Are Shampoo Bars Good For Hair? – Answering Your Burning Question

Behold! The nostalgic shampoo bars have made a fierce comeback into the beauty industry. At the same time, they receive ambivalent remarks from customers, mostly wondering, are shampoo bars good for hair or are shampoo bars worth it?

To answer this question, we will be diving into some science on solid shampoo bars’ ingredients, the production process they go through, and finally, their astonishing effects on your hair.

We will also be comparing the pluses and minuses between them and the common commercial shampoos along the way.

With that in mind, let’s begin.

Why Shampoo Bars Are Particularly Good For Your Hair

Let’s cut to the chase. Are shampoo bars good for hair?

Scalp-Friendly Ingredients

Yes, they are marvelously good for your hair. They are good in the sense that they are composed of natural materials like castor oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc., thus allowing your hair to absorb the latter’s strength and smoothness without having any side effects.

They are also widely praised for being the product of minimal mixture. With little processing, the ingredients can stay in their most primal, non-preservative state and thus will be more potent in treating your hair problems.

Some of you might wonder, are shampoo bars bad for your hair? At the same time arguing that shampoo bars are not worth the hype as they leave a waxy residue on the hair or that your hair is even more prone to oily conditions after using the product.

However, we believe these result from not having found the right type of soap for you or that you may have adopted the wrong techniques when using them on your hair. There is yet another reason, which is that shampoo bars may not be for everyone.

Whatever the reason might be, please keep an open mind. Today you find those bars useless, but who knows? Perhaps they’ll be the secret formula to your shiny hair tomorrow.

Hair Treatment Add-Ons

As of now, there are even 100% organic shampoo bars, which bring the utmost gentleness to your hair and scalp. This type of shampoo works wonders on various hair types, even color-treated hair, as long as it contains the targeted ingredient.

Say you have dyed your hair multiple times, to the point that it now has a rough, dry hair texture and requires special care. By using a bar shampoo with natural ingredients such as coconut oil or castor oil, your hair will gradually absorb the moisture and turn back to its pre-dyed moist state.

Not to mention, some shampoo bars with ginseng, aloe vera, etc., stimulate hair growth, making it highly suitable for any of you suffering from hair loss. So, two birds with one stone, isn’t it lovely?

On the other hand, if you suffer from oily scalps, we suggest that you go for a shampoo bar with aloe vera, baking soda, or lemon in its formulation. These can greatly alleviate your greasy hair problems. Or a dandruff scalp will benefit from a shampoo bar with tea tree oil or sea salt.

Our point is that shampoo bars are now available in numerous different infusions and are specifically catered to your needs. Nettle, peppermint, turmeric, or cornflower, you name it. The merchandiser has everything covered.

Fresh After-Feel

Another outcome that shampoo bars leave on your hair is the wonderful after-feel with relaxing scents from natural ingredients. Your hair will feel softer and look even more glossy.

One last question, do shampoo bars damage hair? Usually not, but if you encounter the following rare cases, it may have a bad effect on your hair.

It is possible to be negligent while buying, causing you to buy poor quality, fake bar shampoos or a type that does not suit your hair. They can contain sulfates, which are unhealthy for the hair that strips the hair of its natural oils and moisture, leaving it dry and unhealthy.

With the wrong bar shampoo, it will not provide enough nutrients for your hair, making them not as healthy and bouncy as you want. Sometimes, they even make your scalp prone to allergic reactions such as itching, dryness, or even dandruff.

That’s why we include a buying guide for shampoo bars at the end. Keep reading.

Other Perks Of Using A Shampoo Bar

Aside from its gentle cleansing power on your hair, we highly recommend using shampoo in the bar form for the following benefits.

Portability And Spill-Proof

A shampoo bar is finished in compact sizes, usually no larger than a palm. Thus, it can save a lot of space in your city apartment, especially when compared to a bulky bottled shampoo. It is also thanks to this feature that makes the soap a travel must-have in every nomad’s backpack.

Not to mention, there is a good chance the shampoo bottle will spill into your bag when moving. And the solid form of shampoo bar is the perfect match for a travel-friendly product.

