How to Choose the Best Shampoo Bar for your Hair

Shampoo and conditioner bars are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional shampoo and they're a great way to minimise the waste that stems from your beauty routine. As the beauty industry steps closer and closer to an environmentally friendly, minimal waste future, more and more shampoo bars are becoming readily available, meaning you'll be able to find the right one for you no matter your hair type. Read on to find out why you should make the switch to a shampoo bar, and find the perfect one for you!

What are the benefits of a shampoo bar?

The real beauty, no pun intended, of a shampoo bar is that they are entirely waste free. A shampoo bar looks just like a regular bar of soap in that it's wrapped in nothing but a piece of compostable cardboard. I find shampoo bars to be more cost effective than bottled shampoos too, as most bars are often the equivalent of three bottles of liquid shampoo! To use a shampoo bar, simply soak your hair then swipe your shampoo bar through it from roots to ends, work it into a lather and thoroughly massage it through your hair and scalp, then rinse with warm water. Just like a regular shampoo! My personal favourite shampoo bars are all organic, free from nasty chemicals and are designed to nourish the hair, rather than strip it or coat it in synthetic ingredients.

Which shampoo bar is right for you?

Shampoo bars for dry hair If your hair is coarse and dry, opt for the Ethique Mintasy Shampoo Bar for Normal to Dry Hair. Containing hydrating ingredients like Coconut Oil, Coconut Cream, Cocoa Butter and Peppermint Oil, this shampoo bar has been formulated specifically to hydrate dry hair without weighing it down. Treating a dry scalp and dandruff For those dealing with a particularly dry scalp or even scalp conditions like dandruff, the Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo Bar for Dandruff or Scalp Problems will be perfect for you. This organic shampoo works to improve overall hair and scalp health (rather than acting as a temporary, quick fix), using ingredients like Kiwifruit, Coconut, Karanja, Manuka and Neem oils combined with Oats, Calendula, and Lavender and Lime essential oils to kill the microbes that can cause scalp problems, gently and effectively removing any flakey build-up. Combatting brassy tones If you have coloured hair, do not fret- there's a natural shampoo bar for you too! The Ethique Tone It Down Purple Solid Shampoo has been formulated specifically for those with blonde, silver and platinum hair, working to add body and shine to the hair while keeping any yellow, brassy tones at bay.

Shampoo bars for oily hair
The Ethique St Clements Shampoo Bar for Oily Hair is perfect for anyone wanting to really thoroughly cleanse the hair and regulate oil production, without stripping their strands. This bar is free from oil-creating foaming agents (you know, the ones that leave your hair feeling squeaky clean for an hour, then straight back to normal?!) the Ethique St Clements shampoo instead relies on the natural purifying properties of Lime, Sweet Orange, Basil, Rosemary and Juniper, all of which cleanse the scalp and work to moderate your hair's natural oil production. Taming frizz with a shampoo bar Those with frizzy hair are often nervous about shampoo bars, fearing that the solid bar and the need to lather will only lead to more frizz- but this just isn't the case! The Ethique Frizz Wrangler has been created especially for you, with the smoothing properties of both Creamed Coconut and Cocoa Butter working to tame dry, frizzy, curly, unruly and even damaged hair.

Shampoo bars for "normal" hair
If your hair is neither oily nor dry, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to organic shampoo bars! We love the Ethique Pinkalicious Shampoo Bar, which is a limited edition bar scented with natural vanilla and pink grapefruit, the now iconic Ethique Wombar, designed by Bindi Irwin ($1AUD from each bar sold goes to the Irwins' Wildlife Warriors foundation!), and the Acure Coconut & Argan Shampoo Bar which can also be used on the body! Unscented products for sensitive hair and scalps Fragrance, even of the natural variety, can sometimes cause flare ups and irritation in those with particularly sensitive skin. If you fall into the sensitive scalp category, we recommend Ethique's Bar Minimum Unscented Solid Shampoo.

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