The Shampoo Bar Thread

[SweetPea88]

I feel like there should be a T-shirt for everyone who has read through the entire thread! :D

Haha, I agree! Isn't the thread on the archives like past 200 or something pages?

[Moonstone]

I'm checking in again now that I've had time to experiment. I've found that out of my three samples (cafe moreno, olive babassu, and honey butter soap), the Olive and Babassu works the best. I also discovered that it works best to use it on the whole length of my hair, not just my scalp. The other two were rather drying, and the Honey Butter soap was actually the worst (though I admit it didn't get a fair trial, because I had it on my hair way longer than than the others - I was shaving my legs for once!). It seemed weird to me that Honey Butter would be drying, since from what I've heard, many people actually have trouble with it being too moisturizing, so I started comparing ingredients. I think the problem might be that Cafe Moreno and Honey Butter contain coconut oil, which I've read can make soaps drying. My hair tends to be very dry, so maybe it's sensitive to the coconut oil content? Unfortunately, Chagrin Valley doesn't have many soaps/shampoos without it, and I did want to experiment with a bunch of bars! I still will, but my next order will also include samples of the castile and calendula and/or the olive shea soaps.

[Calista]

Moonstone, if you liked the Olive Babassu be sure to check out the Babssu & Marshmallow shampoo. It does contain coconut oil, but lots and lots of other good stuff. I found it very moisturizing, though not as moisturizing as the OB.

Being one of the people who found the Honey Butter soap way too moisturizing I somehow can´t believe that it was actually drying to your hair. Are you sure it wasn´t soap residue which made your hair feel dry? The HB was a nightmare to rinse out for me. And I find that buildup/soap residue makes my hair feel weird and dry, can hardly get a comb through.

[Moonstone]

Calista, the Babassu and Marshmallow was actually one of the ones I wanted to try! I'm glad to hear it's moisturizing, because that's what I need!

Hmm, I didn't even think that it could be residue. It didn't feel like there was anything coating my hair, and the dryness did lessen in the few days following each bar. I also oiled my ends, and that helped a lot. Still, I've noticed that my hair is more tangly (even with the Olive and Babassu), like you said happens with residue. I guess I'll try rinsing more thoroughly. If that doesn't work, I can do ACV rinses, though I'd rather not (I like simplicity!).

[Calista]

Out of interest, what is your opinion on this observation?: when using my vinegar rinses with poo bars, I could feel them working immediately; ie I got instant slip and it was actually quite easy to run my fingers through my freshly rinsed hair. So I actually thought they were doing a good job, but I still had waxies when dry.

Does this sound to you like my rinse could really have been to weak? Or maybe I just need more of it? I was using about a pint/500 mls on my not quite shoulder length hair, so I would have thought this was plenty.
I use 1l for my waist-length hair, so I´d think 500ml should be plenty for you. Try upping the strength of your rinse and see if it helps with the waxies. If it doesn´t, then I´m clueless. :shrug: It is shampoo bars you are using, not soap bars, right? Because I get awful waxies from most of Ida´s regular soaps, even if I use a vinegar rinse afterwards.

[Calista]

We had our water tested a little while ago, and it's soft. I currently also use 100ml in 1l water, first swishing the length in it, like you recommended.
Miss Murphy, I´m sorry, then it can´t be buildup, I guess. Maybe shampoo bars just aren´t for you. Good thing you are giving them a break. It´s so frustrating not getting the results one wants.

[Kazazi]

definitely shampoo bars :)

the first time i used cv products i tried to use the cucumber and yoghurt soap on my length during the finals wash, as a conditioner, and that gave me the worst waxies ever, so since then i have been sticking to poo bars only plus regular condish.

next time i'll try a poo bar i'll up the acid rinse and report back. out of interest, if i wanted to try citric acid, can anyone tell me how much to use if i wanted to make a dilution that was stronger than 10% vinegar but not so strong it damages my hair? thanks!

[sapphire-o]

Wow this thread's gotten so long! Just want to give a little update: I've been trying PLH shampoo bars for a while and they work so well! Actually I think I like them better than CV shampoo bars. I think CV bars are too gentle for my oily hair. The only one cleansing enough is the citrus and chamomile and I always have a reaction after using it. All the PLH bars I tried clean very well without too much scrubbing. I'm very glad that I found another source of good shampoo bars. :)

*ETA I agree that some CV bars are VERY moisturizing, like cucumber lime, honey butter. They're so moisturizing, I can't use them at all. Always get itchy all over after using them. I suppose if I have very dry skin they might be great but my skin's normal.

[loves2spin]

I do have soft water, and that helps, I am sure. I also do NOT rub the bar directly on my hair or scalp. I lather up really well in my hands, and use that to wash my hair, rinse, repeat, ACV (1 Tablespoon in 1 cup water) and then rinse thoroughly. All ACV odor is gone, I do not need to use condish, and my hair is very happy and shiny now.

[Shannon4J]

I feel like there should be a T-shirt for everyone who has read through the entire thread! :D

LOL I can imagine the strange looks when people read that T-shirt! LOL

[pietri]

I found a sample of CV Marsh Mallow & Lemongrass yesterday and didn't bother to check if that's meant to be a shampoo or soap. It had been in a box for several months at least and as it was time for a wash I just decided to try it...

I've been having a few problems with my scalp just around my forehead. I'm pretty sure it's from trying to find the best way to cover some of my whites (which make me look like a lemur with just white around my face - I don't have the cute eyes to make that look work :D) with wash-out dye or the stuff that's supposed to give you back your natural hair colour, I'm planning on a white strand and slowly dyeing less and less to avoid a "skunkline" and stopf myself from actually dyeing all of my hair because I get discouraged with growing the whites out.

Anyway, my scalp has been really dry, itchy and sensitive around my forehead for three weeks at least.

I used the Marsh Mallow & Lemongrass to wash, followed with Lush Jungle condish (mmmmh that scent is so delicious!) and a bit of Goth Rosary condish as leave in.

Went to bed with damp hair and woke up with great volume and clumpy, big, supersoft curls and my scalp didn't even start to itch even though today was one of those days at the office that usually makes my skin go itchy in lots of places (stupid stress reaction, but that's what it does, I swear I can feel my skin go dry when things get hectic)!

:magic: :happydance::rockerdud

I just looked the bar up on Ida's site and found it's a soap and the quote regarding the Marsh Mallow root used in the soap: "has been used for centuries to soothe, moisturized, and protect dry, irritated, or inflamed skin."

I'd say it works ;)

[n3m3sis42]

LOL I can imagine the strange looks when people read that T-shirt! LOL

...And you'd have to only print stuff on the front of the T-shirt because on the back, it would be hidden by all the long hair. :)

[n3m3sis42]

I tried my Honey Beer and Egg for the second time today. This time, I kept my hair down, and it has great body and shine. :D

[chloeishere]

So, I've strayed from shampoo bars to a similar, but different product. It's still soap (no sulfates, no cones)... but it's soft, and sold in a big tub. I've been posting about it in my blog, but I thought I would mention it in this thread, as I don't really think it's signifigantly different from shampoo bars (except this isn't hard).
I'm just going to copy and paste the basic stats from my blog, as I don't feel like typing it all up again!
The product I'm using is FlowerMoonSoap's Dairy Whip. It's another etailer (like Chagrin Valley) albeit a much MUCH smaller one.
Quote:

Our Newest Product! Our unique foaming, moisturizing whipped soap made with goat’s milk, cocoa butter and jojoba. Use it from head to toe. Although primarily used as a skin-softening body cleanser, our dairy whip can also be used as a shaving cream, as bubble bath, and as shampoo.. Has the creamiest texture. Packaged in a 16 oz capacity clear plastic tub (Weighs 453g.). Available in several scents such as Chesapeake Mist, Lavender, Tropical Butter, Blackberry Sage, Island Coconut, Seafoam, Peach, Lemon, Lime, etc. Conducive to custom blending. Cost is $5.00.


So? What is that?

Quote:

We use a basic castille recipe--olive oil. coconut oil, soybean oil and saponify it so that it will not harden into a mass. We add cocoa butter and goat's milk too. No lanolin. Then we put in either an essential or fragrance oil, optional colorant, and sometimes jojoba beads.
(That is from an e-mail, asking for the ingredients-- the ingredients are not on the site, nor are they found on the label.)
Here's a nice link (http://www.flowermoonsoaps.com/store/index.asp?CatID=28&image.x=15&image.y=3) for ya.
I originally found this link at the lush forum, and was interested. Several people had used it as shampoo, with really good results. Obviously, 16 ounces for $5 is a really good deal.
However, this is a very small company, it appears. The ordering is not very streamlined-- the cart is a mess! Do not click check-out until you are READY to check-out, or you'll run into some glitches! They don't accept paypal, either. I received an order confirmation (which didn't include the details of my order, so remember what you got!), and then got nothing else until the package arrived-- I ordered LATE on Friday, April 11th, and it arrived Thursday, April 17th-- which is a short turn-around time, but there is no shipping notice. Also, they do not accept paypal.
Shipping was the same for 1 or 2 whips, at $6.50-- I suspect it also holds true for 3 whips, but beyond that, I do not know. Considering these weigh a pound (or more) each, it is a reasonable shipping rate, in my opinion (The vanilla honey weighed almost exactly 16 ounces in the tub, the white ginger weighed at least a few ounces more, but went off the old food scale I was using).
The scents I got were Vanilla Honey (which is absolutely delightful on, I recommend it 100%) and white ginger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_ginger) (which smells like the Hawaiian flower, not the spice. I wanted the spice, but it smells pretty good on). The vanilla honey contains honey from the owner's bees, which I think is very cool.
They have a soft, but solid texture, something like butter that hasn't quite reached room temperature.

More importantly, they make my hair feel great! I don't think this is a common problem on here (as most people seem to wash multiple times, unlike me), but shampoo bars make my hair feel a bit dried out-- not as bad as conventional shampoo does, at all-- but much more dry than with CO (which doesn't work for my scalp). I generally seem to find them a bit too cleaning (except the Serpentine hair bar, which isn't cleaning enough, and makes my scalp gunky). The dairy whip leaves my hair soft and clean, without ruffling the cuticle like shampoo bars do (I'm not sure why they don't, they just don't). I tried using my citric acid rinse with the dairy whip wash one time, and it was completely unnecessary. I don't need to use an acid rinse with this, which is great! I've continued using conditioner (which I also did with shampoo bars), but I'm not sure if it's necessary. It's mostly to make my damaged ends easier to detangle. I will probably try it without conditioner at some point, maybe subbing in a more dilute acid rinse for extra slip.
Here's some links to pictures (I don't want to clog up the page with pictures if people don't want to see):
Pictures of the tubs I got (http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k152/chloeishere/IMG_3438c.jpg).
My hair (still damp) after first wash with dairy whip. (http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k152/chloeishere/IMG_3474c.jpg)
Hair dry after first wash with dairy whip (waves fell out due to bunning) on a cloudy day (http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k152/chloeishere/IMG_3496c.jpg).

I just wanted to post my experience in case someone else is having the same experience and wants to try something else natural. I've also been using the whip (with a bath poof) to wash my body, and found it as moisturizing as cold processed soap. On the hair, they are more difficult to use than traditional shampoo (I normally scoop out a bit, dampen my hands, then lather in my hands and apply to my hair. I scoop 2-3 times total), but easier to lather than shampoo bars were at the start, IMO.
Let me know if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer!

[Hedera]

I have a question for anyone who has the CV Honey Beer & Egg shampoo with a 'don't use before' date of April16th, and / or the Babassu Marshmallow with the 20th of April as the ready date:

What do your bars look like, colour-wise?

I took them out of the bags a while ago to measure them, and now I worry I've gotten them mixed up...


They're both a sort of pale brown, but one is very uniform in colour and consistency, whereas the other one has lots of little lighter flecks (perhaps tiny foamy air bubbles) in it, especially near the edges.

If anyone can help me feel sure about which is which, I would very much appreciate it! :)

[Lady Copper]

"I found a sample of CV Marsh Mallow & Lemongrass yesterday and didn't bother to check if that's meant to be a shampoo or soap. It had been in a box for several months at least and as it was time for a wash I just decided to try it..."

I love the Marshmallow and Lemongrass soap! I just got a sample, and it was great for my hair. I had been trying the Extra Honey Beer & Egg one for my somewhat dry hair, and loved the feel and texture afterward, but didn't like the duller color of my hair. The Lemongrass seems to really make it shine again. Makes sense, as before I was using a commercial Lemon Verbena shampoo that was quite nice for that also. I am thinking my hair likes citrus type things...

I am having fun trying her lotions and other soaps, too. :D

[n3m3sis42]

I have a question for anyone who has the CV Honey Beer & Egg shampoo with a 'don't use before' date of April16th, and / or the Babassu Marshmallow with the 20th of April as the ready date:

What do your bars look like, colour-wise?

I took them out of the bags a while ago to measure them, and now I worry I've gotten them mixed up...


They're both a sort of pale brown, but one is very uniform in colour and consistency, whereas the other one has lots of little lighter flecks (perhaps tiny foamy air bubbles) in it, especially near the edges.

If anyone can help me feel sure about which is which, I would very much appreciate it! :)

Hedera, I have both of those bars from the same batch. I have already used the Honey Beer and Egg, so it's a little roughed up now. But I'm pretty sure it was a smooth consistency when it was unused.

I haven't used the Babassu Marshmallow one yet, and it does have little whitish foamy-looking flecks.

Hope that helps!

[Hedera]

Hope that helps!

Immensely!
Thank you! :cheese:

[n3m3sis42]

Immensely!
Thank you! :cheese:

Also, I think that the Babassu and Marshmallow has a little more scent to it than the Honey Beer and Egg does. Just taking it out of the package to look at it made me fingertips a little bit scented. :)

[Mahars]

Question for the coneheads out there:

I've just re-discovered a coney leave-in that I want to use up. I don't want to stop using shampoo bars though, because I love how gentle they are. Do any of you know if any of the CV bars are capable of removing cones? If not, I'll just use regular shampoo once a week, but I'm really curious to see if shampoo bars can take off the cones. I still have a bunch of CV samples left and I've just ordered a couple of PLH bars.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

mahars

[Gilly]

I am back on the shampoo bars again!
I had bee trying several organic "gentle" shampoos which had no SLS etc but my ends had started to feel a bit rough, I did 3 good lathers with a Olive & Babassu bar and a dollop of cone free condish and my ends are back to being beautifully soft!

Ida Rocks!!! :cheese:

[Saranne772]

I've tried searching the thread but not come up with anything so Ill ask at the end ;) Does anyone have a recipie for making a homemade bar? I cant afford to buy one (from online I mean) but I could try to make one.

[Hedera]

Also, I think that the Babassu and Marshmallow has a little more scent to it than the Honey Beer and Egg does. Just taking it out of the package to look at it made me fingertips a little bit scented. :)

Hmmm, now that is confusing again; the one that has by far the strongest scent is the non-flecked one, which would be the HBE....

Then again, they're all pretty strongly scented, at least the newer bars.

[aprilmay]

Making soap is expensive and takes awhile to figure out. I make soaps and have been using them for shampoo bars too on myself. I would check out local soap makers that way you wouldn't have to pay shipping and you might be able to purchase seconds from them. Do you have any farmer's markets? That is something we have here, but I don't know how common they are even in the rest of the US let alone in other countries.

Good luck! :)

[Neoma]

The product I'm using is FlowerMoonSoap's Dairy Whip. It's another etailer (like Chagrin Valley) albeit a much MUCH smaller one.
Quote:

chloeishere, thank you for sharing your experience with this product. I am bookmarking the site for future reference.
:flower:

[rhosyn_du]

I've been using shampoo bars for about a month, now, and while I like the results I'm getting, I'm still searching for the bar. I think I've determined that my hair is much drier than I'd originally thought. The first bar I tried was CV's Olive Babassu, which was okay, but left my hair doing the "straight frizz" thing that I get when my hair is moisture-starved. I used it for about two-and-a-half weeks before deciding to try something else.

Seeing many references to Olive Babassu being CV's most moisturizing 'poo bar, I decided to experiment with the soap samples I'd gotten. So far, I've used the Honey Butter and the Olive Shea, and while I like both, I think I'm ideally looking for something that's more moisturizing than the Honey Butter (which leaves me with some fly-away frizz) and less moisturizing than the Olive Shea (which would be great if I were washing daily, but leaves my hair a little stringy by day 2).

Does anyone with super-dry hair have any recommendations?

[n3m3sis42]

Hmmm, now that is confusing again; the one that has by far the strongest scent is the non-flecked one, which would be the HBE....

Then again, they're all pretty strongly scented, at least the newer bars.

That's weird... my HBE didn't really smell like anything (at least to me). Now I am wondering if I remember wrong about it being non-flecked. :S

[Calista]

The HBE is unsecneted, so it shouldn´t smell strongly at all. Mine doesn´t, but it´s ancient anyway.

The Babassu Marshmallow has a scent that Morticia once described a s"dried dog food", and I think she´s not far off. ;)It´s not flowery or citrusy, and I don´t find it strongly scented either. But maybe Ida changed her formula; it´s been a while since I last got a B&M bar.

[lora410]

Question for the coneheads out there:

I've just re-discovered a coney leave-in that I want to use up. I don't want to stop using shampoo bars though, because I love how gentle they are. Do any of you know if any of the CV bars are capable of removing cones? If not, I'll just use regular shampoo once a week, but I'm really curious to see if shampoo bars can take off the cones. I still have a bunch of CV samples left and I've just ordered a couple of PLH bars.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

mahars

My hair hates cones, but I do ocassionaly use cone-free condish after my poo bar. From what I heard poo bars are good claifiers themselves but I still personally do a clarify treatment every now and then.

