Tips for Using a Natural Shampoo Bar (1)

Have you decided to try a natural shampoo bar but not quite sure how it all works?

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your shampoo bars.

Wet your hair really well, wet the bar and smooth the bar over the hair to create a creamy lather, stating with the scalp.

You will need to use plenty of water and if you feel there isn’t enough lather, just add more water! 
If you think about it, a bottle of shampoo has a huge amount of water in it. Your shampoo bar doesn't and so plenty needs to be added.  You'll soon get a feel for how much soap vs how much water you need.

Spread the lather around as you would with regular shampoo but if you've got dry ends you could work the lather around the scalp and let it flow through the ends as you rinse it out.

Rinse well and repeat if required. I find that I don't need to wash again, even if I haven't washed it for a while!!

So, what about using a conditioner?

Some people find that they don't need to use a conditioner. Others do. It depends on your hair, the type of water you have where you are, the stage of "transition" that you're at etc. For more info about the detox stage when using a natural shampoo bar, see my last post "Ditch the plastic and Switch to a Natural Shampoo Bar"

If you do want to condition your hair you could try some of these and see which works best for you:

Use diluted cider vinegar (organic is best) as a conditioning rinse. Put a splash of vinegar in a jug or cup of warm water and use it after rinsing all of the shampoo out of your hair.  As the shampoo bars are naturally slightly alkaline, the vinegar neutralises the ph of your hair / scalp and smooths the hair cuticle. As you pour it over your hair you will notice how your hair feels immediately soft and silky. Then do a final rinse.

Use a plant oil such as Coconut, Argan or Jojoba or our NEW  Organic Conditioning Oils for Scalp & Hair. These will be available on our website VERY SOON! I've been testing these out for the past year or so. l use the oil every week or so. I usually put it on at night and then wash it out in the shower in the morning. Massage into the scalp and hair, or if you don't want it all over your head focus on any dry ends you have. Leave on as long as you can. 

Putting it on at night not only gives it plenty of time to condition the hair, it also treats the scalp and helps send you off to sleep as the essential oils work their magic

These oils can also be applied after washing your hair. In this case, take a few drops, rub on your palms and smooth onto the ends of your hair. This is particularly good if you have dry or frizzy hair.

If the cider vinegar rinse and the hair oils don't appeal to you, you can buy some good natural or nearly natural conditioners and conditioning bars. Just make sure that you read the ingredients list carefully if you are trying to keep to an all natural hair care regime

If you've got some useful shampoo tips, please let us know!

Look out for our next post for some tips on choosing the best shampoo bar for you, storage solutions and more!