Hi readers! As this is my first post on the blog, I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce myself before jumping into my review! My name is Tiffany Bailey, I’m from Birmingham, Alabama, and I’m pursuing a PhD in French Language & Literature at Boston University. I’ve been natural for almost 4 years now and I’m looking forward to combining my passion for writing and for natural hair through this blog.
Everyone knows that having a wash-day routine is a crucial part of being natural. There is no one exact method for wash day and you have to find what works best for you. The latest development in my wash-day routine is switching to shampoo and conditioner bars instead of products that come in bottles. I was pretty skeptical about the bars at first, but my curiosity and the idea of the potential benefits of the bars were too strong to not give it a try.
I purchased my bars from The Earthling Co., an online sustainability brand with products for hair, body, and home, because I had been seeing a lot of ads for them on Instagram. I got the shampoo bar in the vanilla coconut scent and the conditioner bar in the wild vanilla scent. Although I wanted a matching set, they didn’t have both products available in both scents at the time (but having two different ones is actually great and doesn’t make a difference in the quality or experience!). I smoothed the bars directly onto my hair but you can also lather in your hands first then transfer the product to your hair. You can mix & match the bars with your bottled shampoo or conditioner if you want to continue using those.
I decided to incorporate these into my routine and have been using them for about 6 months. Keep scrolling to read my review with some pros and cons of shampoo and conditioner bars!
Pros
The product works! My hair felt super clean after the shampoo bar and noticeably soft after the conditioner bar. The shampoo lathers very well. The conditioner doesn’t really lather and feels thin but once it’s on, you can tell it’s there and it actually made my hair feel softer and helped with detangling. Plus, the bars are free of sulfates and silicones, which many consider enemies of natural hair.
These bars last a long time! With natural hair, I definitely use the conditioner bar more and I can tell it’s getting smaller, but my shampoo bar is still a good size. The website says the bars can last for 50-75 washes. If you’re a natural that does your wash-day once a week or less, these will definitely last you a while, saving you money and the hassle of restocking your products.
They are environmentally friendly! You won’t have to buy and throw away plastic bottles. The bars I ordered came in eco-friendly (compostable and recyclable) packaging and shipping material. Switching to bars is one way to reduce your waste!
Cons
They can get pretty slippery in the shower. For the most part, they are easy to hold on to but they become more difficult as they get smaller from use. I haven’t finished a whole bar yet so I’m not sure what I’ll do when I have only a small piece left.
Since these do not come with containers, you may find it hard to travel with them. Though they are small and no problem for TSA, finding the right container could be a challenge. And what do you do if you have to pack your bags but they’re still a little wet? I keep mine in some empty mini tea canisters with lids that I saved. You may be able to find something in your home or on Amazon to hold and transport them.
Shampoo and conditioner bars are not yet in most supermarkets and pharmacies where you buy your hair products. A lot of bar brands are still only selling online so you’ll have to order them when you run out and take shipping time into account so you aren’t left with nothing. Also, mainstream brands have not yet developed bars so brand-loyal people will have to branch out and try a new company.
Overall, I’m very happy with my experience using shampoo and conditioner bars! I hope more people will give them a try so they can see the benefits for their hair and for sustainability.