[Kirin]

I've been trying shampoo bars off and on, and have a question. I stopped using a few because of the "waxies" ... and frankly vinegar didnt cut that either..... and seemed to fry my hair even with a DROP in a gallon of water.

Okay so i got a sample bar yesterday at a local craft faire, and tried it this morning after using sls free shampoo a while and my regular leave in. But, here's the thing, my scalp feels great and about 4 inches of my hair or so from the scalp down, but my ENDS feel oily/sticky and look that way too.

Why would this happen? The top part of my hair and scalp feel great, could it be build up from my leave in or something on the ends? Gumming up with the soap? Will this go away in time using it, and it will all feel as wonderful as the top?

[Mahars]

Thanks lora410. I think I'm going to have to clarify too, since I'm getting some seriously gunky product build-up that I wasn't getting before I started using this coney conditioner. Boohoo I guess shampoo bars aren't that stripping. That's a good thing though I suppose.

Kirin, I got the same problem too. I've always been a scalp washer, but I find that with shampoo bars, I have to really lather up the length or it gets gunky. I usually lather the whole thing twice. It doesn't seem to dry my hair out, and I have really dry curly hair.

[n3m3sis42]

I have a little update on the Honey Beer and Egg bar (the one I've used for my last two shampoos)...

This bar has definitely made my hair GORGEOUS. Not only is it shiny and full, but it's also staying very non-greasy all the way up until my next wash day. The only hitch is that *something* is making my scalp slightly unhappy. I've had intermittent scalp itchies, and when I brush my hair with my BBB, I'm getting a slight amount of flaking. It's easy enough to brush away and I'm not seeing flakes any other time, but this is weird because I *never* have dandruff.

I'm not sure if it's the HB&E just yet, because I sort of remember having a little itchiness when I was using the Lavender and Spice bar as well. Furthermore, I just henna'ed about 2 weeks ago, and it was henna mixed with lemon juice that had been sitting in my freezer for a good long time. Henna with lemon juice has given me itchies in the past, and I think I'm going to use chamomile tea (and maybe just a drop or two of lemon juice) the next time I do my henna paste. Oh, *and* I used conditioner to help get the henna out. It was 'cone-free, but it's still the first conditioner that's touched my head in over a year. So anyway, *lots* of variables that could have caused the itchies besides the HB&E bar.

Tomorrow is my next wash day, and I think I'll try a different CV bar (I'm thinking Babassu and Marshmallow since I feel like some moisture might be a good thing right about now, and I can just put up my hair if it gets *too* moisturized like it did with the Olive Babassu). Once my scalp is completely itch- and flake- free again, I'll go back and try HB&E so I can see if it's really the culprit or not. Either way, the itchies and flakes really aren't very bad and might just be worth it in exchange for what this bar does for my hair. :)

[Calista]

Kirin, did you lather your length as well? You really need to with most shampoo bars. Some people (Kimberlily for instance) don´t shampoo their length, but most people do. If you oil you certainly need to shampoo your length. I lather my length at least twice, like Mahars. You also need to scrub/massage more than you do with commercial shampoo.

Is your length damaged? Some people found that damaged hair doesn´t respond as well to shampoo bars as healthy hair.

And yes, it could be product build up. What kind of leave-in was it? If it contains cones I recommend you to clarify first. It isn´t so easy to get out cones with shampoo bars.

[Miss Murphy]

I've been trying shampoo bars off and on, and have a question. I stopped using a few because of the "waxies" ... and frankly vinegar didnt cut that either..... and seemed to fry my hair even with a DROP in a gallon of water.

Okay so i got a sample bar yesterday at a local craft faire, and tried it this morning after using sls free shampoo a while and my regular leave in. But, here's the thing, my scalp feels great and about 4 inches of my hair or so from the scalp down, but my ENDS feel oily/sticky and look that way too.

Why would this happen? The top part of my hair and scalp feel great, could it be build up from my leave in or something on the ends? Gumming up with the soap? Will this go away in time using it, and it will all feel as wonderful as the top?

Kirin, that is exactly what happens to me every time I use bars. I get in the shower with greasy scalp but OK length. Once it's dry, it's the other way round - my scalp is nice and clean, but my lenghts are all shades of waxy.
I have not found a solution yet. I have been clarifying, using more/less vinegar in my rinse, lathering twice, three times, using different bars - nothing helped.

I hope you find a solution soon - and if you do, make sure you let me know :D

[n3m3sis42]

My hair is now up in a towel, because I have just tried the Babassu and Marshmallow CV bar!

I cut this one into thirds, because I have been reading the original archived thread (I'm on page 64!) and saw that a lot of people do this. Given how overmoisturizing the Olive Babassu bar was, I figured that way I'd at least have two thirds of the bar left unused if I ended up wanting to swap it.

I have no idea how my hair is going to look when it dries, but I had absolutely ZERO tangles when I combed it out after my shower. I also noticed that it wasn't squeaking quite as much as after the other bars. I hope it's clean... if not, I will try lathering a third time the next time that I use this bar (it didn't seem to lather as much as the others, although that may have been me being clumsy because I had cut the bar into smaller pieces).

Sorry for writing a book... I'll update on how my hair looks when it dries!

[n3m3sis42]

An update of sorts... my hair is now mostly dry and feels soft. I will be wearing it up today, so I won't have a full verdict on how it looks until my next wash day on Friday, when I will wear it down. Also, I reserve judgment until I see how long it takes for my scalp to get oily. :)

I *think* my scalp itchies feel a little bit better already, but it's hard to say since they were intermittent to begin with.

[aprilmay]

You all have inspired me to switch and I have been testing my way through my own handmade soaps. I have used three different bars and they each have a slightly different result in my hair. I am not sure if it is the properties of the essential oils, the added botanicals or that I am getting better at using a bar instead of a bottle. I haven't used vinegar, I am using conditioner, and then 2 days a week I am using my kids crappy shampoo at the pool. I am loving the results from my current lavender bar.

Keep testing and figure out what works for your hair and your schedule. :)

[Lavendula]

Miss Murphy, one other thing crossed my mind about your shampoo bar problems... I found out I comb the bar through my hair much more than the dozen times Calista mentions in her article. My hair seems to soak up the lather very quickly, so I apply it very generously: about 25-30 times from scalp to length every time I lather up. I lather up twice, I once tried lathering once as an experiment and it left me with the evil waxies! HTH.

[Miss Murphy]

Lavendula, thanks for the tip! Next time is a poo bar wash (I'm alternating now), so I'll try your tip! I do lather twice, most often three times anyway - but maybe it's still not enough.

[Lavendula]

You're very welcome, Miss Murphy. Fingers crossed it helps you out, it would be great if you'll get the beautiful results most of us get too :)...

I don't think I mentioned this already in the thread, but using the poo bars now for a month or so has really helped me with my dry hair. Every wash, my hair gets more moisturized. I think the dry hair was an effect of using harsh detergents and stylingproducts; so poo bars work for me as a treatment for damaged hair. I barely need any oils for conditioning anymore! Any similar experiences?

[Carina]

Hello everybody!!!I have a problem that I know you can help me with.I bought a butter bar.Someone said that I can use it as a conditioner.Do I apply it on the tail only or ends only?As you can see I'm a bit lost.I have several bars from different places and I have a big passion for schampobars.

[Miss Murphy]

Um, maybe I'm a bit thick - but where's the difference between tail and ends? I would just apply it where you would normally apply conditioner. For me, that's pretty much my whole head of hair, as otherwise I have trouble detangling. others just apply it from their ears down.
So I guess, YMMV (I always wanted to say that :D)

[Carina]

Thank you Miss Murphy!I usually apply conditioner all over my head to:o.When I say ends only I mean the last two inches:agree:.It will be fun to take a shower today and see how my hair likes the butter bar:cool:.You are not thick at all Miss Murphy:D

[n3m3sis42]

Sooo... here's the verdict on the CV Babassu and Marshmallow shampoo bar so far.

Either it's not as over-moisturizing for my hair as the Olive Babassu bar, or my hair just really wanted the moisture right now. Today is Day 2 after my wash, and at the end of the day, I still don't have any problems with greasy roots. My hair is really soft, although I think I get better body and shine with several of the other bars.

My scalp is also feeling less itchy, although I'm still seeing a small amount of flakes when I comb or brush. I really don't think this is build-up--I'm thinking my scalp was just mad about one of the numerous factors I mentioned a couple posts ago.

Even so, I'm thinking about maybe doing a clarifying BS rinse before my next shampoo on Friday. Since I'm using a more moisturizing bar at the moment, it seems like an appropriate time. Or maybe I'll just shampoo with Babassu and Marshmallow again on Friday and do the BS rinse next week if I still want to? BS rinses were my only cleansing method for a year before I went to shampoo bars, but now I'm sort of scared that doing one will strip my hair.

[Miss Murphy]

n3m3sis42, Calista (and others too, I'm sure) recommends doing a clarifying BS wash, rinse that out, and then follow up with a lather of your most moisturizing poo bar to put some of the moisture back into the hair.

HTH :)

[n3m3sis42]

n3m3sis42, Calista (and others too, I'm sure) recommends doing a clarifying BS wash, rinse that out, and then follow up with a lather of your most moisturizing poo bar to put some of the moisture back into the hair.

HTH :)

Thanks! Hmmm, maybe I should use the Olive Babassu as a follow-up to the BS wash. That sucker was nothing if not moisturizing... so much so that I felt kinda greasy by the end of the day.

I still think I'll wait until Tuesday, though. That way, if my hair gets weird, I'm planning on wearing it up anyway.

[n3m3sis42]

Today, I tried the CV Nettle shampoo bar. I just didn't want to risk a baking soda rinse and Olive Babassu on a day when I was planning to wear my hair down.

Nettle lathered better than any bar I have tried so far! I'm guessing it's also more cleansing than most of the other ones, because my hair is doing a little bit of that Day 1 Poofiness that I always used to experience when I used to do a BS wash/ACV rinse routine. Hopefully, that means Day 2 will be awesome, but today is not so bad.

Also, I'm pleased to report that all of my itchies and flakes seem to be gone now! I'm still not sure what caused them, but maybe I won't need that clarifying BS rinse after all?

I have a new order on the way, and I can't wait!

[sapphire-o]

Just want to post a brief rave about Prairieland Herbs shampoo bars. They're fabulous for oily hair. I've been using them for a couple weeks and my scalp feels completely normal now. No more flakes, no pimples and my hair seems less oily as well. I can wear my hair down any day I want, it still looks OK right before I wash again. I hope it continue to work that well for me. I think I'll give all my CV bars to DH who has drier hair. :)

[n3m3sis42]

sapphire-o, which PLH bars have you been using?

I have three that I have yet to try (Fragrant Tresses, Hempchouli, and Rosemary Nettle). They smell nice, but the CV bars have worked so well for me that I'm almost scared to try my PLH ones. I'm sure I will end up trying them, but I cut my bars in two, and if they don't end up working for me, maybe I can send you the unused halves. :)

[sapphire-o]

Oh, so far I've tried rosemary nettle, aloe fresh, ginger beer, hempachouli and coco-free and they all worked very well. My scalp and hair get very clean, which is exactly what I like. My hair doesn't like anything moisturizing. I think you'll like them unless you have dry hair. :)

[n3m3sis42]

Oh, so far I've tried rosemary nettle, aloe fresh, ginger beer, hempachouli and coco-free and they all worked very well. My scalp and hair get very clean, which is exactly what I like. My hair doesn't like anything moisturizing. I think you'll like them unless you have dry hair. :)

My hair is sort of normal-to-dry, I guess. As in, sometimes it will get VERY dry, but mostly it's just sort of "on the dry side". In the summer, it gets oily faster because it's really hot and humid here. The only CV bar I've found too moisturizing so far has been Olive Babassu. It did get my hair clean, but by the end of Day 2, but roots looked oily and my hair was sort of flat (although it was REALLY shiny). I feel like it MIGHT work for me in the winter or as an occasional treatment if my hair feels dry.

The others I've tried (Mud and Clay, Cafe Moreno, Honey Beer and Egg, Lavender and Spice, Babassu and Marshmallow, and Nettle) have gotten my hair really clean. I found Nettle to be more cleansing and drying than the others (but not too cleansing), and Babassu and Marshmallow and HB&E have probably been the most moisturizing of the bunch.

I'll probably try the PLH bars during the summer when it's hotter and my hair tends to get yucky faster. If I don't like them for my hair, I may just be getting in touch with you to see if you want any half-bars. :)

[ruthietoothie]

HI, I'm new to this thread, and haven't had time to read all the pages yet.

Backround on me: In January of 2007, I started using CV bars (my favorite was Extra Honey Beer). I did not condition afterwards with anything. For the first few weeks, my hair was divine! Lovely, really. Then it started looking terrible! Coated, ,and gross! I don't remember if I did any ACV rinses, but I am pretty sure I did. Anyhow, not long after that, I started Water Only on my hair. I had pretty good results at first (w/ only ACV rinses once a week), but then I fell into the habit of doing ACV rinses more frequently...that's when my hair took a turn for the worst. In Oct/Nov of 07, I started thinking about trying out No Water/ Sebum Only. So I weaned myself off of the frequent ACV rinses first, then started stretching out my WO rinses. On December 28th, I began NW. My agreement was to try NW for 5 months to give my scalp ample time to adjust. I am now more than 4 months into the experiment, and my hair is still greasy looking from root to tip. I am trying to decide what to try next. I am thinking first of trying WO, but I was not happy w/ my hair on that after a while either, so I am also thinking of trying out CV bars again. Should I think about using a regular soap bar as conditioner? The one I want (Lime and Basil Yogurt) is out of stock and not ready to order yet. I ordered a different one in a sample size (but I can't remember the name of it now..something w/ olive oil in it though!)

Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated! And thanks, if you actually read my whole backround story!:)

[n3m3sis42]

HI, I'm new to this thread, and haven't had time to read all the pages yet.

Backround on me: In January of 2007, I started using CV bars (my favorite was Extra Honey Beer). I did not condition afterwards with anything. For the first few weeks, my hair was divine! Lovely, really. Then it started looking terrible! Coated, ,and gross! I don't remember if I did any ACV rinses, but I am pretty sure I did.

Hi! A couple of things. I've only been using the CV bars since March, so note that I'm not an expert or anything (yet?). However, so far, I love them, and I have read this whole thread and 150+ pages of the CV bar thread from the archived forum, because I am a sad, sad person. :)

First, if you *weren't* using an ACV rinse (I know you said you weren't sure), I think that could cause the "coated" feeling. Secondly, do you have hard water? Some people with hard water have trouble with these bars, and a water filter or a rinse with distilled water may help. Third, some people need to clarify every now and then using a baking soda rinse (or something else clarifying like that). You might be able to try the BS rinse if you do start using the CV bars again and end up getting that icky coated feeling.

You could also try switching up the bars more often. Maybe some specific ones builld up on your hair if you use them too many times in a row?

[loves2spin]

I agree with n3m3sis42. I know from long experience that soft water makes a HUGE difference in washing hair - and not only with poo bars. And, if your hair loved the bar for a while and then seemed to be coated, all it would take to remove that would be a quick wash with something cheap like Sauve shampoo, rinse, then wash with your bar again - at least that is what I would probably try if it were me, which it's not. Good luck. I hope you can find a routine that is perfect for YOUR hair! :)

[ruthietoothie]

Thanks for the suggestions! I still have some time before I need to try them out, but at least now I have a place to start!

Oh, we have ALMOST soft water (on the water hardness chart, there are 4 "levels" of hardness., 1 being the lowest. Where I live was considered a "2".) I'm pretty sure that I tried a AC rinse when the bars starting leaving my hair icky. It didn't make a difference. My hair is always like that, though...it will like a product for a while, and then it hates it.:rolleyes: My hair just can't make up it's mind!

[Mishka_84]

After reading only the first 3 pages of this thread I found myself buying some sample bars from CV; I'm now impatiently waiting to get my Honey beer and egg and Babassu and Marshmallow. I've used poo bars before, from Heart of Iowa, but ran out and never reordered. I've looked through their inventory as well, but decided to give CV a try. I'll post results once I get them!

[Calista]

Ruth, maybe you´re one of those people that need to clarify every once in a while, even with shampoo bars. When I started with them I had to clarify about every eight weeks. I haven´t clarified in ages now, maybe because I stopped using soap as conditioner.

[ruthietoothie]

So is it a good thing to use the soaps as conditioner? I haven't tried that, but may.

Oh, and I officially quit NW/SO today...I rinsed.

Can I clarify w/ BS? Is that too drying? I had tried it instead of shampoo a year and a half ago, and found it not to be good for my hair all the time, but maybe just for clarifying every once in a while?

[n3m3sis42]

So is it a good thing to use the soaps as conditioner? I haven't tried that, but may.

Oh, and I officially quit NW/SO today...I rinsed.

Can I clarify w/ BS? Is that too drying? I had tried it instead of shampoo a year and a half ago, and found it not to be good for my hair all the time, but maybe just for clarifying every once in a while?

ruthietoothie, I used to wash my hair with a BS/water solution (for about a year, before I switched to shampoo bars). I used a tablespoon of baking soda in about 1.5 cups of water. I found that it wasn't too drying as long as I didn't let it sit on my hair for very long before rinsing it out, and as long as I used a fairly strong ACV rinse (I think I described it to you in an earlier post, but I'm not sure--it's 2 tbsp ACV in about 1.5 cups water).

I know I've seen other people on here that use a BS/water solution to clarify every so often in order to remove shampoo bar buildup.

As far as the soaps-as-conditioners question, I haven't actually tried doing this because I am pretty sure my hair would hate it. Some people swear by this, but others get buildup, so my suggestion would be to try some shampoo bars (again) first and see how it works for you.

