Shampoo Bar Poll: the Condition/State of your Hair

[Loviatar]

I have tried non-sulphate shampoo bars (i.e. Chagrin Valley and Sweet Creek Herbs - not Lush) at various times in my life. Personally I have come to the conclusion that the only reason that they are working for me now is because I have cut all of the dye, bleach, and henna out of my hair. I'm interested to see who else uses shampoo bars and what condition their hair is in.

My 'shampoo bar story':

2006, moderate (Manchester, UK) water hardness, henna and indigo dyed hair. Didn't work. Super waxy. No amount of acid rinse would work either.

2007, moderate water, hair dyed black over henna/indigo. Didn't work. Waxy oily mess, with clumping. Acid rinses and conditioner did nothing to stop this.

2009, super hard (London) water, hair hennaed. Didn't work. Waxy ends and greasy roots.

2010, London water, hair bleached and hennaed over the top. Ridiculous clumping, Velcro-ey feeling hair. Waxy all over.

and now: 2011, London water, same area of London still. Hair natural. All bleach and dye and henna gone. Hair feels and looks amazing on shampoo bars.

All I did before starting with shampoo bars this time was to clarify with an ALS shampoo (Lush's Cynthia Sylvia Stout). I lathered it once and rinsed out, then started on the bars. I didn't bother with any baking soda, which I had used for clarifying, mixed with Tresemme ALS 'deep cleansing' shampoo before trying bars in 2006-7.

My current routine is lather twice with a bar, then I use a 50p-sized blob of cheap-o conefree conditioner afterwards and then a half a shot glass of ACV or lime juice in 500ml tap water. My hair looks better than it's ever done and I've been an active member here since 2005.

So, yes, shampoo bars now work for me. I have no idea why but I am choosing to believe it's because my hair is all natural. What is your hair condition like, and do bars work for you when your hair condition changes? Has anyone used bars on virgin hair, for example, and then hennaed or dyed it and noticed a change in the bars' performance?

Thanks,
Lovi

[battles]

I had virgin hair and shampoo bars worked relatively well for me. I'd get kind of greasy after a few days, but my hair is mostly fine and gets greasy easily. I'm not sure if that was the transition that I've been avoiding, but I tend to wash with sulfate shampoo every few shampoo bar washes.

I just henna'ed a few days ago and have only washed my hair with a shampoo bar once since then. It seemed to work fine, but I'll return when I've used them a little more. :)

[young&reckless]

I use only CV bars and since they added soapnuts to the chamamile tea bar its been all I use. I still like a few of the other ones but I most definetly have a favorite.

I have a little henna and a lot of cassia on my hair and use a acv rinse. I sometimes get grease looking roots from the bars but I think its more lazy washing or rinseing then the bars.

[silverjen]

I started using shampoo bars specifically to help lift henna I didn't want. That was more than a year ago, and by now it has mostly grown out. Now I am nearly virgin, with henna remnants at the ends.

My hair loved the poo bars from day 1, pretty much. I didn't see any difference between hennaed and non-hennaed hair. I live in an area with good water, which may have a lot to do with it.

[PriscillaCherel]

Where is option: I never used a shampoo bar (A).

[curlsgalore]

I have never dyed my hair and shampoo bars have always worked for me...with hard water and not so hard water. I have alternated with co-washing for over two years with wonderful results. I rarely ever use ACV rinses but do on occasion. I have tried CV, AV (my two favorites) and a couple more brands. I am currently waiting on some from SCH and Bobeam from etsy. My hair has never met a shampoo bar it didn't like :-). My hair is healthier than its ever been.

[pepperminttea]

Unprocessed/virgin hair, hard (Norfolk, UK) water, they didn't work for me. (Which is annoying, because I really wanted them to work. :( They would have been so convenient!)

They do work for my mother though (unprocessed long-pixie length hair, same water), but they left my ends very dry and tangly and actually seemed more harsh than sulphate-free shampoo for me. They did get my hair clean, but it certainly wasn't happy hair afterwards.


Where is option: I never used a shampoo bar (A).

Why did you click on a thread about using shampoo bars if you haven't tried them? ;)

[Modarunner]

I have virgin hair and I absolutely love my CV shampoo bars. They work great for me. When my hair was dyed, I wasn't a member of the LHC, so no experience with shampoo bars on dyed hair.

[GeoJ]

With the same hair, in the same location, I have had shampoo bars (the same shampoo bars, too) either work or not work. My hair is about 1/2 virgin, and the lower half has been hennaed twice.

