What Is a Shampoo Bar?

Anyone who's bought liquid shampoo for a long time is probably familiar with the phrase "lather, rinse and repeat."

Those first two steps don't actually need repeating. Liquid shampoo brands created that slogan to encourage consumers to deplete their products more rapidly, meaning people would need to buy more at a faster rate.

Popularized during the 1940s, liquid shampoo marked the beginning of an era where personal care products became more wasteful and environmentally harmful. Before that time, it was common for shampoo to be dried out and crafted into a bar. Today, as consumers demand more sustainable products, shampoo bars are making a comeback.

What Is a Shampoo Bar?

As the name describes, a shampoo bar is the bar form of the liquid shampoo most people are accustomed to. Manufacturers produce shampoo bars by concentrating cleansing and conditioning agents into bars, then removing the water that allowed the ingredients to maintain their liquid form.

Solid shampoo bars are usually manufactured by small companies that focus on a limited line of all-natural goods. These businesses tend to incorporate cleaner ingredients and uphold higher ethical standards than large brands mass-producing a wide range of skincare and hair care products.

How to Use a Shampoo Bar

Like a regular bar of soap, a solid shampoo bar begins to foam when rinsed in the shower or bathtub. That lather gets gently massaged into the scalp and wet hair, just like liquid shampoo, or the wet bar can be rubbed directly on the hair, depending on preference.

For more detailed instructions, read the full guide on how to use a shampoo bar.

Benefits of Using a Shampoo Bar

Whether the motivation is saving money or saving the environment, there are plenty of benefits to using a shampoo bar.

No Shampoo Bottles

The biggest environmental benefit of a shampoo bar is skipping shampoo bottles altogether. These containers are usually made of plastic supplied by the petroleum and fossil fuel industry.

Roughly 91% of plastic is not successfully recycled, and most plastic bottles wind up in the ocean and landfills.

Shampoo bars, on the other hand, are typically packaged in paper boxes that are easily recyclable and biodegradable.

Longer Lasting

Because shampoo bars are more concentrated than liquid versions, one bar can outlast two to three bottles. Instead of including water in the product, shampoo bars are pure shampoo, with water supplied at home. Not a bad deal.

Cleaner Ingredients on Average

Most shampoo bars leave hair lush and shiny with more volume because they don't contain chemicals that can damage hair or strip out essential oils, unlike detergent shampoo brands that include controversial, harsh ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate [SLS].

Good for Most Types of Hair

Shampoo bars work on most hair types, including oily, thin, fine and dry hair, though experimenting with a few products helps find the best fit.

Travel-Friendly

Airport security won't give bar soap a hard time, and it's the same deal with a shampoo bar. Instead of worrying about travel sizes and special containers, all that's needed is to grab the bar and go.

One Bar for Everything

Some shampoo bars can double as body wash and bar soap, making it possible to rely on a shampoo bar for almost everything.

Cons of Using a Shampoo Bar

Shampoo bars aren't perfect. A few cons are worth considering before making the switch.

Waxy Feeling Afterward

Because shampoo in bar form has such a thick concentration of cleanser, some products carry a small risk of leaving hair a bit waxy. A diluted apple cider vinegar rinse can help remove the wax if it doesn't wash out on its own.

Not Always the Best for Very Curly or Long Hair

Very curly or long hair may not be the best fit for a shampoo bar, since the product can cause frizz and tangles for these hair types.

Types of Shampoo Bars

Here's a breakdown of the three primary types of shampoo bars:

Glycerin-Based

This type is pH-balanced and gentle, and doesn't produce as much lather as other forms. Glycerin tends to attract water and melt, so glycerin-based bars shouldn't be left soaking after use.

Cold-Processed

Typically produced by people at home or small businesses, these shampoo bars have a high pH and contain lots of natural oils. These ingredients are great for conditioning, but they're likely to contribute to waxy buildup.

Solid Surfactant

A surfactant is a chemical compound that lowers the surface tension between two substances, allowing them to more easily spread or become wet. In shampoo bars, surfactants help balance pH and produce lots of lather.

Solid surfactant shampoo tends to be very clarifying, meaning it removes buildup such as excess oil or chlorine, making this type especially suited to showers with hard water (water that looks cloudy because of a high amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium).

What's In a Natural Shampoo Bar?

The vast majority of shampoos in bar form contain all-natural ingredients such as rosemary extract and aloe vera. Many of these products are 100% organic and vegan.

Some of the most common ingredients for moisturizing and nourishing are castor oil, palm oil (preferably certified sustainable), avocado oil, cocoa butter and coconut oil. Manufacturers also use herbs, botanicals or natural fragrances to enhance texture and experience. Unlike detergents, alcohol and synthetic additives, these all-natural ingredients make shampoo bars gentle and better for hair.