How to Choose the Right Shampoo Bar

Stocking your bathroom with shampoo bars is a step toward having a healthy, eco-friendly shower routine. Eliminating the need for plastic bottles, shampoo bars go a long way in saving you space and money while nourishing your hair with essential oils, vitamins and minerals. Keep reading to learn more about them and how to choose the best one for your hair.

What Is a Shampoo Bar?

A shampoo bar is a hair cleanser in solid form. These bars are gentle and contain butters and oils that nourish your hair without damaging or stripping it of its natural oils. When you use a shampoo bar, you still see the fragrant suds you see when using liquid shampoos. These bars are typically much healthier for your hair because they don't contain harsh chemicals that can damage or break your hair over time.

Using a shampoo bar is simple. After you thoroughly wet your hair, pass the shampoo bar under water and create a lather. Either rub the bar between your hands or take it directly to the top of your head and begin your normal wash, working down toward your ends. If you want, you can follow your shampoo with a conditioner bar and step out of the shower feeling fresh.

Shampoo Bar Frequently Asked Questions

If you're looking for liquid shampoo alternatives, you want to make sure you find a product that will improve your hair and make you feel fresh and clean. Check out some FAQs about shampoo bars to learn more about them.

Do Shampoo Bars Dry Out Your Hair?

Many traditional shampoos have harsh chemicals that dry out your hair and strip it of all its essential oils. In particular, salt can make shampoo and conditioner thicker but can also dry your scalp and irritate your head. All of that scratching can lead to hair loss and ruin your gorgeous locks.

Typically, shampoo bars have clean formulas that don't dry out your scalp. Instead of pulling essential oils from your hair and drying it out, shampoo bars put oils back into it. It's common for first-time users to feel that their hair is slightly oily after trying a shampoo bar. It may take a few days for your hair to adjust to a shampoo bar, but afterward, you'll notice how much better your hair looks, feels and smells.

What Makes a Shampoo Bar Better Than Liquid Shampoo?

These products have positive effects on your hair and help the environment. In the United States, we toss away millions of plastic bottles every year, which include shampoo and conditioner bottles. On the other hand, shampoo bars are stand-alone products just like traditional hand soap. After you finish a bar, there's nothing left to throw out, eliminating the need for plastic bottles altogether.

Additionally, the harsh chemicals in traditional shampoo get washed down the drain as your rinse your hair. Although this doesn't typically affect drinking water, the supply reaching oceans, rivers and lakes is untreated and can harm animals and other aquatic life. Because shampoo bars don't have these chemicals, you can feel confident you're helping your hair and the environment. 

What Are the Advantages of Switching to a Shampoo Bar?

When you switch to a shampoo bar, your hair will receive a supply of clean ingredients that leave your hair healthy, shiny and beautifully nourished. Being waterless products, shampoo bars have high concentrations of natural ingredients that coat your hair every time you use them. The ingredients are undiluted and boost your hair for the long haul.

Furthermore, you'll need to replace your shampoo bar less frequently than traditional shampoos. Each bar can last between 50 and 75 washes, which can replace two regular-size shampoo bottles or more, depending on how much shampoo you need per wash.

How Well Do Shampoo Bars Work? 

Shampoo bars work the same way as traditional shampoo while giving your hair a healthier boost. Although there are bars that work well on all hair textures, you'll find the best results from bars that are meant for your hair type.

You can find shampoo bars for hair that's fine, coarse, oily, dry, curly, straight, textured, colored and everything in between. Depending on your specific hair goals, you should invest in a bar that will guide you down the right path. When you choose the best shampoo bar for your hair, you'll find that your hair will bounce and shine better and brighter than ever.

Benefits of a Shampoo Bar

The little wonders of a shampoo bar span beyond what they do for you in the shower. These soaps can save you money, smell fantastic and are much more convenient than the plastic alternative.

The main benefits of a shampoo bar include:

• Saving money: Shampoo bars last longer than traditional liquid shampoos, so you don't have to spend money as often to replenish your supply. Additionally, shampoo bars are affordable. You can find bars that cost less than drug-store shampoo and can achieve beautiful results for far less than professional salon brands.
• Containing natural ingredients: Instead of chemicals and salts, shampoo bars use fresh ingredients and essential oils to nourish your hair and leave it feeling soft and clean. You can find shampoo bars that use lemon juice, coconut oil, grapefruit juice, tea tree essential oil, cocoa butter, activated charcoal and more to give your hair an elegant, fresh smell and shiny look.
• Improving your hair: One of the best things about shampoo bars is their ability to nourish your hair and bring it back to life. They'll remove the daily grime that weighs your hair down and provide it with the essential oils to be vibrant, healthy, shiny and soft.
• Smelling wonderful: Because shampoo bars are waterless, they have a much higher concentration of the oils and ingredients that make your hair smell delightful. You can find bars that offer various fragrances, such as minty, fruity, fresh, citrus, musk, warm and tea tree.
• Saving shower space: Shampoo bars are much smaller than their bottled counterparts. You can leave your bar on a ledge or use a small holding tin you can stack on top of other products or rest on its own. When you eliminate the bottles in your shower, you open your space and reduce the chance that you knock items down.
• Being travel-friendly: Instead of buying a separate travel-sized shampoo, you can easily pack your shampoo bar with the rest of your shower essentials because it's so tiny. Additionally, you won't ever have to worry about opening your bag to find a sticky spill of liquid in your bag. Your shampoo bar will stay dry and never leak when you're on the move.
• Skipping conditioner: Many shampoo bars are so nourishing you can skip the conditioning step altogether, saving you even more shower time. If you prefer to use conditioner, there are plenty of conditioner bars that complement your shampoo and still keep you from using plastic.

