For years I have tried to do my part for the environment so I can leave a planet that isn't a complete mess for the next generation. I do the normal stuff like recycling as much as possible, I don't litter, I donate clothes and other items instead of throwing them away, and try to pick brands that use recycled or recyclable materials when possible. I'm always looking for new ways to reduce my impact on the environment. I wanted to try to do more, and my first step is switching to shampoo and conditioner bars.
I was on the fence about it for years. I was always interested in the idea but was worried about how it would work with my hair. Most of my friends are shocked when I tell them that I wash my hair every day because it is so oily. I try to use dry shampoo but I'm not a fan of how it makes my hair feel. Because of that, I was worried about how my hair would react. I am so glad I finally made the switch.
Here are 5 reasons to switch to shampoo and conditioner bars:
1) Packaging Free to Reduce Waste - The first and most obvious reason to make the switch is bars are packaging-free which helps to reduce the amount of plastic created. While you can always recycle shampoo and conditioner bottles it is best if they are never needed. I personally wash my hair almost every day, which means that I went through a bunch of bottles each year.
2) Last Longer - Bottled shampoo is made up of over 50% water and it is estimated that it is closer to 80% water. The bottle stays to use a dime or quarter-size amount of shampoo but how often do you use more than that? Using a bar for shampoo and conditioner helps ensures that you use the correct amount. The bar will lather in your hands or when rubbed in your hair. I personally lather the bar in my hand for the shampoo and use rub the conditioner bar directly on my hair. I have not finished my first bars but they already seem to easily be on pace to outlast a bottle.
Left: New bars | Right: Bars after 1 month
3) Great For Travel - How often do you have to buy mini bottles of shampoo or conditioner for a trip? How often is it not your normal brand and your hair acts different? How many times have you had bottles open in your bag during travel? How many times have you forgot about the liquid limit for carry-on bags and had to dump your bottles at security? Bars are compact and take up less room in your bags allowing you to make room for clothes.
4) Space Savers - Who doesn't love the pictures of the amazingly designed bathrooms you see on Pinterest and Instagram? What you don't see is all the bottles that accumulate in real life. Solid bar shampoo and conditioners take up less space in the shower and have a pleasing minimalist aesthetic.
5) Server Multiple Purposes - Shampoo and conditioner bars are great for travel because they are compact and can serve double functions. A shampoo bar can double as a body wash and a conditioner can double as shaving lotion.
Now that you are convinced you should give solid bar shampoo and conditioners you might be wondering what kind to try. I think the most important thing is to just try it out. That being said I want to let you know about what I have tried, how it is working for me, and what you should expect.
I did a lot of Google searching and because of that, I started getting served ads on Instagram every day. However, I decided to go with a small business I found on Etsy (and later found their website). EcoRoots has 3,000+ reviews on Etsy with an average of over 4 stars. I decided to go with the Honeydew scent in both the shampoo and conditioner bars. I also purchased a bamboo tray from EcoRoots.
I have been using the bars for two months and I can say I'm hooked. Not only for the reasons above but my hair is also nice and healthy. My hair has always been healthy but I was happy to find it stayed that way after the switch. I absolutely love the way my hair smells, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the honeydew but it smells so nice. I keep waiting for it to run out so I can try a new scent but I think it will be a while at the rate I'm going.
While I did a lot of research to find bars that had great reviews I should have done a bit more research on what to expect. After I made the switch and my hair started to dry out and felt wiry and I got worried. I turned to Google again and quickly saw articles about a transition period for a few days to a month. I decided to push through for at least a month and I'm glad I did. If you give bars a chance I suggest looking into some tips on how to prep your hair. I didn't do this but, even if you don't just keep pushing through, I promise it is worth it.
Other options available on Amazon for easy ordering (Click images to view on Amazon)