[Shannon4J]

My husband & I were at Whole Foods tonight and we got some soaps that smell sooooo YUMMY!!! They are by Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. I got them for handwashing, but the way it lathered up I instantly thought of using it on my hair! LOL

Think this would be ok for hair? Here's the ingredients:
Palm, coconut and olive oils; sodium hydroxide in water (alkaline solution for saponification); shea butter, pure therapeutic grade essential oils of lemon, orange, juniper, clove bud, lemongrass and patchouli; Siberian ginseng leaves and orrisroot powder.

It says "Soaps handmade in small batches with all natural plant materials."

Thanks much!!! :D

[n3m3sis42]

My husband & I were at Whole Foods tonight and we got some soaps that smell sooooo YUMMY!!! They are by Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. I got them for handwashing, but the way it lathered up I instantly thought of using it on my hair! LOL

Think this would be ok for hair? Here's the ingredients:
Palm, coconut and olive oils; sodium hydroxide in water (alkaline solution for saponification); shea butter, pure therapeutic grade essential oils of lemon, orange, juniper, clove bud, lemongrass and patchouli; Siberian ginseng leaves and orrisroot powder.

It says "Soaps handmade in small batches with all natural plant materials."

Thanks much!!! :D

If those are all the ingredients in the soaps, then they sound fine. The only thing is that soaps are generally more superfatted than bars created specifically for shampoos and I *think* that means that some people get buildup from using them on hair.

I don't think it would hurt anything to try, though. Some people do get good results using soap on their hair and if it turns out you aren't one of them, a natual soap is not likely to do any permanent damage.

Hope that helps (and someone please jump in if I didn't get that right).

[loves2spin]

My husband & I were at Whole Foods tonight and we got some soaps that smell sooooo YUMMY!!! They are by Wyndmere Naturals, Inc. I got them for handwashing, but the way it lathered up I instantly thought of using it on my hair! LOL

Think this would be ok for hair? Here's the ingredients:
Palm, coconut and olive oils; sodium hydroxide in water (alkaline solution for saponification); shea butter, pure therapeutic grade essential oils of lemon, orange, juniper, clove bud, lemongrass and patchouli; Siberian ginseng leaves and orrisroot powder.

It says "Soaps handmade in small batches with all natural plant materials."

Thanks much!!! :D

Oh, yes. I am sure that soap would be very nice for your hair. I often use my plain handmade soap that I make from the lye, water, lard and coconut oil. We have soft water and with a very dilute ACV rinse, my hair is very happy and no need for condish. Good luck!

[Shannon4J]

If those are all the ingredients in the soaps, then they sound fine. The only thing is that soaps are generally more superfatted than bars created specifically for shampoos and I *think* that means that some people get buildup from using them on hair.

I don't think it would hurt anything to try, though. Some people do get good results using soap on their hair and if it turns out you aren't one of them, a natual soap is not likely to do any permanent damage.

Hope that helps (and someone please jump in if I didn't get that right).




Oh, yes. I am sure that soap would be very nice for your hair. I often use my plain handmade soap that I make from the lye, water, lard and coconut oil. We have soft water and with a very dilute ACV rinse, my hair is very happy and no need for condish. Good luck!

Thank you both!!! The only thing that I really didn't know about was the sodium hydroxide because I don't know what it is! LOL

[Chromis]

Thank you both!!! The only thing that I really didn't know about was the sodium hydroxide because I don't know what it is! LOL

That's lye :) You know you have real soap for certain if you see that rather than a detergent bar (though there are a few soaps that do not contain lye, they strike me as being too heavy for hair use)

[BrianaFineHair]

I received my sample Chagrin Valley neetle shampoo bar today. I just used it and I am pleasantly surprised. :)

It lathered very nicely, rinsed just as well too. I followed with my regular vinegar wash.

Hair is nice and full and SO soft.

I ordered a sample size because I wanted to be sure it would work for me. Unless things change otherwise, I'll be ordering a larger size in the near future.

[ShadowSwallow]

I use soap for a 'poo bar. :D We have very soft water so it works out well, and I always follow with a vinegar rinse. No waxies even. Although I've found that I need to lather as many times for as many days since my last wash. If I skip a day I lather twice, two days, three times. Otherwise my hair dries greasy.

[Calista]

I know I posted this a million times before, but I just have to say it again:

Ida´s Cedarwood&Lavender dog shampoo is the best thing she ever invented! :cloud9:

Would you believe I had quite forgotten about it, when it fell into my hands yesterday as I was searching through my stocked shampoo bars? I think it is my very favourite shampoo for the summer. This is what Ida says about it on her site:



Cedarwood & Lavender Dog Shampoo
Our all natural shampoo blend for dogs, enriched with moisturizing sunflower oil and shea butter, is excellent for producing healthy, shiny coats. This dog soap is made with extra castor and jojoba oil to penetrate the dense coarse fur of your pooch. It contains comfrey root powder for a soft, silky feel, plus skin-loving essential oils specifically chosen to repel bugs and reduce pet odor. Because animals have such a keen sense of smell, we use gentle essential oils so your pet's nose will not become irritated by a strong scented soap. Cedarwood is a natural insect repellent, antiseptic, deodorant, and coat conditioner. It also helps treat skin eruptions. Fir needle repels ticks and fleas. This shampoo bar also contains soothing aloe and calming lavender oil to help relieve dry itchy skin.

Ingredients: Saponified oils of olive, coconut, castor bean, palm, hazelnut, jojoba, rice bran, unrefined shea butter, and canola; organic aloe; comfrey root powder; essential oils of cedarwood, lavender, and fir needle; and vitamin E oil.


The funny thing is that although she says it is not strongly scented I find it to be one of her most strongly scented bars! I can only guess that the woodsy fir scent is something a dog would accept as a "natural" smell.

While I love all of Ida´s bars most smell very alike to me, because she only has so many different essential oils she uses. This bar is "something completely different", a little like her Citrus Woods Green Tea soap but much more direct, not as subtle. It lathers very well.

The reason I am mentioning this again is that I noticed this bar is always in stock! Some people complain that many soap or shampoo bars are constantly sold out. Please don´t forget this shampoo bar - it is supposed to be for dogs, but it is great for humans as well! I can vouch for that.

[n3m3sis42]

Calista, I've been reading the old Chagrin Valley thread (from the archived forums), and I saw on there that you had mentioned the dog shampoo and was thinking about giving it a try. Good to know you are still enjoying it. :)

[n3m3sis42]

Hi, fellow Hair Idiots Club member! :)

I just wanted to point out that there is a ginormous shampoo bar thread that may be useful to you:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74

I love Chagrin Valley shampoo bars! :)

[BrianaFineHair]

Oh...Thank you :D Very nice of you to point me in that direction.

[BrianaFineHair]

I know I posted this a million times before, but I just have to say it again:

Ida´s Cedarwood&Lavender dog shampoo is the best thing she ever invented! :cloud9:

Would you believe I had quite forgotten about it, when it fell into my hands yesterday as I was searching through my stocked shampoo bars? I think it is my very favourite shampoo for the summer. This is what Ida says about it on her site:





The funny thing is that although she says it is not strongly scented I find it to be one of her most strongly scented bars! I can only guess that the woodsy fir scent is something a dog would accept as a "natural" smell.

While I love all of Ida´s bars most smell very alike to me, because she only has so many different essential oils she uses. This bar is "something completely different", a little like her Citrus Woods Green Tea soap but much more direct, not as subtle. It lathers very well.

The reason I am mentioning this again is that I noticed this bar is always in stock! Some people complain that many soap or shampoo bars are constantly sold out. Please don´t forget this shampoo bar - it is supposed to be for dogs, but it is great for humans as well! I can vouch for that.


I got this bar in yesterday for my pup along with 2 body bars and a sample Nettle shampoo bar. (I really like the nettle bar too!)

[Shannon4J]

That's lye :) You know you have real soap for certain if you see that rather than a detergent bar (though there are a few soaps that do not contain lye, they strike me as being too heavy for hair use)

Cool! Thank you! :D

[MermaidGirl]

HELP! I need the expert advise of shampoo bar users!

I have got to have the worst waxy build up in the history of shampoo bars in my hair! I have quite hard water with chlorine and rust from bad pipes where I live and had tried a PLH bar (Aloe Fresh) several weeks ago, but stopped using it because it seemed to coat my hair and even a 2 T. white vinegar in 2 cups of spring water rinse wouldn't help.

For the past 3 weeks or so, I've been using an ungodly expensive shampoo and conditioner (Pureology NanoWorks - $110.00 for the set of S&C - I am NOT kidding about that price!) that left my hair feeling really gorgeous. However, the past couple washes (I wash every other day) I noticed my hair was feeling gamey on day 2 after wash day, so I looked at the NanoWorks ingredients list and noticed both S&C are loaded with cones. I have no idea if they are the water soluble type, but I'm thinking they aren't and that they are in fact building up on my hair.

So I get the bright idea to try another PLH shampoo bar, just to alternate with the NanoWorks and to hopefully get rid of the build up. I did 3 sudsings this morning using Ginger Beer PLH bar, and noticed that each successive sudsing was producing less lather, which I thought was very odd. I rinsed and rinsed - for at least 5 whole minutes, then ran a 4 T. in 2 cups of spring water ACV rinse I got from PLH through my hair.

What a disaster! My hair would NOT dry (I usually set up a floor fan and aim it at my back so my hair mostly dries while I put on my makeup - I then blowdry on warm to get the remaining water out but never dry to bone dry), even with using the blow dryer on hot! My hair was moving as one large hair unit and was just absolutely COATED with ultra waxy build-up. It is so bad, my hair looks wet - or very greasy, like I haven't washed it in weeks and weeks! I didn't have time to rewash my hair this morning, so I put it up in a bun. Thank God my bangs and roots don't look too bad, but the back and length is absolutely ruined with build-up.

HOW AM I GOING TO GET THIS WAXY BUILD-UP OUT OF MY HAIR?!?!?!?! I'm certain that its a horrid combination of the cone-packed NanoWorks activated by the hard water and PLH Ginger Beer bar. I just got highlights about 3 weeks ago at my very expensive stylist (which is where I bought the Pureology), so I have (blondish) color and highlights in my hair now and don't want to do anything too stripping as I spent almost $350 at the stylist for the color/ highlights and the Pureology products. I really don't want to damage my hair by stripping it and I really want to preserve my color/highlights.

Any ideas? I'm throwing a birthday party for a friend tomorrow night, so I can work on my hair tonight (though I hesitate to wash again on the same day!) or in the morning. I'm certain that the build-up will cause the water to bead up on my hair! And, I have no idea what kind of shampoo to use to get the wax out.

HELP! Thank you and sorry this is so long!

[Calista]

Mermaid Girl, I recommend a baking soda rinse to clarify, followed by a strong vinegar rinse. I´m not sure what "T." is supposed to be - teaspoon, tablespoon, or something totally different? But I use 1 part vinegar and 9 parts water, and my water isn´t even that hard.

After that, so a moisturizing treatment of your choice, e.g. a good long soak with a cone-free condish.

[Kazazi]

or, if you are concerned about the baking soda being too harsh on your hair, you could try as a first step to just condition it out with *lots* of thin, cone-free conditioner. this did wonders for me last time i had a horrid poo bar induced case of the waxies. i was all prepared to go down the baking soda route if necessary, but it turned out that the conditioner alone did the trick. i was amazed.

[n3m3sis42]

Mermaid Girl, I second the suggestion for a baking soda rinse.

I guess it depends on the person, but I don't think doing it once would be that harsh for most people's hair (I may be biased since I used the BS rinse as my only wash method for about a year, though). I used a tablespoon of BS in about 1.5 cups water. And followed it with an ACV rinse (mine is 2 tbsp in about 1.5 cups water).

[loves2spin]

I use soap for a 'poo bar. :D We have very soft water so it works out well, and I always follow with a vinegar rinse. No waxies even. Although I've found that I need to lather as many times for as many days since my last wash. If I skip a day I lather twice, two days, three times. Otherwise my hair dries greasy.

What kind of soap do you use, ShadowSwallow? :waving:

[MermaidGirl]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for responding Calista, Kazazi and N3m3sis42! I sincerely appreciate your advice!

I'm not even sure I have any baking soda in the house, so I'm going to have to try Kazazi's method of using a cone-free condish to get this build-up out. I have about 6-8 oz. left of my Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Moisturizing Conditioner left, so I will use all of that in the shower this morning, if I have to! If that doesn't work, I will run to the store and get some baking soda and go that route.

Will keep you gals posted.

Oh and when I say this build-up is BAD, I mean it! I told several friends at work my poo-bar-gone-horribly-awry story and then revealed the mess to them by taking my hair out of the bun. My hair was a waxy, twisted mess! They were all sufficiently horrified at how filthy and greasy my hair looked, and they each ran their hands through my hair and said they could feel the residue on their hands! One of my friends suggested I just go with it and make dreadlocks, but that's not going to go over at the law firm where I work!

[MermaidGirl]

Ok, you guys, I'm out of the shower and am officially the cleanest person in this hemisphere! This is what I did:

(1) Thoroughly satured my hair and did a conditioner wash with Trader Joe's Nourishspa Moisturizing Conditioner, from scalp to ends, concentrating on length where there is the most build-up. Let that sit a few minutes.

(2) Rinsed that out thoroughly, repeated, using even more conditioner than wash 1 (a lot of condish!), again concentrating on length. Let that sit while I shaved one leg.

(3) Rinsed that out thoroughly, and did another wash with a clarifying shampoo (BioLustre Cleansing Shampoo), sudsing up throughly from scalp to ends, paying close attention to length. Let that sit while I shaved other leg.

(4) Conditioned the daylights out of my hair with Nexxus KeraPhix conditioner. I concentrated on the length, but ran it through from scalp to ends. No more legs to shave :D, so I let that sit while I washed my body. I decided to use the PLH Ginger Beer poo bar as a body soap so it wouldn't go to waste. I admit to cursing the stuff as I was sudsing up with it!

(5) Rinsed like a crazy person, ending with a long cold water rinse including scalp.

I'm letting it dry naturally. It is drying quickly as I'm sure its a bit stripped from all the treatment its gotten (its been washed 6 times in the last 24 hours!), unlike the last shampoo (with the poo bar that caused this horrible incident) when my hair felt like it was just staying wet and not drying at all. My hair does not feel gummy, grabby or sticky, which of course is a good thing. I'm sure that its going to be flat as a pancake and lifeless from using that heavy-ish conditioner from roots to ends, but at least *I think* I got all that waxy build-up out.

I will let you gals know how my hair turns out once its fully dry.

NO MORE POO BARS FOR ME!

[Kazazi]

Glad you managed to fix your hair MermaidGirl.

I have a poo bar update myself. After persistent problems with the waxies, I had given the bars a break and used CO instead with good results. My plan was to use shampoo once a week or so (I wash every 2-3 days) and as I was beginning to feel build up after my last CO wash, today was the day.

So I washed with a sulfate shampoo (Lush B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful shower & hair gel) and then applied a caramel treatment (1 part mashed & strained banana, 1 part honey, 1 part 50:50 coconut and olive oil). For some reason I thought this should just rinse away with water, a vinegar rinse and conditioner, like an SMT does, but it didn't (as is to be expected really, given the ingredients of the treatment, doh!). My hair was drying greasy and stringy, with some honey residue and vinegar smell added in, and I just couldn't stand it, so I decided to wash again with a poo bar.

I got my Serpentine Hair Edge of the Earth bar out again, as this was the first poo bar I had ever used and the results with this had been least waxie. I lathered three times, which was necessary to get enough suds, but tried to be as gentle as possible. After rinsing, I used a lemon juice rinse - about 1:15 dilution, as I just couldn't bear the thought of more vinegar smell. I swished my length in it, then poured it over my head and then applied condish (Lush American Cream). Finally I rinsed both the condish and lemon rinse out together.

I am pleased to report that I haven't got the waxies this time, yay. My hair looks and feels ok - maybe a tiny bit on the dry and tangly side, but that could just be because we were out playing in the grass all day.

Of course I can't say for now what made my hair this way - the combo of sulfate poo plus caramel treat plus new poo bar routine, or the new poo bar routine with lemon juice itself. But it has definitely inspired me to try a poo bar again with lemon juice when I am due my next shampooing session after CO washes.

Now, could some of ye experts help me out with these questions:

1) How strong would you say would a 1:15 lemon juice rinse 'translated' into a vinegar rinse?
2) Is there any difference between lemon juice and citric acid, other than the latter being a powder?
3) If I wanted to use citric acid, what dilution would create the same strength as 1:15 lemon juice?
4) I have heard lemon juice described as drying. Why would it be more drying than vinegar and what's the best way to offset this? I am just confused that so many people rave about vinegar despite not liking the smell, but few people use lemon juice in a similar way?
5) For those of you who experimented quite a bit to find the 'perfect' acid rinse - how and when did you know you got it? Only once your hair was dry, or could you already tell when applying it? I am asking because with any of my acid rinses so far, I have had the instant slip success feel, but yet my hair would often dry in waxies. It would be nice if there was a way of knowing about the quality of a rinse right away because the condition of the hair when dry can be affected by so many other things like how and where it dries, you know?

Thanks for reading to the end of this mammoth post!

