This may be a dumb question.. but

[cdonald2]

I never really know what to wash my hair with. Ive used expensive shampoos, to horse shampoos to baby shampoo to even baking soda (i dont advise)

Ive seen alot of postings about shampoo bars... What are they? are they the same thing as body soap bars? do they remove cones as well?

tell me all i need to know about shampoo bars please :)


also, a side note. why are people opposed to using sulfates, parabens and cones on hair? im curious?

[Parelli4life]

I use a shampoo that works better for hard water (I have well water). Sorry I don't know what shampoo bars are.

[Nadine <3]

I think this thread will help you.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74

[Weewah]

People are opposed to sulfates because they are basically a detergent that lifts up the scales of your hair's cuticle, so over time your hair's outer layer will get all worn out. People don't like silicones because you need to use sulfates to remove them otherwise they'll just stick to the hair and build up. Also since they coat the hair it prevents moisture from getting into your hair which dries it out. Parabens if I remember correctly, are carcinogenic so that's why people want to avoid them.

[lapushka]

also, a side note. why are people opposed to using sulfates, parabens and cones on hair? im curious?

Not all of us are opposed to sulfates and silicones! I need to use a harsh cleanser (sulfates) because I have Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD). Nothing I can do about it. Sulfate-free is just too mild and doesn't clean my scalp enough. Silicones provide slip and smoothness that is beneficial in detangling (no ripping combs through, it just detangles itself).

[Natalia]

I never really know what to wash my hair with. Ive used expensive shampoos, to horse shampoos to baby shampoo to even baking soda (i dont advise)

Ive seen alot of postings about shampoo bars... What are they? are they the same thing as body soap bars? do they remove cones as well?

tell me all i need to know about shampoo bars please :)


also, a side note. why are people opposed to using sulfates, parabens and cones on hair? im curious?


Since someone else has already provided the poo bar link I will stick to the last part. Personally my skin is to sensitive to use sulfates and cocomides. Sulfates make me blister and peel, cocomides give me an itch like no other that wont go away for a looong time. Parabens irritate my eczema and cones gunk up my hair and make it tangle more. It varies a lot with people depending on hairtype and routine. Many people avoid parabens as they have a bad rap of adverse side effects

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I just use ordinary ole shampoo , diluted with water. I don't look at ingredients when I buy it, I usually choose it according to how nice it smells.:) My hair seems to like it well enough.

[Firefox7275]

It's worth running an advanced search, there are lengthy threads and discussions on each ingredient/ product.

I don't use sulphates because my eczematous skin and wavy colour damaged hair hates them: they are damaging to both and I am more vulnerable than the average LHCer. My hair was less poufy and my elbow patch of atopic eczema healed up the first week I quit. Once I quit sulphates on all products (shower gel, hand wash, toothpaste) my face and scalp were less oily, my lips and cuticles way less dry and split.

I didn't use silicones for three years due to following the Curly Girl method and co-washing, and realising that even with heavy use over many years silicones never gave me healthy or beautiful hair. I have been using other ingredients with the same properties and then some.

[cdonald2]

WOw thanks everyone for all the responses :)

I never really get too many side effects from my hair care routine, but if i can somehow improve it, i will take any advice i could get. Is it worth changing if i dont have many side effects? I have tried sulfate free, but my hair didnt feel completely clean from it. Im looking for a less damaging alternative to the harsh things i usually use yet one that makes my hair look clean. hoping these will be a good fit for me after im done using up my bumble and bumble as well as my other coney leave ins. They work well for me, but maybe elimination of them will work better. Anyone ever have that happen?

[MandyBeth]

I have tried the run of options.

SLS remains the one cleanser that does not freak my scalp out. Natural products were hell, massive reactions. I stay here now.

Parabens are similar. The next latest chemical replacing them was yet more scalp irritation. Bleeding sores are not an improvement. So, I don't care. I'm using parabens topically at least. But, really, they're just replaced with yet more chemicals so the replacement will be the hazard in a few years.

