Bar soap for hair and body

**afu** · July 13th, 2012, 07:41 AM

Does anyone here use regular soap bars for their hair and body?

Most people I know use modern liquid gels for handwashing/facewashing/bodywashing and shampoo for hair washing. I recently started buying 'Simple' bar soap (more info/ingredients) for body washing as I wanted something mild and most shower gels contain SLS etc but this soap is designed for sensitive skin and is perfume and colour free with a short ingredient list.

If you use bar soap - what do you like about it over shower gel?

Does anyone use it to wash hair? It was common practice in times gone by to use regular soap so i'm wondering whether to experiment with it

**GrowingGlory** · July 13th, 2012, 08:15 AM

Naturoli sells soapnut soap bars that look promising. I'm tempted to buy them although I'm happy with organic soap nut solution and A La Maison de Provence liquid soap. ALMdP makes bar soap. Their soaps have simple ingredient lists and are nondetergent.

**Amber_Maiden** · July 13th, 2012, 08:19 AM

Nope, I wouldn't use a regular body soap bar on my hair and body. But I do use shampoo bars that are made for both hair and body on both my hair and body

**afu** · July 13th, 2012, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Amber_Maiden

Nope, I wouldn't use a regular body soap bar on my hair and body. But I do use shampoo bars that are made for both hair and body on both my hair and body

Do you mind me asking why you wouldn't?

My face has improved so much since I started using only natural products (honey, aloe vera, sweet almond oil) so now im trying to address the rest of my body/hair care.

Am I right in thinking it was you who used to wash entirely with honey Amber Maiden? if so what made you switch to bars?

**Anje** · July 13th, 2012, 08:32 AM

I really prefer washing with bar soap over bodywash. Seems like I can lather the washcloth better and all that. However, I've moved away from my beloved water softener in an area with water hard enough that pebbles practically come out of the shower; real soap means soap scum with hard water, and I'd rather save myself the trouble of cleaning it up. So I use body wash.

I've used bar soap (in the form of CV bars) to clean my hair in the past. Some people like it, but I felt it made my hair feel a bit dry and hard. Good for volume, though. The major thing with washing your hair with a soap-based product (rather than a detergent like sulfates) is again that soap scum potential.

So before you try it: Get yourself a big cup (like the large plastic cups from fast food places that hold something like a liter) and some vinegar and put them within reach of the shower. Wash your hair. If it feels awful afterward, put a big glug of vinegar into the cup, fill it the rest of the way with water, and use that to rinse your hair.

morrigan* · July 13th, 2012, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by afu

Do you mind me asking why you wouldn't?

My face has improved so much since I started using only natural products (honey, aloe vera, sweet almond oil) so now im trying to address the rest of my body/hair care.

Am I right in thinking it was you who used to wash entirely with honey Amber Maiden? if so what made you switch to bars?

There are soaps that are saponified and there are commercial soap bars that is based on SLS, i wouldn't use second one for hair or body, for hands only now and then.

**Tia2010** · July 13th, 2012, 11:12 AM

I had a routine of using both a commercial bar (Dove) and a body wash. I liked the Dove because it felt gentle and didn't leave my skin feeling dry...but loved the smell of the body wash, so I would use it at the end of my shower just for the smell (mmm...cupcake smell

) But both would have been way to strong for my face and/or hair, especially the body wash.

Now though I switched to just using a natural goats milk soap bar. I don't wash my hair with it, but probably could. I have tried it on my face with no bad reaction, in fact my skin felt great..but I really like my regular skincare routine, so I wont be switching.

**Natalia** · July 13th, 2012, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by afu

Does anyone here use regular soap bars for their hair and body?

Most people I know use modern liquid gels for handwashing/facewashing/bodywashing and shampoo for hair washing. I recently started buying 'Simple' bar soap (more info/ingredients) for body washing as I wanted something mild and most shower gels contain SLS etc but this soap is designed for sensitive skin and is perfume and colour free with a short ingredient list.

If you use bar soap - what do you like about it over shower gel?

Does anyone use it to wash hair? It was common practice in times gone by to use regular soap so i'm wondering whether to experiment with it

i am a lover of bar soap.... everything but actually using it that is lol. i love the variety, textures, ingredients, colors, sooo many more options than liquid soap but darn if they arent so inconveinient

.

between my joints and the sharing a bathroom i cant leave anything in if i ever want to find it again they just arent for me right now. the only thing my skin tolerates are real veggie soaps so id really enjoy the variety bars have to offer plus the supper fatting. oh i long for the days of my own bathroom.... no having to carry goey bars and wet soap dish everday ahhhh

**Loviatar** · July 14th, 2012, 06:04 AM

I use Chagrin Valley bars for hair and body most of the time. We have liquid handwash in the bathroom, my housemate and friends use it and I use my bars. I find my skin, hair and nails are all better with bars.

The only exception is my face, I have rosacea and bars don't seem to help - even the castile baby soap bars. So I use Avene Cold cream Gel normally, and Chagrin Valley Butter face wash if I want to take off makeup.

The only time I use liquid shower gel is when I want something heavily scented, so maybe if I have a date. But I have high hopes for the CV 'Peaches and Cream' bar, as when I reach for a liquid gel, it's always a peach scented one (Dove or Body Shop.)

I am a product junkie and trying to cut down, one bottle at a time, until I am bars-only!

**Anshul585** · January 4th, 2017, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by Anje

I really prefer washing with bar soap over bodywash. Seems like I can lather the washcloth better and all that. However, I've moved away from my beloved water softener in an area with water hard enough that pebbles practically come out of the shower; real soap means soap scum with hard water, and I'd rather save myself the trouble of cleaning it up. So I use body wash.

I've used bar soap (in the form of CV bars) to clean my hair in the past. Some people like it, but I felt it made my hair feel a bit dry and hard. Good for volume, though. The major thing with washing your hair with a soap-based product (rather than a detergent like sulfates) is again that soap scum potential.

So before you try it: Get yourself a big cup (like the large plastic cups from fast food places that hold something like a liter) and some vinegar and put them within reach of the shower. Wash your hair. If it feels awful afterward, put a big glug of vinegar into the cup, fill it the rest of the way with water, and use that to rinse your hair.

I wash my hair with Dove soap bar and it doesn't dries out my hair at all. I love its fragrance. I love the cream it produce when I rub it into my hair. Yes, I said cream. It doesn't produce lather it produce creamy lotiony thing which cleans my hair and scalp and doesn't dries it out.

As far as I know in india water is really hard and at my place it is really very hard that taps get white deposits and rusts.

I dont need an acidic rinse because dove soap bar contains surfactant/detergent but it's not hard as other siapa or anything like that. The detergent in dove soap baris different from other detergents and it doesn't dries out hair.