Kaz x

[chloeishere]

I used a lime juice rinse for a while, and had much better results using citric acid. I think the "other stuff" in lime juice (other than the citric acid) didn't rinse out of my hair well, and left it dry. But stick with what works for you!
As for the citric acid conversion, I'm really not sure. I think 1:15 would be pretty weak-- I'd probably do maybe half a teaspoon of CA in maybe 5 cups of water, and go from there? That's pretty weak, I think. Maybe even a quarter teaspoon?
Vinegar is a relatively weak acid-- I suspect that's one of the reasons so many people use it. You don't exactly need to worry about a chemical burn on your scalp, even if you accidentally dump pure vinegar on your head! I couldn't stand smelling like that, though.
Lemon juice, in my opinion, has other components to it that make it drying. I've never had as much of a problem with citric acid than lemon juice.
Citric acid is pretty safe, in my opinion (I've definitely gotten powder on myself and my clothes a few times without issue), but you would NOT want a really concentrated citric acid rinse on your head. YOUCH! I mixed up a pretty strong citric acid/ conditioner mix once (based on a thread on the old LHC-- the miracle of citric acid, or something like that), and it burned a little when it got on my back. It didn't leave a red mark, but I decided that was way too strong for my taste!

The last time I made a CA rinse, I did about half a teaspoon in 4 cups of water (and some ascorbic acid/ vitamin C as well). I've done much stronger than that (maybe 3x more concentrated) without issue, as well.


I still haven't found a need to use an acid rinse with dairy whip, by the way!

[Kazazi]

Thanks Chloe. I've been reading your blog posts about dairy whip with interest (great blog btw!) and I have to say it sounds really intriguing. Definitely on my list to try at some point in the future, but I need to pace myself ;)

[n3m3sis42]

First of all, MermaidGirl and Kazazi, I'm really glad you were able to fix some of your waxiness issues.


Now, could some of ye experts help me out with these questions:

1) How strong would you say would a 1:15 lemon juice rinse 'translated' into a vinegar rinse?
2) Is there any difference between lemon juice and citric acid, other than the latter being a powder?
3) If I wanted to use citric acid, what dilution would create the same strength as 1:15 lemon juice?
4) I have heard lemon juice described as drying. Why would it be more drying than vinegar and what's the best way to offset this? I am just confused that so many people rave about vinegar despite not liking the smell, but few people use lemon juice in a similar way?
5) For those of you who experimented quite a bit to find the 'perfect' acid rinse - how and when did you know you got it? Only once your hair was dry, or could you already tell when applying it? I am asking because with any of my acid rinses so far, I have had the instant slip success feel, but yet my hair would often dry in waxies. It would be nice if there was a way of knowing about the quality of a rinse right away because the condition of the hair when dry can be affected by so many other things like how and where it dries, you know?


Still not really an expert, but I'll do my best to answer these questions. :)

1) I did a little (VERY little) Internet research on the pH of lemon juice and vinegar. It looks like lemon juice is a little more acidic than vinegar (2.2 versus around 2.4). So you'd probably need a little weaker rinse if you used lemon juice than if you used ACV. If I remember correctly, a lot people on LHC use a 1:10 ACV rinse.

I'm not a chemist, so I'm not really sure how much difference that .2 makes. :)

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/properties-of-vinegar.html

2) I've never tried either, but I've heard both work. My assumption is that the main difference comes from the other components of lemon juice--citric acid is just one component of lemon juice (according to the wikipedia article on "lemon", lemon juice is about 5% citric acid), so your dilution would need to be different if you used straight citric acid. Also, if you use bottled lemon juice, there are preservatives in it (which may be fine, but it's a factor to consider).

Here's another (maybe tl;dr for some, but interesting to me) random link I found while Googling that seems to support the idea that lemon juice is about 5% citric acid:
http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/citricacid.txt

3) I haven't really researched this much, but I did a thread search and eventually it led me to this thread from The Beauty Bottle:
http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/showthread.php?t=1533

4) I'm assuming that the reason lemon juice would be more drying than ACV would either be due to its slightly more acidic pH or due to other components of lemon juice that are not in ACV. Sorry, that's kinda vague.

5) I actually figured out the ACV rinse ratio that made my hair happy when I was doing a baking soda wash no-poo routine. So I can't really speak to how you would know before your hair dried with shampoo bars if you'd gotten the perfect ratio. I can tell you how *my* hair feels after the ACV rinse with my current shampoo bar/ACV regimen, and maybe that will help in some way. After a shampoo bar wash and ACV rinse, my hair almost always has that "squeaky clean" feeling, where it actually does squeak when I run my hands over it. However, when I get out of the shower, I don't have any trouble detangling it with a comb (and it usually doesn't have many tangles at all before combing). The squeaky thing scared me at first, but I'm used to it now. It's more apparent with some bars than others (I think the more moisturizing bars make it squeak less). I have only tried CV bars, so it may be different with the Serpentine ones.

I hope at least some of that is mildly helpful. :)

[MermaidGirl]

Thank you for your kind words, Kazazi and n3m3sis42!

Ok, so yesterday after my hair was completely dry, it seemed like it was mostly back to normal. There might be a little bit of build-up still on it, but it is probably about 96-98% normal. Tomorrow morning when I wash again, I will do a couple conditioner washes first and then a shampoo (a normal, non-stripping, cone-free shampoo, not the BioLustre Cleaning Shampoo again) followed by a final run through of a cone-free, light conditioner. I'm hoping that gets any remaining build-up out of my hair.

And I will say it again, NO MORE POO BARS FOR ME! Darn it, I had such high hopes for them, too!

[aprilmay]

I am about to go wash my hair with a Lemongrass Soap Bar and then Avalon Lavender conditioner which I have added tea tree oil to.

[rossjen]

Over the course of the last month, I've finally gotten my hands on some CV bars, after reading both shampoo bar threads with great interest. I have the Olive Babassu, Extra Honey, Beer and Egg, and the Lavender Spice.
I decided to try the Honey, Beer and Egg today. While I initially thought about doing a baking soda rinse to prep my hair, I decided against it since all I've been doing is shampooing my hair over the past couple of months anyway, so I was crossing my fingers that residual buildup wouldn't be too much of an issue.
Following what I've read here, I lathered up very well, making sure that I covered as much hair as possible. I also took the time to lather the suds through, particularly at the nape and sides. After that, I rinsed everything out thoroughly, all the while dreading that I would feel some stickyness as I ran my fingers through the length. While I felt a little bit of a drag in one spot, it really was not as bad as I was anticipating. So, that was a nice surprise.
Now came the real test: combing. A little bit of trouble in some areas, but again, not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It may have been a figment of my imagination, but my hair seemed to dry quite a bit faster too (anyone else have that experience?).
It's fully dry now, and I am thrilled to pieces: As someone who has notoriously oily hair, my crown actually has some lift to it, and my hair feels clean and soft, and it has some substantial body to it. And all this without having to use an acid rinse.
I hope I won't jinx these results, but if this keeps up, Ida has another convert. :cheese: I can see a serious addiction developing here.

[n3m3sis42]

rossjen, I'm glad you're having a good initial experience with the CV shampoo bars! HB&E is one of my favorites so far, too. :)

Out of curiosity, what sort of routine did you use before this?

[Kazazi]

Thanks for all the info n3m3sis42. Very helpful :)

I shall experiment with a citric acid rinse next time I use a poo bar.

Kaz x

[loves2spin]

I am about to go wash my hair with a Lemongrass Soap Bar and then Avalon Lavender conditioner which I have added tea tree oil to.

How did it work out? Well, dear friends, as my DH has said to me, "Aww... you're always trying to do things on the cheap." Yep! I'm a dyed-in-the-wool penny pincher. SO - yesterday I made a batch of shampoo bar soap. It looks to be about a 3# batch, and of course it will be a few weeks before I can try it out, but oh I do hope it turns out to be good. Even if it's not, I'm sure it will make great bath soap. I will let you all know! The thing is, I have soft water. Do any of you have hard water and successfully use poo bars?

[vindo]

These look delicious: http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/shambar.htm#SHAMPOO%20BARS%20INTRO (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/shambar.htm#SHAMPOO%20BARS%20INTRO)

I am wondering if the coconut is a detergent as in Coco Glucoside or if its simply coco nut extract or oil? They dont specify it.:confused:

The ingredients sound great:

Ingredients: Saponified oils of an organic marsh mallow root infused grapeseed and avocado blend, babassu, coconut, castor bean, palm kernel, camellia, jojoba, wheat germ butter, mango butter, walnut, shea butter, wheat germ, and rice bran; marsh mallow root mucilage; organic aloe; essential oils of ylang ylang, lemon, and ginger; vitamin E oil; and rosemary oil extract.

But I have been wanting to try a Castile Soap, meaning no real cleansing detergent. Wonder if this really is one.

Has anyone tried these or knows more about their cleansing agent?

And for those who have tried them I would love to hear how you liked it. :flower:

[hrimfaxi]

I use their shampoo bars and love them. So far my favorites are the Cafe Moreno and the Olive Babassu. The shampoo bars are actually saponified oils, so actual [castile] soap. Check out the shampoo bar thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74) for more info; a number of people there use them, and there is a lot of useful discussion on the subject there. :)

edit: Depending on the hardness of your water, you may require an acid (vinegar, citric acid, lemon juice, etc.) rinse after using a shampoo bar; more about that also in the shampoo bar thread.

[Flaxen]

emi, I'm going to merge this into the (Chagrin Valley) shampoo bar thread. The coconut is saponified coconut oil, which happens during the soap making process. :smile:

[vindo]

emi, I'm going to merge this into the (Chagrin Valley) shampoo bar thread. The coconut is saponified coconut oil, which happens during the soap making process. :smile:

Thank you..I can't believe I didnt find this huge thread :o

[rossjen]

rossjen, I'm glad you're having a good initial experience with the CV shampoo bars! HB&E is one of my favorites so far, too. :)

Out of curiosity, what sort of routine did you use before this?

I had a really simple routine going before this: I shampooed every three days with Giovanni Tea Tree shampoo or Jason Kiwi and Apricot Extra Body shampoo. No conditioner or any other treatments in between.

[aprilmay]

How did it work out? Well, dear friends, as my DH has said to me, "Aww... you're always trying to do things on the cheap." Yep! I'm a dyed-in-the-wool penny pincher. SO - yesterday I made a batch of shampoo bar soap. It looks to be about a 3# batch, and of course it will be a few weeks before I can try it out, but oh I do hope it turns out to be good. Even if it's not, I'm sure it will make great bath soap. I will let you all know! The thing is, I have soft water. Do any of you have hard water and successfully use poo bars?
I like the lemongrass soap it lathers well. I did break down and buy shampoo and conditioner at our co-op yesterday cause it was owner discount day and I wanted to try some of the products they have in bulk. I bought some Giovanni Triple Tea Tree Treat and used it today. It doesn't lather as well as my soap bars, didn't clean as well, and kind of burned my scalp and other body parts. It must have lots of peppermint oil added to it as well. I usually don't have that kind of reaction to mint and tea tree oils in products!

I think I will stick with my soap bars for me and let DH use up the other stuff. I am thinking of trying the lotion I make as conditioner cause I don't see much difference in the ingredients from conditioner.

[n3m3sis42]

Well, I'm doing an (accidental) experiment of sorts today.

I was already in the shower with my hair all lathered up when I realized that I'd forgotten to refill my ACV rinse bottle. I decided that now was as good a time as any to find out if I could go without it. I detangled in the shower (under a cold water rinse) instead of waiting until after, just in case the lack of an ACV rinse made it weird to comb while wet. It's now up in a microfiber towel, and I'll let you know what happens when it dries.

The bar I used today was Honey Beer and Egg, which I've used before and which normally plays nice with my hair (but may or may not give me scalp itchies if I use it several times in a row--still haven't determined if it was the culprit that time).

I'll post again later with results. :)

[LaurelSpring]

Ok, Im officailly an addict :-)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the CV shapmoor bar I got (Chamomile Citris) I have been waiting and waiting for the Rosemary Lavendar Aloe to come available and was finally able to order it today. Does anyone else keep looking at the site to hit the availability dates? lol
I also got some other samples that were available and shea and Cocoa butters and lip balms.

I just cant believe how amazing my hair feels after the shampoo bar and some cameila oil. No cones ever gave me that!! OMG

[loves2spin]

I promised to report on whether or not my home made shampoo bars turned out good. Well, they did. Here is a description of how I did it, in case anyone is interested:

Oh, well, yes….. how to make soap. FIRST of all, in order to make soap you
have to use LYE (Sodium Hydroxide). Lye is dangerous. It can BURN, so when
you are working with it, wear protective goggles, long sleeves, latex gloves
and don’t do it when small children or pets are around. That being said,
don’t let it put you off. All it takes is to be careful. I’ve been doing
it for years and never had any trouble, because I am careful. Keep a
container of vinegar close by, and if any lye gets on you, you can
immediately neutralize it with a splash of vinegar.

Ok, let’s get to it!

It used to be that you could go to any grocery store and buy “Red Devil
Lye”. The laws have changed, and so now you have to order lye over the
internet. I bought mine here:

http://www.camdengrey.com/essentialoils/277/

You have to fill out a hazardous materials form – the instructions are on
the site. The shipping is rather high, because of the fact that it is a
hazardous material, but it’s still cost effective. I bought 8 pounds and
that will last me for years. You can buy as little as 2 pounds, but we
sprung for the 8 and then per pound the shipping is not as bad. This is
good clean lye.

Here is a WONDERFUL series of videos that will show HOW to make soap.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/1870_soap-making-getting-ready.htm

I do not use her recipe, but the basic method is the same. Also, after the
initial stirring of the lye water into the melted fats, I used a “stick”
blender – some call it an “immersion” blender to stir it and it came to
“trace” very quickly. However, I made soap for many years without a stick
blender. You can too. This just speeds it up. I got mine at Goodwill for
$2.

For this batch of soap, I used a square Tupperware-type container for a mold
and the next day I cut it into bars.

So, here is my “Shampoo Bar” recipe. I used oils that are available at the
grocery store (I got the Castor oil at a pharmacy). I did not want to have
to order them online and pay shipping. This concoction is wonderful – rich
thick lather, and leaves my hair shiny, smooth and not dried out.

Olive oil – 20 ounces

Safflower Oil – 8 ounces

Peanut Oil – 4 ounces

Coconut oil – 4 ounces

Castor oil – 4 ounces

Lye – 5.25 ounces

Water – 11 ounces

The lye water and the fats were combined at about 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Be sure to watch the videos for how to do all of this, and Be SURE to always
slowly add the lye to the water, and not the other way around, and do this
outside so you won’t breathe the fumes. When it finishes making fumes, you
can bring it back into the kitchen if you like.

Good luck. If you want to make your own recipe for shampoo, just be sure to
add some Castor oil. I used to use my plainer soap, made with 9.5 cups of
lard and ½ cup of coconut oil for my hair, and it worked quite well, but
this newer stuff is much nicer. This soap can be used as bath/face soap
too.

If you want to make up your own recipe, go to
http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php in order to calculate the amount
of lye and water you need for the fats you wish to use. Good quality
ingredients make good soap. The Expert Village videos also show you how to
“hand mill” soap and add other things like herbs and such.

[n3m3sis42]

Well, I'm doing an (accidental) experiment of sorts today.

I was already in the shower with my hair all lathered up when I realized that I'd forgotten to refill my ACV rinse bottle. I decided that now was as good a time as any to find out if I could go without it. I detangled in the shower (under a cold water rinse) instead of waiting until after, just in case the lack of an ACV rinse made it weird to comb while wet. It's now up in a microfiber towel, and I'll let you know what happens when it dries.

The bar I used today was Honey Beer and Egg, which I've used before and which normally plays nice with my hair (but may or may not give me scalp itchies if I use it several times in a row--still haven't determined if it was the culprit that time).

I'll post again later with results. :)

The results are in, aaaaaand...

*drumroll*

Skipping my ACV rinse appears to have made no difference whatsoever!

So, apparently, I don't need an ACV rinse with shampoo bars, or at least not every time. Maybe I'll try going without for a while longer and see what happens. :)

[Neoma]

The results are in, aaaaaand...

*drumroll*

Skipping my ACV rinse appears to have made no difference whatsoever!

So, apparently, I don't need an ACV rinse with shampoo bars, or at least not every time. Maybe I'll try going without for a while longer and see what happens. :)That's interesting, n3m3sis42. I'm glad that skipping the rinse worked for you.

[n3m3sis42]

That's interesting, n3m3sis42. I'm glad that skipping the rinse worked for you.

Thanks! The funny thing is that I would *never* have intentionally tried that, as my routine seemed to be working just fine on its own. I was just too lazy to go downstairs soaking wet with lather on my head to get more ACV. :)

It will be interesting to see what happens going forward, or with other shampoo bars.

[Teilani]

As a newbie to this site, I have yet to read my way through this thread yet, but having skimmed through about twenty pages of it, I ordered a bunch of shampoo bars from the Soap Lady of Oregon. Though I have only used them for a couple of weeks, I am pleased with them so far. As my hair definitely has that unnervingly squeaky, straw-like, quality with the bars I've tried (some more than others) I am still using my old conditioner, but that and an ACV rinse have my hair doing well. When I have a bit more time to spare, I will try the treatment bar. I hope that when I do get round to it, I can leave off the conditioners I seem stuck with - that or I will master the even and moderate application of the jojoba oil I've been using on the tips of my hair and see if that won’t work well enough instead.

[Flutterbee]

I mentioned this in another thread, but I think it needs to go here.

I bought two bars of Nasabb's 'honey oatmeal soap' as I had read that it was good for hair washing, though not designated a 'shampoo bar.'

WOW! It went on and lathered up with unbelievable ease. I ended with an ACV rinse (did not rinse out), and my hair is just wonderful! It is soft and shiny, and now that it's three days later, I am shocked to find that it is still clean! The bar of soap and the lather feel so soft and creamy, that I thought for sure my hair would get dirty or oily quickly, but not at all.

