If you have a collection of shampoo bottles lining your shower walls, or are simply looking for a more sustainable alternative, you might want to consider a shampoo bar. Instead of the liquid consistency you might be used to, shampoo bars are solid, concentrated shampoos made with natural ingredients and essential oils, says Brooke Jordan, hairstylist and co-founder of The Birdhouse, a salon in New York City.
If you’re new to solid shampoo and looking to try it out, we spoke to experts about the benefits of a shampoo bar and how to shop for the best one for your hair. We also compiled a few expert-recommended options to consider, as well as NBC Select staff favorites.
When shopping for a shampoo bar, our experts recommend considering the following factors:
Ingredients: Depending on your hair type, texture and scalp health, you should look for ingredients that help with your specific concerns. Generally speaking, you’ll want to look for shampoo bars that have hydrating ingredients like natural oils and glycerin to keep your hair healthy and shiny, says Jordan. (More on ingredients below.)
Shape: Shampoo bars come in multiple shapes including circular (the most common), triangular and rectangular. However, when deciding which is best for you, it’s important to pick one that you can easily hold in your hand, according to our experts.
Price: The price of your shampoo bar will vary, but our list has options as low as $14 and as high as $28.
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We rounded up expert-recommended shampoo bars, NBC Select staff favorites and highly rated bars that align with our experts’ guidance. All of our options are formulated for a range of hair textures and types to best suit your personal needs.
With its sweet honey and toffee scent, this shampoo bar leaves your hair smelling great in addition to cleansing, moisturizing and softening the hair, according to the brand. “It fit perfectly in the palm of my hand and was easy for me to turn into a lather that I transferred from my hands onto my hair,” says NBC Select associate updates editor Zoe Malin.
Bar shape: Circular | Key ingredients: Honey, bergamot oil, Brazilian orange oil | Fragrance: Honey and toffee | Amount of washes: 60-80 | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 3 bottles
Unlike other bars on our list, this bar is meant for both your hair and body. “At first, I didn’t love the smell right out of the box, but once you lather the bar up, it’s much more subtle and clean,” says NBC Select editor Cory Fernandez. “The bar soap is easy to lather up in your hands, and I like that you can also use it as a body wash.” Formulated specifically for those with a sensitive scalp, hair and skin, this bar is free of common irritants like fragrances and sulfates, according to the brand. Although it has no added fragrance, the ingredients themselves do give it a slight odor, according to Fernandez.
Bar shape: S-shape | Key ingredients: Castor oil, glycerin, sodium cocoyl isethionate | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 2 bottles
This shampoo bar, which has a 4.5-star average rating from over 16,000 reviews on Amazon, gently cleanses the hair while also defining curls and giving them a soft, shiny and bouncy appearance, according to Ethique. Reviewers say this option lathers well and leaves minimal frizz on their curly, wavy and coily hair. The bar, much like all Ethique options, comes in plastic-free, compostable and recyclable packaging, according to the brand. You can pair this with its matching conditioner bar, too.
Bar shape: Square | Key ingredients: Shea butter, cocoa seed butter, glycerin | Fragrance: Lemongrass | Amount of washes: 80 | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 3 bottles
If you’re experiencing thinning hair or are looking to soothe an irritated scalp, consider this option from Lush. The bar uses cinnamon and peppermint to stimulate your scalp, while other ingredients like rosemary help reduce irritation. “I have both very fine hair and a sensitive scalp, so the combination can make my hair look flat and dull — after using this shampoo, I noticed I have a lot more volume,” says Godio. “I also love that it’s textured, so it gently exfoliates my scalp.”
Bar shape: Circular | Key ingredients: Cinnamon, peppermint, rosemary | Fragrance: Spicy | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: n/a
If you have oily hair, consider this triangular-shaped bar, which uses ingredients like charcoal to detoxify the scalp, reduce excess oil, strengthen hair and maintain scalp health, according to Superzero. It also comes with its own bag for any broken pieces (continued use will eventually cause it to break), so you don’t waste any product, according to the brand. This bar is also highly rated, with a 4.8-star average rating from over 270 reviews at Superzero.
Bar shape: Triangular | Key ingredients: Charcoal, triolein, sodium cocoyl isethionate | Fragrance: Lavender and chamomile | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 2 bottles
This shampoo bar has antiseptic and antibacterial ingredients like tea tree oil and coconut oil to ensure dry, flaky scalps and dermatitis symptoms are at bay by reducing itchiness and retaining moisture, according to the brand. Reviewers say this has a nice sudsy lather and leaves their hair feeling clean post-shower. This shampoo bar has a 4.0-star average rating from over 9,000 reviews on Amazon.
Bar shape: Rectangular | Key ingredients: Tea tree oil, hemp oil, olive oil | Fragrance: Fragrance-free | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: n/a
“First and foremost, I love the shape of this shampoo bar because it fits great in my hand and doesn’t slip,” says NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio. “It also lathers and spreads really nicely, so it feels like I’m using a normal liquid shampoo, plus it adds volume and shine to my otherwise flat fine hair.” Godio stores it in the brand’s shampoo bar bag, which hangs up on a hook in her bathroom to conveniently keep it off of surfaces. This shampoo is also available in a bundle with a hydrating shea butter conditioner bar.
