Lather, rinse, repeat. You have one day of squeaky-clean hair. But the next day, despite your best attempts with dry shampoo and creative hairstyles, you end up back in the shower to scrub your scalp. Who has time for that? You are spending way too much time washing your hair. Your shower is cluttered with wasteful plastic bottles, and your hair doesn’t even have that shampoo-commercial shine after all that effort! As it turns out, that super foamy lather might be causing more damage than good, to our hair and the environment. You need a new hair routine. Enter: the natural shampoo bar.
What is a shampoo bar?
Shampoo bars are essentially solid, usually cold-pressed, cleansing and conditioning ingredients that have been condensed into a bar. Simply rub the bar directly on your wet scalp (or in your hands and then through your strands). Done! You likely won’t need any conditioners or hair treatments beyond this simple (but powerful!) bar.
Why should you switch to shampoo bars?
Healthier hair: Great shampoo bars typically contain only nourishing all-natural ingredients – none of the harsh additives that strip and dry out your hair! Less hair washing: Fewer chemicals means less yucky build-up that leads to a greasy scalp. In other words, you’ll end up needing to wash your hair less often! Budget friendly: Shampoo bars last up to 3 times longer than traditional shampoo. (That’s not surprising since the first ingredient in most shampoos is water! Bars are much more concentrated, so you’ll need far less to get clean.) Less plastic waste: No plastic bottles and unnecessary packaging means you can feel good about your environmental impact. Your shower will seem much less cluttered, too! Yummy scents: Without synthetic perfumes, your bathroom will be filled with delicious natural smells that leave you feeling refreshed.
What should you look for in your natural shampoo bar?
Like anything, not all bars are made equal. Look for products made locally and by hand. These types of businesses care about you and the integrity of their ingredients. Shampoo bars shouldn’t contain any parabens, sulfates, or sodiums. These additives and preservatives are damaging to your hair and our planet. Look for all-natural ingredients without any fillers.
What happens when you make the switch?
When you first start using shampoo bars, your hair might need an adjustment period. It is used to being completely stripped of its natural oils by the harsh chemicals in traditional shampoo, and your body is likely overproducing oil to compensate. When you switch to all-natural shampoo bars, your body will continue to overproduce oil for a short period. O’Canada Soapworks’ own Amanda has a great tip: 
“I wash my hair once per week, using our Lemonhead bar to clear out the grease in my hair, and then our Nuthead bar to condition. Then I use a quick apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse. What it does is resets the pH of your hair to make it easier to comb through and softer. It really makes a difference! I have a dollar store spray bottle and I add 50/50 water and ACV. I spray at the roots of my hair and do my best to get it evenly around my scalp. Leave it in for a minute and then rinse.” Get out of the endless lather, rinse, repeat cycle. Ditch those clunky, wasteful plastic bottles for an all-natural shampoo bar and you’ll wash your hair less, help the planet, and spoil your hair! Do you have dandruff or an itchy scalp? Oily scalp? Irritated scalp? Or looking to moisturize damaged hair? Each one of our shampoo bars are formulated differently for you! Shop Natural Shampoo Bars Can’t decide between all those amazing options? Try the Shampoo Bar Sampler!
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