For anyone interested, here is the link. This is a site that many of us go to for raw, real shea nut butter:

www.nasabb.com (http://www.nasabb.com)

I have used about six different Chagrin Valley bars, but none were as nice or worked as well for me as this soap. Years ago I tried a JR Liggett bar shampoo, and absolutely hated it. I have not tried any of the other brands mentioned in this thread.

The Nasabb bar of soap costs $4.50. I think that is cheaper than most. If you order from this site, be sure to put the 'free sample' pack in your cart. It contains five different nice-sized samples of some of their products: the 'honey oatmeal soap', the 'traditional black soap', some 'unrefined shea butter', some 'shea moisturizer' and a bottle of 'kelechi hair oil - tangerine'. It's a really nice haul of interesting, natural, African-made free stuff.

Your mileage may vary of course, but I am totally delighted with this soap, both as a soap and as a shampoo.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for posting this!!! I was on the cusp of trying another go with shampoo bars and ordered this on a whim (admittedly because it was cheap) and I'm sitting here now with the softest, shiniest hair I have EVER had with a shampoo bar!! I literally feel like I have cones in my hair, that's how fabulous it feels. I've had trouble with shampoo bars before because of my darned hard water but I tried an easy peasy citric acid rinse after just one lather with the Nasabb bar and wow...I'm just amazed. Thanks again :flower: :cheer: :happydance:

[naturechild]

Flutterbee which one did u use?

[Flutterbee]

Flutterbee which one did u use?

I used the honey oatmeal soap :) Can't say enough good things about it!

[swan]

Flutterbee, --i may place an order but just wanted to check if the sample size of the soaps in the sample box is large enough to give me 2 or 3 washes to experiment first before getting the whole bar?

[Flutterbee]

Flutterbee, --i may place an order but just wanted to check if the sample size of the soaps in the sample box is large enough to give me 2 or 3 washes to experiment first before getting the whole bar?

Swan, I wish I could say but I got the 5 oz bar :( I figured if nothing else I would use it as a body soap.

[swan]

thanks! i thought you may have received the free sample as well with the small soaps:)

[sapphire-o]

Ooh I'm all tempted now. I checked their shipping calculator and it starts from $15 for the smallest samples to Canada. Yikes! Maybe I can resist after all. :) It's probably OK if I'm ordering several bars of soap, but I'm not paying that for samples.

[n3m3sis42]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for posting this!!! I was on the cusp of trying another go with shampoo bars and ordered this on a whim (admittedly because it was cheap) and I'm sitting here now with the softest, shiniest hair I have EVER had with a shampoo bar!! I literally feel like I have cones in my hair, that's how fabulous it feels. I've had trouble with shampoo bars before because of my darned hard water but I tried an easy peasy citric acid rinse after just one lather with the Nasabb bar and wow...I'm just amazed. Thanks again :flower: :cheer: :happydance:

Thank you for posting this. I ordered that Nasabb bar and haven't tried it yet. This reminded me that I need to try it soon. :)

[Cantabile]

Hmmm, I'm vaguely tempted to buy the Nasabb bars now, but since I just ordered several CV bars, I suppose I'll have to hold off on that whim :D

Oddly enough, I haven't had a problem with CV bars, even with the hard water. Initially, I thought the water in my area was soft, but because of all the love for ACV rinses, I jumped on the ACV-bandwagon, and used it after wash anyways. Now that I think about it, the ACV rinses must've really done the trick. :laugh:

[Deborah]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for posting this!!! I was on the cusp of trying another go with shampoo bars and ordered this on a whim (admittedly because it was cheap) and I'm sitting here now with the softest, shiniest hair I have EVER had with a shampoo bar!! I literally feel like I have cones in my hair, that's how fabulous it feels. I've had trouble with shampoo bars before because of my darned hard water but I tried an easy peasy citric acid rinse after just one lather with the Nasabb bar and wow...I'm just amazed. Thanks again :flower: :cheer: :happydance:


Flutterbee,

I'm so glad you like the soap. I have used it every time I wash my hair since I got it, and my hair loves it too!

Swan,

You will easily get a number of washes out of the sample bar.

To Anyone Else,

Be sure to order the free sample packet. You just put it in your cart when you order anything else, and it's free!

[rhosyn_du]

I've noticed that my hair is becoming more and more poofy post-wash and my waves are getting less and less defined since I've started using CV bars. Has anyone else encountered this problem?

[SweetPea88]

I've noticed that my hair is becoming more and more poofy post-wash and my waves are getting less and less defined since I've started using CV bars. Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Hmm...I think initially my hair seemed poofy and less wavey post-wash, but it's not really getting any worse. I think the loss of waves may have to do with the combing of the bar down the hair over and over. Wish I could offer some more help!

[Darya]

rhosyn - which bar are you using? I had similar results of poofy weird hair with the Honey Beer and Egg one and also the Nettle one. The Olive Babassu and Babassu Marshmallow also left my hair very weighed down and limp looking after awhile. My current "happy hair" bars are Summer Sunshine and Cucumber Lime Yogurt soap bar.

[rhosyn_du]

rhosyn - which bar are you using? I had similar results of poofy weird hair with the Honey Beer and Egg one and also the Nettle one. The Olive Babassu and Babassu Marshmallow also left my hair very weighed down and limp looking after awhile. My current "happy hair" bars are Summer Sunshine and Cucumber Lime Yogurt soap bar.

Right now, I'm using the Nettle bar (just the last two washes), but I've also used the Olive Babassu bar, the Honey Butter soap, and the Lemongrass Marshmallow soap. I only use bars on the first few inches of my hair, since even the soaps are too drying for my length, but all of my hair is getting poofier, and the halo of frizz I get around my head for the first 24 hours after washing is pretty impressive.

[Calista]

rhosyn_du, I think several members experienced loss of wave with the use of shampoo bars. I do, too, but it doesn´t bother me. I don´t know why that is, because my hair feels nice and moisturized to me.

[rhosyn_du]

rhosyn_du, I think several members experienced loss of wave with the use of shampoo bars. I do, too, but it doesn´t bother me. I don´t know why that is, because my hair feels nice and moisturized to me.

It's not so much that my hair is less wavy so much as that the waves are not at all cohesive. Each individual hair is still wavy, but they don't wave together. I think that's what's causing it to poof so much.

[Melian]

I have a problem with the summer sunshine bar...... It is making my length very dry. How cleansing is it? Does anybody know? Currently my favorites are still lavender spice, nettle and mud & clay. But with the post partum hormones my hair is starting to behave differently (that was to expect). My scalp is getting much greasier and my length is dry. Does anybody recommend using different shampoo bars on your hair? Like a more cleansing on your scalp and a more moisturising one on the length?

[n3m3sis42]

Right now, I'm using the Nettle bar (just the last two washes), but I've also used the Olive Babassu bar, the Honey Butter soap, and the Lemongrass Marshmallow soap. I only use bars on the first few inches of my hair, since even the soaps are too drying for my length, but all of my hair is getting poofier, and the halo of frizz I get around my head for the first 24 hours after washing is pretty impressive.

Hmm, Nettle makes my hair sort of poofy, too (not necessarily in a good way). Although it makes my hair *feel* nice, so sometimes I use it when I am going to be wearing my hair up. Honey Beer and Egg makes my hair poofy in the *good* way, meaning extra body but not frizzy or weird.

Olive Babassu actually made my hair flat and greasy. Most of the others worked fine for me, but then my waves have already all but disappeared since I started using henna.

[n3m3sis42]

I have a problem with the summer sunshine bar...... It is making my length very dry. How cleansing is it? Does anybody know? Currently my favorites are still lavender spice, nettle and mud & clay. But with the post partum hormones my hair is starting to behave differently (that was to expect). My scalp is getting much greasier and my length is dry. Does anybody recommend using different shampoo bars on your hair? Like a more cleansing on your scalp and a more moisturising one on the length?

I totally tried to reply to your post earlier, but it got eaten by the dreaded "Server is too busy" error. :boohoo:

I've heard that a greasy scalp and dry ends can sometimes indicate that your washing routine is stripping too many of your natural oils from your scalp. In response, your scalp starts overproducing oils, which is what causes the greasy scalp.

How often are you washing?

I haven't tried the Summer Sunshine bar yet, but I've heard that it's one of the more cleansing CV shampoo bars, so it's possible that it's the culprit here, if you've only noticed the problem since you started using it.

[Flutterbee]

Thank you for posting this. I ordered that Nasabb bar and haven't tried it yet. This reminded me that I need to try it soon. :)

You're very welcome :)


Flutterbee,

I'm so glad you like the soap. I have used it every time I wash my hair since I got it, and my hair loves it too!


I'm so glad you posted about it, I had been having issues with my scalp getting irritated by regular shampoo and was looking for a new alternative. I'm thrilled with the results, so far so good. :cheese:

[n3m3sis42]

I tried the Nasabb Honey Oatmeal soap bar on my hair (and also as a body soap) today. It lathered BEAUTIFULLY, although have to admit that I was a little skeptical about how it was going to affect my hair when I combed it out afterwards. It seemed a little more tangly than normal, but it wasn't horrible. I just had to be more careful about combing than I am with the CV shampoo bars.

Once it dried, it was really nice--soft and full of body. I'm not giving up the CV bars, but I will definitely keep this one in the rotation.

I have to say that I prefer the CV soaps as a body soap, though. As well as it lathers on my hair, the CV soaps definitely lather better on my body. I'm wondering if it's more superfatted than the CV shampoo bars but less so than the CV soap bars. Or maybe the superfatting has nothing to do with lather at all? I don't know, really.

[SweetPea88]

It seems that I may be getting some buildup from my CV bars. I've used them for several months now, no problems whatsoever, but now my hair is feeling lank and flat. The past two washes I've tried to remedy this by using my more cleansing bars, Summer Sunshine and Nettle, which have helped a little.

Has anybody experienced this? I may try using some V05 clarifying shampoo in my next wash and then follow up with a CV bar, should this help/work?

[swan]

if you don't want to go back to non-natural poos, how about trying a BS wash to see if it changes anything?

[SweetPea88]

I never really considered a BS wash, I guess! Any advice on doing one?

I wouldn't really mind using the non-natural shampoo, though. I dilute it pretty well and it would only be a one time thing, or as needed.

[katiana]

I have been reading this thread and just recently ordered the PLH shampoo bars...I tried using JR.Liggett bars and was not very happy with them..can anyone tell me if they had experience with the JR bars and the PLH bars and if there is a difference between the two? The JRL bars really left my hair feeling waxy..but after reading this thread I was inspired to give them another try, but try another brand. I have soft water at home.

[Calista]

SweetPea, when I first started to use CV bars I got buildup from them over time. I did a baking soda rinse about every other month. As far as I remember I used about a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in conditioner and water. I massaged this mixture through my hair and followed up with one of the more moisturizing CV bars (Babassu Marshmallow I think it used to be, but Olive Babassu would be great, too).

I haven´t needed to do this for a very long time now, don´t ask me why.

[loves2spin]

I totally tried to reply to your post earlier, but it got eaten by the dreaded "Server is too busy" error. :boohoo:

I've heard that a greasy scalp and dry ends can sometimes indicate that your washing routine is stripping too many of your natural oils from your scalp. In response, your scalp starts overproducing oils, which is what causes the greasy scalp.

How often are you washing?

I haven't tried the Summer Sunshine bar yet, but I've heard that it's one of the more cleansing CV shampoo bars, so it's possible that it's the culprit here, if you've only noticed the problem since you started using it.

With my new shampoo bar (that I made myself recently) I find that I don't need to wash more than twice a week. I use my BBB every night now, whereas I didn't brush much before, but now it seems to benefit, as the natural scalp oils seem to be in balance and my hair "likes" me to brush it down to the ends. But my hair is not "oily" :joy: Of course, I am post-menopausal and so how my scalp and hair are now is much different than how it was when I was younger. Anyway, it certainly is working well for me. :)

[swan]

i'm sure there are many here who know a whole lot more on BS wash than i do, as i did it just today for the 1st time. i put on a henna gloss afterwards and now i'm having it on under the cap, so can't really tell what the after-wash effects of BS are just yet. but in the shower, my hair and scalp both felt entirely clean and after ACV rinse it felt perfect. my mix was 1/2C water +3TSP BS.

[April1]

I have just finished looking at for the first time - or should I say drooling over - the Chagrin Valley site.

I am quite a computer moron, and had only just discovered how to use paypal. Id had some money in an account there for so long that I got a 'reminder' about how to best take advantage of paypal. Anyway, I thought Id test this out and ordered something - too quickly - from Chagrin Valley. I ordered one of the shea butters, when really after looking and reading about the shampoo bars, I wish I had gotten one of them instead. Oh well, I'll wait, and save some more money and then splash out on these instead. I think the prices are quite reasonable but found the shipping to be rather a lot. Or was that just my inexperience and Id pressed the wrong button - I think next time I'll e-mail them first.

For people who have had more experience using this sight, about how big are the sample bars, as I'd like to buy a heap of things but Im unsure about what sized packaging I should use.

Thanks.:)

[SweetPea88]

Thanks Calista, I think I'll try the baking soda next time I wash my hair. It will also be a good way to use up my Olive Babassu, which is normally way too moisturizing to use.

Thank you as well Swan!

[Gilly]

After doing lots of reading on the subject I tried a goats milk soap bar on my head and now have amazingly soft hair and no itching!
I made sure I got the best one I could, its made with fresh goats milk instead of dried and it has lots of nice oils in too.

I don't know why I have to try out these other methods of washing when I am getting on with the one I have chosen!!!

Maybe I'm just crazy!!

[Neoma]

After doing lots of reading on the subject I tried a goats milk soap bar on my head and now have amazingly soft hair and no itching!
I made sure I got the best one I could, its made with fresh goats milk instead of dried and it has lots of nice oils in too.

I don't know why I have to try out these other methods of washing when I am getting on with the one I have chosen!!!

Maybe I'm just crazy!!I'm glad that the goat's milk soap worked so well for you.

I don't know why some of us are tempted to try other cleansing methods when what we're doing is working well. I do the same thing. If you figure it out, please let me know. :flower:

[BrianaFineHair]

I use the nettle bar and I love it. No poofyness; just lovely body and shine. I finish with a white vinegar/water rinse. It gives the right amount of condition. No need for a cream rinse or conditioner and I need no mouse for body.

I first orded a sample bar, which I still have plenty of, but I went ahead and ordered myself and my DD a full size bar.

I like reading what different bars do to different hair types. It gives me ideas of what may or may not work for my hair type.

[Neoma]

I use the nettle bar and I love it. No poofyness; just lovely body and shine. I finish with a white vinegar/water rinse. It gives the right amount of condition. No need for a cream rinse or conditioner and I need no mouse for body.

I first orded a sample bar, which I still have plenty of, but I went ahead and ordered myself and my DD a full size bar.

I like reading what different bars do to different hair types. It gives me ideas of what may or may not work for my hair type.I'm glad that your first venture into poo bars was successful, BrianaFineHair.

I am having a love/hate relationship with poo bars these days. In fact, I have been flirting with conventional shampoo and conditioner. I keep going back to poo bars because I love the body and "bunnability" that they give me, but I am not happy with the "Barbie doll" texture of my length. If I use conditioner, it's better, but that negates the bunnability.

<sigh...>

[Melian]

I totally tried to reply to your post earlier, but it got eaten by the dreaded "Server is too busy" error. :boohoo:

I've heard that a greasy scalp and dry ends can sometimes indicate that your washing routine is stripping too many of your natural oils from your scalp. In response, your scalp starts overproducing oils, which is what causes the greasy scalp.

How often are you washing?

I haven't tried the Summer Sunshine bar yet, but I've heard that it's one of the more cleansing CV shampoo bars, so it's possible that it's the culprit here, if you've only noticed the problem since you started using it.

Thanks for your reply!
When I was pregnant I could wash once every two weeks, but did mostly wash once a week. I am still doing it (if I have the time or if DH can watch little one).
I have to take in consideration my hormones are still pretty messed up right now, but I do think that it is maybe to cleansing for my length.

[n3m3sis42]

I haven't decided how I feel about the Nasabb soap on my hair. It did give it more body, but I feel like it made it a little dry as well, and slightly more frizzy and tangle-prone. Although I think that part of the problem was also the WO wash that I did on Saturday morning. My husband and I were staying in a hotel, and the water seemed to be really hard. I don't think my hair liked it. I may try the Nasabb bar again later.

In the meantime, I tried a new CV bar today--Neem and Tea Tree Oil. I've heard about its distinctive smell before, but I honestly didn't mind the way it smelled. A little odd, sure, but not too bad. My hair was very easy to comb out afterwards, although that may have been due to the heavy oiling I did last night. I'll update later about how my hair feels when it dries.

[naturechild]

I have been useing my new Karma poo bar but I am a little disapointed. I dont get a lasting scent actually their is very little scent straight from the bar itself. It this common or is it just mine? It does take a long time to rinse out but other then that I am doing greast with it,
BUT I WANT THE SCENT?!

[Flutterbee]

I'm still loving the Nasabb bar, I've even tried some CV bars just to compare and it really does leave my hair unbelievably soft, bouncy and tangle free. Of course it may just be the citric acid rinse, I don't recall what the measurements were when I last tried it but it's definitely doing the job this time around. I certainly recommend it to anyone with hard water. I'm just :cheese:

[Chromis]

I haven't decided how I feel about the Nasabb soap on my hair. It did give it more body, but I feel like it made it a little dry as well, and slightly more frizzy and tangle-prone. Although I think that part of the problem was also the WO wash that I did on Saturday morning. My husband and I were staying in a hotel, and the water seemed to be really hard. I don't think my hair liked it. I may try the Nasabb bar again later.

In the meantime, I tried a new CV bar today--Neem and Tea Tree Oil. I've heard about its distinctive smell before, but I honestly didn't mind the way it smelled. A little odd, sure, but not too bad. My hair was very easy to comb out afterwards, although that may have been due to the heavy oiling I did last night. I'll update later about how my hair feels when it dries.

