The Shampoo Bar Story Part 2 (FAQ's)

So you have actually made the switch and bought your first Shampoo Bar. You were so excited to use it, and then you wondered how to. After the first use, a lot of questions may pop up in your mind.

This article will try to cover most of your concerns, as much as we can. We simply thought that this type of information is something that you ought to know. This is actually the second part of our Shampoo Bar Story, and we will attempt to give an answer to all your possible questions about this topic.

What is a Shampoo Bar?

A Shampoo bar is just a solid form of the liquid shampoo that we know. This bar however, is made with all natural ingredients, and as such, it DOES NOT have any artificial fragrance, color, preservatives, detergents, alcohol, urea, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), DEA, propylene glycol, and other chemicals. These are harmful ingredients that strip your hair of its NATURAL OILS, and it can really damage your hair and scalp. At times, these are the culprit behind your dry, itchy, and irritated scalp. It can also dry out your hair, and can lead to hair loss.

What are the benefits?

·         Increased volume, faster hair growth, reduced dandruff, shinier hair and a lot more.   

·         If you have curly hair, most people say they that they have more defined curls with better control.

·         Shampoo bars are generally good for all hair types and hair lengths (adjustment period may vary though for each person)

·         There are even brands which are formulated for permed and color treated hair.

·         Natural Shampoo bars are healthy and safe for every user  (even for daily use!)

·         It is eco-friendly since it does not contain any harmful chemicals

·         Highly economical because of its being compact and concentrated in form (results to higher number of usage compared to liquid shampoo).

·         Natural Shampoo bars are gentle (allowing you to retain color and moisture)

·         It reduces instances of scalp dryness.

·         It allows your hair to rebalance and produce the right amount of oils needed (something which is being stripped off by chemicals present in commercial shampoos).

·         They are also a perfect travel mate because they are so handy (without the bulky plastic bottles).

The process of making these bars are very similar to handcrafted natural soap, but the recipe and ingredient may be different. The essential oils plus the fruit and plant extracts are selected carefully to make sure that it will nourish your hair and scalp.

What can I expect to happen when I start to use the Shampoo Bar?

Since you have used conventional shampoos and conditioner for quite sometime,  this natural shampoo bar is something new to your hair and scalp. One good thing is that it will not strip hair like detergent based shampoos, and you may notice your hair feels different immediately after washing. This is what we call the "transition stage", or the period when the hair will adjust to the natural ingredients. These effects may vary from one person to another. Some people will just be okay while others may not.

Everyone's hair is unique, and the transition process will be a case to case basis. Your hair may feel greaser than normal, or it may even feel dryer than normal. It may feel waxy, coated or just weird.

This transition period (some people call them the "transitional purge" period), can last from a few days to a few weeks or even a month. This is literally a time for your hair, which has been addicted to chemical-laden shampoos, to go through a withdrawal stage.  Soon enough, it will eventually learn to live a chemical-free life. Remember, it may not be easy but it will pass! Patience and perseverance will be your key and your reward will be a healthy, soft and silky hair.

Do I still need to use hair conditioner when using this bar?

It depends on your preference.  Some can do away without one, others may feel the need to use a conditioner because they feel that their hair is dull, lacks luster, and dry.  Please remember though, that most  natural shampoo bars will not strip the natural oils from your hair. You just need to wait for your hair to fully adjust to the natural ingredients.

Because of the high concentration of oils in natural shampoo bars, the hair tends to have more of a waxy consistency, which can be gone after a couple of uses.

To avoid this, many bar shampoo users rinse with Apple Cider Vinegar to remove the coating and shine their hair. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinses can be very helpful in such cases as they are an excellent addition to any natural hair care routine and can help bring back body and shine to dull, lackluster hair.

What is an ACV Rinse?

Do you need to use an Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse? It depends on a number of factors.

Your water: If your hair does not seem to be adjusting to the shampoo bars, it may be due to your water. Hard water makes it more difficult to rinse natural shampoo from your hair.

Hair length: Many of our male customers and women with short hair have found that they do not need to rinse with vinegar, simply because their hair is short.

