Body soaps and shampoo bars

[MumNeedsTea]

I've been thinking of ditching my shower gels and shampoo bottles to reduce the amount of plastic we use. I will soon run out of my current shampoo bottle so I think it's now or never :)

Can anyone recommend a good brand for body soaps and shampoo bars? Shampoo wise I use the bodyshop rainforest moisture range so looking for something similar. I have very thick curly/wavy hair.

A few questions :

1. Is it ok for various members of the house to use the same body soap and shampoo bar.. I mean hygiene wise? If not, I cannot imagine where I would store the numerous bars
2. Do you use them for your kids too? I would like too if it means one more less bottle of plastic. Both my kids suffer from dry skin and have a history of eczema.
3. What about conditioner? I've never seen any conditioning bars

TIA :)

A good company is called 'friendly soap' you can buy online. They also do shampoo bars. Faith in Nature is another one, and Suma. But please consider taking it a little further and not get one with palm oil, look for vegan soaps.

try in lush. they have conditioner bars and shampoo ones. they also have tins to store them in.

Lush are the easiest place to go for soap and solid shampoo - can’t think of anywhere else on the high street. They also have solid shower gel. The use of palm oil is tricky, I know they were trying to remove it from their products but whether this has happened I have no idea.

Friendly soap contains no palm oil. And isn't 'solid shower gel' just soap?!?

I bought the sample box from the Friendly Soap company which has a bar of every soap they make in it. I would really recommend them.
My whole family share the same bar of soap, I can't see how that would be unhygienic. You would all share the same bar to wash your hands.
I don't rate the Lush shampoo bars but I haven't tried all of them. I do like the Friendly Soap company shampoo bars, but have found that I do have to use conditioner afterwards (but I always do with shampoo in a bottle).
I also liked how the Friendly Soap co don't have any parabens, SLS, palm oil etc and are UK-based, and reasonably-priced. I don't work for them, I promise but I think they're a really good company so am quite enthusiastic.

I have recently swapped and use bog standard lidl soap £1.50 for 4 bars. My ds who has eczema uses lush soap £9 a bar😕 but doesn't react with his skin.

Lush shampoo and conditioner all round and its good, quite pricey to start off with but lasts ages.

We have just bought some of those magnetic soap hangy thingys, cant think of the proper name but back in the 80s would have had a bar of imperial leather on them.
They are great for keeping soap from going all soggy in a soap dish and stick to the tiles. They were £1.50 each and extra metal bits for the soap about the same. They free up floor space too.

Do any of you using friendly soap live in a hard water area? I've not got on with shampoo bars I've tried but I think it could be down to hard water (although I also have very thick hair)

I made the switch to soap for the shower though and love it - I feel much cleaner than with shower gel and a bar lasts for ages

I like

six foot and clean

I've had a lush shampoo which is great. Couldn't get on with the conditioner.

I treated myself to some poncy soap from a nice local toiletries company on holiday. I got oat based ones and they don't dry my skin.

The rest of the family use any old soap with a flannel each.

If anybody knows any good conditioner bars I'd be keen to know.

Ohh that six foot and clean conditioner sounds nice.

User where did you get your magnetic soap things. I had one years back and loved it.

I will try friendly soap next I think. Tried shampoo bar from another company and it made my hair feel awful.

I have abandoned shower gel and we now use Dove or coal tar.

I use Faith in Nature soap with a shower puff thingy in a hard water area and it foams up fine. I also use it for the children (4, 2 and 4 months) with no problems. Haven’t tried bar shampoo or conditioner yet but my local Boots had some which comes in tins to keep it dry.

RAIN from Amazon, can't think what they are called possibly magnetic soap holders. I bought 12, as needed 4 per bathroom!

I have just ordered the soap selection box from the lovely soap company. Lush is nice but pricey and I prefer to support small businesses, so hoping they are great. I might try apple cider vinegar rinse tonight.

Lush bar shampoo is great. Conditioner is terrible (thankfully I was warned and they gave me a sample which was awful).

We don't share and DD has her own. She loves it.

I use lush Godiva shampoo bar and my hair's the best it's ever looked! I've tried other shampoo bars but we're in a really hard water area and they just didn't work - I definitely need one that foams.

I haven't tried it yet but a friend recommended this conditioner (comes in a tin)

I get my shampoo bars and body soap mats from Marie’s artisan soaps.
She’s in Scotland, they’re handmade, vegan cruelty free and also low/no extra packaging if you request it. Reasonably priced too.

Ive got the nettle shampoo bar for my itchy scalp, a mix of body soaps and a charcoal foot scrub bar. The soaps are scented but not blow your head off strong. Oh, I also got some very nice Epsom salt mixes too which are delicious.

She was recommended by the white rabbit company who produce vegan and cruelty free facial care (moisturisers, cleansers, tonics, and my fav, a lovely avocado oil).

Ooh I'm loving this thread. I just bought lush shampoo and conditioner bars. Love the shampoo but I really can't get on with the conditioner so will have a look at these here.

The shampoo bar has left such a lovely smell in my hair and I'll be so glad to ditch all the bottles.

Another vote for Lush shampoo bars - I wanted to love the Friendly bars but they made my hair feel waxy. Their soap is fine but hardly luxurious. I manage without conditioner, apart from when on holiday.

I had some lovely soap from L'Occataine for Christmas - when I next buy some, it'll have to be something cheaper.

Everyone uses the same bar of soap and flannel, but I do put them in the wash every couple of days. I've got the magnetic holders which are ideal for the shampoo bars because they dissolve it they're left wet.

Are the lush shanooo bars very heavily scented? The shop practically brings me out in a rash walking past.

I live in a hard water area and have similar to the op so think I’d need one with sls. I think having to rinse with vinegar to avoid waxiness may be a step too far.

Similar hair, that should read.

i Like Lush shampoo bars too - they last for ages. still looking for a good conditioner bar though

I've been using up all the small soaps we've had in gift sets. Currently on l'occitane vervains which is nice, but my favourite overall has been the molton brown pure milk bar. So creamy. I have approximately 10 more small bars of others to get through before I can treat myself to full bar of it.

@WrongKindOfFace I'd say they were . I like that but if you don't like heavily scented I don't think they're for you.

Just ordered some Friendly soap. Not sure I can move away from my shampoo and conditioner as I have processed hair so need the good stuff.

Ooooh thanks for all your replies! I'm getting excited about soap

wrongkindofface I'm like you.. Even walking past the lush store gives me a headache! I like the sound of Friendly Soap so may give that a try.
We have recently installed a water softner so hard water isn't any issue anymore.

User how do you do the apple cider vinegar wash? Is that an alternative to using conditioner?