of citric acid? Will airport security look at me funny if I do so? Or should I just suck it up and go back to sulfate-free shampoo and coneless conditioner for those times? Those are questions for another time maybe :P
Now I'm off to the supermarket to get a 1 liter bottle of water (which I'll drink first), because the 0.5 liter bottle I have now for my acidic rinse is a bit on the small side.
So far I'm really enjoying the two bars I'm testing now and I still have a bunch more samples to go! I'm keeping track of all of them in a little excell-sheet so I won't order the same one twice by accident (especially if I didn't like it).

spirals

June 1st, 2013, 12:21 AM

I used to oil my hair fairly generously the night before a wash. If you aren't already doing that, perhaps that would help? I haven't used bottled conditioner for a few months now and using flaxseed and marshmallow root have really helped moisturize my hair... I've also started oil rinsing instead of/in addition to applying oil the night before. This thread by spirals inspired me to try the marshmallow root: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110611

Thanks for the mention. :flowers: Isn't marshmallow root amazing? It smells bad when I'm cooking it, but it's worth it. I used to use 1/4-1/3 cup conditioner per wash. Of course, I was using shampoo then, which was very drying. And now I don't even need a product for hold or a separate leave-in.

I still like Dr. Bronner, but I'm thinking of trying the babassu bar just for kicks. I like to try different things. And I prefer bar soap to liquid. It's just that liquid is easier to use on the hair.

Neecola

June 1st, 2013, 08:27 AM

Hey spirals! :waving: Yes, marshmallow root is amazing! I prefer it to flaxseed for sure but its harder to get my hands on.

I still like Dr. Bronner, but I'm thinking of trying the babassu bar just for kicks. I like to try different things. And I prefer bar soap to liquid. It's just that liquid is easier to use on the hair.

*push* I think being a curly, you would really like the babassu bar. There are posts earlier in this humongous thread about liquifying the bar in water. I think someone said a sample size bar in 8 ounces of water, allowed to dissolve? Not exactly sure on that measurement...

battles

June 9th, 2013, 12:06 PM

If I'm getting waxy and greasy feeling by the second wash (a few days later) that I use a shampoo bar, what should I do? I'm not sure if this is a transition, or if my hair just doesn't agree with these.

It always looks gorgeous the first time I use them after awhile, but after that it goes downhill, fast.

Edit: I am using a diluted vinegar rinse, I've got the amount for my hair pretty much mastered. It just seems to be the shampoo bar.

JadeTigress

June 9th, 2013, 02:08 PM

Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I just couldn't bring myself to read all 600 pages of this thread. :p I've used shampoo bars before, and my hair behaved the best it ever has. I love them. The only reason I stopped using them was because the ACV rinse eventually left my hair significantly redder and lighter, and I didn't like it. I would've been ok with some red highlights, it's just how much lighter my hair got that really bothered me. So I'm wondering if I would be safe using white vinegar or CA, or if that would eventually lighten my hair, too. Or is there some other sort of rinse or anything besides those couple of choices I could use that would keep my hair color intact? I really would love to be able to use shampoo bars again.

Neecola

June 10th, 2013, 09:54 AM

There are many members who use citric acid and I don't think I've ever seen it reported that it lightened or changed anyone's hair color when used as a rinse... but I could be wrong.

Theobroma

June 11th, 2013, 03:49 AM

JadeTigress, I've beein doing white vinegar rinses after every wash for something like two years now and I haven't noticed the slightest change in my colour. There's been no lightening at all and if there were any yellow or red staining, my silvers would surely show it -- but they're just as silver as they've ever been. I'd definitely recommend switching to white vinegar. Can't comment one way or another about citric acid, because I've never tried it.

JadeTigress

June 12th, 2013, 09:02 AM

Awesome, thanks! I'll give the white vinegar a shot. :)

KittyBird

June 14th, 2013, 03:22 PM

I'm almost out of 'poo bars now, and I've decided that it's time to try something other than CV bars. I've ordered a sample pack from Mirasolfarm (http://www.etsy.com/shop/mirasolfarm?ref=seller_info) and it shipped today! I hope it'll get here soon, I'm so excited! I chose Sandalwood Rose, Absinthe, Juniper And Sage, Wild Orange, Basil Mint and Oak Moss.
And just in case I'm not happy with those bars, I ordered a full bar of Summer Sunshine and samples of Olive & Babassu, Rosemary Lavender and Ayurvedic Herb from CV. And a Summer Rain deodorant. And another deodorant from Kismibella (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Kismibella) on Etsy. :o

JadeTigress

June 16th, 2013, 04:03 PM

I just ordered some samples from CV, and they're finally here! I'm excited, I've never used their bars before. I got samples of Ayurvedic Herb, Neem & Tea Tree (which my boyfriend wants to steal), Honey Beer & Egg, Cafe Moreno, and Chamomile & Citrus. I'm so surprised at how big the samples are. They're going to last me forever. I've got my white vinegar ready to go, I just can't figure out which one I want to try first.

Neecola

June 17th, 2013, 11:45 AM

Keep us posted on how you like your new goodies, kittybird and jadetigress!

