Things to Know Before Switching to Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
If you are a longtime user of liquid hair care products, and you are considering making the switch to shampoo and conditioner bars, I have a few pieces of information that you will want to know beforehand!
The experience is completely different, yet entirely the same as using liquids.
Making the switch to hair care bars is different, and while it works for some people, others will absolutely find that they prefer good ol' liquids, and that's okay! Like I've said before, I'm not here to tell you how to live your life. A good shampoo + conditioner bar combo will leave your hair feeling just as wonderfully lustrous as a liquid duo, but the process is somewhat different, and new users may experience a (very) short adjustment period while they familiarize themselves with the practical differences between liquids and bars.
There is a slight learning curve to the use and care.
Shampoo bars should not be left in the humidity of your shower. There are some ingredients that are entirely necessary in a shampoo bar that happen to draw moisture into the bar ( like panthenol, pro vitamin b5 that fortifies the cuticle of the hair shaft and provides mild hydration). Moisture is readily abundant in a humid shower, even after you get out and bid the bathroom farewell. The bar will inevitably draw that moisture into itself, and over time, that can cause the shampoo bar to become soft and melty (yuck).
I've found that our conditioner bars will hold up if left in the shower, but it's best to just bring them on out, too. Those little guys just last forever and ever, it seems. Ensuring that both bars reach their maximum life span is really quite easy, and will come second-nature after just a couple of showers. Just keep your hair bars on a draining soap dish or soap saver pad, and take them out of the shower after washing your hair. That's it!
Is that a necessary step that will absolutely be a deal breaker for some? Yes.
Is it worth the effort? Also, yes.
If you're jumping in with both feet, you can make the process easy on yourself and grab The Complete Hair Care Starter Bundle. It's got everything you need!
Conditioner bars and shampoo bars are essentially the same as the liquids, they just don't contain water.
Take a look at the ingredients in a bottle of liquid shampoo and a shampoo bar side-by-side, and behold, they are incredibly similar. The one thing that's different is water!
Conditioner bars are much the same. Arguably, conditioner bars will moisturize and detangle your hair much more effectively than a liquid. Liquid conditioners usually have anywhere from 10-25% conditioning agents and oils, 75-90% water, aloe, glycerin etc. However, good conditioner bars like ours are almost entirely made up of conditioning agents and oils. I meant it when I said they were concentrated!
When we get down to brass tacks, shampoo and conditioner bars are the same as liquids, just...not liquid, and therefore, not diluted.
Removing the water from these products has its perks!
- It allows us to forego bottles, be they plastic or glass.
- It allows us to travel easily without worrying so much about spills and leaks on our luggage.
- It allows us to eliminate the preservatives that are necessary in liquid products in order to keep them from growing harmful microbes within them.
As my husband likes to say, "There are no solutions, only trade-offs." If the perks of switching to shampoo and conditioner bars outweigh the very slight adjustments to your routine, then I say go for it! Explore our Hair Care Collection, and let me know if you have any questions! You can comment here, reach out via the contact form, or send a chat message. I'll respond ASAP!
Talk soon!
Courtney