Silicones. They actually don't add shine unless I totally spaz my hair out. But, I have literally cat fine, slightly wavy, dense hair - translation, I have a knot factory. Cones boost slip better than any natural product, so I reduce the knots, thus reducing damage.

Keep in mind however, for me, two issues, I don't care what my hair does. If my scalp is an oozy, bleeding mess, my hair doesn't matter, it won't be healthy. I use what my scalp demands, then deal with hair.

[BlazingHeart]

If what you have is working for you, your hair is happy, and you like your routine, I see no reason to change.

Shampoo bars are made in the same way soaps are made, but they have a different balance of fats so that they can clean without leaving oils behind (leaving oils behind is a good thing on your skin, it helps keep it from getting too dry, but a shampoo depositing oils doesn't tend to work as well). I don't know if they remove cones well, you'd have to look in the 'poo bar thread.

SLS can be an irritant, and it can over-dry, particularly for people with curly to wavy hair. If it doesn't irritate your skin and it doesn't dry your hair out, no big reason to get rid of it. For me, it's no worse than anything else I've tried, and a lot easier on my hands to work into my hair.

Silicones - for some people, they can cause build-up, which leads to hair feeling dry, tangles, and dull hair. They can also reduce waves and curls, making hair appear straighter. However, if they don't build up (either because your regular shampoo takes care of things or you periodically use a clarifying shampoo), and you don't mind the possibility that it's making your hair straighter, no reason to get rid of them. For some people (myself included), they add slip that makes detangling knots easier. For me, they make it so fewer knots form to begin with, along with making the ones that do form easier to remove.

All that adds up to: do what works for you. If you want to experiment, only change one thing at a time so you can whether it's working for you or not. If you change more than one thing at a time, it's hard to tell what's making the difference. I don't mean just the products you use on your hair, but also how you handle your hair, how you wear it to sleep, whether you have a silk pillowcase or sleepcap, etc. Sometimes you can tell immediately if something isn't working, but it usually takes about 2 weeks to be sure it IS working.

[BlazingHeart]

If what you have is working for you, your hair is happy, and you like your routine, I see no reason to change.

Shampoo bars are made in the same way soaps are made, but they have a different balance of fats so that they can clean without leaving oils behind (leaving oils behind is a good thing on your skin, it helps keep it from getting too dry, but a shampoo depositing oils doesn't tend to work as well). I don't know if they remove cones well, you'd have to look in the 'poo bar thread.

SLS can be an irritant, and it can over-dry, particularly for people with curly to wavy hair. If it doesn't irritate your skin and it doesn't dry your hair out, no big reason to get rid of it. For me, it's no worse than anything else I've tried, and a lot easier on my hands to work into my hair.

Silicones - for some people, they can cause build-up, which leads to hair feeling dry, tangles, and dull hair. They can also reduce waves and curls, making hair appear straighter. However, if they don't build up (either because your regular shampoo takes care of things or you periodically use a clarifying shampoo), and you don't mind the possibility that it's making your hair straighter, no reason to get rid of them. For some people (myself included), they add slip that makes detangling knots easier. For me, they make it so fewer knots form to begin with, along with making the ones that do form easier to remove.

All that adds up to: do what works for you. If you want to experiment, only change one thing at a time so you can whether it's working for you or not. If you change more than one thing at a time, it's hard to tell what's making the difference. I don't mean just the products you use on your hair, but also how you handle your hair, how you wear it to sleep, whether you have a silk pillowcase or sleepcap, etc. Sometimes you can tell immediately if something isn't working, but it usually takes about 2 weeks to be sure it IS working.

ETA: oops, I forgot the parabens. There have been a couple of studies that suggested they may have a link to cancer (in particular, breast cancer), but there have also been studies that say they're perfectly safe. I find some of the alternatives irritate my skin.