KittyBird

June 19th, 2013, 01:39 AM

Alright, all my packages arrived yesterday, which coincidentally was wash day! I decided to try one of the Mirasolfarm samples first, and decided on Juniper & Sage. It's very pretty to look at and smells very strong and herby, kinda minty. It didn't lather as much as the CV bars, but I had done a heavy oiling with coconut oil earlier that day and the bar got all of that out, so it certainly cleans well. My hair isn't completely dry still because I ended up sleeping with damp hair, but it doesn't appear to be waxy. The parts that are completely dry are mostly... quite dry. A bit of oil or some leave-in condish will fix that. With my length and thickness, I think I'll be able to get two washes out of each sample. Someone with shorter/thinner hair would probably get 3-4 washes, maybe more. So far I'm happy with the product.

Mirasolfarm also gave me a free lipbalm, Lavender Tangerine, which is incredible because I love love love(!) both lavender and citrus. It smells and feels wonderful. I think I may have to order more when it's empty :o

Update: my hair dried completely and there were some parts that were waxy. I think that's because I had too little vinegar rinse and didn't manage to drench all of my hair with it. Most of my hair is as it usually is, which is why I'm blame the rinse more than the poo bar. I could be wrong though. I'm washing again on Friday, so we'll see then ;)

Neecola

June 19th, 2013, 11:37 AM

Oh yes, I love lavender and orange EO together... I bet the balm is heavenly!

battles

June 20th, 2013, 11:46 AM

I'm kind of amazed. I'm on third day after washing and my hair still looks and feels perfect. It hasn't snarled up into a mess or started to dry out.. I think I finally washed properly with shampoo bars and now I am determined to make them continue to work. :whip:

cooklaezo13

June 21st, 2013, 06:50 AM

I've been loving the CV shampoo bars lately. My favorites are the mud bar and butter bar. I use the butter bar for regular washing, and the mud bar to take out oil. I always finish with a strong citric acid rinse.

Neecola

June 21st, 2013, 11:26 AM

battles - out of curiosity, did you do anything different to get such good results or do you think your hair/scalp has just adjusted?

battles

June 21st, 2013, 09:04 PM

battles - out of curiosity, did you do anything different to get such good results or do you think your hair/scalp has just adjusted?

My attempts before were just washing my scalp. I think washing all of my hair, scalp and length is what made the difference for me.

For some reason I'd been thinking that it would function like bottled shampoo and what ran down from my scalp would be enough to clean my length. I guess I was wrong there. :p

KittyBird

June 22nd, 2013, 04:25 AM

battles, I did the same thing in the beginning. I washed only my scalp and expected the rest of my hair to get clean too. It works for some people, but it definitely didn't work for me. I was ecstatic when I finally figured out how to properly use the bars :D

Neecola

June 22nd, 2013, 12:26 PM

Ah yes, me three! There is definitely something magic about the 'poo bars... it seems so counter-intuitive to use a shampoo on the length but it is hard to argue with shiny, happy curls.

honeybunnie8

June 23rd, 2013, 11:09 AM

I have been using the bars for about 2 months now and I have noticed my ends getting really dry even if I oil them. After I shampoo and do the ACV rinse my hair feels oily but then when it dries its fine except my ends are crispy. I have been using the babassu marsh mallow bar mostly.
Could I just need conditioner? or a different bar maybe?

I just did a cassia treatment so I am hoping that helps since I have fine hair.

Xena

June 23rd, 2013, 12:29 PM

Hello!

I wanna start with soap again, but soap didnt work out very good before so can you give me some suggestions pls?

My Hair:

.) very fine but lots of it
.) bleached
.) lack of moisture and very dry (chemically processed and therefore damaged)
.) if mosturized wavy/curly- otherwise rather sleek
.) midback

Could you recommend some CV soaps or oils for me? My hair tends to be very sticky greasy and unmanagable when it comes to soap. I guess its the bleaching process which makes it hard to transist to it. Best result is if I dilute soap in water and do a scalp only wash. When my lenghts get in contact with soap its really horrible^^

Water quality is very good (u can drink the tap water here) but I think its rather hard and not soft.

KittyBird

June 24th, 2013, 08:09 AM

honeybunnie8, what sort of oil do you use? My ends can get a bit dry and crispy too, but a few drops of baobab oil fixes that problem. You could try to use a leave-in conditioner, if your hair likes that sort of stuff. Mine loves it! I sometimes use a coney leave-in by Garnier Fructis, it makes my hair very soft and manageable. As for other bars you could use, maybe Butter Bar, Olive & Babassu or Summer Sunshine? Those are supposed to be very moisturising. I haven't tried Olive & Babassu yet, but BB and Summer Sunshine are pretty awesome :)

honeybunnie8

June 24th, 2013, 07:54 PM

Thanks Ill look into the oil and the other bars. I generally use coconut oil or jojoba on my hair so maybe I just need to mix things up.
I haven't used leave-in for a long time since it tends to make my hair oily but I do sometimes use cones when I get annoyed with my hair.:)

iluvlovelylocks

June 27th, 2013, 05:09 PM

I just ordered 5 samples from Sweetcreek Herbs! :happydance:

I'm so excited! I definitely did not have success with CV bars....way too waxy on my hair.

I emailed Kathleen from SCH and she was so helpful. I told her I have oily hair and she suggested 5 that are made for oily hair. I can't wait until they arrive!

