Hair feeling waxy after every shampoo bar?
Frizzy hair causing frustration?
Grease getting you down?
It's a common issue, but there's a very easy solution. Here's why they just aren't working for you:
Not all bars are created equal, did you know that there's two types of shampoo bar? Each contains different ingredients that work in very different ways, and work best for different people. It's likely you've only tried one type!
Soap-based bars
Soap-based bars are the most common and are made like traditional soap, these contain just water and oils best suited to hair health, so only contain the essential ingredients which is great for sensitive scalps. In soft water, these bars make a fantastic plastic free and cheap alternative to bottled shampoo! Starting at less than £3, these nifty bars can save you money and help the environment. But in hard water areas, the soap can bind to the minerals in the water and can stick to your hair, leaving that waxy residue that many know all too well. Some don't mind this feeling, and find it improves after a few weeks, but if you're not a fan then it's likely you need to try a surfactant-based bar.
If you experience frizzy hair with soap-based shampoo's, it's likely because your hair' PH is out of balance. Soaps are naturally alkaline, which isn't an issue for your skin but because your hair is essentially 'dead' cells, it struggles to regulate it's PH in the same way as your skin. So it's important that you balance it out with a lightly acidic rinse such as an apple cider vinegar rinse. This will restore your hair's neutral PH value and keep it feeling shiny and soft! One benefit of soap-based bars with an apple cider rinse is that you're unlikely to need a conditioner as soap shampoos keep your natural oils in your hair. This can also mean it takes your hair a few weeks to adjust, as it's so used to overproducing oils that your scalp must now learn to slow down production as you aren't stripping your hair on every wash.
Surfactant-based bars
Surfactant-based bars are the second type of bar, less commonly heard of. They're made with similar ingredients to bottled shampoo, though they usually only contain the essentials and opt for gentler surfactants than their bottled counterparts! These ingredients bind to the oils in your hair and carry them away when rinsed, leaving you with that light, clean feeling that you get with bottled shampoo. No waxy residues, and your hair's PH remains balanced, but you should continue using a conditioner with these as they work in the same way as bottles shampoos, just without the unnecessary ingredients and plastic, and they're usually cruelty free! In hard water areas, you can expect your bar to last 3 months - in soft water areas you need to use less per wash so it will last even longer!
If you're struggling to get along with your bar then it's likely soap-based, in which case a switch to a surfactant-based bar may be for you!
Take a look at our wide range of shampoo bars today, and start your zero-waste journey!
Have you made the switch to shampoo bars yet? How have you been getting along!?