Solid Shampoo Bar in the Philippines Reviews + FAQ

It’s been a little over 2 months since I switched to using Solid Shampoo Bars vs Bottled Shampoo. I was actually going to make a review earlier, but my friend Kira from Rinse + Repeat told me to use it for a little while longer. She’s right! Sometimes I get too excited about a product I recently used that instead of waiting for more effects, I just write my first impressions right away.

Today on the blog we’ll talk about why you should consider switching to using solid shampoo bars, its pros, cons, and 2 of my favorite local shampoo bar brands!

 

What is a Shampoo Bar?

Essentially a shampoo bar is simply shampoo in bar form.  If that makes any sense haha. It usually comes in paper or tin-can packaging making it super eco-friendly. A bar shampoo also has higher fatty oil content vs a bottle, to give its solid structure.  Many shampoo bars don’t include some of the icky additives used in commercial shampoos, such as sodium lauryl sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate.

 

Pros & Cons Of Using a Shampoo Bar. Why Make the Switch?

Pros

1. Travel-friendly – Since it’s solid form this is easier to bring along with you in airports and travel. No worries of getting spilled.
2. Multipurpose – A shampoo bar can also be used as a body wash
3. Eco-friendly – Think of how may plastics you SAVE and NOT USE. Less plastic waste in our landfills and oceans that causes death to many of our animals.
4.  Cost-effective – If stored properly (in a dry place), your shampoo bar lasts longer than bottled. Less waste too because you only use what you need when you rub it on your head.
5. Less-Chemicals – Shampoo bars do not strip hair in the same way as detergent-based shampoos can. A good bar should not have SLS in its ingredients list.

 Cons

1. Because a bar needs to be rubbed on hair in different places to make lather, those with permed or curly hair may experience tangles and discomfort. A good trick is to rub the shampoo bar soap in your hands first before putting the lather on your hair
2. If not stored properly in a dry place, your shampoo bars will melt

 

Shampoo Bar Reviews

Rinse + Repeat Shampoo Bar in Grapefruit (280php)

What it is

Handcrafted conditioner bars with cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, silk proteins and tons of moisturizing ingredients that leave hair nourished yet bouncy. Lightweight conditioning power + no heavy buildup. Scented with beneficial essential oils. Choose: – Lavender: for creamy, intense moisture – Peppermint, Grapefruit, Bamboo: with added clays for light, balanced conditioning.

Each 70g bar will last more than 60 washes

Ingredients

Coconut based cleanser, cocoa butter, castor oil / sweet almond oil, essential oils

Review

This is not the first time I tried bars. It’s actually my second. I was hesitant to use bars again because last time, my hair was left dry, frizzy, and breaks easily using a generic shampoo bar I just found in Shopee. Sometimes you need to do research first along with checking if the sparkling reviews are legit. 

RINSE + REPEAT IS DIFFERENT! The Grapefuit scent was sweet, fruity, and not-cloying. It reminds me of a candy balls in jars. Smells so good it’s tempting to taste it! Hahaha… Creates a nice amount of lather in just 2-3 rubs on my head and rinses off cleanly without feeling dry. It actually left my hair softer vs some bottled shampoos

Day 61 and it looks like I could use it for a week more. Amazing! I’d definitely repurchase again and might try a different scent. What’s great is on your next purchase, you can just buy the one in paper packaging (250php)  to save tin and 30 pesos.

I use it in partner with Beach Born’s Purple Solid Conditioner.

 

Beach Born’s Classy Not Brassy Guiltless Conditioning Bar (195php)

What it is

An ultra moisturizing conditioning bar that’s packed with extra virgin coconut oil, cocoa butter and generous amounts of lavender essential oil that’s sure to leave even the most damaged hair softer, shinier and easier to manage.

Ingredients

Theobroma Cacaco, Behentrimonium Chloride (derived from brassica rapa seeds), Cetyl Alcohol, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Violet Dye, Lavender Essential Oil

Review

I used this together with the Rinse + Repeat Shampoo Bar as my conditioner. As far as I know, only Beach Born sells solid purple conditioning bars. Why purple? I had my hair bleached a few months ago and need to maintain its tone and avoid it to turn brassy. 

It comes in a light tin packaging and a generously-sized purple bar inside. I can estimate around 70-100 uses for medium-length hair like mine. How about its fragrance? In my opinion, it could use a little bit more perfume oils. I can detect a faint lavender scent that disappears upon application. I like my conditioner to leave my hair smelling nice. They should take notes from Rinse + Repeat from the fragrance department.

What I love about this bar is how it leaves my hair super soft upon rinsing. It’s advised to use conditioning bars as leave-on types. But I prefer rubbing it all over my hair, focusing on the ends and then little amount on the roots to avoid build up, then still rinse a couple of times to avoid that heavy sticky feel. I’d keep using this bar and most likely repurchase. 🙂

 

Final Thoughts

I hope my post helps you decide whether to switch to using shampoo bars! There’s nothing to lose but everything to gain! Especially now that we need to consume less waste, plastic especially in the planet. Nakatulong na tayo, nakaganda pa ng buhok natin! (Save the planet, save our hair) ^_^ 

 

 

 

 

 

🙂