*edit: they've arrived and I thought I would comment on each as I tried them*

As per Kathleen's suggestions, I ordered:

ACV shampoo: for some reason, my scalp doesn't love ACV. While this cleaned well, my hair got greasy quickly.
Lime Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus Mint: I liked this one. It made my oily hair stay less oily longer than most shampoos. Lathers really well. Made my scalp slightly itchy in some areas.
Citrus splash: LOVED this one. It lathers well, smells great and is awesome for my oily hair. Be careful, this is not moisturizing, it's very cleansing.
Lavender orange: I LOVE this one. It smells awesome and doesn't irritate scalp. I think that's because this one doesn't contain coconut oil. My scalp is sensitive to coco oil.

battles

July 1st, 2013, 08:00 PM

I placed my CV order today. I'm down to one SCH bar, so I think it's time.

I got Herb Garden, Nettle, Soapnuts, Summer Sunshine, Chamomile and Citrus and Babassu Marshmallow. :)

iluvlovelylocks

July 2nd, 2013, 04:01 PM

I got my SCH samples in the mail!! Yippee! I tried the Eucalyptus Mint one first. I like it. I like it much better than CV. I didn't even need to use an acid rinse with the SCH bar! That's a plus for me. I don't like to fuss with making acv rinses all the time.

battles

July 3rd, 2013, 09:42 AM

My CV bars shipped today! I don't think I can wait until they get here to wash, but I'm so excited to try them..

majesticmoon

July 3rd, 2013, 10:59 AM

does anyone use henna sooq bars? I have dry hair so i like that they feel moisturizing and not harsh. My favorite is carrot bar.

oatmealpie

July 3rd, 2013, 11:37 AM

Based on the recommendations in this thread, I ordered several shampoo bar samples from Chagrin Valley. I really like the coconut milk, henna strawberry, and summer sunshine bars. They all leave my hair squeaky/waxy, but an ACV rinse takes care of it. My hair tends to be dry because I was chemically dying it for years and live in a desert, but the shampoo bars make my hair shiny, softer, and more manageable. The summer sunshine scent is probably my favorite. I haven't tried the herb garden yet because the scent was SO POWERFUL it overwhelmed all the other soapies in the box.

I installed this stainless steel basket from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051S8WTC/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) in my shower to store them. I highly recommend it: it was easy to install, keeps my shampoo bars safe and dry, and perfectly holds 4 sample-size bars. There's also this short thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=87623) on shampoo bar storage ideas if you're interested.

Once I use up some of the bars I have on hand, I want to try CV's ayurvedic and babassu marsh mallow shampoo bars.

Lockoptimisten

July 4th, 2013, 03:43 PM

rut.de.leu

July 5th, 2013, 05:04 AM

Lockoptimisten, it could very well be because of the lack of ACV rinses. If you don't like those, have you tried adding a conditioner? (V05 and Suave make inexpensive ones without 'cones if that is a concern of yours). Lightly oiling your ends when they are damp might also help.

Theobroma

July 5th, 2013, 06:13 AM

I have ben using Chagrin V poo-bars for 4 months and i am worried it causes me more split ends then before. I don't like using ACV that much maybe once every other week. I poo every other day. I love the volym and don' t want to stop using the poobars. I switch between different ones too. Any thoughts that might help?

What is it about ACV that you don't like? There are alternatives -- I use white vinegar, and lots of people prefer citric acid. Also, if it's the smell that bothers you: you don't need to put very much in your rinse water at all. I use the cap of my white vinegar bottle as a measure, and I put three capfuls (probably the equivalent of two tablespoons or so?) in about a litre of water. Can't smell a thing at that dilution and it's still quite acidic enough to counteract the alkalinity of my hair soap.

Lockoptimisten

July 5th, 2013, 03:17 PM

Thank you for responding. I Will give the vingar-rinse another try. I think the curls are bigger and with more volym if i skip the v-rinse but maybe it is just my imagination :-o
thanks for the the conditionertip i will try that to if it it doesn't work...

honeybunnie8

July 5th, 2013, 10:28 PM

I have noticed that the shampoo bars dry out my hair. I like using them and the waves/volume they give my hair so I am looking for some options to keep my hair from getting dry but washes out easily with the bars.

Oh and I have been using the CV babassu marsh mallow bar and the butter bar conditioner.

Lockoptimisten

July 6th, 2013, 05:26 AM

Is conditionerrinse as good for hair as vingar? With ph and all?

Theobroma

July 6th, 2013, 06:01 AM

The one time I did a shampoo bar wash and followed it up with only conditioner and not a vinegar rinse, I got the most awfully dry-looking, grabby, uncombable hair.

Whereas if I do a vinegar rinse, I don't need conditioner at all and my hair still comes out shiny, soft, and manageable!

honeybunnie8

July 6th, 2013, 09:17 AM

Just a ACV rinse isn't enough for my hair. My hair feels greasy after I rinse but once dry my hair is dry and not soft. Others have good results though.

iluvlovelylocks

July 6th, 2013, 02:37 PM

I think I'm giving up on shampoo bars. They work for me, but they leave greasy spots in my hair. I'm not a fan of that. I've ordered toadstool shampoo hoping for better luck!

