Are shampoo bars actually good for your hair?

By now you’ve likely heard of or seen shampoo bars, maybe on a camping trip with friends or when you’ve gone on holiday (they’re super easy to pack and take up much less room than a bottle of liquid conditioner!)

With the boom of natural hair care routines and gentler shampooing techniques, shampoo bars have become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional liquid shampoo. And if you’re reading this article, you might also be considering the switch from liquid shampoo to a sparkly new shampoo bar.

But the question remains, are shampoo bars actually good for your hair? What are the benefits?

We’re here to talk you through the pros and cons of a shampoo bar, what to avoid, and what are the benefits of finally making the switch to the bar.

In the process of figuring out what shampoo is right for your hair? Why not take a look at all of our natural shampoo products.

Are shampoo bars actually good for your hair?

In short, yes! Shampoo bars are very good for your hair. Most shampoo bars don’t contain detergent based ingredients, sulphates or parabens, unlike liquid shampoos.

Traditional liquid shampoos that many of us grew up using contain harsh chemicals. These can strip the hair of its natural oils, causing hair to become dry and brittle. This can even cause irritation if you have a sensitive scalp.

All Hairy Jayne shampoo bars are plastic free, sulphate free and palm oil free. They are pH balanced for a healthy hair and scalp, meaning they won’t damage, dry out your hair, or dull the colour of highlights or hair dye.

Suitable for all hair types, our shampoo bars are award winning, always made with shampoo ingredients - never soap. Only using natural ingredients means less build up will gather in the hair over time, helping you keep your natural shine and volume for longer.

Pros of using a shampoo bar

Alongside being travel friendly and cutting down on single use plastic, shampoo bars are a great way to breathe back life into dull or brittle hair.

More often than not, hair can lose its shine due to traditional liquid shampoo stripping hair of its natural oils and salt.

Liquid shampoo contains detergent (much like what you find for a dishwasher or washing machine), which is designed to gather up natural dirt and oils that cause hair to become greasy. Over time, liquid shampoo can unnecessarily strip away the hair's natural oils that are essential to keeping your locks shiny and voluminous, causing it to become dry and dull.

Because shampoo bars don’t include any of the harsh chemicals found in traditional liquid shampoos, you’re likely to notice a difference in how your hair feels after the first few washes.

[product=shampoo-bar|variants=Floral / Box,Floral / Tin,Citrus / Box,Citrus / Tin,Musk / Box,Musk / Tin,Floral / Naked,Citrus / Naked,Musk / Naked,Herbal / Box,Herbal / Tin,Herbal / Naked]
Suitable for all hair types with a choice of fragrance. Award winning shampoo bars formulated and made by a hairdresser with shampoo ingredients, not soap. Hairy Jayne sulphate free solid shampoo bars are pH balanced for healthy hair and scalp (so no need for an apple cider vinegar rinse afterwards).
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Are there any cons to using a shampoo bar?

Many of us grew up using traditional liquid shampoo, and because of this it can take our hair some time to get used to using a shampoo bar.

You might find your hair feels different the first time you use a shampoo bar, with some people saying their hair feels waxy.

A case of ‘the waxies’ is likely to be one of two things: either that your shampoo bar is actually a soap (not a solid shampoo) or that your hair type struggles to tolerate oils.

Shampoo bars that are made using traditional soap making techniques often have a pH balance that is too high, which will make your hair feel coated and throw it’s natural oil production off course.

If your shampoo bar has the correct pH balance for hair, it may be the ingredients of the shampoo which can cause hair to feel waxy. Natural solid shampoo bars are often formulated to include waxes, oils and or butters to make them into bars.

For certain hair types, especially hair with low porosity, these ingredients can sometimes “sit” on the hair and make it feel coated. In that case, an alternative shampoo is recommended. 

Also, if not stored right, shampoo bars can become wet and mushy. To increase the longevity of your shampoo bar, it’s important to store your bar correctly.

We recommend using a shampoo bar holder to prevent this - of course we love the Hairy Jayne shampoo bar holder. A shampoo bar holder that’s raised means water won’t collect underneath, helping you get more washes from your new bar and avoid a horrible soggy bottom.

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The surface made of tiny pyramids allows your shampoo and conditioner bars to stay dry between uses. No more sitting in a wet puddle, getting soggy.
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Are shampoo bars actually good for your hair? - the conclusion

We hope this article has helped you make your decision on if shampoo bars are good for your hair, along with the many advantages of making the switch to the bar.

If you want to find out more about shampoo bars, check out our ultimate shampoo bar guide.

For more hair care tips and how to get the most out of your products, don’t forget to follow Hairy Jayne on Instagram!