Soak your hair completely, rub the bar a few times over your scalp (or lather it in your hands), massage it in, and rinse well. If you've been using products with silicones or you have hard water, your hair may feel a little different for the first few washes while it adjusts.
When we started making shampoo bars, I had a lot of people tell me they'd tried one before and "it didn't work." Almost every time, it came down to how they were using it. A shampoo bar isn't hard to use, but it is a little different from a bottle.
How to use a shampoo bar
- Get your hair really wet. More water than you think. The bar needs it to lather.
- Rub the bar on your scalp 3 to 5 times, or rub it between your hands to build lather first. Focus on the roots, not the ends.
- Massage your scalp with your fingertips for a minute. The lather will work its way down your hair as you rinse.
- Rinse thoroughly. Then rinse a little more. Leftover product is the most common reason hair feels heavy.
- Condition if you like. Shampoo bars work fine with your regular conditioner.
Thick or long hair? Rub the bar in two or three sections so the whole scalp gets cleaned.
What to expect the first few washes
Most people love it right away. Some notice their hair feels different at first, a little heavier or a little more textured. A few things can cause that:
- Buildup from old products. Many conventional shampoos and conditioners contain silicones that coat the hair. As that washes out, your hair may feel different for a few washes.
- Hard water. Minerals in hard water can leave hair feeling dull or coated, no matter what you wash with. It's often more noticeable with bars.
- Not rinsing enough. See step 4!
Tips if you have hard water
- Try an occasional rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar: about 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed into a cup of water. Rinse it through your hair after shampooing, then rinse with plain water. It can help hair feel smoother and shinier.
- A shower head filter can help too.
How to make your bar last
- Keep it out of the direct spray of the shower.
- Store it on a soap dish that drains, or a soap saver bag you can hang up.
- Let it dry completely between uses. A dry bar lasts much longer than one that sits in water.
Why people switch
Less plastic in the shower, a bar that travels without leaking, and no more liquid shampoo running out halfway through the bottle. And for many people, a scalp that feels clean and comfortable instead of stripped.
Give it a couple of weeks before you decide. Most people never go back to the bottle.
What we make
Goat’s-milk shampoo bars
Sulfate-free and color-safe, in three scents. No plastic bottle.
See the shampoo bars →
Lauren Stewart makes Tyme Soap by hand on our family farm in Idaho, with milk from our own goats.