Sorus

July 6th, 2013, 08:48 PM

I love using CV bars. I don't do a vinegar rinse, just follow up with Whole Foods brand 365 mint conditioner. I technically CO my length and soap wash my scalp. Vinegar rinses with CV bars left my hair stringy, waxy, and awful. Replace vinegar with conditioner and I have a holy grail combination. My experience in this is pretty different than most people's, so I thought I would share. HTH!

Ascha

July 8th, 2013, 11:45 AM

I have been using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars for several months now and I love them!
I had a very sensitive scalp and sulfate free shampoos were not cutting it for me.
I itched like crazy and got dandruff + buildup only a day after washing my hair with shampoo.
Starting out, I hated how stiff and tangled my hair was after rinsing, and tried several tea and vinegar rinses but that really didn't work for me.
I needed more moisture for my dry, tangley ends and I found that V05 conditioner works great for me.
Currently using the Cafe Moreno and Neem bars.

battles

July 9th, 2013, 01:23 PM

So far, I can't say I'm a huge fan of CV bars. :( Both bars I've tried have made me feel pretty waxy, and with Summer Sunshine I had to wash on the second day rather than my usual 4-5.

I think I might put the rest of my samples up on the swap board and scamper back to my beloved SCH.

Perididdle

July 13th, 2013, 07:12 PM

Trying some CV bars. I've never done shampoo bars -- I almost went wild with $25 worth of samples, but I reined it in. My hair is really tricky to work with. It's oily on the scalp, dry at the ends, and tends to get residuey/build up REALLY quickly, so I'm hoping something out of the box will work. My hair responds really well to a vinegar rinse (as long as I rinse it out), so I'm thinking that might be a good sign...

Grabbed coconut oil, rosemary & lavendar (huge hopes -- my hair loves aloe vera), summer sunshine, and chamomile & citrus. I meant to add Henna Chestnut, I emailed to see if they could throw that in there, so we'll see. I also nabbed a facial soap bar and the sorbet. If this works, well, I'll be awfully grumpy that my hair wants such a complicated/potentially expensive process...but I'll be thrilled to be away from normal shampoos, which seem to uniformly dry out my ends.

kdaniels8811

July 14th, 2013, 06:46 AM

I discovered a trick - my bars have citric acid, not enough to dry your hair but enough to not need a separate rinse with vinegar. I make my own, along with a great leave in conditioner.

Neecola

July 15th, 2013, 12:31 PM

Interesting, kdaniels! I guess I thought that the high pH was inherent to soap-making... so the citric acid does not negate the lye or is it added after? I've never tried to make my own soap but I have a few books on my Amazon wish list. Would love to give it a try one day!

kdaniels8811

July 15th, 2013, 05:47 PM

You should! PM me and I can direct you to all kinds of cool stuff. I have never been successful with shampoo bars before, even with vinegar rinses.

clioariane

July 16th, 2013, 07:23 AM

The only shampoo bar I've used is Lush' Seanik and although it was fine as a cleanser I found it to be a bit drying. I love my salon shampoos but am tempted to try a moisturizing shampoo bar now. Chagrin Valley looks amazing but shipping to Europe starts at $23.95 :(

Lockoptimisten

July 21st, 2013, 12:35 AM

Does anyone know if the poobars can take silicones or minerals out of your hair? I used to do cowashes but believe that the bars are a little bit moore cleaning compared to conditioner only? It would make things easier to find a deep treatment. Would love to try Aussieprooducts for example...

KiwiBum

July 23rd, 2013, 07:28 PM

Has anyone made their own hair rinse/tea that consists of more than just vinegar and water? I make nettle tea, add some raw honey, let it cool and add unfiltered apple cider vinegar, then add essential oils of tea tree, rosemary, lavender, and if I have any on hand tangerine or sweet orange and patchouli to give it a citrus/earthy smell. Sometimes I add aloe juice, and if that's the case I store it in the fridge. Using this after washing with shampoo bars leaves my hair very full and shiny. I usually make enough to store in an extra large mason jar, and it lasts a good while since I only wash my hair twice a week!

Chromis

July 23rd, 2013, 08:10 PM

spirals

July 25th, 2013, 02:45 PM

My recipe for a rinse is in here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110611 I sometimes add a little extra oil. I'm considering using more marshmallow.

Perididdle

July 25th, 2013, 02:53 PM

I just tried my first shampoo bar, the Summer Sunshine from CV. I have a slew of others, but picked this one since it *seems* like many have good success with it.

I liked how it lathered up more than I would've anticipated. I just glided it over my hair along five or six "tracks" going from forehead to nape, and it responded with bubbles! I added more and lathered up my hands to do the length. Rinsed, then let my hair rest for a bit. Cold ACV rinse (on accident...I forgot how brisk using filtered water would be!) that I rinsed thoroughly, then I hopped out. I decided not to condition, just for the sake of experimentation.

When I got out, it was very "squeaky", though less so than before the ACV rinse. I am totally surprised at how easy it was to get a wide toothed comb through my hair. I expected without any conditioner I'd be SOL, but it actually was quite lovely. I did some coconut oil on the last fourth of my length to try and boost what conditioner might normally give, and I patted a trace amount on my crown, but otherwise it's just the bar. It's drying now. We'll see how this goes!

