The Shampoo Bar Thread

[Arctic]

Arctic, did you keep the mix in the refrigerator or in the bathroom? Do you happen to remember proportions at all? I'd like to make my own, too.

I made enough for one use, I'm a bit paranoid about bacteria growing But it only takes probably 30 seconds to make. I use an old squirt type conditioner bottle (2,5 dl), 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid, and about 2-3 drops of essential oil (often 1-2 drop peppermint and 1-2 drop something else from my stash). Aloe I haven't measured, I assume it's about 1/2-ish tablespoon. I fill the bottle almost full with cold tap water, but leave a bit room for shaking. I use it all on one go, after shampoo bar and conditioner, and won't rinse it off. (After using the rinse, I take the cap off from the bottle, and rinse it really well and put it upside down to dry, so it's clean and dry for the next use.)

If I'd make enough for several uses, I would keep it in the fridge and would try to use it in few day's time.

[Neoma]

I made enough for one use, I'm a bit paranoid about bacteria growing But it only takes probably 30 seconds to make. I use an old squirt type conditioner bottle (2,5 dl), 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid, and about 2-3 drops of essential oil (often 1-2 drop peppermint and 1-2 drop something else from my stash). Aloe I haven't measured, I assume it's about 1/2-ish tablespoon. I fill the bottle almost full with cold tap water, but leave a bit room for shaking. I use it all on one go, after shampoo bar and conditioner, and won't rinse it off. (After using the rinse, I take the cap off from the bottle, and rinse it really well and put it upside down to dry, so it's clean and dry for the next use.)

If I'd make enough for several uses, I would keep it in the fridge and would try to use it in few day's time.

Thank you, Arctic! I'm paranoid about growing bacteria in homemade hair care products, too.

Your recipe is very helpful. Now all I need is some CA. I used mine up ages ago.

[sumidha]

If it helps your paranoia a little bit, citric acid is used as a preservative in hair products, used to inhibit the growth of mold when growing sprouts, and to help preserve canned goods.

[Neoma]

If it helps your paranoia a little bit, citric acid is used as a preservative in hair products, used to inhibit the growth of mold when growing sprouts, and to help preserve canned goods.

Thank you, sumidha! Those are excellent points!

[daisyflower]

Hi there,
I'm new to shampoo bars. I was WO for a year and a half perhaps. Having terrible breakage, brittle hair from not taking care of it. My scalp does not like SLS and even the more natural cleansers. So I resorted to shampoo bars. I have been using the shampoo bars for, maybe 2-3 months and my hair's far from "healing", it seems to shed more and there's more breakage. It makes my scalp dry and hair brittle.

I tried ACV rinses, lemon rinses and CA rinses. ACV was terrible making things more dry. I even use a conditioner now.

Things are slightly better with a conditioner, but why is the hair more brittle and crispy with shampoo bars?

At first i was using JR liggett's bars, then i read the entire thread and seems that CV is very popular choice. I ordered some even though it took like up to a month to arrive at my country. After using CV bars, it was no different from the liggett's bars. My hair is still weak and dry.

How do you guys get conditioned hair from shampoo bars? can shampoo bars help damaged and weak hair?

[Neoma]

Hi there,
I'm new to shampoo bars. I was WO for a year and a half perhaps. Having terrible breakage, brittle hair from not taking care of it. My scalp does not like SLS and even the more natural cleansers. So I resorted to shampoo bars. I have been using the shampoo bars for, maybe 2-3 months and my hair's far from "healing", it seems to shed more and there's more breakage. It makes my scalp dry and hair brittle.

I tried ACV rinses, lemon rinses and CA rinses. ACV was terrible making things more dry. I even use a conditioner now.

Things are slightly better with a conditioner, but why is the hair more brittle and crispy with shampoo bars?

At first i was using JR liggett's bars, then i read the entire thread and seems that CV is very popular choice. I ordered some even though it took like up to a month to arrive at my country. After using CV bars, it was no different from the liggett's bars. My hair is still weak and dry.

How do you guys get conditioned hair from shampoo bars? can shampoo bars help damaged and weak hair?

daisyflower, a lot of people experience dry, crispy length (aka doll hair) when using shampoo bars. Try adding a shot of conditioner to your vinegar rinse. Or just shampoo your scalp, letting the suds run down the length, but not actively massaging the suds through.

[Jeni]

I haven't experienced dry ends or breakage since using shampoo bars, I sometimes have the opposite problem and end up with oily/waxy ends of the bar is too moisturizing. What bars did you try? They have a wide range of bars, I've literally bought (almost) every shampoo bar sample they make and have gone through and tried each one for a few days and kept track of the results. They have a butter bar conditioner shampoo bar you could try, it's probably the most conditioning of their bars imo.

