Are Shampoo Bars Good for Oily Hair?

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Shampoo bars can be excellent alternatives to commercial liquid shampoos because not only are they more cost-efficient, but they can also leave your hair looking healthier and shinier than before.

This is because they use all-natural ingredients that don’t just clean your hair and scalp but also nourish and strengthen them. However, different people have varying hair types, which means they need to find hair products suitable to their particular type, such as those with oily hair.

With that said, are shampoo bars good for oily hair? Well, simply put, the answer is yes, they are. To better understand why that is, continue reading to find out.

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Does a Shampoo Bar Have the Same Effect as a Liquid Shampoo?

Yes, they do. However, it may take some time for your hair to adjust after switching to shampoo bars. At first, your hair may feel sticky, but that is only temporary.

Once your hair adjusts to the new product, you can reap its benefits and enjoy healthier hair. However, make sure you look for well-formulated shampoo bars that can quickly eliminate the oil, grime, and dirt buildup in your hair without damaging it.

How to Choose a Shampoo Bar for Oily Hair?

Oily hair is one of the trickiest hair problems to address, which is why you need to find the right shampoo bar for your needs. So, how do you choose a shampoo bar for oily hair?

Make Sure the Bar is Shampoo

When you purchase shampoo bars, the first thing you need to do is check the ingredients. For example, if you see the combinations below, you are actually buying plain soap:

Sodium cocoate/coconut oil + l
Sodium palmate/palm oil + lyeye
Sodium tallowate/tallow + sodium hydroxide
Sodium olivate/olive oil + sodium hydroxide

Therefore, you need to examine the label first before you purchase any type of shampoo bar.

Choose A Formula Specifically For Oily Hair

Most shampoo bars are designed for use on different hair types, which means you can use them for any hair type without worrying about their effects. However, for oily hair, it’s best to check if your chosen shampoo bar has a formulation designed specifically for oily hair.

For example, shampoo bars with a clarifying formula are more suitable for oily hair because they are designed to remove excess oil from your hair without drying it out and damaging it.

In contrast, shampoo bars with more hydrating or moisturizing formulas can make your hair oilier because it adds more moisture to your already oily hair and scalp. Aside from clarifying shampoo bars, those with more balancing formulas are also excellent options for reducing excess oil from your scalp.

Check If The Ingredients Are Good For Oily Hair

When purchasing a shampoo bar for oily hair, the next thing you should do is check its list of ingredients. This is because there are some ingredients from which you can benefit the most if you have oily hair.

For example, shampoo bars with tea tree oil, peppermint, or rosemary can be excellent for remedying oily hair. This is because they can help clarify your scalp and remove excess oil and residues without drying out your strands.

In addition, citrus ingredients like lemon can also help balance out your scalp’s oil production, preventing it from overproducing oil. Aside from this, these ingredients can also be ideal for getting rid of dandruff, a common issue with oily hair.

Tips for Using a Shampoo Bar for Oily Hair

So, how do you use a shampoo bar? Below are things you must do to address oily hair with the help of a shampoo bar:

Prepare Your Hair Before Washing With a Shampoo Bar

To make using a shampoo bar more effective, you need to prepare your hair first before using it. This is because of the residues that coat your hair. Some of these are:

Natural residue. Your hair naturally produces sweat and sebum from your scalp glands. Those, together with dry and dead skin cells, can create a layer over your scalp and hair, which is a normal process.

Unnatural residue. Commercial shampoos, conditioners, and gels can also leave residues in your hair. That is because these products are made of chemicals, such as waxes and silicones.

These substances make your hair look bouncy and shiny. However, over time, you will end up having a build-up of residue that will be difficult to remove. In addition, these products can strip the scalp and hair from natural oils, which functions to keep your scalp healthy.

So, how do you prepare your hair? To get rid of these unnatural and natural residues, you need to rinse your hair with baking soda first.

Prepare a cup of tepid water and add 1tbsp baking soda.
Mix it well and apply it to your hair before using the shampoo bar.
Keep the mixture in your hair for about five minutes before you rinse it with water.

You can now use your shampoo bar for better results!

Know the Rules of Washing with Natural Shampoo Bar

Overall, a shampoo bar can be more concentrated compared to liquid shampoo. With that said, below are the rules in using a shampoo bar:

Make a lather with your hands before applying it to your hair. Do not use the entire shampoo bar, only the foamy lather.
Group your hair into locks, then massage each section with the foam.
Apply the lather using a circular motion to improve circulation.
Do your best to cover all parts of your scalp, especially your nape and lower head.
After applying the lather on all parts of your hair, rinse well. Note that if you do not wash the shampoo away thoroughly, it will add weight to your hair once dried up.

Consider Applying Apple Cider Vinegar for Final Rinsing

As mentioned, shampoo bars are organic and gentler than liquid shampoos. Unfortunately, this means it may take some time to eliminate all residues coating your hair caused by natural and unnatural build-up.

Therefore, another way to remove excess build-up is to do a final rinse using apple cider vinegar. That way, it will balance the PH level of your hair and eliminate residue build-ups.

Below is how you execute final rinsing with apple cider vinegar:

Dilute ⅔ tbsp ACV with a cup of tepid water.
Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair. If possible, use an exfoliating mitt to massage your hair.

If it’s your first time using the shampoo bar, it would be best to apply the ACV rinse every other day until your scalp and hair have adjusted to the ingredients of your shampoo bar.

After that, you can apply ACV rinsing at least once every week. However, if you have oily hair, you may need to use ACV more often.

Now, you ask, do you have to wash off the vinegar mixture? Well, that depends on you. Overall, it would help if you allowed your hair to absorb the ACV mixture for at least five minutes. After that, you can sprinkle some cold water to eliminate some vinegar from your hair.

Nonetheless, you don’t have to worry about the smell of vinegar sticking to your hair. While it can be discouraging to hear that ACV will leave an unpleasant odor, the truth is, the smell of vinegar will completely vanish by the time your hair dries.

Conclusion

Shampoo bars work for all hair types, including oily hair, as long as you find the right one for your hair.

If you have tried using an organic shampoo bar before, but it did not work well for you at the time, leaving your hair dry, dull, or oily, you need to understand that it is part of the transition period.

It would be best to note the rules mentioned above and apply the said tips for two weeks so that your hair can get used to and adapt to this method. For example, do not shampoo your hair more than four times per week. Also, always remember to apply the baking soda before using the shampoo and the ACV after using it for better results.

Maybe it will take time for a shampoo bar to work effectively. However, I can assure you that using a bar of shampoo is completely worth it – for both the health of your oily hair and the planet.

See also: How Long Do Shampoo Bars Last?