To go back to shampoo in plastic bottles from shampoo bars (hairdresser POVs welcome)

[Handbaghag]

I am keen to reduce single use plastics in our house. I made liquid soap after my second attempt (the first attempt resulted in a very large bar of soap the size of an ice cream tub 😂) so am saving on plastic/purchase of replacements. I've gone to bar soap for the shower but have tried several shampoo bars that basically just feel either that I'm washing my hair with soap or something not lathery/ strong enough to clean it at all! Solid conditioner also want much cop either. I'm assuming this will improve as people try and develop it. My experience of people's comments about shampoo is that it shouldn't have salts in it or other stuff that's bad for your hair. I'm wondering if Cash and carry type places do bigger bottles of shampoo. I know it's still plastic but still wonder if it's less plastic per 100ml etc. I was buying the biggest bottles of Pantene and was quite happy with it as a shampoo.
My hairdresser would do refills on shampoo from the salon but I didn't like the last one I bought. I also would want shampoo for the whole family.
Comments and ideas/what do you do?

The only thing stopping that We Are Paradox conditioner from being curly girl is the Isopropyl Alcohol, which is incredibly drying. The price is something else. Goes back to the thread, the other week, about being easier to be green when you're well off.

The problem with glass bottles is they take a huge amount of energy compared to plastic to make, so they are not really eco friendly unless they are reused like milk bottles. I read this in the New Scientist.

The only shampoo bar that works for me is Beauty Kubes.

@PickAChew The problem with curly girl method is that the blanket list of ingredients to avoid doesn’t actually consider how the products are made. Most of the time isopropyl alcohol is used to actually blend the actual product itself and in such tiny amounts that it can’t dry hair especially with all the other ingredients which are more beneficial! Especially as the paradoxx one is so natural (95% my bottle says). I have curly hair and I have followed the curly girl method strictly in the past, but I have to say that when I have tested other products with some of the more cautious ingredients I haven’t had any issues and actually at the minute my curls are way less frizzy and so much more defined!! But I suppose it depends on your individual hair type and what you know works best 🤷‍♀️

I got samples of shampoo and conditioner bars from Cosy Cottage. The shampoo was great and I will buy some when my current stash of shampoos (bars and liquids) runs out. I've only used the conditioner once and I think I need a bit more practice with it before deciding on that one... could have been used error as it does say you don't need to use as much.

I go to my local zero waste shop to refill my bottles. If that's not an option, I think if you Google 'shampoo refill' you'll find a few brands that sell 5 liter refill containers.

Conchus Life is a small home made soap bar company and she does face wash and body wash too.

No sulphates or paraben or nasties in any of her bars, they lather well. She also sells hair rinses but offers recipes for home made hair rinses (v easy to do) and you don't need conditioner.

If you really can't get on with it then maybe get massive bottle, use half the amount of product you usually wpiod and do every other wash solid shampoo then liquid and your bottle will last 4 x as long.

Oh and Neals Yard do glass bottles.

I second beauty kubes- it took me a while to find the right bar but I love these!

Costco currently has the large duo packs of Bedhead on offer for about £10.50 Inc vat.

Yanbu. I tried a bar shampoo from lush (why does the shop smell so bad) and totally agree. Im sticking with shampoo that works and recycling the bottles

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet OWay uses glass bottles. It is pricey but lasts a longtime.

Another thing to consider is that a lot of mass market shampoos contain silicone which is what makes your hair look lovely and shiny cos its literally coating your hair with a fine layer of plastic. That is getting washed into the water, micro plastic pollution...

I was going to suggest Aveda as I think their bottles may be made of recycled materials to begin with. Expensive though.

As someone above mentioned - Neal's Yard do shampoo in glass bottles.

Otherwise, I have been using shampoo and not really bothering with conditioner. Depending on your hair type maybe you could use bar shampoo and then use conditioner once a week/every 10 days? My hair looked a bit wispy at the ends (but also needs a cut) but otherwise fine. I am also in a hard water area.

Oh and it might be worth looking at websites like love lula and Victoria Health for more eco-friendly options.

Nat6999 oh I wish I lived near a B&M. Northerner in the South now.. They are miles away.
Someone else said about so much more SUP before shampoo.. Yes you're right. I'm not a saint and haven't reached the point of eliminating everything else. Once you start trying it's awful just how many things come in it 🙄. Thanks for all suggestions. I don't feel as much of a failure at it. The Aveda is very good value but I'd want to try it before buying 5l.
Why are the Body shop not doing what they used to? They were ahead of their time in the 80s but seem to have dropped back. Their shop is always empty in our town..I wonder why?

*meant to say the Indola was the one that was very good value for 5 litres! Dunno how much Aveda is, haven't looked yet

I think Klorane have glass bottles.

I've been having this exact dilemma the last few weeks. I switched to bar shampoo, had a horrible time which got much better when I discovered the vinegar wash. I just feel like my hair isn't the same, I can have it down or in a ponytail and that's it. Too 'sticky' to try and plait. I was doing okay with it for a while but I'm now dreading washing my hair and I think I'll just buy large bottles and reduce the amount I use. Like a PP I've had no issues at all switching from shower gel but this I just can't hack (even though I've had compliments that my hair is looking lovely - it doesn't feel right!).

I'll have to focus on reducing plastic elsewhere for the time being. Feels a bit like failure :(

Just to add my voice to the chorus of those advising refills. If you fill up a big container when you go, you can decant into small, attractive bottles for the bathroom and you don't have to make repeat trips. The Faith in Nature stuff really smells like flowers, not chemicals.

Sorry, Klorane are plastic. I haven’t bought one for years!

@TheMobileSiteMadeMeSignup that is actually horrifying, I didn’t know that.

You can buy your own 5L refill of Faith in nature shampoo. See link:

www.faithinnature.co.uk/products/lavender-geranium-shampoo-5l/finshamplav5l.aspx?productid=finshamplav5l

Admittedly it is a big cost upfront but it works out at £10/litre. I’ve just checked on the Superdrug website and Pantene works out at £7.50 per litre so it isn’t vastly different. I may start to do this.

I use a shampoo bar from Lush and it works brilliantly. Am also in a very hard water area.

I love the Lush shampoo bars, but the conditioner ones are rubbish. I don't get on with Faith In Nature at all - have to use loads more of it than I would with normal liquid shampoos and conditioners and it makes my scalp itch (and ds'). Hanging around for other shampoo bar recommendations...

@fivecupsoftea I think we use the same one , a clove scented one .
it is the only one that works for me.
I do not use conditioner , I never have so can not comment on them