The Best Shampoo Bars?

[henné]

Hello!

Some time ago I had a very negative experience with a few samples of shampoo bars. It was a small swedish company that made the bars - not Chagrin Valley or anything like that.

The problem was that my hair was covered in residue, got waxy and heavy and my scalp became irritated and horribly flakey after I used the poo bars for one month +. I have super sensitive skin and scalp and I can't have lots of substances around my scalp that stay on it ... It got so bad I started losing lots of hair which didn't stop until a while after I stopped with the poo bars. It took a while to get my scalp back on track again.

However, since then I've been reading about so many great experiences with poo bars and I'd like to try it again ... but this time a more known and trusted brand like Chagrin Valley. Anyone heard of Devaz brand?

What would you advise/suggest I chose? Has anyone else had similar experience to mine and despite that found a poo bar that worked for them?

I still have sensitive scalp that can't take the presence of any sort of conditioner and during winter it is always flakey and there is exactly zero things I can do to prevent this unless I'm willing to risk irritating it ... I wash my hair only once a week and could perhaps go 1.5 weeks if I were ok with a couple of slightly greasy days.

[henné]

I'd also like to add that I'm open to other alternative ways of washing my hair, I would just really like to stop using shampoo - any shampoo. Right now I'm using diluted Urtekram shampoo, but that still means I'm buying plastic bottles full of various things that are not 100% what I'd like to put on my skin ... if you get what I'm saying. I'm really doing this out of environmental concerns as my hair and scalp are just fine right now. I already use only bar soap for the rest of my body and would love to ditch the plastic bottle for washing my hair as well :) No reason to create trash if there are trash-free alternatives (or almost trash free).

[Dolly]

In my opinion, Chagrin Valley bars are some of the best. I personally love them.....I alternate between their bars and sulfate-free shampoo. The only way I could get rid of the waxies was rinse with a vinegar or citric acid rinse.

[henné]

In my opinion, Chagrin Valley bars are some of the best. I personally love them.....I alternate between their bars and sulfate-free shampoo. The only way I could get rid of the waxies was rinse with a vinegar or citric acid rinse.

I tried apple cider vinegar and white vinegar - none of it unfortunately worked for me :( Which shampoo bar that you know is the most minimalistic - as in has the least amount of oils and stuff in it? :) Thanks for your answer.

[Astraea]

Bobeam became a cult following for curlies. I think she's still making a killing. I used the shealoe bar and another one a couple of years ago and it felt marvelous, luxurious suds for days and the consistency of shaving foam. I didn't experience any hair hardening or breakage which I typically associate with bars. I'm WO now, but hers would be the first I'd try again.

I've used Chagrin's carrot milk and their honey beer and egg (both meh) and Anita Grant's unscented babassu when she still ran the company (good for me but complaints re: dryness from my 1b/FM/ii SO at the time) and the kelp bar (meh). I can't reemeber others I've tried.

[Petulia]

I don't personally use shampoo bars but my brother has a very dry, itchy scalp, and his hair tends to shed a lot too. He's been using shampoo bars from Lush Cosmetics (in the UK - I'm not sure if they have the exact same products in the US) and his scalp has improved a lot. Lush have a good reputation for handmade products, and the shampoo bars aren't too expensive either.

[henné]

I don't personally use shampoo bars but my brother has a very dry, itchy scalp, and his hair tends to shed a lot too. He's been using shampoo bars from Lush Cosmetics (in the UK - I'm not sure if they have the exact same products in the US) and his scalp has improved a lot. Lush have a good reputation for handmade products, and the shampoo bars aren't too expensive either.

We have a Lush store here in Stockholm (well, at least I hope it's still there) so I was thinking about buying some of their bars, but I've seen that there is a sulphate in their bars, which I don't like. My scalp can react wildly to sulphates. I think the sulphate those contain is sodium lauryl sulphate ... :hmm: The bars definitely don't pass the 'no poo' standard, which I was hoping to achieve.

[henné]

Bobeam became a cult following for curlies. I think she's still making a killing. I used the shealoe bar and another one a couple of years ago and it felt marvelous, luxurious suds for days and the consistency of shaving foam. I didn't experience any hair hardening or breakage which I typically associate with bars. I'm WO now, but hers would be the first I'd try again.

I've used Chagrin's carrot milk and their honey beer and egg (both meh) and Anita Grant's unscented babassu when she still ran the company (good for me but complaints re: dryness from my 1b/FM/ii SO at the time) and the kelp bar (meh). I can't reemeber others I've tried.

I'm unfortunately not a curly ... I'm an s-wavy :) I've also weaned off henna and have about 80% natural hair color for the first time in about 15 years, so it'd be nice to also see my original texture (a bit more wavy than with henna weighing my hair down) ... I'll check out Bobeam! Definitely!

[Anje]

I tried apple cider vinegar and white vinegar - none of it unfortunately worked for me :( Which shampoo bar that you know is the most minimalistic - as in has the least amount of oils and stuff in it? :) Thanks for your answer.

My guess is that you'd need to clarify occasionally then, but try rinsing with citric acid first. It doesn't take much, just a pinch or two in a big cup. Even then, though, soap-based shampoo bars just aren't very good if you've got hard water, for most people.

When you make soap as for these bars, you start with oil. So while some may have less residual oil in them (lower superfat, which may vary with the oil composition as well as the recipe used), they all will have some. I've been making an extremely minimalist 100% coconut oil soap that's 20% superfat, though I use it as soap mostly. It's not hard to make your own shampoo bars, if you're able to find NaOH.