Bar shape: S-shape | Key ingredients: Castor oil, glycerin, ricinoleic acid | Fragrance: n/a | Amount of washes: 100 | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 2 bottles
Davines makes Jordan’s favorite shampoo bars for dry hair. Another bar in their lineup is this one that helps combat frizz, add shine and hydrate your hair at once, according to the brand. Hydrating ingredients like olive extract help smooth frizz-prone and coarse hair, according to the brand. For the best results — silky, soft and smooth hair — wet the bar between your hands to create the creamy foaming lather and then apply it to your hair and repeat as necessary, according to Davines.
Bar shape: Rectangular | Key ingredients: Olive oil, glycerin, sodium cocoyl isethionate | Fragrance: Lavender | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: n/a
This shampoo, which has a 4.3-star average rating from over 800 reviews on Amazon, uses coconut oil, vitamin B5 and rice protein to moisturize hair and leave it soft and silky, according to the brand. Reviewers say its unique shape makes it easy to hold and lather the product throughout the hair and the roots. The hydrating formula is also available in conditioner bar form (which you can purchase separately or in a bundle) and comes in a fragrance-free option as well.
Bar shape: Oval | Key ingredients: Coconut oil, rice protein, vitamin B5 | Fragrance: Citrus | Amount of washes: n/a | Equivalent to liquid shampoo: 2 bottles
Many contributing factors will impact the decision on what shampoo bar would be best for you — this includes hair texture, type, scalp health and more, according to Mark Constantine, trichologist and co-founder of Lush. Below, Jordan breaks down a few key factors to consider.
You’ll want to consider shampoo bars that have natural oils, including coconut and argan oil, and other moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and aloe vera, says Jordan. Also, look for options that use gentle surfactants rather than sulfates to cleanse the hair to TK. Some gentle options include apple cider vinegar and sodium cocoyl isethionate, according to experts in our guide to clarifying shampoos.
Aside from sulfates, you’ll also want to avoid bars with drying alcohols, such as ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol), isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) and denatured alcohol (SD alcohol), because they’ll remove moisture from your hair.
Shampoo bars come in different shapes, including circular, triangular, rectangular and more. Bars with a triangular shape can make them easier to control, while circular shapes might be harder to grip but lather more easily in your hair, says Jordan.
Much like liquid shampoos, you’ll want to look for bars that suit your hair type. If you have fine or thin hair, for example, look for bars with ingredients that won’t weigh your hair down but will still hydrate it, like moringa seed oil or palmetto berry extract, and avoid heavier moisturizers like shea butter and avocado oil, according to experts in our guide to shampoos for fine hair. If you have medium to thick hair, look for a bar with hydrating ingredients like the natural oils listed above. For coarse hair, find a bar that will be super moisture-rich with butters and oils to smooth and soften your hair.
Not every bar will work for every hair type. Bars with lightweight ingredients including jojoba oil will be better for people with fine hair or straight textures. Bars that have curl defining ingredients (such as shea butter, coconut or argan oils, glycerin and aloe vera) and hydrating ingredients will be better for people with curly or coily textures, according to Jordan.
Much like your hair type and texture, you’ll also want to factor in your current scalp condition — dry, oily, sensitive and more, says Jordan. Many shampoo bars will clearly label what scalp type they’re most suitable for and how they can improve your scalp health, according to our experts..
It’s important to store your shampoo bar in a container or bag and keep it in a dry place so it can last longer and not get “mushy” in the shower, says Jordan.
Certain brands will offer storage solutions, including bags, cork containers, metal containers and self-draining bar storage. What you use to store your shampoo bar is up to personal preference.
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of using a shampoo bar vs liquid shampoo?
There are a few advantages of using a shampoo bar instead of a packaged bottled shampoo. Below, our experts break down the three biggest benefits.
Eco-friendly: Shampoo bars usually come in very minimal packaging and tend to be plastic-free, which is great because they minimize waste and offer an alternative to plastic shampoo bottles, says Jordan. When it comes to liquid, plastic bottles of shampoos, more energy and resources are needed to create and transport products, says Constantine.
Ingredients: These bars are often made with more natural and gentle ingredients, so they’re a good option for people with sensitive skin, says Jordan. They're also highly concentrated, which means they’ll likely last a lot longer than bottled shampoo, according to Jordan. They’re also entirely self-preserving, which means they don’t need added synthetic preservatives to keep them fresh, says Constantine.
Travel-friendly: Unlike liquid shampoo, bars make a perfect travel companion, according to Constantine. This type of shampoo is a no-spill alternative, meaning there’s no need to decant shampoo into tiny bottles, no pulling things out in the line for security and it’s small enough to fit in a carry-on without any hassle, he says.
What are the downsides to using a shampoo bar?
Because shampoo bars are often made with different ingredients than liquid shampoo, it may take your hair and scalp a bit of time to adjust to the change, especially if the bar shampoo has fewer synthetic ingredients than what you were previously using, says Jordan.
If you live in a building with hard water, meaning it has high levels of calcium and magnesium, you might not get the same lathering effect from your shampoo bar and you could have a harder time distributing it evenly in your hair, says Jordan. This can result in leftover residue in your hair that will build up over time and can cause itchiness and irritation on the scalp, according to Jordan.
What is the best way to use a shampoo bar?
Applying a solid shampoo isn’t much different from using a regular shampoo, according to our experts. First, ensure your hair is very wet before applying the product, and you’ll need to wet the bar as well. Then, either rub the bar directly onto your hair or lather it in your hands. Make sure the shampoo is really well distributed, and then rinse thoroughly, says Jordan.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Bianca Alvarez is an associate reporter covering skin care and hair care, whose recent stories include roundups of the best heat protectants and clarifying shampoos. For this story, she interviewed experts and researched highly-rated bar shampoos that were in line with expert guidance.
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