Shampoo bar, or eco-friendly washing

Shampoo bar – what is it?

The answer to your needs :) And as the name suggests – a permanent form of "traditional" shampoo.

Shampoos in bars are usually found in small cardboard boxes , but they will happily live in your bathroom, for example, enclosed in a tight metal can .

Interestingly, washing cubes are not an invention of our crazy, confusing times – they debuted in the 1930s and 1940s. Unfortunately, something else appeared on the road, all colorful: PLASTIC , which turned out to be simply cheaper to produce.

It took a climate catastrophe to understand the consequences of this complacent approach.

I don't intend to beat around the bush and pull the wool over your eyes - with my usual curiosity I looked into the depths of such a wonder. Because eco packaging and an inviting, compact form are one thing...

Shampoo bar – composition

So the second one (equally important). Because nobody wants to buy a cat (ugh, bad shampoo) in a bag (ahem, box?).

A standard hair wash bar has a fairly similar composition to liquid shampoos, and both products ultimately aim for the same thing. So look for washing detergents among its ingredients (preferably those of natural origin ).

You know SLS, the bane of hair maniacs? In excess it can dry out the scalp, so if you see it on the back of the packaging – put the product back on the shelf and give it a look full of hatred .

These “good” detergents include SCI – sodium cocoyl isethionate . It is made from coconut oil, is gentle on hair and biodegradable. If you see it in a product composition – feel free to throw a cube into your basket, whether in a drugstore or online (and give it a loving look of gratitude accordingly).

In addition to detergents, a good shampoo bar contains various types of clays , oils , plant extracts and many other substances, depending on the desired effects (moisturizing, anti-dandruff, etc.).

Shampoo bars have a slightly acidic pH (usually around 5.5), almost the same as the natural pH of our skin.

How to wash your hair with shampoo bar?

Basically, the entire procedure is no different from that of using its bottled version.

How to use shampoo bar?

• Wet your hair thoroughly – the water temperature should be slightly higher than your body temperature (ideally around 40 degrees Celsius); too high can damage hair follicles and dry out your scalp, while cold water will make it harder for hair cuticles to open and prevent you from washing them thoroughly.
• Rub your hands against the bar to activate the foam – remember: the number of bubbles does not determine whether a product cleans your hair better.
• Massage your scalp thoroughly at the roots of your hair in the direction of its natural growth. Circular hand movements can damage the hair follicles and also result in uncombable tangling. If you have thick hair, you can make washing easier by separating smaller sections.
• You don't have to scrub your hair along its length - the shampoo, flowing down with the water, will naturally cleanse it of any impurities; in addition, the conditioner will take care of these parts (which you can also find in the form of a bar !).
• Rinse your hair with slightly cooler water than before.

Ready!

Some people also recommend washing by directly rubbing the scalp with a cleansing bar .

Shampoo bar – advantages

I've already unclutched a few of them above, but the hair cube, although inconspicuous, is a really little big hero.

In harmony with the environment

Thanks to the work of National Geographic , and specifically the "Planet or Plastic?" campaign, we can learn, among other things, that 9 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year . To better illustrate this, imagine that every minute a garbage truck appears on the shore of a body of water, ruthlessly dumping its contents straight into the great water. Drama!

Eco shampoo bars are an alternative without a gram of plastic – a step towards minimizing such waste. Well, some will say that it is more of a baby step than a sweeping leap, but in the case of the current climate crisis, even the smallest forms of support for the Earth are worth their weight in gold .

Smaller carbon footprint

The carbon footprint of a product's life cycle measures the total greenhouse gas emissions generated during its production (from raw material extraction through production and use to storage and eventual recycling).

A natural shampoo bar will last you longer (but more on that later), it uses much less water, the ingredients are less processed, and the packaging is biodegradable. This is a real step towards reducing the carbon footprint responsible for rampant global warming.

“No” to cruelty!

Fortunately, it is hard to find shampoo bars that have been tested on animals. Most of them are vegan formulas , based on plant-based ingredients that do not harm our striped and winged, aquatic or terrestrial friends in any way.

Although various types of oils appear in the composition of shampoo bars, one is definitely on the blacklist. We are of course talking about palm oil , the extraction of which is associated with the strong degradation and deforestation of rainforests. This leads not only to the annihilation of natural flora and fauna, but also to growing problems with access to drinking water and food, mainly in the regions of Malaysia and Indonesia.

I kindly remind you that we are far from empty words – Your KAYA products are also vegan. We care about you as much as we care about Mother Earth :)

Compact size = travel convenience!

You are going on vacation.

You neatly arrange your swimsuits, T-shirts, and a pair of shoes in your suitcase. (Okay, a few pairs.)

OH NO.

STILL SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER.

Washing your hair with a shampoo bar also means… saving space in your suitcase. This may be a marginal advantage compared to the above, but for travel enthusiasts or people who lead a rather nomadic lifestyle, it's an ideal solution.

You don't have to worry about bulky bottles taking up space (or, worse, popping open mid-travel and spilling sticky goo all over your wardrobe).

Besides, if you want to help the environment and also reduce your household budget, I have some good news for you . Shampoo bars are a long-term investment .

How long does a shampoo bar last?

The ingredients of the shampoo bar are concentrated, undiluted. One bar will last you from about 80 to 100 washes, which is equivalent to between 2 and 3 bottles of the cosmetic! These numbers are approximate, based on the manufacturers' assumptions, but rest assured - you can be sure_sure that this is a friendship for the long term.

How long a single shampoo bar will last you depends, among other things, on the condition and structure of your hair.

It's natural that with a thick and lush head of hair, you may feel the need to use more product. I mentioned this above, and I'll remind you here: the amount of foam does not determine the cleansing properties of the product. During the shower, divide your hair into smaller sections and use the bar directly on the scalp.

If your fragrant hair wash bar is “losing weight” faster than you expected, it may be a sign that you have hard water at home . This means that the water flowing from your shower has a high content of minerals, including carbonates, calcium sulphates and magnesium. Their molecules, when they meet the ingredients of the shampoo bar, enter into an unfriendly relationship, which means that you have to put more force into foaming the cosmetic. Here, too, I have a solution for you: try diluting the cosmetic in a separate container. You can pour filtered, warm water into it and foam the bar directly in it. Apply the resulting mixture directly to your hair and repeat all the previously mentioned steps.

Remember: if you leave your shampoo bar naked (i.e. without any protection) in a place where it is exposed to direct, incidental contact with water, it may soften more quickly and lose its volume.

No plastic, no cry

Shampoo and conditioner bars are a great alternative to the embarrassing display of plastic monsters in the shower. Hey, I'm not judging you - I had one like that.

Although they smelled great, covered my hair in impressive foam, and worked great as a makeshift microphone during morning concerts, most of them were full of duds, SLS, and other shady substances. And all of this in a plastic body that I easily (and with absolutely no remorse) swapped for a neat can.

I encourage you to make a similar decision – believe me, your hair won't suffer, and it will somehow make you feel lighter when you know you are part of a positive, green revolution.

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How to wash your hair properly using a Natural Shampoo Bar , "Genhair Herbal Hair Care", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTjs3nEVX8Q [accessed on March 27, 2022].
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