The common question of how do you use a shampoo bar? Often stops people from switching over to a more natural option. Once you start using a shampoo bar, you will never wish to return to your old bottled shampoo.
WHAT ARE SHAMPOO BARS?
Before we get into the sudsy details, you may be wondering what shampoo bars are.
A shampoo bar is a solid version of liquid shampoo. Shampoo bars are often better for the hair than traditional shampoos, as they usually do not have the harsh detergents that many liquid shampoos contain. Most shampoo bars do not have parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or silicone, which can dry the hair and scalp.
People also use shampoo bars to cut down on environmental waste. Since shampoo bars do not come in plastic bottles like liquid shampoos, they are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional shampoo.
If you’re using a shampoo bar, here are the steps to follow:
- Wet your hair. This is best to do in the shower to ensure your hair is thoroughly wet.
- Wet the shampoo bar. Wetting the bar is important to help spread the shampoo more easily. When you wet the bar, you can rub it with your hands to start working up a lather.
- Place the shampoo bar on top of your head and rub it back and forth, working up suds. If you have thick hair, part your hair in the middle and lather it in sections.
- Put the shampoo bar down and continue lathering your hair, massaging the shampoo from the roots down to the ends. You will work up a lather but it will not be as sudsy as liquid shampoo (which has detergents).
- Thoroughly rinse your hair. It’s important to get out all of the shampoo to avoid residue. Repeat the previous steps once more for a more complete clean feeling.
- Many people find they do not need a conditioner when using shampoo bars but if your hair needs extra care, you can follow your shampoo with a conditioning bar.
Whether you’re new to using shampoo bars or you have been using them for a while, these tips can help improve your experience:
Be patient.
When you first transition from liquid shampoo to shampoo bars, there may be an adjustment period for your hair. Be patient and follow the process. At first, your hair may feel a bit different but after a few days (up to two weeks), your hair will adjust. Give yourself time as your scalp adjusts to the natural product without synthetic detergents. If you have hard water, the adjustment period may last longer. Stick with your routine and do not over wash or go back to liquid shampoo during this time as it will set you back.
Use as recommended.
You only need to wash with your shampoo bar every few days. Hair does not need to be washed daily, and the period between washes gives your hair and scalp time to adjust to your new shampoo.
Choose the right bar. As with all shampoos, it can take some experimenting until you find the right shampoo bar for your hair needs. Check shampoo bar features to make sure they suit your hair type. Look for shampoo bars without sodium lauryl sulfate, a detergent also used in liquid shampoos that drains hair of its natural oils.
