We are used that shampoos are produced in a form of a viscous liquid. Liquid shampoos are indeed most commonly used, but some consumers prefer solid shampoos that typically come in a bar form. Solid shampoo bars have several advantages compared to their liquid counterparts. However, some people are reluctant to try them out because they don’t know how to use solid shampoos.
Although some people perceive solid shampoos as something new and unusual, they have been produced for quite some time. And before there were liquid shampoos, people had washed their hair with soap (actually, first shampoos were made of shaved soap and herbs). However, soap isn’t the best hair care product because it might dry the hair out and make it brittle.
A solid shampoo bar might look like soap, but it has a different composition, just like liquid soaps are different from liquid shampoos. Solid shampoos are enriched with natural conditioning ingredients which help to keep your hair hydrated, provide it with nutrients, restore the natural volume of the hair, and make it shiny.
Solid shampoos are compact and don’t spill which makes them great to travel with. They don’t contain water so they don’t need emulsifiers and stabilisers to maintain optimal viscosity, or preservatives that prolong their shelf life. Besides, shampoo bars usually come in recyclable cardboard boxes or reusable containers, unlike liquid shampoos that are sold in plastic bottles. So if you prefer environmentally friendly products, solid shampoos are a great choice.
Today, many cosmetic brands offer solid shampoos alongside liquid ones, especially those that specialize in natural and organic cosmetics. But if you haven’t used dry shampoo bars before, you may find it hard to choose the one that’s right for you. Just like liquid shampoos, solid shampoos should be chosen depending on your hair type.
The first thing you need to pay attention to while choosing a shampoo bar is ingredients. Any shampoo, regardless of its form, contains surfactants that help to remove dirt and excess sebum. Most commonly used surfactants are sodium layrul sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), but they’re not the best option. A high-quality shampoo should be free of SLS/SLES and other synthetic ingredients such as parabens or artificial colourants. We suggest that you check out natural shampoo bars infused with vegetable oils, essential oils and herbal extracts.
Common ingredients in natural solid shampoos include vegetable oils (coconut oil, shea butter, argan oil, avocado oil, olive oil, burdock oil, almond oil), essential oils (lavender oil, cedarwood oil, rosemary oil, orange oil, basil oil, juniper oil, tea tree oil) and herbal extracts (aloe vera extract, horsetail extract, ginger root extract, nettle extract, burdock extract, onion extract, red pepper extract). These ingredients are combined in such a way that they complement and enhance each other’s effect.
Solid shampoos, just like their liquid counterparts, are designed for different hair types: dry hair, normal hair, oily hair, weak and damaged hair, dyed hair, etc. They can have a moisturising, repairing, rejuvenating, refreshing, or any other effect. There are solid shampoos that strengthen the hair, stimulate hair growth, reduce hair loss, prevent hair colour from fading, etc.
Shampoo bars are very easy to use. If you’ve ever used a soap bar, you won’t have any problem. There are two ways to use a solid shampoo. You can wet the bar, rub it between your hands and apply the resulting lather to your hair. Or you can rub the bar straight on to wet hair and scalp. You can do as you like, but the first method is more preferable if you have a sensitive scalp, since some shampoo bars are fairly rough. When the shampoo is applied, just wash and rinse your hair like you would with a liquid hair product.
Although many solid shampoos contain oils and other moisturising and nourishing ingredients, you shouldn’t skip conditioning. Another thing you should known about shampoo bars is that they need to be stored properly. After each use, let the bar dry and then put it into an airtight container to keep it dry in between uses.
A solid shampoo is compact, great to travel with, environmentally friendly and easy to use, so you absolutely need to try it out. In our online shop Organic Store, you will find natural and organic shampoo bars produced by several brands, including Savonry, Ambra, and Organic Kitchen.