Question: does anyone really find a dramatic difference between the different CV bars? I have so many, I have trouble picking. I can't decide if I should stick with one bar for a while, or try them all out. Hmm...

oatmealpie

July 25th, 2013, 03:01 PM

Question: does anyone really find a dramatic difference between the different CV bars? I have so many, I have trouble picking. I can't decide if I should stick with one bar for a while, or try them all out. Hmm...

The scientific approach would be to stick with one bar for a week or two, recording your results, then switch to another. The human approach is "OMG so many shampoo bars! Must try them all!" I haven't seen a major difference in CV bars, but I've been acting like a human rather than a scientist. The coconut and summer sunshine bars are definitely more moisturizing than the strawberry henna one, but it's not a huge difference.

Perididdle

July 25th, 2013, 03:04 PM

The scientific approach would be to stick with one bar for a week or two, recording your results, then switch to another. The human approach is "OMG so many shampoo bars! Must try them all!" I haven't seen a major difference in CV bars, but I've been acting like a human rather than a scientist. The coconut and summer sunshine bars are definitely more moisturizing than the strawberry henna one, but it's not a huge difference.

That's good to know! You're so right -- I want to just keep playing with my new toys. I guess I'll try to stick to this one for at least a week...sigh.

I have the coconut bar as well as the chestnut henna one. Henna tends to dry out my hair while coconut can really blast it with moisture to the point of weighing it down, so I'll experiment with those quite a bit.

oatmealpie

July 25th, 2013, 03:19 PM

Not that you're a newbie, Perididdle, but here's Ursula's standard newbie advice.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=113773

It's logical and effective, but it ain't easy.

Chromis

July 25th, 2013, 08:23 PM

I get a dramatic difference between some of the bars! I am very consistent with using up a bar before I start the next, so I get a good comparison and it is just easier that way to me.

Perididdle

July 27th, 2013, 03:48 PM

Second wash with shampoo bars. I had a little more trouble lathering it up, but it did basically the same thing as last time without the bubbles...very grippy, until I did a vinegar rinse. Hair looks a little duller this time, and has that slightly stiff, matte "residuey" feel. Hmmmm. Will keep an eye on it and keep trucking to see what happens!

bekstamonkey

July 28th, 2013, 09:41 AM

Some herbs are awesome as hair teas. I love catnip and horsetail for conditioning. When I make it, I use the tea instead of water when I mix-up my diluted ACV. Works a treat.

And I agree that to actually see if a bar is working for you, you can't just try it a couple times and assume it's not good. My hair has generally taken to bars immediately (and in the cases that my hair has objected from the start, it usually keeps on objecting til the bar is finished LOL, which is why I now make my own, too many experiences with horrible bars made by folk who seem to think that just slapping "shampoo bar" on a regular bar of soap is fine...grrr). But a lot of people speak of an adjustment period - for both starting with poo bars, and with switching to a different bar. I have a 'bit' of adjustment (a couple washes) when I switch makers.

I find lathering is easy if you dunk your head very quickly under the water a couple times while you're lathering - more water to create more bubbles.

amanda_the_tall

July 28th, 2013, 11:44 AM

Hey guys, I posted in the Nightblooming thread but I also wanted to post here since it might be answered quicker here. Has anyone used the panacea with shampoo bars? I'm thinking of using it as a leave-in for the ends after using the shampoo bars. I'm worried about possible buildup/overload of butter and oils if I use them together, but I'm not sure if that'd happen. Sorry if off topic!

Dhenianne

July 28th, 2013, 12:14 PM

First shampoo bars order done!!! Im really impatient! I went for the SCH ones after reading yor opinions, the seem to be more easy for a newbie like me. These were my choices:
- Rosemary honey silk shampoo soap
- Palmarosa petitgrain vegan shampoo soap
- Eucalyptus silk shampoo soap
- Marshmallow silk shampoo soap unescented
- Lavender rose vegan shampoo soap
im sure i will need your advice, but im decided to trust in shampoo bars blesses.

Natural_Locks24

July 28th, 2013, 03:08 PM

Natural_Locks24

July 28th, 2013, 03:15 PM

battles

July 28th, 2013, 03:16 PM

Two more facebook likes and Sweetcreek Herbs is having a sale.... Hint hint.

:o

Perididdle

July 28th, 2013, 06:02 PM

Two more facebook likes and Sweetcreek Herbs is having a sale.... Hint hint.

:o

Liked 'em. Man, I'm so tempted to buy samples...I don't need samples...I have a year's worth of samples from SVC, I swear. Ack!

Chromis

July 28th, 2013, 06:30 PM

I use the panacea with shampoo bars and they seem to work really well together. I haven't noticed any build up

Ditto! I also use the Triple Moon Oil on my crown.

Natural_Locks24

July 28th, 2013, 09:04 PM

Ditto! I also use the Triple Moon Oil on my crown.
I love the triple moon oil! It's so light yet really moisturizing

bekstamonkey

July 29th, 2013, 03:06 AM

I use Nightblooming panacea and also shampoo bars, too. No problems here. I actually credit the stuff with doing wonders to what were once horribly dry ends prone to splits. Never had build-up issues as a result.