I always use conditioner after washing but I now am using cheap cone free vo5 or suave, I apply it soaking wet hair and then rinse immediately off. I haven't noticed any breakage or split ends and my hair looks fuller and softer then it use to.

I should also add I do a lemon juice rinse every week or so. I tried to vinegar but it made my hair greasy and waxy plus I HATED the smell!

[rhosyn_du]

Is your hair by chance color treated, daisyflower? When I first used shampoo bars, I had color treated ends, and all shampoo bars made them feel like plastic doll hair. I ended up giving up on shampoo bars until I'd grown out the dye.

For dry hair/scalp, be sure you're using moisturizing bars. My favorites are the Marshmallow Silk bars from Sweet Creek Soaps on Etsy (she has several different scents; I like them all) and the Lavender Spice from CV.

Even with virgin hair and moisturizing shampoo bars, I still use conditioner. I know a lot of people can get away without it, but my hair is just too thirsty! You may find that yours is, as well.

[daisyflower]

daisyflower, a lot of people experience dry, crispy length (aka doll hair) when using shampoo bars. Try adding a shot of conditioner to your vinegar rinse. Or just shampoo your scalp, letting the suds run down the length, but not actively massaging the suds through.

Hi Neoma,
I’ve been doing that, adding conditioner to my CA rinse and only shampooing scalp.
From the first wash til now (3 months), I’m still getting crispy, brittle, dry hair. And I have more shedding. Plenty of splits even though I have shoulder length hair.
I’m just wondering if poo bars don’t work for me or something somewhere somehow I’ve been doing wrongly?

I haven't experienced dry ends or breakage since using shampoo bars, I sometimes have the opposite problem and end up with oily/waxy ends of the bar is too moisturizing. What bars did you try? They have a wide range of bars, I've literally bought (almost) every shampoo bar sample they make and have gone through and tried each one for a few days and kept track of the results. They have a butter bar conditioner shampoo bar you could try, it's probably the most conditioning of their bars imo.

I always use conditioner after washing but I now am using cheap cone free vo5 or suave, I apply it soaking wet hair and then rinse immediately off. I haven't noticed any breakage or split ends and my hair looks fuller and softer then it use to.

I should also add I do a lemon juice rinse every week or so. I tried to vinegar but it made my hair greasy and waxy plus I HATED the smell!

Hi Jeni!
I’m just wishing I had what everyone experienced, that is, waxy oily greasy hair. I’m just having dry dry hair and scalp.
I tried the coconut milk, olive babbassu, honey milk carrot, nettle bars. They all seem to dry my scalp and hair out. Olive babbassu was the least drying but still had those brittle ends.
I do the CA rinse every wash and use conditioner. I did try conditioner before a rinse and also tried after a rinse, both left me with the same results.
Wish I could heal my damaged hair and experience softer hair like you.

Is your hair by chance color treated, daisyflower? When I first used shampoo bars, I had color treated ends, and all shampoo bars made them feel like plastic doll hair. I ended up giving up on shampoo bars until I'd grown out the dye.

For dry hair/scalp, be sure you're using moisturizing bars. My favorites are the Marshmallow Silk bars from Sweet Creek Soaps on Etsy (she has several different scents; I like them all) and the Lavender Spice from CV.

Even with virgin hair and moisturizing shampoo bars, I still use conditioner. I know a lot of people can get away without it, but my hair is just too thirsty! You may find that yours is, as well.

Hi Rhosyn, I did henna it before starting th shampoo bars. Perhaps it’s because my conditioner treatment after the henna wasn’t quite heavy enough.
I do suspect I need more moisturising bars. But my hair is actually fine, straight and I don’t have a lot of it. So yeah, fine and little hair.
I used to have to use oily hair shampoo cause my hair is fine and oily. I guess after my WO venture, it just turned brittle and dry. This is why I’m out of WO and trying something else now.
I may have to try another manufacturer’s bars one day. CV bars took many weeks to arrive and the shipping cost was expensive.
Do I have to grow out the henna first, you think?

[Arctic]

I don't know Daisyflower, after that much time, trying different bars and methods, and clearly seeing damage and unhappy hair, I personally would have called it quits a long time ago.

As a new member (and sometimes still) I get these ideas that this or that would be wonderful routine or method for me, it should work because it does for so many and because I would like it to. Probably 90% of my many experiments have been fails, usually because they irritate my skin/scalp in one way or another. It can be disheartening to admit that something doesn't work, and in every case where I have desided to give it a little more time to adjust, it never has. The skin problems just got worse. I have tried to learn my lessons here and listen to my skin (and hair), and I'd feel 3 months is plenty of time to see if something suit you.

If I were you i would clarify and do a long, moisturizing deep treatment. Maybe you could use the bars every other or every third wash, and the rest of the time use shampoo.