Tangles: ACV rinses often help with tangles.

Residue: If your hair has residue from previous products or you regularly use conditioners, styling gels etc., our shampoo bars are mild and may not remove residue from your hair like detergent shampoos. ACV rinses help remove build-up and product residue.

Hair type: Everyone's hair is unique.

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse (ACV Rinse)

Ingredients

2-4 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

16 oz cool water

1-2 drops lavender oil (optional)

Directions:

After shampooing and rinsing your hair, mix the apple cider vinegar, water, and essential oil (optional) in a plastic bottle. Leaning your head back, pour the rinse over your entire scalp, allowing the mixture to run through your hair. Be careful to avoid contact with your eyes. Let the mixture sit on your hair for 1-2 minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly.

How to Use Your Natural Shampoo Bar?

You can either use the shampoo bar directly on your wet hair or, you can rub the bar in your hands and create the lather. After that, you can run your fingers through your hair while applying the lather.

It should be applied onto your hair from scalp to ends, in a combing motion.

Cover each section of your hair. Gently massage scalp and hair, adding more water as needed, until a good lather forms.

To prevent tangles, be sure to always work from the top down, don't pile your hair on your head and use your fingers like a comb, not a mixer.

With this method, it is very important that you really build up a good lather on your head so there are no patches of soap left on your hair.

Rinse thoroughly, and repeatedly, as much as you can.

Repeat if desired.

We have been receiving a lot of feedback lately from people telling us that their hair felt more dry when they used the shampoo bars. Other feedback however is different. They said that they felt that their dry hair had more moisture and many people who suffer from oily hair or scalp said their hair had changed to what they believed "normal" would be like. We all have different hair type and so the result of the products that we use will not exactly be the same.

When looking for a shampoo bar, keep an eye out for natural ingredients like shea, mango, cocoa and other nourishing butters, along with coconut, jojoba, avocado, argan and other moisturizing oils. 

Essential oils may be used to promote certain properties, such as rosemary and lavender for healthy hair growth, or chamomile to keep hair looking healthy and bright.

Please avoid buying and using surfactant shampoo bars, or any brand that contain SLS. Always stay away from shampoo bars that contain any type of sulfate, and you should also pay close attention to bars whose ingredient lists feature sodium hydroxide - it is an extremely strong alkali which has a higher pH level than your hair. The hair doesn't have an acid mantle (your skin does, though!) and  the difference in pH levels can cause your hair to become coarse, brittle and, overtime, heavily damaged.

These are 3 most common types of Shampoo Bars in the market right now:

Cold-pressed: the process of mixing fixed oils (like coconut) with an alkali (such as Lye) to achieve saponification, where the composition of the fixed oils changes. These soaps are often rich in nourishing fats (like oils and butters) and are often SLS-free. However, because of the oils and butters, many users like to rinse their hair with a clarifying product (such as an apple cider vinegar rinse) to prevent build up on the scalp.

Glycerin-based: glycerin is a natural byproduct of the soap making process, and soaps containing natural glycerin tend to be kinder on the hair and scalp due to their lower pH levels, which help to keep the peace with your hair's own pH levels; this is said to help hair and skin maintain moisture. 

Surfactant: soap containing a surfactant will often provide the most lather, because surfactants are a compound of detergents which cause bubbling or foaming (aka lather). Common surfactant soaps are those found at LUSH, for example, and often contain SLS. The main purpose of a surfactant soap is to remove the dirt, oil, and bacteria from your hair, and can be extremely drying/clarifying to the point where they can do more harm than good to the health of your hair. 

Choosing the right shampoo bar can be a result of trial and error; there is no one specific shampoo bar that will work for every hair type, nor are shampoo bars going to solve every hair issue or concern.

One piece of advise though, not all Natural Shampoo Bars are the same. Ingredients do matter as they are the ones that will give benefits to your hair. Do not be swayed by just the colors, scents, and the looks. Know what each bar is made of as that will tell you the real worth of every bar.

For natural shampoo bars, made with high quality ingredients and were handcrafted with lots of love, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/aunaturalephil/

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