If you are asking, yes, we share those annoying moments when our bathroom racks seem to sickly droop under the weight of plastic shampoo bottles.

That’s why we strongly recommend the use of these close-packed solid bars. This lightweight and compact bar will not take a noticeable footprint in your space.

Saving Money

For budgets, shampoo bars are really a beneficial choice. Put on the scale, the price of shampoo bars is usually cheaper or equal to the price of liquid shampoo but can last as long as 2 to 3 bottles of liquid shampoo.

In fact, liquid shampoos are 80-90% water, so you can use more than you need each time. The solid form is much more concentrated. This will help you prolong the usage time and save your money. Less water consumption also contributes to environmental protection. Switching to bar shampoos is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way.

Another plus point of these bar soaps is that you can choose to make them catered to your own needs right from your kitchen lab.

The ingredient list includes sodium cocoyl isethionate, Cocamidopropyl betaine, special extracts, and fragrance oil. Then, you’ll have your self-preserving shampoo compound.

These ingredients are all proven to be very gentle on your scalp.

On the other hand, speaking of plant-based soap, the ingredients and recipes to make it are also common and easy to find. It’s a great budget option that you can start making your own!

An Ecological Product

As we have mentioned earlier, shampoo bars are not only favored for their organic ingredients; they also win beauty gurus’ hearts for their friendly environmental impact.

The zero-waste production and recyclable packaging can duly justify our point. As you might have known, shampoo bars are always neatly kept inside paper boxes, hence reducing your use of a plastic bottle.

Have you fallen in love with them yet?

Tips On Choosing And Using Shampoo Bars 

As promised, here are our tips to take the best-suited shampoo bar for you to your house.

How To Choose A Quality Bar Of Soap

Choosing a quality shampoo bar is no mean feat, especially because hair type differs from person to person. Some have curly hair and dry hair, others long and smooth. Thus, it’s crucial to understand your hair condition and its tolerance level before making any purchase.

Once having understood those aspects, remember to read the ingredients carefully on the soap’s label.

Being a green consumer, you might want to give palm oil a miss due to its detrimental effects on the rainforest canopy. Or, if you are someone with sensitive skin, avoid products with allergens. You get our point.

Let’s say you possess dry hair, go for a shampoo bar with coconut, jojoba oil, or both. And shampoo bars with tea tree oil serve their best for dandruff-prone hair.

To reiterate, finding a shampoo bar that works wonders on your hair is a long road, so don’t be afraid to experiment. You may have to try many types of shampoo bars before settling on the suitable soap for your hair and scalp condition. Yet, after all, it is worth it.

How To Use A Shampoo Bar

Much like using liquid shampoo, washing your hair with soap in solid form involves three basic steps.

First, thoroughly wet your hair. At this point, we have an extra tip for you, which is that you should comb your hair carefully before soaking it. In doing so, you can get rid of the annoying frizzy curls that may get twisted into one another during your wash.

Next, rub the wet soap in between your hands to get it lathering and gently stroke it on your hair all over. At this point, make sure that you massage the scalp longer than the time you comb and lather your hair so that the soap has time to foam up.

In case you possess long, thick hair, it is advisable to wash your hair in small sections, massage carefully for 3-5 minutes for better soaking up. You can wash the second round to completely cleanse it.

Finally, wash your hair under running lukewarm water to easily strip out grease and build-up grime, and rinse again with cold water to close the pores for lush and shiny hair.

Once again, shampoo bars are condensed with oil, thus requiring you more time to wash off. It may also account for why many people have complained about the greasy, built-up texture that shampoo bars leave on their hair afterward.

Bottom Line

We believe we have covered every essential about this new-not-new beauty product. Next time, if someone asks you the question, are shampoo bars good for hair?,  feel free to say YES and flaunt your knowledge.

Bear in mind that shampoo bars are not a miracle, and you can only make their best use when choosing the right one for your hair. For now, be a conscious buyer, grab a shampoo bar for yourself, and watch your healthy hair gleam in the beam. Good luck!