Is This Really The Best Shampoo Bar For Curly Hair? If you’re ... Read More >>
June 23
Emma
June 23, 2021
Are Vegan Shampoo Bars Best: Is the Hype Justified?
Thinking about going into the world of vegan shampoo bars? After some free shampoo bars advice?
If you’re asking questions like are vegan shampoo bars better for your hair and you’re thinking of ditching the liquid, there is no need to go it alone!
It’s important to have a plan before quitting products altogether. So here’s the low-down on everything we get asked about the wonderful world of the best shampoo bar uk….
So, are shampoo bars worth the hype?
Probably. Truth is, a solid shampoo bar is often a lot better for your hair thanks to better quality ingredients (hello more shine, texture and volume!)
Over the past few years, the world has started waking up to some of the shady practices in the beauty industry….
What is REALLY inside that bottle of liquid shampoo?
Many high-street liquid shampoos are anything but ‘good’ for our hair and they leave it lifeless, limp and sad.
Why? Because even natural shampoo is usually anything but. Most high-street liquid shampoos are full of all sorts of crazy chemicals from plastic to sulphates.
And sulphates are the main culprit of ‘over washing’ hair. These are the harsh chemicals that are used in things like dishwasher tablets and create that familiar lather.
Trouble is sulphates strips hair of its natural essential oils barrier leaving your hair dry, damaged & dull.
This then is made worse as your body goes into ‘oil overdrive’ to try and fix the damage done and you end up trapped in the ‘over-washing’ cycle that’s a killer for your health, strength and shine.
Do shampoo bars work for fine hair?
The answer is yes! Whilst they will not lather up like soap bars and shampoo, the natural ingredients still help to cleanse your hair gently….. which is exactly what fin hair needs
The challenge for people with fine hair is that shampoo dries it out and then all that excess conditioner weighs it down.
By using a natural shampoo bar you can clean your hair and actually GAIN body you probably didn’t realise that you had because you’ve been stripping it away with shampoo all your life!
Is a shampoo bar the best solution for fighting frizz?
Yes! Natural hair ingredients work best for curly hair and shampoo bars are (well the good ones) are full to the brim with natural ingredients curls love.
Plus they contain none of the ingredients that are curl killers…
One enemy of curly hair is sulfates.
The curly girl method is right. These harsh chemicals strip your hair of natural oils and curls need these oils to retain their definition, shape and strength.
The next enemy of curls? silicones
Synthetic polymers, also known as silicones, are found in a large number of products. These harsh chemicals sit on the top of your hair giving you the illusion of shiny hair, while in reality….
Hair is coated in grimy plastic and ends up more dry & damaged than ever before. Dry hair types like curls and waves do not need extra dryness!
Say NO to soap-based shampoo bars no matter what your hair type
Ever used a shampoo bar that leaves a residue on the hair shaft, which can make your locks feel heavy and greasy?
Chances are it was a soap-based ‘shampoo bar.’
And even a natural soap-based bar is NOT good for hair as the pH balance is wrong.
The balance of all soap is alkaline. Alkalinity can also cause frizz and breakage on hair.
PLUS soap-based bars are ineffective in water with high levels of minerals aka hard water areas. Meaning hair will not be clean!
The best shampoo bar will be aligned to the natural acidity of hair & scalp (and be soap-free)
So for a quick bit of easy science, pH works on a level of 1-14.
1 being most acidic and 14 being most alkaline, with 7 being neutral.
The natural pH of our skin and scalp is 5.5 and your hair strands are naturally at 3.67 — so both of them are on the acidic side.
Soap sits between 9-10 so is way off for hair. Soap bars suck.
Go soap-free and find a shampoo bar that is aligned to the natural acidity of hair & scalp within the 3-5 pH range.
What makes a solid shampoo bar better for hair health?
As well as being soap-free, there are a few ways to spot a shampoo bar that will be better for your hair…
Low lather is a major factor
First look for a “low lather” shampoo bar, which dermatologists agree are the best for your hair and skin.
A low lathe or baby foam shampoo bar will cleanse your hair without drying it the way most shampoos do. Hair is left clean without feeling dry.
