Have you looked at the ingredients in conventional shampoo? It’s a whole concoction of nope.
Ingredients found in conventional shampoo:
- Parabens
- Formaldehyde releasers
- Ammonium lauryl sulfate/sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
- Synthetic fragrances
- Triclosan
- Dimethicone
Parabens can mimic estrogen and have been linked to increased growth of breast cancer cells.
Formaldehyde releasers can be found in shampoos under several names, some of those being quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, ureas (imidazolidinyl, or diazolidinyl) and benzylhemiformal
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are detergents that through a chemical reaction bind with the sebum on the scalp and with the water to strip the hair of oil. This can damage the hair, make it brittle, increase frizz, mess up normal oil production.
Synthetic fragrances can contain thousands of hidden chemicals. These chemicals can distrupt the reproductive system and cause cancer. They can also irritate the skin and scalp, which can lead to hair loss.
Triclosan was banned from antibacterial soaps in 2016, but can still be found in shampoos and other products. It is known to distrupt hormones, which can affect fetal development, lead to cancer and many other things.
Dimethicone is a type of silicone that contributes to product buildup. Because it puts a protective covering over the hair it also stops moisture and nutrients from entering the hair. It instead collects dirt and residue and can clog pores on the scalp.
Hello Clean Shampoo!
At this point my family has been using shampoo bars for years. Before we made the switch, I tried several other methods of washing my hair such as using castile soap, no poo, and baking soda, anything to escape the endocrine disruptors in commercial shampoo. All of them ended horribly.
Come to find out castile soap and baking soda are horrible for your hair and do more damage than anything. Which at the time I didn’t understand the chemistry part of hair care, so I was just so frustrated that it wasn’t working.
No Poo I think is totally possible, but it takes time for your body to get there and that transition can be really rough. My kids are basically no poo. They only ever use shampoo if they get something in their hair that plain old water is not getting off, like vomit.
I was so nervous to try shampoo bars because all of the bar soap I had previously been exposed to were so slippery, so I expected the same of shampoo bars. Come to find out actual natural shampoo bars and bar soap is not slippery like commercial bar soap is. So, you don’t have to worry about it slip sliding out of your hands.
Benefits of Shampoo Bars
- Eco-friendly: Shampoo bars are an eco-friendlier alternative to liquid shampoo as they require less packaging and produce less waste. Many use no plastic in their packaging too!
- Convenient for travel: Shampoo bars are compact and lightweight, making them easy to pack and transport for travel.
- Long-lasting: Shampoo bars last longer than liquid shampoo as they are more concentrated, which means you’ll save money in the long run.
- No spills or leaks: With a shampoo bar, there’s no need to worry about spills or leaks in your luggage or bathroom.
- Easy to use: Shampoo bars are easy to use, simply lather up in your hands and massage into your scalp and hair or lather it up directly on your hair.
- No harsh chemicals: Many shampoo bars are made with natural ingredients, meaning they are free from harsh chemicals making them better for your hair and scalp.
- No endocrine disruptors: Most shampoo bars are made with ingredients that are not going to cause disruption to your hormones making them a better option for you and the environment.
- Versatile: Shampoo bars can be used for different hair types and can even be used as a body soap.
- No synthetic fragrances: Shampoo bars often have natural scents from essential oils, meaning you can avoid synthetic fragrances.
- Improves hair health: Shampoo bars can improve the health of your hair by nourishing and strengthening it with natural ingredients.
How to Use Shampoo Bars
The benefits of shampoo bars are all great, but how do we use them? There are a few different ways to use shampoo bars. One option is to lather shampoo up in your hands and then apply to your scalp and hair. Another is to lather the shampoo directly on your scalp and hair. Yet another option is to use a loofa type bag on the shampoo bar and use that directly. Personally, I am not a fan of this method because it introduces plastics and plastics are endocrine disruptors.
Making the Switch
The switch from commercial shampoo to shampoo bars can be a rough switch, but it doesn’t need to be. Everyone I have recommended this method to has been able to make a seamless transition even if they struggled in the past with greasy hair while trying to switch.
First buy a clean shampoo bar, recommended brands are below.
Then make up a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water to use in the shower. Use 1/2 Tablespoon to 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8 ounces of water. Use less apple cider vinegar if you have a dry scalp and more if you have an oily scalp. Put the mixture in something that you can use in the shower.
Now you can take a shower and wash your hair with the shampoo bar with whichever method you prefer. After this rinse your hair with the apple cider vinegar and water mixture. This works like a clarifier removing any of the buildup on your scalp and it also works to condition your hair.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission should you use my links. Read my full disclaimer here. Thank you!
Favorite Brands
While most shampoo bars on the market do use natural ingredients, not all do. These are the brands that my family and patients enjoy.
Chagrin Valley also offers an herbal apple cider vinegar rinse concentrate that can be used to make the apple cider vinegar rinse. Use this link to save 5 dollars off of your purchase.
Are you ready to make the switch?
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