About Our Shampoo Bars

Our shampoo bars are specifically blended with organic oils and butters that are nourishing for hair.  They are superfatted, meaning they are concentrated and contain extra oils and butters to nourish your hair.

However, it is not possible to determine if our shampoo bars will suit your specific hair type as everyone's hair and scalp are unique.  For example, some individuals with long, curly, oily hair find these bars effective after transitioning from store-bought shampoo.  For more information about shampoo bars and how to use them, please continue reading.

Proper Shampooing Technique

Shampooing is essential for removing dirt and excess oils from your scalp and roots.  Avoid lathering the length of your hair with the shampoo bar.  Simply focus on your scalp.  As you rinse, the lather will clean the rest of your hair.

Using this method prevents shampoo residue on your hair strands.  It is especially useful for those new to shampoo bars, experiencing adjustment issues, or with long or thick hair.  This technique helps avoid pockets of soap residue that can make hair feel tacky.

Preferred Technique

Begin with thoroughly wet hair—ensure that a substantial amount of water saturates your hair down to the roots.

Rub the wet shampoo bar between your wet hands or a puff to create an adequate lather.

Massage the lather into your scalp at the roots until a sufficient lather is achieved.

It is crucial to work the shampoo into your scalp with water and thoroughly build up a good lather to ensure that no patches of soap remain on your hair.

Lathering helps to remove dirt and excess oils effectively.

If the lather is insufficient, add more water.

Using your fingers as a comb, smooth the lather down the length of your hair while rinsing with water.

To prevent tangles, always work from the top down, using your fingers like a comb rather than a mixer, and avoid piling your hair on your head.

Rinse thoroughly and repeat. It is imperative to not rush this step; thorough rinsing is essential for removing excess shampoo, which can leave a filmy residue and weigh hair down.  The rinsing process should take longer than washing and lathering.

For long or thick hair, lift sections to ensure all shampoo is rinsed out, paying attention to harder-to-reach areas like the nape and the back of the head.

Repeat if desired, although it was observed that with adjustment, only one round of shampoo became necessary.

Alternate Technique:

Wet your hair thoroughly.  Instead of lathering in your hands, rub the wet shampoo bar directly on your scalp at the top of your head—avoid the length of your hair.  Massage your scalp, adding water as needed, until a foamy lather forms.

Tips for Transitioning from Detergent Shampoos to Natural Shampoo Bars

Switching to a natural shampoo bar can be different for everyone.  While it might work wonders for some, it may not suit others, and that’s okay!

You are unique, and your experience depends on your personal body chemistry.

Some people transition smoothly, while others might face the "my hair feels funny" syndrome.  The transition period can last from a few days to weeks, varying based on:

·         hair damage

·         residue and build-up

·         genetics

·         water type

·         shampooing technique

Initially, your hair or scalp may become oily or dry, switch between extremes, or feel tangled, frizzy, or waxy as your scalp rebalances oil production.

Our bodies are inherently resistant to change.  They tend to prefer the status quo, viewing any alteration as a disruption, even if it is beneficial.  When modifications are made to longstanding habits such as diet, exercise, or shampoo, our bodies require time to adjust and accept these changes.

For some individuals, their hair undergoes a period of adaptation to live without synthetic chemicals.

Though patience may be necessary, perseverance will ultimately result in healthy, soft, and silky hair.  While there is no single common factor among those who experience difficulty adjusting, there are several typical reasons why your hair might feel different as you restore it to its natural, healthy state.

Avoid Using Excessive Shampoo: A large amount of lather is not necessary to clean the hair effectively.  After your last shampoo, if your hair felt waxy, it may be tempting to use more shampoo in a single wash.  However, more shampoo is not always better.  The goal is to wash the scalp, and only a small amount of product is needed for that.  Using too much shampoo can make rinsing more difficult.

Shampoo Twice: If you are accustomed to commercial shampoo and shampoo twice, you are likely to have noticed that the second wash produces more lather.  The first wash mixes with dirt and excess oil in your hair, so the second wash works on cleaner hair.  This also applies to shampoo bars.  Instead of using a lot of shampoo in one wash, lather, rinse, and repeat, focusing only on cleansing the scalp.  The second wash creates a better, more intense lather that rinses cleaner and leaves hair feeling softer and shinier.

Rinse Thoroughly: It is important to rinse thoroughly. Unlike liquid or syndet bar detergent sulfate shampoos, the lather from a natural shampoo bar may require more time to rinse out, especially in hard water conditions.  Ensure you rinse well, particularly if you have long hair.

Our natural shampoo bars do not contain synthetic surfactants or detergent foam boosters.

The products you have previously used, and the condition of your hair can influence how a shampoo bar interacts with your hair.

Other Considerations for Switching to a Natural Shampoo Bar

Your scalp has a microbiome developed over the years.  It may not be ideal for healthy hair, but it's the only one your scalp knows.

Transitioning to a new product will affect your microbiome.

Commercial shampoos contain detergent surfactants that can remove the natural protective oils from your hair, often replacing them with a smooth coating of silicone or other chemicals.