No nasties lurking inside
For great hair choose a shampoo bar that is free from all the liquid shampoo nasties.
Things like sulphates (sometimes known as sulfates or sls) the harsh chemicals that are used in things like dishwasher tablets and are inside most liquid shampoos. These strip hair of its natural oils leaving it dull, dry, and greasy at the roots.
Microplastics and Polymers are lurking in many liquid shampoos these ruin that natural balance of your hair, as well as killing our oceans, while most solid shampoo bars are plastic-free.
And Palm-Oil a cheap, poor quality oil found in many ‘natural’ products that in reality do nothing for the health and condition of your hair.
Made well
Buying a British & EU made shampoo bar is going to be better for your hair most of the time as it ensures you are getting the ‘gold’ standard.
The Guardian reported (*3) that in cosmetics alone, the EU has banned or restricted more than 1,300 chemicals while the US has curbed just 11! Pretty scary when you think about it!
The secret to the best shampoo bars
The best vegan shampoo bars are worth the hype. This is because they contain only the best natural ingredients that are cruelty-free.
Think about it…. We wouldn’t expect to live on a diet of Pepsi, McDonald’s and Haribo and for our bodies to be healthy… yet we use nasty chemical-filled shampoo all the time and we’re shocked that our hair looks terrible?!
Just like with the rest of our bodies, the easiest way to get texture, shine and volume are to use pure, natural ingredients.
What exactly is inside the best shampoo bars on the market?
The best natural low lather ingredient = coconut
Or to give its proper name sodium cocoyl isethionate. This queen of “low lather” scalp and hair health and will be found in every great shampoo bar.
It’s made from the lush, fatty acids in coconut oil. This natural cleanser is very gentle and hydrating on the skin and scalp which is why it is sometimes referred to as “baby foam”
Perfect for dry hair this lush gentle cleanser makes fine hair bouncy and gives hair back its natural volume and texture.
For the greatest hair of your life go for the best in natural hair care
The best natural ingredients work with your hair (not against it) and some plants have some serious hair activating power!
When on the lookout for a shampoo bar go for ingredients like…
In natural hair care, kaolin clay helps naturally cleanse the scalp without drying.
Brassica seed oil is a natural alternative to silicone, and it’s great for dry ends and creating shiny hair! Softening without weighing hair down which is perfect for finding body in fine hair.
Look for hydrating Cocoa butter in your shampoo bar.
Perfect for dry or damaged hair, this butter is great for strengthening hair as well as deeply hydrating it keeping hair strong, soft and shiny.
Pressed from the seeds of the wildflower meadowfoam is an eco wonder that locks in moisturiser to keep hair soft, shiny and helps maintain elasticity.
The best shampoo bars combat sensitive flakey scalp too! Tea Tree oil is an essential oil that is soothing on sensitive flakey scalps and skin.
Go for a vegan shampoo bar with Lavender oil for soothing irritation or itchiness on a sensitive scalp and is well known for its healing properties.
A shampoo bar contains no water
According to National Geographic (*1) liquid shampoos are made up of 80% water. This reaches 95% with conditioners!
Yet we all wash our hair in the shower where water is already flowing? Ouch. This is not great for our wallets.
Solid shampoo bars are a concentrated, solid bar of our hair-activating ingredients. They contain no water and you use the water from the shower to activate it.
And because they are concentrated full of good stuff, for many people they do the hair cleaning work of up to three bottles of liquid shampoo.
Better for your wallet and better for the planet
Going for a solid shampoo bar is not only great for you but it is also great for our eco system.
Over the past five years alone Lush shampoo bars have saved around 300 million (!) plastic bottles from landfill (*2).
And because shampoo bars are smaller (and mightier) than liquid shampoo, each bar is much easier to transport. This saves the planet from excess lorries on our roads, traffic congestion, and toxic fumes in our air.
Liquid shampoo is not great for hair health, a con on our wallets, and a major culprit in plastic waste.
It’s easy to see why women are turning their backs on liquid shampoo and how the hype around shampoo bars has come around.