Lunamaiden

July 29th, 2013, 07:31 AM

Apologies if this has been addressed, but can natural homemade soaps work as a shampoo on just the roots of the hair? Im sure theres a big difference in bars that are specifically made for the hair but the lack of lather doesn't bother me. Theres a local woman that makes handmade soaps packed full of natural herbs and oils such as olive and coconut. Example the ingredients list I have for one bar called Oatmeal milk & honey (that I wouldnt use for hair but just to get the idea of ingredients) contains Olive oil, coconut oil, water, sodium hydroxide, organic palm oil, fresh goats milk, organic sunflower oil, shea butter, oats and honey.

Theobroma

July 29th, 2013, 08:01 AM

I can't comment on those ingredients, but I don't buy actual shampoo bars at all; I use soap that's marketed as being for skin and hair (Dudu-Osun African Black Soap, FWIW). And I have used my regular hand soap (Weleda Rosemary) on my hair before and nobody died! :D

I'd give your local bars a try. If your hair likes them, great -- and if it doesn't, you can always use them up on the rest of you! That's what I did with the only dedicated "shampoo" bar I ever bought, which made me shed too much for my liking. My skin was perfectly happy with it.

sisi33

July 29th, 2013, 08:05 AM

I'm sure that you could use a body bar on your hair, but keep in mind that some of the ingredients will (usually) be of the heavier variety, and it might be too much moisture for your hair, or you might need to clarify more often.

Lunamaiden

July 29th, 2013, 08:15 AM

Thankyou! Yes I think Ill give it a go with a tea tree and rosemary one, Im slowly gravitating towards more natural products, I think I'll find a balance at some point

amanda_the_tall

July 29th, 2013, 01:09 PM

Sorry if it's been addressed before, I've read up to about 100 pages in the thread, : has anyone alternated between shampoo bars and co washing? The reason I ask is because I think I read somewhere in here that someone tried it, and the co wash didn't work as it usually did because of the oils from the bars? I have three containers of cone free conditioner left to use up, and I like how the co washing leaves my length but the ends are always dried out on day two due to old dye damage from a few years ago.

amanda_the_tall

July 29th, 2013, 02:41 PM

Kinda off-topic, but I am LOVING the honey butter soap bar! The smell was odd at first but now I can't stop sniffing it when I'm in the bathroom. I've just used it twice and it's already helped heal up the open wounds of my eczema by eliminating the itch and moisturizing it! :D

battles

July 29th, 2013, 03:36 PM

You can use conditioner after a shampoo bar and before a vinegar rinse, or try just conditioner after. I had no luck at all with CO washing, so I can't comment on that.. But I think it's generally easier to stick to one routine.

Or if you're just looking to use up the conditioner, it works great for shaving. :)

oatmealpie

July 29th, 2013, 04:39 PM

Has anyone alternated between shampoo bars and co washing? The reason I ask is because I think I read somewhere in here that someone tried it, and the co wash didn't work as it usually did because of the oils from the bars? I have three containers of cone free conditioner left to use up, and I like how the co washing leaves my length but the ends are always dried out on day two due to old dye damage from a few years ago.

I haven't done that, but I have been CWCing with shampoo bars and a cone-free conditioner. It leaves my hair more cleansed than with CO and more conditioned than regular S&C. Apply conditioner from your ears down, rinse out, wash with a shampoo bar, rinse out, use an ACV rinse, apply the same conditioner and leave in while you take care of your other showerly duties, then rinse.

oatmealpie

July 29th, 2013, 04:40 PM

Kinda off-topic, but I am LOVING the honey butter soap bar!

Me too! I've been washing my hands with it. I used it to wash my face last night. It didn't quite get all of my makeup off and left my face a little squeaky, but I still love the scent for washing my hands.

battles

July 29th, 2013, 04:54 PM

Stocked up on bars in the SCH sale. :D I should be set for quite awhile now. Excited to try a few new bars and to have more of my favorite. Also grabbed one of her deodorants to try..

Perididdle

July 29th, 2013, 07:18 PM

I haven't done that, but I have been CWCing with shampoo bars and a cone-free conditioner. It leaves my hair more cleansed than with CO and more conditioned than regular S&C. Apply conditioner from your ears down, rinse out, wash with a shampoo bar, rinse out, use an ACV rinse, apply the same conditioner and leave in while you take care of your other showerly duties, then rinse.

I think this is what I'm gonna give a try. Third wash, my hair still feels like it might be a little too heavy, and it acts a bit "dry" when it's finally done drying. The slight bit of detergent from the conditioner and the extra moisture might be good!

Two questions:

1) Is there a time limit on leaving ACVs on? I left mine on while I shaved my legs, probably 5-10 minutes. Too long?
2) Those who use conditioners with shampoo bars, which conditioners do you use? I love Tresemme Naturals, hoping that might work (as long as the new formula doesn't royally screw me...)

battles

July 29th, 2013, 07:22 PM

I don't generally condition during the wash process, but I do pretty frequent deep treatments. Hair is happy.

Perididdle

July 29th, 2013, 09:06 PM

I don't generally condition during the wash process, but I do pretty frequent deep treatments. Hair is happy.

You reminded me that I haven't done a deep condition since I dyed my hair two weeks ago...hmm! Wonder how that will effect my experiments.

