Shampoo bars: the future of haircare?
Do they create enough lather? Doesn't your hair still look dirty after washing? Does it moisturize your hair enough? Aren't bars expensive? These are all common questions, or rather myths, when it comes to the super condensed shampoo form that is a bar, I solemnly swear by a shampoo bar not just for environmental reasons but because you get the same treatment if not better from a bar for your crown.
Reasons to use a shampoo bar:
Less plastic waste - no more heavy plastic bottles in the landfill
Easier to travel with as it's more compact
Made with natural ingredients and are sulphate-free
Enclosed with biogegradable or compostable packaging
Let's uncover some myths:
Each brand of shampoo bars have their own ingredient formulation but more often than not, they have shampoo bars that cater for different hair types, be that oily, dry or sensitive scalp. The responsibility lies with you to do research into the ingredients and figure out which one would work best for your hair type.
By wetting your hair and also the bar you will get the most of the bar as it allows the product to transfer onto your hair easily. The trick is to massage the bar in circular motions around your hair, starting in the front at your hairline and working your way around and eventually to the tips of your hair.
To get a good lather, it is essential to work in circular motions over the same spot at least twice. Also, another tip is to stand under the stream of water to get that extra foaminess as the water activates the lather.
Shampoo bars are not as expensive as you think because they last you about the same time frame if not more, as a 600ml bottle of liquid shampoo and retail for more or less the same price as the 600ml bottle.
Ingredient wise, most shampoo bars use the likes of argan oil, shea butter or macadamia oil to get the moisturizing property in their product and as mentioned before, there are no sulphates which weigh down your hair. For me personally, the natural ingredient approach has helped me get stronger hair that's more voluminous and grows faster too.
Lush Cosmetics and Be Bare which are my go-to brands for shampoo bars also have a separate range of conditioner bars that I am yet to try (just waiting to finish the dreaded plastic bottle of conditioner first #nowaste). Tap on the images below to shop my personal favorite recommendations of highly acclaimed shampoo bars, the best in the biz!
If you're worried about accessibility - Be Bare bars are now sold at select Clicks stores and ZeroBars are sold on takealot so be sure to keep an eye out when you're doing your shopping, either online or in store.
So yes, if you ask me I definitely believe that bars, either shampoo or conditioner, are the future of haircare because of its practicality, ease and eco friendliness. Viva la shampoo bars!