Yet for many women…
After a lifetime of liquid shampoo, a shampoo bar can feel weird
A great Shampoo bar is a thing of beauty yet after a lifetime of ‘wash and go’ liquid shampoo the change can be daunting!
I remember thinking I would never get the hang of a shampoo bar when I first started.
The truth is, a bar s easy to use, once you know-how. There are a few tips to get you started and making the switch…
- Tangle-free – Give hair a good brush with a wide-toothed comb to gently remove tangles, before washing.
- Super wet hair – Before using the shampoo bar ensure the hair is completely wet, think super-saturated before you start to wash it with a shampoo bar.
- Section – Work in sections, especially with curls. To avoid tangles get your shampoo bar going in your hands then apply the “low lather foam” with your hands directly onto a section of hair.
- Use your hands – Cover the scalp and hair, until every patch of hair is covered. Use fingers to comb the hair between movements to keep the hair in line and reduce tangles. Pay attention to the nape of the neck and the hairline which will be dirtier.
- Sit – Once covered let it sit for at least 30 seconds (it can be longer) whilst you get on with the other tasks in the shower.
- Rinse –A shampoo bar is concentrated with good stuff so don’t rush the rinse! Rinse well in lukewarm water. Stay under the water for 30 seconds longer than usual.
However, be warned…
Just like with liquid shampoo, not all shampoo bars are the same
Beware of some shampoo bars! Just like with all hair care products, not every shampoo bar is equal.
There are some shampoo bars out there that are bad for hair!
Watch out for soap-filled bars, sulphates, silicones and the like which can be harmful to hair and scalp health.
The best shampoo bar will use NO filler ingredients
More common with shampoo bars are the cheaper mass-produced bars that are full of cheap filler “natural” products like palm oil.
Sure, they make the bar super cheap yet, in reality, they do NOTHING for hair health.
Plus more often than not they are hurting the environment. Read the label to look out for the best natural formulas.
The perks of the best shampoo bars like Goddess Glow
- Transforms Your Hair – Say hello to healthy shine, great texture, and bright colour again.
- Bye-bye flakes – Keeps hair in balance and perfect for sensitive scalps
- Hello curl definition – Perfectly rebalance hair for definition, texture and volume.
- Keep coloured hair bold – Less fading means longer-lasting colour, perfect for colour treated hair.
- Go longer between washes – No overproduction of oil means you can go longer between hair washes.
Goddess Glow is powered by nature and concentrated with premium, hair-activating, 100% natural ingredients…
Whereas mainstream shampoo bar filler oils we only use the finest raw plant-based extracts and essential oils for the best hair health formula on the market…
- For NATURAL cleansing – Coconut oil cleanser
- For natural luxurious MOISTURE – Cocoa Butter & Coconut Oil
- For condition and SHINE – Brassica
- For protection and STRENGTH – Meadowfoam
- For FLAKE FREE scalp – Tea Tree Oil
Goddess Glow works with your natural hair texture instead of against it, leaving hair shiny, bouncy and strong.
Goddess Glow products are plant-based, all-natural, vegan, cruelty-free and safe for coloured hair.
Goddess Glow is an all-natural shampoo bar soap-free hair product that is free from nasties.
We are soap-free, plastic-free, sulfates free, paraben-free, silicones free, palm oil-free and SLS free. Essentially we’re all about the hair…and eco friendly to boot!
And we’re handmade right here in the UK! Meaning we don’t harm the environment by shipping our shampoo bar halfway across the world.
Plus Goddess Glow is backed by our 100% no-risk money-back guarantee.
Our mission is to start a haircare revolution! So you can try the Goddess Glow shampoo bar with total confidence.
Shampoo bars are better for your hair, better for health, better for your wallet, and better for the planet, give them a whirl and embrace the hair revolution.
Other Information On Shampoo Bars:
The Best Shampoo Bar for Sensitive Scalp
The Best Shampoo Bar For Curly Hair
References:
*2 https://uk.lush.com/article/shampoo-bars-naked-revolution
Emma x
Related Posts
The Best Shampoo Bar for Sensitive Scalp: Why Goddess Glow Bars Win ... Read More >>