As my hair dries I'm actually a lot happier with this go-round. I threw caution to the wind and just scrubbed the bar across my hair and added enough water to get lots and lots of bubbles. It feels so lovely while it bubbles, it's when you rinse it out that it gets so "grippy". But my hair is MUCH shinier than last time, and the crown is crazy soft. The hair itself feels much heavier and less compliant/"clean" like I might expect from detergent + cones, but that could be moisture I didn't have and something I can tweak with less intense bars. Hmmm! This is actually quite fun.

Natural_Locks24

July 30th, 2013, 06:28 AM

You reminded me that I haven't done a deep condition since I dyed my hair two weeks ago...hmm! Wonder how that will effect my experiments.

As my hair dries I'm actually a lot happier with this go-round. I threw caution to the wind and just scrubbed the bar across my hair and added enough water to get lots and lots of bubbles. It feels so lovely while it bubbles, it's when you rinse it out that it gets so "grippy". But my hair is MUCH shinier than last time, and the crown is crazy soft. The hair itself feels much heavier and less compliant/"clean" like I might expect from detergent + cones, but that could be moisture I didn't have and something I can tweak with less intense bars. Hmmm! This is actually quite fun. do you use an acidic rinse after using the bars? I would suggest using a citrus or vinegar rinse as a final step. The reson why your hair feels "grippy" is because soap has a very high PH and raises the cuticle of the hair. An acidic rinse smooths the cuticle and restores your hair and scalp back to a normal PH.

Perididdle

July 30th, 2013, 07:32 AM

do you use an acidic rinse after using the bars? I would suggest using a citrus or vinegar rinse as a final step. The reson why your hair feels "grippy" is because soap has a very high PH and raises the cuticle of the hair. An acidic rinse smooths the cuticle and restores your hair and scalp back to a normal PH.

Yep, I've done an ACV or white vinegar rinse each time and it does wonders. I just hate the feel of that in-between stage. =P And my hair does feel a lot less "clean" or "smooth" once I rinse it out, compared to normal shampoo + conditioner, but as it dries that eases up, a bit...I assumed that was the feeling people warn about when they say not to panic if your hair feels "weird" when you're getting started.

Is there a difference between a citric acid rinse and a vinegar rinse, or do people find they make your hair feel about the same? I like what vinegar does, but I'd love to move away from the smell of vinegar entirely -- I really dislike how it comes back if my hair gets wet due to rain or a non-wash shower.

oatmealpie

July 30th, 2013, 09:14 AM

1) Is there a time limit on leaving ACVs on? I left mine on while I shaved my legs, probably 5-10 minutes. Too long?
2) Those who use conditioners with shampoo bars, which conditioners do you use? I love Tresemme Naturals, hoping that might work (as long as the new formula doesn't royally screw me...)

1) Nope, no time limit. Some folks don't rinse it out. I tried that at first, but it left my hair a little greasy.
2) I like Suave Naturals in Juicy Green Apple and Coconut.

Theobroma

July 31st, 2013, 03:23 AM

Is there a difference between a citric acid rinse and a vinegar rinse, or do people find they make your hair feel about the same? I like what vinegar does, but I'd love to move away from the smell of vinegar entirely -- I really dislike how it comes back if my hair gets wet due to rain or a non-wash shower.

I've never tried citric acid, but how strong are you making your vinegar rinse if the smell is a problem? I use perhaps three tablespoons of white vinegar in about a litre of water -- I don't measure, but it's just enough to make the water taste very slightly sour. That concentration is quite enough to smooth down my cuticle, but I can't even smell it while I'm dunking my head in it, let alone if my hair gets wet in between washes.

Perididdle

July 31st, 2013, 08:13 AM

I've never tried citric acid, but how strong are you making your vinegar rinse if the smell is a problem? I use perhaps three tablespoons of white vinegar in about a litre of water -- I don't measure, but it's just enough to make the water taste very slightly sour. That concentration is quite enough to smooth down my cuticle, but I can't even smell it while I'm dunking my head in it, let alone if my hair gets wet in between washes.

I've been using about 3 tablespoons of white vinegar to a 25 fl. oz (about 3.125 cups, 740 mL) container -- last time, I went a little more concentrated, only filling up the bottle 3/4ths of the way in an effort to test if that's what I needed to get all of the residue off of my hair. It didn't make much of a difference, hair-wise, but I burned my eyes, like, four times pouring it on. :cool:

I went based on the tablespoon per cup ratio I'd seen around the 'net, but maybe I should try scaling back more? It doesn't smell all that bad when I'm pouring it on at that concentration if I use white vinegar, but for some reason I'm really sensitive to smelling it when my hair gets damp. I also might try combining it with a tea rinse or EOs and see if that helps.