I love the smell of the Neem bar, but sadly my hair is unimpressed. How'd yours turn out?

[Eden Iris]

I started reading this thread because I was having problems with my new CV Rosemary Mint bar. Now I've finally made it to the end and solved the problem (the system works!). I needed a vinegar rinse. It's odd; I've used shampoo bars for ages (Lush, Liggett, and my favorite so far, Camamu), but I've never needed an acid rinse until now, just followed it with conditioner.

After I washed and rinsed, I put conditioner on as always, let it sit while I bathed, then rinsed the conditioner out with a vinegar rinse, and followed that with cool water. My hair when wet felt less slippery and thick than usual, but it dried beautifully, with tons of waves. My only complaint is that I miss the smell of my conditioner. For those of you who put conditioner into your acid rinse, how much do you use? Does the scent linger?

And yes, why is it that we find something that works great, then try new things instead?

[n3m3sis42]

I love the smell of the Neem bar, but sadly my hair is unimpressed. How'd yours turn out?

It seems okay for wearing up, and it's staying in buns really well (which I think means that it's got less "slip" than usual).

I haven't tried wearing it down yet, because I'm doing an updo challenge where I only wear it down on Fridays and one day on the weekend. But I'm guessing that the "less slip" thing means it's going to be dull and weird if I use this bar and leave it down. I'll try it Friday (which is my next wash day) and report back--I guess I can always put it up if it looks funky.

[kimki]

I was wondering if anyone had experienced any darkening from the CV bars?

[n3m3sis42]

I was wondering if anyone had experienced any darkening from the CV bars?

I *think* my hair got darker after I used the Cafe Moreno bar a few times. It's *supposed* to enhance brown tones, though, so I'm not sure if it was really darker or just a placebo effect.

I haven't noticed darkening with any of the other CV bars, but my hair is already quite dark and every time I do another henna application, it gets a little darker. So I'm not sure how much I *would* notice unless I was looking for it (like with the Cafe Moreno bar).

[Xepher]

So I just recently made my first shampoo bar order. I ordered from Chagrin Valley, a bunch of samples. I'm just a little confused about how it works...

I filled my shopping cart with what I wanted, then mom came over since she has paypal. She clicked that little paypal button under the shopping cart list, logged in, made sure the address was right, and then clicked something and we ended up back on the ordering/payment/etc info page on the site. Twice. Is that how it's supposed to happen?

Mom later got an email saying payment went through but...I don't know, the whole process was confusing x_x

And now for some other questions. For any of you buyers in Canada, how long does it usually take for your order to come in? I'm in Quebec. Hope it doesn't take long, i'm super excited.

Also, for washing with a poo bar, instead of putting the actual bar on your head, can you just lather up your hands then massage it into your scalp/hair with your hands? My hair is pretty fine so i'm worried putting a big bar of soap directly on my scalp, might hurt it.

[kimki]

I *think* my hair got darker after I used the Cafe Moreno bar a few times. It's *supposed* to enhance brown tones, though, so I'm not sure if it was really darker or just a placebo effect.

I haven't noticed darkening with any of the other CV bars, but my hair is already quite dark and every time I do another henna application, it gets a little darker. So I'm not sure how much I *would* notice unless I was looking for it (like with the Cafe Moreno bar).


I used the Cafe Moreno and I think I noticed getting a little darker. I just wondered if anyone noticed it with any of the others? It was mentioned else where that it was possible due to the castor oil content.

[Calista]

I needed a vinegar rinse. It's odd; I've used shampoo bars for ages (Lush, Liggett, and my favorite so far, Camamu), but I've never needed an acid rinse until now
Many Lush bars contain sulfates; you wouldn´t need a vinegar rinse with them. They are like commercial shampoo in solid form.

[Calista]

I was wondering if anyone had experienced any darkening from the CV bars?
Many CV bars contain rosemary oil extract. I know rosemary is supposed to darken hair, and also nettle, I think.

[kimki]

Many CV bars contain rosemary oil extract. I know rosemary is supposed to darken hair, and also nettle, I think.

I have been using nettle and noticed a little darkening.

[Lamb]

I have a question to those with hard water here. I have "moderately hard" water in Toronto, would that cause major problems in the future with soap scum buildup? (I started to use a shampoo bar recently because shampoo killed my hair in the winter and CO washes are not an option.) I do use an ACV rinse, about 2 tsp ACV in 1 liter water (approx. 1 quart).
Should I make a stronger ACV rinse? What else can I do to counterbalance the hardness of the water?

[Lamb]

Also, for washing with a poo bar, instead of putting the actual bar on your head, can you just lather up your hands then massage it into your scalp/hair with your hands? My hair is pretty fine so i'm worried putting a big bar of soap directly on my scalp, might hurt it.

Actually, the CV page does recommend doing this, so you shouldn't have any problems with it.
I myself use my shampoo bar (not CV) this way, just using the lather on my hair.

[Chromis]

I have a question to those with hard water here. I have "moderately hard" water in Toronto, would that cause major problems in the future with soap scum buildup? (I started to use a shampoo bar recently because shampoo killed my hair in the winter and CO washes are not an option.) I do use an ACV rinse, about 2 tsp ACV in 1 liter water (approx. 1 quart).
Should I make a stronger ACV rinse? What else can I do to counterbalance the hardness of the water?

I use a combo of ACV and citric acid. My rinse is *much* stronger than yours! I use a "glug" in a two cup measure and probably about a bit less than 1/8 tsp citric acid.

[Xepher]

Actually, the CV page does recommend doing this, so you shouldn't have any problems with it.
I myself use my shampoo bar (not CV) this way, just using the lather on my hair.


Oh awesome, thanks!

[Cantabile]

I have pretty hard water too, and I've found that a higher ratio of ACV to water works well. I use a ratio of approximately 1/2+ tablespoon of ACV to 1 quart of water. Try experimenting with different ratios to see if they work with your water. :)

[n3m3sis42]

I used my Neem and Tea Tree Oil (CV) bar again this morning. This time, I wore my hair down, and I really wasn't expecting good results for some reason. However, it dried very soft and with a nice amount of body. The shine is good but not spectacular, and there is no frizzing.

I'm pleasantly surprised! :)

[lynnala]

I was wondering if anyone had experienced any darkening from the CV bars?Ah, so glad you brought this up, I came to the thread just now to discuss it. As you can see by my siggy pic, I have lot's of white hair. The cassia treatment in the second pic has worn off. Well, I started using CV bars about a month after that cassia pic was taken. I started noticing that the white hairs seemed to be getting a golden color. I thought it was maybe the honey rinse I was using. I discussed it on the honey thread, and Ktani finally figured out, after going through everything I'd been using, including orange juice, that it was probably the castor oil in the poo bar. Then, I tried the Cafe Moreno bar, mostly because I love the smell of cloves. Well, I've used it around 6 times now, and my hair is definitely darker. I keep staring at it in the mirror, I can't believe the change! It's really a nice color. Kind of a "fawn" color. As soon as I wash my hair I'll take a pic so we can compare it to my old pic.

[Xepher]

I have pretty hard water too, and I've found that a higher ratio of ACV to water works well. I use a ratio of approximately 1/2+ tablespoon of ACV to 1 quart of water. Try experimenting with different ratios to see if they work with your water. :)

Just out of curiosity, how do you tell if your water is hard or soft? ((Sorry, i'm really new to all this)).

[Calista]

Lamb, I tried to answer yesterday, but got the dreaded "server is busy" message. I use 100ml vinegar and fill that up with tap water to 1l in all. I also have moderately hard water.

[Cantabile]

Just out of curiosity, how do you tell if your water is hard or soft? ((Sorry, i'm really new to all this)).
I looked it up on my city's website. :D

[n3m3sis42]

I have a question to those with hard water here. I have "moderately hard" water in Toronto, would that cause major problems in the future with soap scum buildup? (I started to use a shampoo bar recently because shampoo killed my hair in the winter and CO washes are not an option.) I do use an ACV rinse, about 2 tsp ACV in 1 liter water (approx. 1 quart).
Should I make a stronger ACV rinse? What else can I do to counterbalance the hardness of the water?

As far as I can tell by looking it up online, our water is soft. I use an ACV rinse anyway, mainly because I don't use conditioner and I was already in the habit of using the ACV rinse when I was doing my old no-poo routine.

My rinse is stronger than a lot of people's--2 tbsp in 1-1.5 cups of water. I went without it once, because I was already in the shower with lather all over my hair before I realized I'd forgotten to refill my empty vinegar rinse bottle. My hair was fine, but I was too chicken to go without again after that to see what it would do. Why mess with a routine that's working? ;-)

I don't know if that helps, seeing as I don't have hard water, but there you go.

[nomadhome]

So, I've strayed from shampoo bars to a similar, but different product. It's still soap (no sulfates, no cones)... but it's soft, and sold in a big tub....
The product I'm using is FlowerMoonSoap's Dairy Whip. It's another etailer (like Chagrin Valley) albeit a much MUCH smaller one.


Are you still happy with it? Are you getting any buildup or other issues? I'd love to try it too!

[kimki]

Ah, so glad you brought this up, I came to the thread just now to discuss it. As you can see by my siggy pic, I have lot's of white hair. The cassia treatment in the second pic has worn off. Well, I started using CV bars about a month after that cassia pic was taken. I started noticing that the white hairs seemed to be getting a golden color. I thought it was maybe the honey rinse I was using. I discussed it on the honey thread, and Ktani finally figured out, after going through everything I'd been using, including orange juice, that it was probably the castor oil in the poo bar. Then, I tried the Cafe Moreno bar, mostly because I love the smell of cloves. Well, I've used it around 6 times now, and my hair is definitely darker. I keep staring at it in the mirror, I can't believe the change! It's really a nice color. Kind of a "fawn" color. As soon as I wash my hair I'll take a pic so we can compare it to my old pic.

That's interesting, I'll look forward to seeing the pic. I'm currently trying to lighten my hair and don't want to be counterproductive by using a CV bar! :)

[Deborah]

We have very hard water in my town. When I use vinegar I use at least 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a quart bottle of very cold water. This works, and no, it is not too strong or drying.

I have come to prefer using citric acid crystals though, probably because with citric acid there is absolutely no smell at all. To the quart of very cold water I add roughly 1/2 teaspoon citric acid. That's it. :flower:

[Chromis]

Just out of curiosity, how do you tell if your water is hard or soft? ((Sorry, i'm really new to all this)).

Pet shops that sell fish can test it for you and so can pool supply shops. Fish shops will likely have more accurate tests and can test both pH and hardness. A quick and dirty way of knowing:

Does your water leave scummy deposits everywhere, like thick crusties on the showerhead? Hard!

Does your soap feel super slippery and take forever to rinse off? Soft!

[Ohio Sky]

I give up on CV. I have been messing with these things on and off for almost 6 months now, and have never liked the results. I decided a week ago to give them another go and actually try to do it exclusively for a while but I just cant handle it.

My hair is waxy, unmanageable, and it looks (and smells) aweful. I have not been able to brush it for a week and have lost a ton of hair just trying to get it to look presentable. I hate it. It doesnt seem to matter what I do, the results are always bad.

I was considering trying another brand, but honestly, I dont see the point. My hair is happy with SLS and cones once a week and its a much simpler routine. The only thing I miss is the fullness and body I get with CV bars, but I havent even had that this time around.

Im very dissapointed. :(

[Saranne772]

I was browsing google results for shampoo bar and found this recipe. Thought it might interest you guys

http://houseofstrauss.co.uk/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=470

[Calista]

Ohio Sky, your description sounds like a very bad case of buildup. Maybe your water is just too hard? I presume you did a vinegar rinse.

Whatever, if you have a routine that works for you, no need to change it. Lots of people are happy with SLS and cones.

[Saranne772]

I have just purchased two shampoo bars.

http://www.e-nat.co.uk/acatalog/Organic_Shampoo_Bars.html
Chamomile Soother Shampoo Bar (Organic) (v)
Nettle, Marshmallow & Rosemary Shampoo Bar (Organic Vegan) (v)

[naturechild]

I'm not ready to give up yet but man my hair sure does have the barbie doll hair look. I have build up I realize but cant seem to get it out with the lemon water rinse and my DF cant stand the acv. I have been wearing my hair up all the time so people cant see the stiffness, I like it down so much more.
any suggestion's would help a lot :(

[Calista]

Naturechild, once your hair is dry it shouldn&#180;t smell of vinegar anymore.But you should also be able to break down the buildup with citric acid rinses - just make them as strong as you need them!

[chloeishere]

Are you still happy with it? Are you getting any buildup or other issues? I'd love to try it too!

Still very happy with it! I see that AJoifulNoise (who lives locally, near the etailer, who sells at the farmers market) has also started using it, and is happy so far.
I've had much less build up than I've had with shampoo bars... I really haven't needed to clarify at all (well, I've clarified a few times, but my hair has always felt stripped instead of cleansed, so I don't think it was necessary).
Other issues... hair feels different after washing, but before conditioning, than it did with traditional shampoo. Not anything like shampoo bars, either (with shampoo bars, hair always felt waxy, stiff, and felt like if I tried to move it, it would snap, though the acid rinse fixed the feeling)... it seems to feel very soft, but grippy. Hair feels normal once I add conditioner, though.

[Ponytale]

I picked up some shampoo bars from a local soap maker Cedar Ridge Soaps (also on-line). They make a "walk in the woods" and a "honeysuckle lilac" that smell great. My hair has been thicker and shiny. The size of my updos has increased and they are much more substantial. And, after reading this forum, I started adding some herbs to my vinegar rinse this week.

I think I will skip trying the Cassia (my next plan)... The soap solution is less invasive...

[n3m3sis42]

chloeishere, I was intrigued by the dairy whip and have ordered some. I'm not sure yet whether I will try it on my hair or just use it as a body wash. I'm really happy with Chagrin Valley shampoo bars and I'm a little scared to try anything else on my hair (even other shampoo bars). I'll let you know how it turns out after my order arrives.

[Flutterbee]

I'm not ready to give up yet but man my hair sure does have the barbie doll hair look. I have build up I realize but cant seem to get it out with the lemon water rinse and my DF cant stand the acv. I have been wearing my hair up all the time so people cant see the stiffness, I like it down so much more.
any suggestion's would help a lot :(

Have you tried using citric acid? Your hair sounds like mine before I started using a 1/2 tsp ca to a big juice jug of water. The vinegar smell stayed in my hair even when it was dry. I think that's actually because of hard water, and then you get build up over time. The citric acid is the only thing that works for me.

[Gilly]

I am still loving the Billy goat soap that I am currently using on my hair and body. My hair feels amazing, I am lathering up once and applying a cone free conditioner, I can run my fingers through my hair at anytime and not get any tangles, YAY! :cheese:

[Cantabile]

Reporting in with my results from the the Rosemary Aloe CV bar. I've had good results with other bars before, but this one was a surprise! It lathered like crazy in the shower, and it just glided through my hair. The smell was pleasant, and the results were terrific: nice, shiny, soft hair. :heartbeat

[n3m3sis42]

Reporting in with my results from the the Rosemary Aloe CV bar. I've had good results with other bars before, but this one was a surprise! It lathered like crazy in the shower, and it just glided through my hair. The smell was pleasant, and the results were terrific: nice, shiny, soft hair. :heartbeat

Ooh, yay! I have that one and haven't tried it yet. I just decided the other day that I am trying it on my next wash. :D

[almudena]

I'm planning my next shampoo/soap bars order and I'm really curious about these new shampoo bars :
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/shampoo/index.html

And soap bars:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/soap/index.html

But they are quite expensive :( .

[n3m3sis42]

I'm planning my next shampoo/soap bars order and I'm really curious about these new shampoo bars :
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/shampoo/index.html

And soap bars:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/soap/index.html

But they are quite expensive :( .

Good lord, are they made out of gold? People complained when the CV bars went up to $6! And they are 5 or 6 ounces.

I have to admit I am curious about these, but why on earth are they so pricey?

[naturechild]

Thank you flutterbee! Yes the acv smell stays in my hair for day's ugh! Were do I find citric acid? what is the mix and can I keep it in the fridg for a while or do I need to make it every time?

[Chromis]

I found citric acid in the vitamin section. It's also used for sprouting things so you can try near those supplies as well and sometimes in the canning section. I use a small dash in a 2 cup measure, but I have exceedingly hard water.

[Saranne772]

My 1st shampoo bars arrived today!! I cant wait to try them!!

[SweetPea88]

Has anyone noticed a difference when using organic vs. non-organic ACV?

When I first discovered CV bars I was using just plain old ACV from the grocery store. I finished that bottle and decided to give ACV with "the mother" a try and picked up some Bragg's Organic Unfiltered ACV. I'm about 1/3 through the Bragg's and it seems that this ACV is much better! I think the smell has gone down considerably and it seems to make my hair much smoother.

[naturechild]

Oh sweetpea88 I am going to have to try that out! I have the mother in my fridge,(hope she isnt cold ;) ) and I can try that this weekend. but I will check my store for citric acid asap. thank you Chromis!

[SweetPea88]

Hehe, give it a try Naturechild! Tell me how it works for you! :)

ETA: I just noticed that you had complained about the ACV smell. My hair is in the process of drying right now and I can't smell anything, so I hope it may be of help.

[Chromis]

Has anyone noticed a difference when using organic vs. non-organic ACV?

When I first discovered CV bars I was using just plain old ACV from the grocery store. I finished that bottle and decided to give ACV with "the mother" a try and picked up some Bragg's Organic Unfiltered ACV. I'm about 1/3 through the Bragg's and it seems that this ACV is much better! I think the smell has gone down considerably and it seems to make my hair much smoother.

