Shampoo bars may have several benefits over liquid shampoos. For example, they may be more eco-friendly, have gentler ingredients, and may even offer some symptom relief for people with skin or scalp conditions like seborrheic or contact dermatitis.
Shampoo bars are condensed, solid forms of shampoo. Like soap bars, you can work them in your hands with water to create a lather that cleanses your hair and scalp.
If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly or gentler version of common liquid shampoos, a shampoo bar may be a good option. If you need or want to avoid certain ingredients and need help determining whether a shampoo bar is right for you, a dermatologist may be able to help.
The following are some of the potential benefits of shampoo bars over more common liquid shampoos.
Can be more eco-friendly
Shampoo bars may be more eco-friendly than their liquid counterparts.
Conventional liquid shampoos typically come in single-use plastic bottles, and their production process requires a lot of water.
In contrast, shampoo bars often come in biodegradable or recyclable packaging that reduces waste. Because they’re also highly concentrated in solid form, they don’t require as much water in their production process.
And though they may have a higher up-front cost than liquid shampoos, shampoo bars may also last longer than liquid shampoo, further helping to reduce waste and saving you money.
May have gentler ingredients
Shampoo bars may also have gentler ingredients than liquid shampoos.
For example, many commercial shampoos contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS is a common surfactant, meaning it lowers the surface tension between ingredients and can help increase how well a product cleans and foams.
SLS may adversely affect the skin barrier and disrupt the scalp’s microbiome, which is the population of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that naturally live on the body.
Because many shampoo bars don’t contain SLS, they may be gentler on the skin and scalp.
May be good options for people with certain scalp or skin conditions
Shampoo bars may also be good options for people with certain skin conditions, like allergic contact dermatitis, because they may not contain many of the ingredients commonly found in commercial liquid shampoos.
Common allergic contact dermatitis triggers include ingredients like fragrances or methylisothiazolinone (a preservative). Many shampoo bars avoid these ingredients, particularly fragrances.
Some bars also contain ingredients like pyrithione zinc, which may help relieve symptoms of common scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.
Can be easier to travel with
Shampoo bars may also be easier to travel with than liquid shampoos. Shampoo bars won’t leak, and if you’re flying, they also don’t fall under the Transportation Security Administration’s 3.4-ounce limitation rule for liquids in carry-on bags like other shampoos.
Though shampoo bars are often safe options for people with skin conditions or allergies, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, coconut derivatives may cause allergic reactions, and some shampoo bars use these derivatives in place of ingredients like SLS.
Some research has found that the specific coconut components in shampoo bars are unlikely to cause reactions, but if you have an allergy to coconut products, it may be safer to find a shampoo bar that doesn’t use coconut derivatives.
This goes for any ingredient — if you have an allergy or sensitivity, check the product label carefully to see if it contains something that may cause a reaction.
Ultimately, it may take some trial and error to find a shampoo bar that works for you. If you need help, consider talking with a dermatologist. They can help you find products that work for you.
Tips for using shampoo bars
Some people may experience hair tangling if they apply a shampoo bar directly to their hair or scalp. To avoid this, try lathering the bar in your hands first, then applying the lather to your hair and scalp directly from your hands.
When you’re not using the shampoo bar, keep it on a wire shelf or somewhere else in your bathroom or shower where it can drain and dry between uses.
If you want to try a shampoo bar but want to have more control over the ingredients, you could try making your own. The following is a sample recipe.
Shampoo bar recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (lb) goat’s milk glycerin melt-and-pour soap base
- 2 teaspoons (tsp) castor oil
- 1 tsp shea butter
Directions:
- Cut the soap base into pieces. Place the pieces in a kettle or pan and melt gently over medium heat.
- Once melted, remove from heat and stir in castor oil and shea butter.
- Pour mixture into soap molds.
- Let cool before removing from molds.
Keep in mind that commercial shampoo bars may contain ingredients, such as surfactants like cocamidopropyl betaine, that make the bars cleanse more effectively. Though some stores sell surfactants in bulk quantities, buying commercial shampoo bars may be easier and cheaper for some people.
Shampoo bars can be eco-friendly, gentler alternatives to liquid shampoos for some people. They may also be good options for people with conditions like allergic contact dermatitis, as they often avoid ingredients like fragrances that can trigger skin symptoms.
If you have an allergy or sensitivity to fragrances, preservatives, or other ingredients often found in hair or skin products, check the product label of shampoo bars carefully. If you need help finding one that’s right for you, a dermatologist may be able to help.