Shampoo bars. A bit of a grey area.

[hawleybits]

I'm doing my bit for the planet. Small steps but, no more single use plastic- so goodbye clingfilm and hello to some rather nifty food covers, that look like little shower caps, that were only £2 for about 7 of various sizes in Waitrose. Still plastic, but reusable. Also, trying not to buy pre packaged fruit and veg and no putting it in plastic bags at the supermarket-this is quite easy. And I've bought bars of soap, rather than plastic bottles of shower gel, which everyone seems quite happy with. I'm considering buying an Eco Egg for the washing machine, rather than detergent but I've read very mixed reviews and I'm still a bit too fussy about nice-smelling washing and so that might be a step too far in my early stages. I will vow to buy washing powder in a cardboard box though, and not liquid. Last one today was, to tear up lots of old tea towels, to use as reusable cleaning cloths. Hopefully will think of lots more in time.

On to the question of shampoo bars. Again, I've read very mixed reviews and the general consensus seems to be, they're not great. Has anyone discovered a good one? My hair is quite fine and prone to dry ends but DD has voluminous hair! I want to be able to make this change and rid our bathroom of multiple shampoo/conditioner bottles. I'm quite excited about all these changes and it's becoming a bit of an obsession

Watching with interest. Where do you buy them? Lush?

I only really know of the Lush ones. I'm sure there are others but I've never tried them. I can't quite imagine how they would work- I mean, are they like a regular bar of soap or something completely different squashed into a bar? How easy are they to lather and rinse, and what happens about conditioner?
I'm not usually clueless about cosmetics etc but I'm truly baffled by shampoo bars!

I'm doing my best to reduce plastic, but shampoo is possibly the last product in which I'd be willing to accept any sacrifice. I'm fanatical about it.

Marking my place.

Oh but all the half-used plastic bottles! Apart from shower gel (which I've successfully addressed) shampoo and conditioner bottles are a huge area of concern because we all seem to use different brands.
Think how tidy your bathrooms will become.

I don't have any half-finished bottles of shampoo, but I get your point.

How did you sort out your shower gel? I can't bear Lush bars. They seem to be created with the patchouli-oil crowd in mind.

There's another thread running on shampoo bars at the moment on the style and beauty board. Lots of recommendations on there.

I use them. Once they’ve lathered up they're no different from shampoo bubbles. I haven’t noticed a build-up or anything unpleasant. I sometimes use the conditioner bar because it makes my hair smell of violets.

Museum, we just used up all the dregs of shower gel and I didn't buy more. I bought a pack of Waitrose own brand soap and put it by the bath. There were comments initially but my teenagers happily use it in the shower too.
I'm going to buy some of those magnetic soap holders, to avoid revolting soap mush. Just using up the last of the hand wash bottles and there will be soap in their place too!

Gary, thank you for the info.
Kiki, so can you honestly say that the results are the same? And there are conditioning bars too? Do they make your hair feel nice?

OK, I see, I thought you meant that you found it difficult to give up your shower gels and undertook an exhaustive search.

I don't feel even remotely ready to deal with plastics in my bath products, really. We're doing well in the kitchen, I should add.

I'm curious about why no one has exploited dog poo bag technology more widely, I've been using the plant-based ones when I go to the market instead of regular plastic. I'm sure it has its limitations, but it feels pretty robust to me.

@hawleybits I had to have a really good think about that and yes, I can honestly say that I can't think of any differences.

If it helps - my hair is farily short and is pretty thick, so it will never be silky and swishy, but, it looks healthy and does what I want it to do. Some days I just use the shampoo, some days I use the conditioner bar and wash it out and other days I leave the conditioner in and it acts as a sort of (here I'm lost, the stuff you put in that makes the style not change, waxy, gooey, something soft and creamy? What's it called?) 'product'.

Also, I chuck any soap, shampoo bar, etc., odds and ends in an old plastic jar with some water and marbles and make my own liquid soap, so even the last bits get used up.

Bought a funky soap shampoo bar off amazon , it's done the trick.
I've got a thread somewhere on style and beauty - don't know how to link off my phone - lots of people recommending lush bars

I switched to the Lush solid shampoo and conditioner a month ago - they are fab. The conditioner bar is very surprising.

Looks like they will both last at least another couple of months so good value too.

I also cautiously invested in a Lush shampoo bar. not sure which one, but it's bright pink and smells lovely. It lathers up beautifully by just rubbing it on wet hair, and rinses out quickly. I also bought a Lush conditioner bar but haven't started it yet.
I''ve found it best to keep the shampoo bar on a soap dish away from the shower so that it can drain and dry out between uses.
I have big wild curly long hair that's prone to frizziness - I think the conditioner bar will be the real test for me...

Couldn't you just have one big bottle of shampoo for the whole family?
It would be less clutter and less plastic.

Lush ones are good

I have tried Funky Soap and it was dire, felt like it didn't wash out. In fairness they gave me a full refund.

I like shampoo bars. They work on my shortish chlorine damaged hair.

For shampoo, conditioner, shower gel in bottles - everyone seems to get given loads at Xmas or in kids' case when visiting their dad. I just don't buy it until we are all out.

Every so often I marshall all the dreggy bottles together, dump in kids' bathroom & tell them to let me know when they run out.

Then I buy bars of soap & massive bottles of cheap shampoo & conditioner for them to last till next round of gifts.

All of the above is more meanness than greenness, admittedly...

Just used a shampoo bar from lush today. It's yellow with jasmine flowers - smells amazing! Lathered up loads. And conditioned my hair too as it has cocoa butter in it.
Apparently you need to leave them to dry in the air (not in the tin) or they go squidgy (technical term)

I have just started using the Lush coconut shampoo bar and also tried a blue shampoo bar. Both of them I rub on my hands and also directly in the hair to get a lather going. Smell amazing! I can't tell any difference in my hair but currently still working through remaining original conditioner.

I have also tried a 100% natural shampoo bar and couldn't get on with it - left hair extremely waxy, and wasn't willing to see it through for 4 - 6 weeks as recommended in the help. We're in a hard water area which is known to cause issues with these ones though.

Just get one and try it OP. If you don't like it - well they aren't expensive.

I use the blue lush one and like it. Tried the less oily conditioner and found it quite drying so will be trying the one for dry hair next.

I keep them on a folded up flannel on the side of the bath which avoids soap mush, and just change the flannel occasionally regularly.----

They are quite expensive at £6 or £7 each.... !

Too expensive for me I'm afraid.

I get the cost seems really high, but they last for months for me, so I don't feel that I'm spending more than I would on a bottle of decent shampoo. And, if I do say so myself, my hair looks lovely today - I washed it yesterday with Lush bar shampoo and conditioner and it looks good and smells lovely.

I'm delighted with my Lush shampoo bar, and am hopeful it will last as long as at least three bottles of shampoo, but it is expensive to buy when you're not sure whether you'll get on with it.
I also want to try their solid deodorant. Anyone tried this?