Yep, I find the same thing! The organic stuff makes a huge difference in how well I can stand vinegar rinses. I often add a glug of it to my citric acid rinse. It's the difference between vaguely vomit smelling and slightly sharp apple cider smell for me.

[naturechild]

vaguely vomit smelling !!! OMG maybe I wont try it!!! LOL

[Chromis]

vaguely vomit smelling !!! OMG maybe I wont try it!!! LOL

Oh no, that's the normal cheapo gallon sized jugs that smell so horrid to me! I know other people manage it but I'm not sure how...probably the same folks that like pickles shudder:

Bragg's, Spectrum and the like with the mother just smell like tart apple cider. Thy seem to leave my hair shinier too!

[Saranne772]

Can you get organic ACV at normal supermarkets such as Sainsburies? I am planning to get some tomorrow possibly and I think my hair deserves organic (even if I normally get the cheap food for eating!)

[Cantabile]

Can you get organic ACV at normal supermarkets such as Sainsburies? I am planning to get some tomorrow possibly and I think my hair deserves organic (even if I normally get the cheap food for eating!)

It's possible. I think I've seen it around in certain supermarkets in America, but it won't hurt to give it a shot. Health food stores might be more likely though.

[jesamyn]

My routine works, but I can't resist giving this a try! I actually ordered the Flower Moon Soaps Dairy Whip - not a shampoo bar, but as the chloeishere stated, it's similar. My skin loves goat's milk soap when I have tried it in the past, so if my hair's unhappy, I will happily use it on my skin instead.

[Flutterbee]

Thank you flutterbee! Yes the acv smell stays in my hair for day's ugh! Were do I find citric acid? what is the mix and can I keep it in the fridg for a while or do I need to make it every time?

Naturechild, I got mine in the vitamin section of a health food store. I use 1/2 a teaspoon to a full bottle (a plastic orange juice jug, maybe half a gallon) of water and give it a good shake to mix it up. I pour the entire thing over my head as a final rinse, so nothing to keep mixed up in the fridge. Hope it works out for you, I so despised the vinegar head smell!!

[Tapioca]

I found citric acid in the "ethnic" section of my grocery store, with the Kosher foods. It was sold as sour salt. It's a dry powder, so I can keep it in my bathroom, not the fridge.

[nomadhome]

My routine works, but I can't resist giving this a try! I actually ordered the Flower Moon Soaps Dairy Whip - not a shampoo bar, but as the chloeishere stated, it's similar. My skin loves goat's milk soap when I have tried it in the past, so if my hair's unhappy, I will happily use it on my skin instead.

I ordered Dairy Whip too, and while my skin loves it, my first attempt at using it on my hair was pretty sad. My usually soft and glossy hair felt... weird... and lost the majority of its shine. It also took forever to dry and the fragrance of the soap stayed for a long time, even overpowering my condish. This all leads me to believe that it didn't rinse clean and the ACV didn't help much.

[Kirin]

Considering I had this big block of shampoo bar sitting around and my first attempts a few months ago were disasterous, I figured what the hay, I'd give it another shot.

The past weekend traveling my hair was obliterated with dryness, so I showered today and using suggestions to really really shampoo with the bar, and wash the ends with it, I have to say I'm relatively happy (and suprised!). I did use my v05 conditioner after, don't know what dent that put in it, but it may be the reason I have no oily weird gunkiness feeling to my ends.

I'll keep this up this week and see how it goes.

[Gilly]

I have been using Billy Goat Soap on my hair since the 25th May and my hair feels amazing :cheese:
I don't use a vinegar rinse, I just slap on some cone free condish after, either Moo Goo or Terax Crema.

I air dry and it is so soft and the curls have bounce and shine, and no tangles at all, I can run my fingers through it anytime and not get caught in tangles like before.

I am very happy! I will have to post some new pics!

[April1]

Hi.......could someone PLEASE help me out with these questions. They've probably been asked a million times, but Im too tired to search through the pages and pages on poo bars.


I've just bought my very first shampoo bar the other day from Beauty and the Bees and have just used it for the first time..........so, I think I may need a little help.

It is a rosemary/mint bar, and it felt quite good it my hair, but during and after rinsing and rinsing and rinsing it felt quite waxy. I follwed with 'some' cone free conditioner, as I wasnt used to the idea of not using any, and then did an ACV rinse, (2-3 capfulls added to a couple of litres of water). While drying there was still the waxy feeling but now that its completely dry its better, but ever so slightly still there.

Ive reading that you can get a waxy build up from not lathering up enough (im so used to only gently wiping/moving around the scalp, my usual shampoo), or could it be that I didnt use enough ACV - and thats got some questions in itself - do you do that after every shampoo or would that be too drying.

Also Ive read that some people shampoo all of there hair and not just the scalp area (im so used to only doing my scalp and letting it run through the rest of my hair instead of shampooing all of it) but is that too drying, or is it ok to put it all over your hair as its not regular shampoo. By the way Ive been using cone free and everything else 'free' for some time now.

I hope Ive explained myself alright...........thanks for any help..April.:)

[Celtic Queen]

Heya, April1.

First, yes, it may be a problem of getting the right strength for the vinegar rinse. That is very much trial and error, so .. good luck.

As for shampooing the length, I don.t, personally. I drench my length in conditioner, make the shampoo foam well in my hand, lather and scrub my scalp, rinse and repeat those steps /three/ times.

Also, how many times did you lather and rinse? Twice is the minimum with poo bars, many here (I think) do three times.

I hope it helps! Poo bars do have an adaptation curve. And even when I moved (from upstate NY to NJ), it took me a good two months to re-adapt and find the proper rinse concentration for the local water. Good luck!

[LynnM]

Good lord, are they made out of gold? People complained when the CV bars went up to $6! And they are 5 or 6 ounces.

I have to admit I am curious about these, but why on earth are they so pricey?

I purchased one... I'll let you guys know how it was. Maybe post a picture or something. :p

A lot of her non-henna products are pricey.

[Lamb]

Okay, I am giving this one another shot. I am soooo logical and consequent when it comes to haircare routine. Using a shampoo bar for two weeks, freaking out because the ACV rinse is drying, trying a gazillion other things for another two weeks just to realize that the shampoo bar really was good only I shouldn't have used an ACV rinse that often. :rolleyes:
So, I am back on the waggon, armed with my $1.77 shampoo bar and a bottle of citric acid because the ACV smell is going on my nerves. And no, I am not going to wash my hair every blessed morning, every other or third day should be okay.

Question: bottle says "Use 1 tsp. per quart of water or juice for most fruits and vegetables." So, what's the amount I should use for the vegetable I grow on my head? :D 1/2 tsp per quart? ( I have hard water.)

[n3m3sis42]

I've just bought my very first shampoo bar the other day from Beauty and the Bees and have just used it for the first time..........so, I think I may need a little help.

It is a rosemary/mint bar, and it felt quite good it my hair, but during and after rinsing and rinsing and rinsing it felt quite waxy. I follwed with 'some' cone free conditioner, as I wasnt used to the idea of not using any, and then did an ACV rinse, (2-3 capfulls added to a couple of litres of water). While drying there was still the waxy feeling but now that its completely dry its better, but ever so slightly still there.

Ive reading that you can get a waxy build up from not lathering up enough (im so used to only gently wiping/moving around the scalp, my usual shampoo), or could it be that I didnt use enough ACV - and thats got some questions in itself - do you do that after every shampoo or would that be too drying.

Also Ive read that some people shampoo all of there hair and not just the scalp area (im so used to only doing my scalp and letting it run through the rest of my hair instead of shampooing all of it) but is that too drying, or is it ok to put it all over your hair as its not regular shampoo. By the way Ive been using cone free and everything else 'free' for some time now.


I don't know if this would have anything to do with the waxies, but I never use conditioner after washing with shampoo bars. I know there are a few people who need it, but a lot of people don't because the bars are pretty gentle. Also, I *think* your ACV rinse might be a little bit on the weak side--I use 2 tablespoons ACV in 1-1.5 cups of water. I looked up the conversions online, and 1.5 cups is 0.354 882 354 75 liters. I'm guessing that 2 or 3 capfuls of ACV would be no more than 2 or 3 tablespoons, so maybe you need a stronger rinse? I do think my rinse is strong compared to some people's, though.

I highly recommend washing your length with the shampoo bars. I was skeptical about this at first, but when I tried *not* washing my length, my hair seemed sort of... limp and maybe not quite clean enough.



I purchased one... I'll let you guys know how it was. Maybe post a picture or something. :p

A lot of her non-henna products are pricey.

I haven't bought anything besides henna from her. I'd be curious to hear how it turns out. :)



Okay, I am giving this one another shot. I am soooo logical and consequent when it comes to haircare routine. Using a shampoo bar for two weeks, freaking out because the ACV rinse is drying, trying a gazillion other things for another two weeks just to realize that the shampoo bar really was good only I shouldn't have used an ACV rinse that often. :rolleyes:
So, I am back on the waggon, armed with my $1.77 shampoo bar and a bottle of citric acid because the ACV smell is going on my nerves. And no, I am not going to wash my hair every blessed morning, every other or third day should be okay.

Question: bottle says "Use 1 tsp. per quart of water or juice for most fruits and vegetables." So, what's the amount I should use for the vegetable I grow on my head? :D 1/2 tsp per quart? ( I have hard water.)

Good luck! I don't know the answer to your citric acid question, but if I remember correctly, citric acid is more acidic than vinegar, so if the ACV was drying, you might want to start with a pretty small amout of citric acid and work your way up. How much ACV did you use in your rinse?

[Lamb]

Good luck! I don't know the answer to your citric acid question, but if I remember correctly, citric acid is more acidic than vinegar, so if the ACV was drying, you might want to start with a pretty small amout of citric acid and work your way up. How much ACV did you use in your rinse?

About 1 tbsp. in a liter of water. Perhaps a bit more sometimes. I think the frequency was a greater factor, though.
I searched this thread a bit and found most of you guys use 1/2 tsp citric acid in a quart (approx. 1l) water, I think I will try that and reduce/increase from there.
Oh and the bar I use (and love, my hair is super-easy to detangle afterwards) is made by a Canadian company, The Soap Works. Their soaps are in Noah's stores, pretty cheap. I will see if, at the end of the summer, my hair still likes this routine and perhaps I will try CV bars then, but not before!

[April1]

Thanks for the responses n3m3sis42 and Celtic Queen.

I think you are right maybe my ACV is too weak. The thought of washing the length of my hair makes me cringe, even though its short, but I'll give it a go. And perhaps lathering up 3 times instead of twice.

That all seems so odd as it goes against the things that I have learnt here to look after your hair. But if its because poo bars are so gentle it makes you realize pehaps just how terribly strong shampoo liquids are!!!

[Chromis]

About 1 tbsp. in a liter of water. Perhaps a bit more sometimes. I think the frequency was a greater factor, though.
I searched this thread a bit and found most of you guys use 1/2 tsp citric acid in a quart (approx. 1l) water, I think I will try that and reduce/increase from there.
Oh and the bar I use (and love, my hair is super-easy to detangle afterwards) is made by a Canadian company, The Soap Works. Their soaps are in Noah's stores, pretty cheap. I will see if, at the end of the summer, my hair still likes this routine and perhaps I will try CV bars then, but not before!

My husband likes those bars too! He didn't like my CV bars since he thought they all smell yogurty and "hippy" lol! Bulk Barn carries them too :)

[Calista]

Cross-posting from my journal:


I have been collecting soap and shampoo leftovers for about 1 1/2 years now - you know, those little slivers you don&#180;t really want to use up anymore, because it&#180;s just too much of a hassle. Some people seem to have soap sacks to use up those little bits of soap but I don&#180;t.

So what I did is chop all those slivers in the food processor, put them in a jar with twist-off lid, cover with boiling water until all of the soap was immersed. I let that sit for 24 hours, stirring periodically. What I got was a fairly smooth but slightly chunky paste, like mashed potatoes. It is very easy to use, but it&#180;s also easy to overdose on the hair! It looks horrible but smells divine. I use it on my hair as well as on my body.

Alley Cat used to do something similar and called it a shampoo bar smoothie. :)

[Celebrian]

I've only tried the Lush shampoo bars, and found them impossible on my older lengths. Very stripping. Needed conditioner every time ++.

I've gone out on a limb now, and ordered some from Mehandi.com (H4H) which are new on her site. People are raving about them, and saying that no conditioner is needed after them!

We'll see about that... The day I can leave conditioner out will be an amazing day indeed!

I'll post back when they arrive and I've used them.

[chloeishere]

I ordered Dairy Whip too, and while my skin loves it, my first attempt at using it on my hair was pretty sad. My usually soft and glossy hair felt... weird... and lost the majority of its shine. It also took forever to dry and the fragrance of the soap stayed for a long time, even overpowering my condish. This all leads me to believe that it didn't rinse clean and the ACV didn't help much.

Aw, I'm sorry it didn't work for your hair. :( But I'm glad you like it for your skin!

I know this may sound crazy, but could you consider skipping the vinegar rinse this one time, to see if it helps? I really don't like the way my hair feels if I use an acid rinse after dairy whip.

I had a really smooth transition to the stuff, so I'm not much good for trouble shooting. I rinse like the dickens though, and make sure to lift my the length of hair off my scalp so it can rinse really clean. I haven't found the scent to linger much more than shampoo bars.

I do find it works better without an acid rinse (acid rinses after it make my hair kind of... grabby), so that would be the one bit of advice I'd offer.

[LynnM]

I really like the Cafe Moreno shampoo bar. While LHC was down, I realized that lathering twice is SO MUCH BETTER than lathering just once. Lathering the first time, I noticed that everything felt kind of sticky and not quite clean. When lathering up the second time, everything feels a lot more silky and so on, and my hair feels better at the end--a lot softer.

I have also learned that I do actually have to use a light conditioner and/or coconut oil after using shampoo bars; my hair gets a little sticky and crunchy otherwise.

ditto on all counts!!

On another note, I used a Mehandi.com shampoo bar (see here: http://www.mehandi.com/shop/shampoo/index.html ) - the
Chamomile/Cassia/Mandarin Orange Mehandi one. The smell was waaayyy too strong for me out of the package, but was fine once I got it wet. (I'm pregnant, though, so many smells bother me!) This was my first time using a shampoo bar, too. Usually I just CO wash with a cone-free Suave conditioner. I lathered once and HATED the feel, and then lathered again really, really well and rinsed again. I had to put in a little bit of conditioner and some coconut oil to make my hair feel good, otherwise I am loving it! I don't think I'll buy it again, though, because of the price....and the smell. :p

I am placing an order for CV samples, though!! :D (enablers!!)

Does anyone with really, really hard water use shampoo bars? (I live in Indiana - limestone central!) Does the vinegar rinse work well enough for hard water, or do some of you need to use a filter? (I don't have the $$ to spend on a softener, although I'd love one!)

[Islandgrrl]

Now that I finally broke down and bought a shampoo bar - from our very own SarieQ - and used it this morning, I have some questions...

First of all, I followed the basic instructions I got here - I lathered twice and rinsed incredibly well. I did use conditioner on my length, though and I did NOT use a vinegar rinse. My hair is not quite dry yet, but its shiny and fluffy and nice looking. Feels pretty good, too.

I wonder how necessary it is to use the vinegar rinse? In the past, my hair has not responded well to vinegar (and the smell doesn't elicit a good response from the rest of me, either....eww). It's been dull and ugly. Soft as heck, but ugly.

I also noticed that when I was rinsing, that my ends felt a little waxy. Normal? They seemed less so after the second lather (I just squeezed the lather through the length - I didn't rub at all), and I'm not really noticing now at all.

I don't know if this is particular to SarieQ's bars or not, but the lather had a LOT of slip to it...it seemed very rich with oils. So much so that I used it to shave my legs with very nice results.

[LynnM]

I used a Mehandi.com shampoo bar (see here: http://www.mehandi.com/shop/shampoo/index.html ) - the
Chamomile/Cassia/Mandarin Orange Mehandi one. The smell was waaayyy too strong for me out of the package, but was fine once I got it wet. (I'm pregnant, though, so many smells bother me!) This was my first time using a shampoo bar, too. Usually I just CO wash with a cone-free Suave conditioner. I lathered once and HATED the feel, and then lathered again really, really well and rinsed again. I had to put in a little bit of conditioner and some coconut oil to make my hair feel good, otherwise I am loving it! I don't think I'll buy it again, though, because of the price....and the smell.

Man, I finally read through ALL of the posts - all 71 pages! Woohoo! :cheese:

Okay, so I tried the Mehandi shampoo bar again, this time without conditioner and again without any acv/citric acid rinse. I also only lathered once; I think I need to do it twice. I have MAJOR waxies today, as if I haven't washed my hair in a little bit or went swimming at the beach. Yuck!!

So I'm going to go wash with some conditioner and some citric acid with my 'poo bar (and this time 2-3 latherings!) to see if that helps.

I also had a hard time with lathering... both on my hair and off. I don't know if the problem is the henna bar or the hard water, or both?

[wintersun99]

just curious, I noticed that Catherine at hennaforhair.com is now selling/making shampoo bars and the reviews are fabulous so far... anyone give 'em a go yet?

ETA - doh! didn't see the review above, sorry!

[LynnM]

just curious, I noticed that Catherine at hennaforhair.com is now selling/making shampoo bars and the reviews are fabulous so far... anyone give 'em a go yet?

ETA - doh! didn't see the review above, sorry!

;) I only tried the one, though... with as strong as the scents are, I'm afraid to try the others! Although the scent doesn't linger, which is good (for me). I have hard water, too, and that seems to affect the results that people have.

