Transitioning to natural shampoo bars, don’t be fooled, not all solid shampoo bars are the same.
Natural shampoo bars and how to use them!
Making the transition from using chemically filled big brand shampoos to using natural handmade shampoo bars can be a huge leap and not always as easy as people think. To help any of you that are currently making the transition or are thinking about doing it soon then we have decided to put together some hints and tips to make the transition a little easier.
Are natural shampoo bars for me?
Part of the magic of natural shampoo bars (and organic products in general) is that they provide a uniquely personal experience. They may work wonders for one person, while for another… well, they may not be a perfect match. The shampoo bar experience is all about tuning in to your own personal body chemistry and listening to your body – especially if you’re a newbie to natural products and are making the “transition” for the first time!
Why natural shampoo bars
Mainstream shampoo can often strip important nutrients and natural oils from your hair as well as irritate the scalp. Over time, harsh foaming agents and synthetics can leave you with dull, lifeless hair which has been stripped of its natural gloss and sheen. Natural shampoos, both liquid and solid shampoo can help revive, strengthen and replenish dry, frizzy, damaged or coloured hair, with different options available based on the needs of each hair types.
Shampoo bars are also plastic free and environmentally friendly with zero waste and last twice as long as conventional bottled shampoo.
How to use a natural shampoo bar
One of the most common mistakes is that people use too much because they have been so used to using a large amount of liquid shampoo (which is mostly water) which produces a large amount of lather that is made by the detergents that are found in most commercially made shampoos. With our natural shampoo bars, you will not find either of these.
- If this is the first time that you have used a shampoo bar then we recommend that you produce a lather in the palm of your hand and then massage into the hair and scalp rather than rubbing the bar directly on the scalp and hair (do not expect a huge lather build up like you would find when using commercial shampoos as this is produced by the SLS and SLES in those products)
- Rinsing away with special note regarding hard water areas. Normally when you rinse away your liquid shampoo you will find that they rinse away fairly easily, taking with it residues, grease, fats and oils (this includes your hairs natural oils) with them. This tends to dry out your scalp and hair but with natural shampoo bars you will find that you have to rinse very thoroughly. Normally this does not pose any problems but if you live in an area that has hard water then a slight residue can form, resulting in it taking slightly longer to rinse out than you are normally used to. A tip for those that live in a hard water area is to finish with a final acid rinse (panic not, we don’t mean go and get some ultra-strong acid to rinse your hair in) we recommend using 10% apple cider vinegar mixed with water, simply pour over your scalp and hair and gently massage in. You may find that the rinse smells slightly of vinegar, this is normal and once your hair is dry it will not smell but you can always prepare the rinse in advance and use some sprigs of rosemary and leave to infuse overnight in the fridge.
- There will be an adjustment period that wont just happen overnight. We believe that perseverance pays. Due to us using these commercial shampoos for so long some people may find that they feel like they have a coating on their hair while washing, this is due to all the residue build up being washed away and will only last a short while. The most common issues are with silicones which are present in many conditioning products and which coat the hair to create an illusion of ‘shininess’. Most people report positive results after 1 or 2 washes, but more may be needed to fully remove the build-up from commercial shampoos, during which your hair may look and feel different. Allow enough time for this detox and adjustment period.
There will also be an adjustment period where our hair no longer has to fight against the harsh chemicals that dry out your hair and scalp which unfortunately may cause your scalp to compensate and produce more natural oil (sebum). This may take anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks but please persevere with it because it will get better once your scalp and hair get used to not having to fight all the chemical build up that the liquid shampoos have produced. And the end result is healthy, shiny hair that is stripped of all chemicals.
If you have already transitioned from commercial shampoos to natural shampoo bars or if you are only just starting your journey then we would love to hear your stories, maybe you have found something else that helped you get through it and would like to share that with others then please do not hesitate to leave a comment.
We look forward to hearing all your stories.
