Quick question about shampoo bars.

[Andrea H]

Hey guys! My shampoo bar got here today! :happydance:I've heard people suggest different things on how to use it ect but here's my questions. I got the Herb Garden one from Chagrin Valley by the way.

-Do I need to clarify my hair before I use the bar?
-Should I use the bar on ALL of my hair or only on my scalp?
-How much vinegar do I need and how much water for the acid rinse? My hair is MBL if that helps.

I can't believe I'm THIS excited over a shampoo bar, but I am. :P

[Nae]

I always clarify before I use the bars. Generally I will just hit it with a little clear sulphate shampoo and then use the bar immediately.

To get the suds I take the bar and start at my roots and lightly drag it down my wet hair. I will separate my hair at the roots here and there to ensure that I get the suds all the way to the roots. I don't focus as much on the very ends, I probably drag it down the first 6 inches or so.

I take an old empty 12-13 ounce bottle of shampoo. I pour in a few splashes of ACV, maybe 1-2 tablespoons, then fill up the bottle the rest of the way while in the shower then dump the whole thing over my head concentrating on good coverage. It just smoothes down the hair like you wouldn't believe.

I also do sometimes put some cone free condtioner between the poo bar and the ACV but you might try it without first to see how it goes. I generally seem to need more conditioner in the winter. The ACV really helps though.

Also, use the poo bar twice. It will suds up much better the second time and really just work it through your hair, enjoy it. They smell so good! Good luck!

[Andrea H]

Gah! I got antsy and already tried it. But definitely will try your tips the next time I use it. I wetted my hair thoroughly, then rubbed the bar until it got sudsy and used the foam from it on my scalp. After I rinsed it out I got that gunky feeling some were talking about, but immediately after using the AVC rinse it was fine again. Just waiting for it to dry now. :D

Next time I'll definitely use the bar twice, I was just used to my usual once shampoo because the other shampoo I used would be too much to use two times(aka dry out my hair a lot).

[Nae]

Oooh. I wonder how it will be when it dries. I request updates please!!:)

[Andrea H]

Will do! :D My roots definitely have that "no build up" feel to it, even though I didn't clarify before hand. Your hair is gorgeous by the way. Is that your natural color?

[Nae]

Why thank you! My natural color is super dark brown with lots of white shot here and there through it. I use henna, so the red you see is the white hair picking up that henna color. On the dark brown it doesn't change the color a lot, it just flames in the sun.

You may be a lucky one and able to go straight to shampoo bars without much of a transition stage. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

[dollyfish]

Personally, I find that sudsing the bar in my hands first is way better than dragging the bar across my hair. [ETA: Plus, when you do this, you won't have to use it twice and risk drying.] I flip my head upside down and scrunch the suds into my scalp (avoiding the length as much as possible). Then I either use conditioner and ACV, or just ACV to get rid of the waxy feeling.

Also, I only use a shampoo bar if my hair is REALLY oily (like after a deep oil treatment or something). Usually I use olive oil shampoo.

[Andrea H]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/anniegurl89/DSCN1968_zpsb5cc239fa_zps8163b566.jpg

Here it is after it's dried! I don't the flash helps but it's wavier than it usually is and there's CURLS at my temples. Scalp feels good, hair in general feels good. I can't say there's a major difference in softness because my hair is always soft.


Why thank you! My natural color is super dark brown with lots of white shot here and there through it. I use henna, so the red you see is the white hair picking up that henna color. On the dark brown it doesn't change the color a lot, it just flames in the sun.

You may be a lucky one and able to go straight to shampoo bars without much of a transition stage. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!
Wow, that is a good color though! I like it. :D

And thanks, I don't want to jinx it but I don't think it'll be that tough of a transition for me. I think having done this on third day hair that is slightly oily helps keep it from getting dry.


Personally, I find that sudsing the bar in my hands first is way better than dragging the bar across my hair. [ETA: Plus, when you do this, you won't have to use it twice and risk drying.] I flip my head upside down and scrunch the suds into my scalp (avoiding the length as much as possible). Then I either use conditioner and ACV, or just ACV to get rid of the waxy feeling.

Also, I only use a shampoo bar if my hair is REALLY oily (like after a deep oil treatment or something). Usually I use olive oil shampoo.

Yeah, I'm iffy about dragging the bar across my hair as well. Are you saying that sudsing it in your hair first, you can wash it twice and it won't dry out? Or are you saying that you don't wash your hair twice because it would dry out from using the bar on the scalp itself? Yeah I only use shampoo on my scalp and just let it glide down the rest of the way as I rinse.

Thanks for the tips!

[moxamoll]

I use shampoo bars exclusively. I wet my hair thoroughly and pull the bar gently over my scalp from hairline down to my nape and then massage into my scalp. I don't usually lather the length unless I've done coconut oil. I usually lather twice, then follow with an ACV rinse. I use 2 tablespoons of vinegar to about 10 ounces of water. If I'm motivated enough, I'll finish with catnip tea. I didn't have any transition problems to shampoo bars.

Good luck!

[Andrea H]

Catnip tea, I've never heard of that. What's the benefits from using it? And thanks! :D

[EndlessSunshine]

I want to try poo bars but the water is really hard here. I bet the herbal bar smells amazing

[Chromis]

I have very, very hard water and had no transition period at all. I also didn't do any special clarifying. I pet the bar on my scalp and give a quick swipe under my nape (always in the direction of the hair though!) and along my temples and then pet down my length. Then I massage my scalp with my fingertips and rinse. I don't get much lather the first round. I do that again only putting my hair over my other shoulder to pet the length and have plenty of lather. If my scalp was really oily or I'd been stretching longer than normal between washes I will do a quick third round just on my scalp.

After soaping, I do a citric acid/ACV rinse. Before I hop in the shower (or sometimes right after I hop in and have to hope back out dripping wet :lol: ) I take a two-cup measure and add a dash of citric acid and a glug of local apple cider vinegar. Then when it is time to rinse, I fill the cup the rest of the way in the shower because I hate dumping on cold water. I dunk my ends in the cup for a couple of seconds and then pour the rest over my head. I do tip my head back under the water just for a fast moment because I find that works better for me than just leaving it in.

That all sounds a lot more involved to type out than it really is, I promise! It doesn't take me long at all to wash my hair, not really much different than shampoo and conditioner in terms of time. I've tried several companies and that has always worked as a basic routine. I tried going back to regular shampoo and conditioner for a while because I got tired of the cost of importing shampoo bars here, but nope, I really love my shampoo bars :thump:

Special note to those with hard water: although acid rinses are normally only talked about much by us crazy shampoo bar folks, I found plain old s&c also worked much better with a rinse! Left my hair much softer and less tangly.

[Andrea H]

Wait so you do the rinse BEFORE you get in the shower?

Also, washed my hair again today. Clarified with baking soda then shampooed twice and then rinsed. My hair doesn't feel STICKY nor does it look oily but it has that feel when you havent washed your hair in a few days at the roots. Maybe I didn't rinse out as well I should have. My hair is getting wavier, has anyone else's hair changed texture when switching over to bars?