The Best Shampoo Bar for My Hair Type

You'll be able to find shampoo bars for every hair type. To see the most outstanding results in your hair, you should search for one that fits your hair texture and needs. Basin offers alcohol-free shampoo bars for those with thin, thick, curly, oil, frizzy, dry, damaged or chemically treated hair.

You can find the best shampoo bars for every hair texture by viewing the ingredients or looking through the product information. Some ingredients will work better for some hair types than others, so be sure to determine which will be best for you. However, you can also find some bars that will overlap. For example, you can find a shampoo bar for thick and frizzy hair or thin and oily.

Thin Hair

Those with thin hair will want to find a shampoo bar to promote and strengthen hair. Basin offers multiple shampoo bars that make your hair feel and look stronger and smell delightful.

Thin hair shampoo bars at Basin include:

• Our Ginger Shampoo Bar uses ginger to prevent split ends and give hair a gorgeous natural shine. This bar is also good for those who have a dry scalp because it replenishes your hair with moisture.
• Hey Blondie Shampoo Bar is perfect for blondes who have thin hair. This bar uses lemon juice and vitamin C to promote hair strength and eliminate dirt and excess oils.
• Our Kombucha Shampoo Bar removes pollution, strengthens hair and aids in volume and thickness. This bar is also great for those who style their hair and want to restore it to its former glory.

Thick Hair

People with thick hair often have to work to tame their locks. It takes a long time to dry thick hair after you wash it, and it can take even longer to style it perfectly.

Coconut oil is a common ingredient found in many beauty products because of its ability to improve the health and condition of hair and skin. The Hair Food Shampoo Bar uses coconut oil to decrease frizz and static and protect from sun damage, making it a good option for those with thick, frizzy, curly or dry hair.

Oily

If you have oily hair, you might be hesitant to use a shampoo bar because you'll be adding more oils. However, with the right combination of ingredients, you can get rid of excess oil while still giving your head the nutrients it needs.

Our Egg Noggin' Shampoo Bar uses lemon to to remove excess oil from the hair. Instead of using additional oils, this bar gives your hair protein from eggs and smells like citrus. Eggs can strengthen your hair. This bar helps improve hair elasticity and makes your hair glow.

Frizzy

Frizzy hair is prone to static that gets in your face, sticks to your neck and impedes stylish looks.

Amla is a plant that produces fruit with oil that has tons of health benefits, including strengthening your hair. The Oatmeal Milk & Honey Shampoo Bar is infused with amla oil, strengthening hair at the roots and promoting stronger and smoother hair. Curly-haired cuties who see a lot of frizz and people looking to reverse styling damage can also enjoy this bar.

Dry Scalp

Many people experience a dry scalp because their heads don't have enough moisture, leading to itchy spots.

Dry scalp shampoo bars at Basin include:

• The Basin White Shampoo Bar uses cocoa butter to soften and heal hair and promote healthy oil. It also soothes dry scalps and contains antioxidants.
• Our Tea Tree Shampoo Bar soothes dry scalps, strengthens roots and helps heal hair from damage. This bar will give you a deep clean that leaves your hair feeling wonderful.
• The Satsuma Shampoo Bar can revive your scalp and make your hair feel soft and full. This nourishing bar will leave you feeling and smelling fresh with a Japanese orange scent.

Dry Hair

If your hair is brittle or you have a lot of split ends, you probably have dry hair. Like a dry scalp, your hair is not getting the moisture it needs.

• Basin's Charcoal Shampoo Bar detoxifies your hair to get rid of buildup and promotes healthy hair. It also brings shine and volume and helps protect from damage.
• Our Island Silk Shampoo Bar uses jojoba oil to soften hair and hydrate damaged strands you may have from styling or heat. This bar promotes healthy hair and locks in shine.

Chemically Treated Hair

You have chemically treated hair if you lighten or bleach your hair or go to the salon for services like perms or relaxers. To keep the style you love and help your hair stay healthy simultaneously, you need to use products that aid in hair health.

Our Macaroon Shampoo Bar uses coconut oil, which is rich in vitamins and fatty acids that promote healthy hair growth. It moisturizes your hair and helps with static and frizz, conditions tangles, gives a high-quality shine and protects from sun damage.

All Hair Types 

Sometimes, there's a one-size-fits-all solution. Maybe you've never had many problems with your hair, or perhaps you find you experience a little bit of every issue. Instead of choosing one problem to address, Basin offers a shampoo bar that works for all hair types.

The Basin Good Hair Day Shampoo Bar is great for everyone. The main ingredient is pink grapefruit, which will strip your hair of daily buildup, has tons of vitamin C to promote hair health and can brighten your hair.

Shop Shampoo Bars From Basin

At Basin, we strive to deliver clean and nourishing self care in the form of fun, fresh bath and body products because we believe that everyone deserves to feel good. We think self care should be inclusive and affordable, and all of our products are cruelty-free. We make our products without synthetic alcohols, parabens or mineral oils, so you know you're giving your hair the treatment it deserves every time.

Treat yourself and shop our shampoo bars for natural, fresh and uplifting hair care.