They did not work with or without ACV rinses using my unfiltered tap water or my tap water through a shower filter. I got awful waxy build-up immediately.

They do work if I do my entire hair wash with miracle water (treating my super hard tap water with citric acid & vitamin C, there's a thread about miracle water somewhere here). I've been using CV shampoo bars, sometimes with catnip tea soaks afterwards, for a while now with no waxy buildup so far. The downside, washing with a pitcher and a bucket doesn't feel as nice as a shower does. An added plus, is that I use much less water than if I were to shower.

[PriscillaCherel]

@pepperminttea, I saw it on the right side on the front page by Polls, so I was reading it :D But got no answer for it.

[Niphredil]

I've been growing out my henna for a year now so I guess I have partly virgin, partly hennaed hair. Shampoobars work great for me! I have only been using them for about a month and had a short transition period (3 washes).

I have tried a sample from a friend some years ago, and it didn't work then. I don't recall if I was using henna then, but I believe I did use silicones. I haven't been using them for a while now so that might be something. Or just the wrong bar for my hair, or wrong technique (last wash I forgot my second vinegar rinse and I had the waxies. wahsed again to day with the second rinse and perfect hair agian!)

[Loviatar]

I am sorry, PriscillaChereth, but this is a thread about regular shampoo bar use. As you're only allowed 10 options in a poll, I didn't see the use of having a 'never used them' option as I'm deliberately asking shampoo bar users about their experiences.

Thanks guys, this is all useful :)

[Gabriel]

I use BAQ Henna and Lush Caca's Henna (just rotate through either one) and I have been using Sweet Creek Herb Shampoo Bars. I've been using henna and shampoo bars for a few years and my hair is in the best condition I ever remember it being. It's also just about longer than I've ever had it.

I'll use a clarifying wash once in a while and a lime/lemon rinse sometimes but not every wash. I do use conditioner with every wash simply because of the length/age of my hair.

[Nae]

Well, I do have partially dyed hair. It was done back in '09 so I am sure the ends are still dyed, I have hennaed over it for the last year and half or so. Shampoo bars work just fine for me. I have very hard water. I only use Chagrin Valley (why mess with success?) I haven't tried any others.

The only thing is that sometimes my scalp isn't happy so I do have to clarify with a sulphate shampoo every once in a while. But my hair over all is VERY happy on poo bars and is much more moisturized and falls nicer when I use them.

[PriscillaCherel]

@Loviatar, You don't have to say sorry, my answer wasn't nessecary. But for sure, I will try a shampoo bar when I find a good one. I think this thread and poll is also very interesting!

[MissManda]

I'll be coming back to this poll once I've used 'poo bars for a little longer. I've had some waxies, but that might have been a minor transition or just my noob washing technique. :laugh: My first and most recent wash were successful, though and I hope those results continue.

[sarelis]

I have never used a shampoo bar either, just wanted to look in & see what other peoples experiences of them were, wondering if they would be suitable for me but I have a feeling they would be too harsh :(

[Niphredil]

I have never used a shampoo bar either, just wanted to look in & see what other peoples experiences of them were, wondering if they would be suitable for me but I have a feeling they would be too harsh :(
My experience is that they are less harsh on my hair than regular shampoo's. I have only been using them for a month now, but there are plenty of people here who have been using them for years with no adverse effects. For me the main plus is that I finally have moisturized hair, less fly-aways and less tangles. I do have to use a vinegar rinse though.

[Loviatar]

They're certainly less hard on my hair too. I also use an acid rinse most of the time, although I have found that if I use certain conditioners (not all, some give rubbish results without acid rinse) post-lathering, I can get away without acid.

They're also much easier on my nails. I've been using shampoo bars for about 3 weeks, shampooing mostly every day, and my nails are growing like weeds.

[Gabriel]

Loviatar, that's interesting about your nails! My nails have always been weak and thin and unable to grow. Until around the same time I started using shampoo bars. For the past few years I have actually had healthy nails that grow long and strong without breaking. I never connected the two...

I wonder if it is a side benefit of shampoo bars?

I also agree about shampoo bars being gentle on my hair.

[XcaliburGirl]

I have natural hair and shampoo bars were OK. I felt like they made my hair a bit weaker over time. Plus, I thought the amount of work for fine-not-great results was too much.

[Navydoc_76]

i have hennaed hair, and use poo bars. right now, im not sure if they work for me. i love the smell of them-but even with vinegar rinses im not quite happy with the results. today my hair is a bit of a greasy mess... ill keep tinkering with my method as i really want to love the bars!