Do bar shampoos and conditioners work? – GOOD SHAPE

Today, much is said about a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle to help the environment. Around 9 million plastic packages are thrown into the ocean every year causing immeasurable impacts on the planet, and that includes our hair care packages. As an alternative, the shampoo and conditioner bar has been gaining fame in the market as a more sustainable way for our care, promoting longer duration (80 washes) and even a more affordable price.

About 9 million plastic containers are thrown into the ocean every year

But there are still several doubts regarding the product. Does it increase frizz? Does the conditioner hydrate the same way as the liquid? Is its duration as long as they say? For these and other reasons, I tested some bar shampoos and conditioners and brought here my experience and opinions.

– (200mm/Getty Images)

As soon as I received the products, the first thing that caught my attention was the smell: I believe that, because they are in bars, they must be more concentrated, so the smell of the shampoo and the solid conditioner is very more striking (and they stay on the hair too!) Its texture is also not completely “smooth” like soaps. They are more textured, which makes them much easier to use. And everyone I received had a perfect shape to hold without major problems (which is very useful when your hand is wet and you are running the bar through your hair).

1 shampoo bar = 80 washes

the shampoo bar

I didn’t like it the first time I used it. I thought the shampoo took a while before it actually started foaming and I made the mistake of passing the bar in circular motions on top of the head. Gabi Balan, hairstylist at TP Beauty Lounge, says this is the wrong way to use the product. “The bar must be passed following from the leather to the ends, without making the movement in the opposite direction, since, unlike soap, it does not need to make so much foam”. By applying the shampoo bar in the opposite direction, you can end up creating more frizz in your hair, which is exactly what happened to me.

Another factor that can contribute to frizz is the fact that the bar product is more alkaline than the bottle, which, according to Gabi, can cause frizz and greater tangling of the hair. I didn’t feel the most tangled threads, just the opposite. The shampoo had a more moisturizing lather and I noticed few knots in my hair.

The Bar Conditioner

About the conditioner, it was love at first sight! As I have highlights and my strands are thin, even after the conditioner, I have a huge difficulty detangling without breaking my hair (requires patience too) but with the solid conditioners it tangled a lot less!

“As the conditioner is made with natural ingredients, it is usually less aggressive and helps to make the hair softer”

I felt that as I passed the bar my strands became soft and released more easily, combing with just the tips of the fingers, from the first application! “Since it is made with natural ingredients, it is usually less aggressive and helps to make the hair softer”, explains Gabi.

Coconut Vegan Solid Shampoo, Mata Atlântica Express

BOB Natural Nourishing Shampoo– (Americanas/Disclosure)

– (American/Disclosure)

Deep Hydration Conditioner, BOB

– (Lolla Cosmetics/Disclosure)

Curl bar conditioner, Lola Cosmetics

– (Lola Cosmetics/Disclosure)

Shampoo bar curls, Lola Cosmetics

I won’t deny it, using shampoo and conditioner bars for about one month, I felt that the frizz increased. But since the way I applied it was wrong, that might be the problem. On the other hand, my strands felt softer on a day-to-day basis and the shape of my curls, which usually get lost overnight, held a little longer.

My hair felt softer and the curls lasted longer

The wear of the product was also something that surprised me, as I didn’t believe that the bar would yield 80 washes. But at the end of the test, I noticed a small change in the size of the product, even though I wash my hair on average 3 times a week, or more. So for sure it will arrive in 80 washes.

Conclusion

In summary, the product meets its proposal well and does not leave anything to be desired when we talk about the qualities it brings to the hair. I will definitely add shampoo and conditioner bars to my priorities so that, in the near future, they will replace plastic packaging in my bathroom. 🙂

*Some of the products above have purchase links for Grupo affiliation partners – with prices referring to the month of April 2021.
** does not receive a fee for carrying out the product tests, which are sent by the respective press offices to carry out the article.

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