It has been almost two weeks since I began the no-poo method & I just couldn't wait to give an update on my experience with it. Around 12 days ago I began using a shampoo bar to replace liquid shampoo. I chose this route because I'd like to grow out my hair & make it seemingly more thick. I suffer from thin, brittle hair that I attribute to genetics & probably eating habits. "Suffer" is kind of a strong word, but it certainly is a day-to-day struggle. 

After a couple weeks of every-other-day use, the bar has shrunken a bit. It seems to be melting in my shower, so I'd like to find a way to preserve it better. One pro is that I don't need to use it everyday because it works like a normal shampoo in keeping my hair from looking greasy. As long as I use some dry shampoo on my second-day hair, I feel comfortable not washing it daily. 

When I use the shampoo bar, I notice I have to be very thorough or else some areas around the shaft of my hair will feel greasy. Other people have had this problem, but it can be easily solved if enough lather is spread throughout the hair. The shampoo bar lathers great & completely cleans the hair, otherwise I'd have to wash mine everyday. 

I wanted to show how my second-day hair looked. I added a tiny amount of dry shampoo to the roots, but everything else is a result of using the shampoo bar. I'm very impressed with how clean it feels, even after a day without washing.

As far as long term effects, it's too early to tell very much. I've noticed my hair maintains its natural oils, without looking too greasy. With liquid shampoo, my hair would feel dry for a day & then get very oily the next day, like I rubbed my head  in canola oil. I've also gotten several compliments on the shine of my hair. 

For those with colored or permed hair, the shampoo bar might be perfect considering it does not contain detergents that will strip away the color. It also restores the damage that color treatment leaves behind. 

On top of that, shampoo bars are very eco-friendly because there is no plastic bottle to dispose of & they're bio-degradable, not to mention super affordable!

A question I get a lot is whether you can use the shampoo bar for your body. Absolutely, yes! Instead of bringing a shampoo bottle & a body wash while travelling, just bring a shampoo bar & use it for both the hair & body. It will work the same as regular soap & it's TSA-friendly!

It all comes down to finding the right shampoo bar for you. Your hair might need a few days to a week, in order to adapt to the change, but it'll be worth it. I'm having tons of luck with my current bar for damaged hair, but I will definitely be experimenting with other brands & styles. Some might lather differently or contain other ingredients, so I'd like to try more of them.

Hope you enjoyed my update on the no-poo method! Let me know if you try this method & how it works for you. Get the shampoo bar I use here.

-Mars

I'm thrilled to start using bar shampoo as an alternative to liquid shampoo. I'm not saying that all liquid shampoo is harmful, but the majority are meant to focus on the aesthetics of hair, rather than its health. They often contain ingredients that will make hair look soft & voluminous, yet overtime produce a significant amount of damage. With shampoo bars, they are super economical, trustworthy & work great at revitalizing damaged hair, including color treated hair.

 I've been wanting to try a shampoo bar for a while because I've heard it really helps hair grow faster & stronger. I've been trying to grow my hair out for the longest time, but I feel like there is too much breakage. I was shopping at a place called Wheatsville Co-op here in Austin & I finally brought myself to buying a shampoo bar. The one I purchased is called J.R. Liggett's Old-Fashioned Bar Shampoo for damaged hair. There were a few others by J.R. Liggett, but I decided to try this one for now. 

Ingredients: Vitamin E, aloe vera, almond oil, saponified olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, fresh pure New Hampshire Spring water, with Organic Jojoba Oil, sodium hydroxide (as a binder) & pure essential oil for fragrance

Wow, I can actually pronounce the name of every single ingredient. What worried me the most about trying a shampoo bar was whether the oils would make my hair look greasy. Other than that, these ingredients make up the key to healthy hair.

 (Note: for the sake of experimentation, I didn't use any other products whilst testing this one)

When I first heard about shampoo bars I was skeptical. I thought it might not cleanse the hair well enough, but fortunately it works just as well, if not better than a normal bottle shampoo. For application, I rub it directly on my scalp a little & work the product from roots to ends. It lathers surprisingly great & not much product is needed to achieve an adequate lather.

Overall it feels very similar to a normal shampoo with minimal differences. The most prominent difference is its scent. The bar has a pleasant scent, but it won't make your hair smell too strong. My hair after using it smells great & does not have that artificial scent that normal shampoos have. The essential oil is subtle, yet pleasant. It's very comforting to know that the scent is natural, instead of wondering what ingredients could produce the artificial scent given off by bottle shampoo. 

Does it make my hair feel unclean? Not at all! My hair feels wonderfully clean after using the shampoo bar. It may be something to get used to for some people, but for me, I feel like I was born to use shampoo in bar form. It feels effortless compared to bottle shampoo, however it has a much less aggressive cleanse. I'm probably guilty of wasting a ton of shampoo in my lifetime, but never again will I worry about that. I was shocked at how little was needed to lather my hair.

For my first use, it was very evident that it would last me a while, which is surprising because the bar seems rather tiny. Before trying it, I considered using it alongside my bottle shampoo, but I've decided to make a complete transition into the no-poo method. I'll give updates on the changes (if any) to my hair & my feelings about it in general. I'm so excited to see my hair getting healthier. So far, I highly recommend trying it & letting me know what you think!

This or another brand of bar shampoo can be purchased at your local health foods store for around 5 bucks.

Get It Here

-Mars