In the last few months, I’ve converted to using shampoo and conditioner bars exclusively. In fact, I haven’t purchased a single plastic bottle of soap in all of 2020 (insert impressed face emoji).
I first started using my charcoal kaolin soap as shampoo in a pinch when I ran out of regular shampoo. I grabbed that bar versus all my other soap bars because it was coconut oil heavy, hence a bit drying to the skin. I figured, oily scalp + drying soap = should work well together. What I discovered was that it lathered beautifully because of the heavy percentage of coconut oil and cleansed my hair well.
However, I still felt that it would leave some soap residue behind. After a some research, I discovered that lye based soap bars are much more alkaline than our scalp’s natural PH levels, causing my hair to “stick up” at the roots. Many websites suggested using a vinegar rinse to help rebalance the PH and rinse off any residues. It took me a while to build up the will do to this, and WOW was I blown away. Some apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle - GAME CHANGER.
Step 1: Wet hair thoroughly
Step 2: Lather soap bar generously in hand and work through hair, scalp first.\
Step 3: Rinse thoroughly
Step 4: Spray cider vinegar onto the crown of your head, avoiding the eyes).
Step 5: Rinse thoroughly with water
Step 6: Run conditioner bar through hair as usual and rinse thoroughly.
The results were BETTER than any liquid shampoo/conditioner combo I’ve ever purchased.
So if you’re thinking about converting to shampoo and conditioner bars, but are weary of the results on your hair, know that although it does takes a few trial and errors but you can still achieve silky hair all the while being more mindful of your eco-footprint.
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