OK, so I tried the poo bar from hennaforhair/mehandi again, and I am in LOVE! :joy: I changed the routine, and did as I said I would in the previous post:

1. Washed hair 2X with Suave Daily Clarifying Conditioner
> Didn't seem to help much!
2. Washed hair with poo bar
> I got LITTLE lather and my hair felt gunky again; the conditioner didn't seem to make much of a difference
3. Washed hair again with poo bar
> This time I got LOADS of lather! My hair still felt super gunky and horrible, though, as if I had put wax in my hair.
4. Rinsed hair with citric acid rinse (1 TB in 100ML cool water), then rinsed with water
> WOW! :happydance: I could feel the rinse smoothing my hair out right away.. and my hair was instantly tangle-free!

It's pretty amazing... I am in love with poo bars :inlove: I could brush my hair right away - no tangles, no need for oil, nothing - just smooth, straight (it's never straight out of the shower), SOFT hair!

I'll update once it's dry. But man, amazing! :) I couldn't be happier!

Too bad I didn't read through this thread beforehand and just do the rinse right from the start... :rolleyes:

Edit: Although this bar does leave my hair smelling kinda weird. I'm not sure if it's one of the scents that is doing it, or one of the fats. ? It's a kind of waxy smell. Yuck.

[avraea]

Does anyone with really, really hard water use shampoo bars? (I live in Indiana - limestone central!) Does the vinegar rinse work well enough for hard water, or do some of you need to use a filter? (I don't have the $$ to spend on a softener, although I'd love one!)I was going to respond but then I see that you've had success with citric acid. I've always been able to counter the effects of my hard water really well with citric acid. Any stiffness, waxiness, buildup, etc just smoothes away as soon as I pour in my citric acid rinse. But wow, 1 TB in 100 ML of water seems like a really strong rinse! :disbelief

[LynnM]

I was going to respond but then I see that you've had success with citric acid. I've always been able to counter the effects of my hard water really well with citric acid. Any stiffness, waxiness, buildup, etc just smoothes away as soon as I pour in my citric acid rinse. But wow, 1 TB in 100 ML of water seems like a really strong rinse! :disbelief

Thanks! Well, I just kinda poured some in. ;) I also wanted to get out anything that was in my hair. Although I don't notice any dryness! :shrug: What amount have you had success with, having hard water?

[avraea]

I know what you mean. The first time I used poo bars I was so paranoid about soap scum buildup on my hair from my hard water so I doused my hair in a stronger citric acid rinse. Now I use about 1/4 tsp in 2 cups water. If I had to use as much as you, my citric acid wouldn't last long! :laugh:

[LynnM]

I know what you mean. The first time I used poo bars I was so paranoid about soap scum buildup on my hair from my hard water so I doused my hair in a stronger citric acid rinse. Now I use about 1/4 tsp in 2 cups water. If I had to use as much as you, my citric acid wouldn't last long! :laugh:

The gunky feeling is just nasty, I'll give you that! ;)

So maybe what, a teaspoon in my 100ML container?

[avraea]

I'm awful with conversions. I just looked it up and 2 cups = 480 ML, so actually it'd be a lot less than that. Um, approximately 1/20 of a tsp? But don't take my word for it. My brain tends to shut down when it comes to math. :lol: It may be that you need a higher concentration though, so probably best to play around and see what works better.

[Deborah]

I have very hard water and use about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of the citric acid powder shaken in with a quart (roughly a liter) of very cold water. This works quite well for me. I have good results with vinegar, but I like this better because it's a powder, so I don't need big bottles of vinegar in the bathroom. And of course there is no smell either. Good stuff. :)

[Calista]

100ml sounds like not very much. Do you even get all your hair saturated? I have waist-length hair, and I use 1 liter.

[Melian]

Does anyone know if there is an expiration date to Ida's shampoo bars? How many years probably?

[manderly]

Does anyone know if there is an expiration date to Ida's shampoo bars? How many years probably?


I would email her. I know that the longer they "cure", they better they are.

[Calista]

Melian, I don&#180;t think there is an expiration date. From experience I know that the scent fades after several months, but I have shampoo bars that are at least a year old, and I don&#180;t see them going bad anytime soon. Ida herself said on her website that she found some soaps or shampoos that were hidden in a closet for about two years, and they were just fine. In fact, the bars become milder with age.

However, she does recommend using them up within about 9 months as the scent becomes less, and also the goodness that&#180;s in the EOs will go away over time. But I don&#180;t think they&#180;d get rancid or mouldy.

[manderly]

I've been using my CV bars for almost a year now, and I love them dearly. Took a while to get there, but once I got it all figured out I'm hooked.

My question though:

I need to order again, and I can't remember how many bars fit in a flat rate envelope, and how many fit in a box. I remember reading it somewhere but couldn't find it (I think it was on her site). In order to make the most out of my order I wanted to know how many bars I can get with either. These darn things last so long I can't remember!!

[Calista]

Manderley, it´s here (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/internationorder.htm) - under "international orders"!

[manderly]

Manderley, it´s here (http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/internationorder.htm) - under "international orders"!


Thank you! Geez I thought I looked everywhere! Unfortunately Ida's site is a little bloated at times, but I love her bars!

[Aibell77]

I woudn't worry Manderly. I've put in an order and thought I would select the box just to be sure, and I got an e-mail from her that I could change the order to a envelope if I wanted to so I would save money. Excellent service!

I have been reading this thread and it seems that the answer to my waxy/greasy ends is trial and error :( I really want the bars to work, and I've washed my hair 3 times with honey and beer shampoo bar. I wash and rince twice, but I cant get foam in my ends. I rub and rub but it's not happening. After the second rince I do an AVC rince that helps the feel of my hair.

So far my hair fees great, no tangles, but looks like I've been living on the streets... Only the hair on my head (untill ears) looks good...

I was reading about a citric acid rince. Is that just a squeesed lemon diluted in water? I could try that one. Or would a different shampoo bar work?

Thanks,

Aibell

[manderly]

Aibell77, have you tried other bar formulations? I know that try as I might with some of the bars, I couldn't get lather, and I'd end up with a stringy, waxy mess.

I also would like to recommend to poo bar newbies that they CLARIFY their hair with a SLS poo and some baking soda prior to giving them a go. I think that's where a lot of problems arise with the "waxy" factor.

[Celebrian]

Why is an vinegar/citric acid rinse needed after these bars? I ask, because Catherine just seems to talk about shampooing, rinsing, no conditioner - and everything is lovely! Or is it?

Oh wait - the cuticle needs closing down doesn't it? Hmmm, what is she talking about then...

[Chromis]

In areas with hard water, many of us have trouble with getting waxy build up without using some kind of rinse. Most of the places I have lived also had this trouble with many liquid shampoos even!

[Celebrian]

In areas with hard water, many of us have trouble with getting waxy build up without using some kind of rinse. Most of the places I have lived also had this trouble with many liquid shampoos even!

Ok, thanks Chromis. I'll have to check my water then. I know it leaves a lot of lime sediment in the kettle, but not sure if that makes it hard or soft. :rolleyes:

[chloeishere]

It's also true that shampoo bars have a basic pH, so it could leave your cuticle ruffled if you don't reset the pH to acidic after washing. I think that generally, soft water is slightly acidic.

[LynnM]

100ml sounds like not very much. Do you even get all your hair saturated? I have waist-length hair, and I use 1 liter.

Seemed like it, but maybe not! But I have hair that is just past my shoulder, and it's thin right now because of pregnancy. :mad:

Okay, so I tried the Mehandi.com shampoo bar again, and did a few things different, again getting a waxy/oily kind of feel once dry. Do I need to just go a few days without washing, as some have suggested?

1. Lather WELL and rinse well w/ Mehandi shampoo bar - 3x
2. Rinse with citric acid/water mixture (got some in my eyes - yuck!)
3. Use Suave strawberry cone-free/protein-free conditioner, rinse out
4. Rinse again with citric acid/water mixture
5. Rinse hair again fully with water

What might I be doing wrong? Or is this just the adjustment period? (Or the shampoo bar!?) I like how soft and full my hair is, but I don't like the gunky feel.

I don't think I'll buy the shampoo bar from hennaforhair again, although I'm sure it works for someone!

I'm waiting for my cv bars to come! Wish me luck! :D

[LynnM]

Ok, thanks Chromis. I'll have to check my water then. I know it leaves a lot of lime sediment in the kettle, but not sure if that makes it hard or soft. :rolleyes:

I'd say hard... or at least hard-ish?

[LynnM]

I also would like to recommend to poo bar newbies that they CLARIFY their hair with a SLS poo and some baking soda prior to giving them a go. I think that's where a lot of problems arise with the "waxy" factor.

It wouldn't hurt to do anyway, right, to remove buildup?

[manderly]

It wouldn't hurt to do anyway, right, to remove buildup?


Can't hurt to try. Just remember that some poo bar recipes may not ever make your hair feel "right", so you could be doing everything right, and that bar just isn't for you. Don't give up altogether :D

[Celebrian]

Can't hurt to try. Just remember that some poo bar recipes may not ever make your hair feel "right", so you could be doing everything right, and that bar just isn't for you. Don't give up altogether :D

Hmmm, I used my Mehandi.com Ginger & Cardamom shampoo bar tonight for the first time.

I did two rounds of shampoo and rinse, finished with a vinegar & water rinse, no conditioner (as Catherine and others at H4H had said they hadn't found it neccessary) and wrapped in a towel to absorb excess water. The lather wasn't brilliant, but perhaps it's not meant to be...?

When I came to comb my hair (still wet) it was dreadful! Woody, tangled, and took about 15 minutes to comb it out thoroughly. I think I'm going to need to condition after the bar in future - so I'll tell you how that goes.

This is what happened to me with the Lush bars as well. I really do suspect that if you have some damaged lengths (I do) then you can't really go without conditioner until they are grown/cut out.

Anyone else find this, or otherwise?

[manderly]

Celebrian, I cannot go without conditioner, I am amazed to hear that others are able to.

I condition after my CV poo bars (after vinegar rinse) and my comb glides right through. Even my fine tooth comb has no problems (I set my hair while wet).

[Lutya]

Hi all. I just joined up in order to discuss shampoo bars even tho I don't have long hair, I hope that is okay! I've been using samples of CV bars for a couple weeks and working out the process and rinses. I have shoulder length, wavy hair that is naturally fairly oily. I usually wash every day or two and only use conditioner occasionally in the winter (because of static problems).

The samples that I have tried so far: Neem & TT, Rosemary Mint and Summer Sunshine. The SS seems to be the best but I didn't use the ACV Rinse with the Neem, so I'll need to give that another try. I still have Rosemary Lavender and Nettle samples to try. I'm getting some citric acid because I really dislike the smell of the ACV (even using the Bragg's).

Before starting with the SS sample, I used my regular shampoo, the BS rinse; then my regular routine has been shampoo and rinse 2x with the bar, ACV rinse and let soak for a couple minutes, rinse out with lukewarm water quickly. The results are pretty good - tangle-free, soft, etc. except I am experiencing STATIC and it's the middle of summer here in upstate NY. This makes me worry about the winter when I have a major static problem even with regular shampoo. I guess I might have to use conditioner but I'd rather not, only because I usually don't use it.

Any other ideas for the static other than the ACV/citric rinse? I don't want to put oil on my hair since it tends to be oily by the end of the day as it is. I've decided static doesn't have anything to do with the oiliness of a person since my SIL is as dry as anything and never has static. I think it's more to do with the magnetic/mineral makeup of a person. ANYway, thanks!

[CopperHead]

I don't have to condition after a poo bar because I seem to have plenty of softness from the bar itself. I love the Oregon Soap Lady's poo bars because they lather like whipped cream. I used her Karma last night and my hair smells like soft Patchouli, and I can comb right through when wet too. I rarely can do this with regular poo and condish. I do find the bars act differently when I henna. They work much better. :)

[Aibell77]

Thanks Manderly! I will try another one. I've only tried a bar from H4H and I think it was better. The weird thing is that after 2 days (when my roots get greasy) my ends look ok again... I have a clarifying shampoo, so I'll do that first before my next try.

I do like how my hair feels with the bars, it's feels soft and not tangled even without conditioner :)

[Cantabile]

@Lutya

Conditioner and oil both work to cut down on static by weighing down the hair a bit, and coating the hair. Now that you're using shampoo bars, and ACV, your hair is no longer as coated as it was in the past.

I've heard something about using dryer sheets on your hair to cut down on the static, but I've never tried it, and I'm not really sure if it works? :laugh: There's is always the option of oiling (only with a drop or two at most), or using conditioner again. You could perhaps try using a tiny dab of condition as a leave-in?

[manderly]

Hi Lutya, welcome!

Have you tried oiling only from your ears down? I don't really have any problems with static where I live, so I don't have any suggestions, I think oiling your length would probably help greatly without making you greasy.

[LynnM]

Hmmm, I used my Mehandi.com Ginger & Cardamom shampoo bar tonight for the first time.

I did two rounds of shampoo and rinse, finished with a vinegar & water rinse, no conditioner (as Catherine and others at H4H had said they hadn't found it neccessary) and wrapped in a towel to absorb excess water. The lather wasn't brilliant, but perhaps it's not meant to be...?

When I came to comb my hair (still wet) it was dreadful! Woody, tangled, and took about 15 minutes to comb it out thoroughly. I think I'm going to need to condition after the bar in future - so I'll tell you how that goes.

This is what happened to me with the Lush bars as well. I really do suspect that if you have some damaged lengths (I do) then you can't really go without conditioner until they are grown/cut out.

Anyone else find this, or otherwise?

It takes a LONG time to get these bars to lather, especially the first lather, at least in my experience with the chamomile one. :p I also found that the bar disappears pretty quickly... does yours? :confused:

[LynnM]

Can't hurt to try. Just remember that some poo bar recipes may not ever make your hair feel "right", so you could be doing everything right, and that bar just isn't for you. Don't give up altogether :D

Thanks! I hope the CV bars work better. :)

Although.. .I am on my first non-wash day after using a poo bar, and my hair feels fine - non-waxy and not overly greasy, either. So it's not all bad! :shrug:

[Lutya]

@Lutya
There's is always the option of oiling (only with a drop or two at most), or using conditioner again. You could perhaps try using a tiny dab of condition as a leave-in?


Hi Lutya, welcome!

Have you tried oiling only from your ears down? I don't really have any problems with static where I live, so I don't have any suggestions, I think oiling your length would probably help greatly without making you greasy.

Thank you for the replies! Well, static should *not* be a problem where I live this time of year either. It's as humid as the deep south during the summer in NY. I also emailed Ida at CV to see if she had any suggestions.

I've actually never "oiled" before. How is it done? And what type of oil do you use? Like, essential oils or EVOO or what? Thank you again so much!

[Celebrian]

Hmmm, I used my Mehandi.com Ginger & Cardamom shampoo bar tonight for the first time.

I did two rounds of shampoo and rinse, finished with a vinegar & water rinse, no conditioner (as Catherine and others at H4H had said they hadn't found it neccessary) and wrapped in a towel to absorb excess water. The lather wasn't brilliant, but perhaps it's not meant to be...?

When I came to comb my hair (still wet) it was dreadful! Woody, tangled, and took about 15 minutes to comb it out thoroughly. I think I'm going to need to condition after the bar in future - so I'll tell you how that goes.

This is what happened to me with the Lush bars as well. I really do suspect that if you have some damaged lengths (I do) then you can't really go without conditioner until they are grown/cut out.

Anyone else find this, or otherwise?

Me back again...

Right, I am fuming here. I had to wash my hair again this afternoon, and used the above mentioned shampoo bar (again!). Terrible woody hair! This time I went straight for the conditioner to follow and used loads, struggling to comb it through (no cone, maybe I should have used cones?). Hair still felt woody and stiff - and was no better when I finally came to comb it out. The comb struggled through, and I applied camellia oil to the lengths to help out.

Right now, I am sat here with hair that feels stiff and helmet-like, with the oil apparently sat on top and not yet absorbing. I have to go out, and I look like I have greasy hair.

Can you tell I'm not happy? I'm going to have to wash it again when I get back - but quite which routine to follow I have no idea!

Can someone please help me out here... :(:mad::rolleyes:

If this happens a third time, I shall end up writing a tirade on H4H! I am not a daily shampoo'er - and resent having to waste time on re-washing, unneccessarily.

Sorry to vent like this, but I'm having enough problems with my hair ATM without this (can't get the color right!).

[Oskimosa]

I guess that not all shampoo bars are created equally, just like bottled shampoos.

Is it right that the 'waxy' feeling only results when you must use hard water in combination with the shampoo bars? I am tentative to try these bars out, probably from CV, in an attempt to get away from chemical shampoos and stay away from the greasy mop that bs and acv gives me. Do you really have to use vinegar rinses in combination with shampoo bars??

[almudena]

Celebrian thanks for telling about H4H shampoo bars. I've been so tempted of ordering one to try it. The reviews on the H4H site are impressive but is great to know about other experiences.

[manderly]

I guess that not all shampoo bars are created equally, just like bottled shampoos.

Is it right that the 'waxy' feeling only results when you must use hard water in combination with the shampoo bars? I am tentative to try these bars out, probably from CV, in an attempt to get away from chemical shampoos and stay away from the greasy mop that bs and acv gives me. Do you really have to use vinegar rinses in combination with shampoo bars??


I was "waxy" with all my bars for about the first month I used them. Now I never get waxy with the ones I choose to use. If I use one that doesn't agree with my hair (like I give it another chance) I get that waxy & coated feeling (the Cafe Moreno bar does this a bit for me).

I just automatically do a vinegar rinse now, but when I forget my hair turns out fine. When I do use one of my heavier bars that leave me waxy (like the Cafe Moreno) I do have to use a vinegar rinse.