Although this results in hair that feels soft and smooth, it causes your scalp to become dry and overproduce sebum (natural oil) to compensate.  Consequently, your scalp becomes accustomed to this cycle of excess oil production.

As you transition to using a gentle natural shampoo bar, your scalp will require time to rebalance its oil production.  During this transition period, which varies according to individual hair types, your hair may feel unusually greasy or heavy.  Our shampoo bars are formulated with only natural and organic ingredients.

The synthetic detergents in liquid shampoos and some shampoo bars create a noticeably different experience.  When transitioning, you may find that your hair, accustomed to the smooth, squeaky-clean feel of detergent-based shampoos, reacts differently.

Switching from synthetic detergent shampoos to natural shampoo bars may initially result in increased tangles, more frizz, and a waxy texture.

Your hair needs to gradually adjust to thriving without the use of chemicals.

Using The Incorrect Shampoo Bar

A common issue for those new to shampoo bars is selecting a bar that does not suit their specific hair type.  Similar to conventional shampoos, our natural shampoo bars are formulated to cater to various hair types.

The transition to a natural shampoo bar can be both rewarding and challenging, as it offers an individualized experience.  Adapting to any new routine involves learning to listen to your body and understanding your unique body chemistry.

Allow some time for adjustment.  However, if one bar proves ineffective, consider trying another variant before discontinuing use.  It is important to acknowledge that each person’s hair type is unique, and so are our shampoo bar formulations--experiment with different samples.

One advantage of shampoo bars is their versatility; they can also be used as standard soap bars.  If a particular bar does not meet your hair care needs, it can still serve effectively as a body or hand soap--ensuring no waste!

The Impact of Hard Water on Hair Care

If you find that your hair is not responding well to shampoo bars, the quality of your water may be a contributing factor.  The properties of your water can significantly influence the effectiveness of your shampoo and conditioning regimen.

Hard water can hinder the formation of lather and make it challenging to thoroughly rinse natural shampoo from your hair.  It is noteworthy that synthetic detergents tend to rinse more easily in hard water compared to traditional soap, which accounts for their widespread preference in laundry applications.

Implementing an appropriate shampoo technique is essential to avoid areas of residual shampoo, which can leave hair feeling sticky, particularly in individuals with long hair.

Here are a few recommendations for managing hard water:

·         Consider using distilled water for rinsing your hair.

·         Purchase an affordable shower filter head to improve water quality.

·         An additional method is to mix a small amount of baking soda with a quart of warm water.  Apply this solution to your hair before shampooing.  This can enhance the lathering efficiency of shampoo bars and facilitate a more thorough rinse.

Do You Have Product Build Up on Your Hair?

Our natural shampoo bars don't strip hair like detergent-based shampoos.  They may struggle to remove chemical build-up from other products.  Hair condition and previous products used will affect the effectiveness of natural shampoo bars.  Try baking soda rinse to remove residue.

 

Essential Guidelines for Switching to Natural Shampoo Bars

Maintain Hair in Its Natural State: While striving for beautiful hair, it is common to rely on various "miracle products" designed to address hair concerns.  This often entails prolonged use of synthetic styling products and conditioners that claim to enhance volume, body, fullness, and shine.  Additionally, extensive use of coloring agents and excessive heat can contribute to over-processing.  Such practices may inhibit the hair's ability to retain its natural characteristics.

 

Utilize Natural Scalp Oil for Optimal Hair Health:

The sebum naturally produced by the scalp may be essential for achieving beautiful hair.  Depending on your hair type, appropriate hair brushing—sometimes referred to as "dry brushing"—can condition your hair effectively.  Using full strokes, brushing the hair from the scalp to the tips aids in distributing the natural oils produced by the scalp.  It is important to be gentle and to avoid brushing hair when it is wet or tangled to prevent breakage.

For individuals with thick, curly, or coily/kinky hair, using your hands as a brush to distribute the natural scalp oil from the roots to the ends of your hair can be beneficial.

 

Avoid Lathering the Entire Length of Your Hair: The primary objective of shampooing is to eliminate dirt and excess oils from the scalp and hair roots.  It is unnecessary to apply shampoo from the roots to the tips.  Concentrate solely on the scalp.  This method aids in preventing the accumulation of shampoo residue on hair strands.

 

Rinse Thoroughly: Ensure that you rinse your hair completely, paying special attention if your hair is long.

To Rinse Clean: Use an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse.

Incorporating an apple cider vinegar-based rinse into your hair care routine can significantly rejuvenate both your hair and scalp. This treatment is beneficial regardless of the type of shampoo products you use.

For Tangles: We recommend trying hair oils or conditioners, or a herbal detangling hair tea rinse. Additionally, rinsing more thoroughly with your ACV rinse can help reduce tangles.

Allow your hair some time to adjust to using natural shampoo bars, and you should experience the benefits of a healthier scalp.

After some experimentation, we are confident you will find a truly natural shampoo bar that lathers well, rinses out completely, and leaves your hair feeling clean, soft, silky, and radiantly healthy.