Natural_Locks24

July 31st, 2013, 01:18 PM

I used to use ACV but found it left my hair feeling a little greasy, I tried lime juice and it worked so much better and smelled nice too :)

ladyfey

July 31st, 2013, 05:31 PM

I just recently started using the Natural Beauty Cleansing Bar from Nature's Plus. I got it to use as a body soap, but it says that it makes a good shampoo, so I gave it a shot and I love it. I haven't had to use my medicated shampoo (for seb. derm.) since I started with the bar. We'll see how it continues to go.

amanda_the_tall

August 1st, 2013, 12:38 PM

Question for those of you that have used CV bars, how can you tell when a bar is too dry for your hair? I've been using the citrus and chamomile shampoo bar, and I'm having a hard time telling the difference between the 'grabby' feeling when wet, or if it's actually drying my hair out. I do know it's too drying for my ends because I followed up with a vinegar rinse and conditioner and the ends were still tangly/dry feeling until I put in some panacea (which, btw, is freakin awesome!) but how can you tell if it's too drying for the scalp hairs? Trial and error? I worry about using a more moisturizing bar though because my scalp tends to be oily although it seems to be producing less since I haven't used sulfates in a while.
Also: has anyone been able to use the bars without a vinegar rinse or conditioner? I'm afraid to do so because of the pH of the soap being high. However I have very soft water.

Theobroma

August 2nd, 2013, 07:48 AM

Amanda_the_tall, I never use conditioner any more (and I've been using soap for a year now), but I can't do without a vinegar rinse. I have fairly soft water too, but that doesn't compensate for the alkalinity of the soap.

amanda_the_tall

August 2nd, 2013, 08:57 AM

Tori Angeli

August 6th, 2013, 07:13 AM

Perididdle

August 7th, 2013, 09:45 AM

I am very curious about this method. I have been CO-ing for nearly four months now with fantastic success, but I have to wash every day or else my scalp flares up with itchies and sores. And CO-washing takes time. My showers have been taking about 30-45 minutes on average and that is a lot of time to spend in the shower per week. I love CO-washing, but it'd be nice to spend less time washing. And using less conditioner.

I have a friend who was just gushing about her recent experience with a Chagrin Valley poo bar. She said she basically lathered around her scalp and then rinsed and it barely took any time at all, and her hair dried quickly. Naturally I would need to spend more time on my scalp, but the waiting around for the surfectants to work and the extra massaging might be cut short. I've been using soap on the rest of me since my skin is naturally dry (as is my hair) and soap is gentler than other detergents I've tried, and it's been faintly drying but not nearly as bad as SLS (I am totally sulfate-free now), so I'm wondering if it might be worthwhile to try out poo bars.

Try it! I've found my hair hasn't had the same structural response to co-washing as bar washing -- it gets considerably curlier post-co-wash -- but that's because, I think, I've not quite found the right balance of bar washing to how much vinegar I need to use in my rinse, etc. My hair feels "heavy" while wet, which I think inhibits my weird, only-curly-sometimes pattern. Once it dries, ahh! The feeling is much like a co-wash, for me. I feel very moisturized and my hair is very happy! It also goes for quite some time, scalp-wise. I generally was every other day, but last night I looked at my hair and decided against it, even after riding horses on Monday morning. Woop!

I also enjoy the speed of it. I usually do CWC, and the process of covering my length, then shampooing, then washing, then more conditioner sometimes felt tiresome. I doubt the time itself has been cut by much, but being able to get my hair wet, scrub, lather, and rinse is so straight forward. Then I vinegar rinse, clip it up, and do the rest of my shower. Rinse it out and hop out. Usually my showers, from leaving-the-couch to stepping out of the bathroom, run 15 minutes.

Tori Angeli

August 7th, 2013, 10:17 AM

I ordered a sample from CV and am anxiously waiting. Not 100% convinced a sample is large enough to do a true trial with, but I figure I can order a bar if my hair doesn't immediately object to it.

massivecnqstdr

August 7th, 2013, 10:22 AM

I used to use ACV but found it left my hair feeling a little greasy, I tried lime juice and it worked so much better and smelled nice too :)

This post makes me want to try shampoo bars again. ACV is just really icky to me. Maybe I will try lime..

Perididdle

August 7th, 2013, 12:43 PM

I ordered a sample from CV and am anxiously waiting. Not 100% convinced a sample is large enough to do a true trial with, but I figure I can order a bar if my hair doesn't immediately object to it.

I ordered five sample bars and I'm almost two weeks into my first go, washing every 2-3 days, an the bar hasn't budged. :) It doesn't sound like much in ounces, but all of mine are marginally smaller than a bar of dial soap and see way less use. I think a sample, if you take care of it (don't leave it in a puddle of water, basically), should last you at least a month if you washed every other day -- probably more. I turn mine on its narrowest side when I get out of the shower to keep it from getting too wet, but putting it on a soap dish that lets the whole thing air out works even better.

A lot of people have luck with cutting them in half or thirds, so only one portion is getting wet at a time.

Tori Angeli

August 7th, 2013, 02:16 PM

I ordered five sample bars and I'm almost two weeks into my first go, washing every 2-3 days, an the bar hasn't budged. :) It doesn't sound like much in ounces, but all of mine are marginally smaller than a bar of dial soap and see way less use. I think a sample, if you take care of it (don't leave it in a puddle of water, basically), should last you at least a month if you washed every other day -- probably more. I turn mine on its narrowest side when I get out of the shower to keep it from getting too wet, but putting it on a soap dish that lets the whole thing air out works even better.

A lot of people have luck with cutting them in half or thirds, so only one portion is getting wet at a time.

That's pretty incredible. I've ordered a couple bars of soap from them, too, and maybe they'll last a lot longer than I thought they would.