Around the world, shampoo and conditioner bottles make up over 80 billion bottles that hit the rubbish bin each and every year. 

This shocking number is purely based on the fact that even ‘natural shampoo’ companies need to package their liquid shampoo in something, and of course, the cheapest and easiest to ship packaging is plastic. 

Fortunately, liquid shampoo in bulky plastic containers is no longer the only way to clean your strands! In fact, switching to solid shampoo bars can help you save the planet, your hair, and your money! 

Curious about this little miracle bar? Follow along to discover everything there is to know about shampoo bars and how you can make the switch today!

What is a Shampoo Bar?

If you’ve never heard of a shampoo bar before, you’re in for a real treat! Essentially, a shampoo bar takes all of the amazing cleansing properties of shampoo and combines them into a solid bar. 

This bar looks much like your typical bar of body soap (although we recommend keeping them separate to avoid confusion!). 

However, the plastic-free shampoo holds far more benefits than its lack of packaging. 

Benefits of Shampoo Bars

Each shampoo bar is chocked full of natural and nourishing ingredients to care for your hair without toxins or harmful chemicals. 

This leaves your hair feeling softer, cleaner, and fresher for longer than your average store-bought bottle and is much friendlier to both your body and the environment as the suds wash down the drain!

Beyond the multipurpose use and toxin-free advantage, you’ll often find that conditioner is no longer required once you make the switch to a natural shampoo bar. This is because your hair is no longer being stripped of its natural oils fromharsh chemicals such as SLS, parabens, and silicones. 

Of course, if you do have ultra-dry strands, we do haveconditioner bars available to nourish your locks like never before. 

So why is switching to a shampoo bar so great?

Longer Lasting

Did you know that the main ingredient in your liquid shampoo is actually water? Yep, that’s right,80-90% of your hair wash is actually good ole’ H20. 

In fact, there’s barely any actual cleansing product in those pesky shampoo bottles. Packed full of fillers and water, using up an entire bottle of shampoo in just one or two months is a common stat for many of us. 

Shampoo bars on the other hand don’t see this problem. With such concentrated ingredients, you’ll find one bar of shampoo can replace as many as 3 bottles of shampoo! Can we get a whoop whoop for the wallet?!

Compact and Convenient

Another bonus to these sudsy bars is their compact and convenient nature. Instead of lugging around a big bottle of shampoo or purchasing miniature versions, you can simply tuck your shampoo bar into a tin and bring it along! 

This is especially helpful fortravel lovers as you can guarantee no sticky mess of shampoo will have busted in your baggage when you arrive at your destination! Pop your bar in your gym bag, take it to the beach for an after-surf cleanse, or tuck it in your overnight bag to always have a natural, plastic-free shampoo on hand!

Just one little bar can replace multiple bottles of hair care products in the shower, making your morning routine simple and quick! 

Zero-Waste

And of course, our favourite feature of the best shampoo bars is their zero-waste approach. 

Not only are you keeping plastic bottles out of the landfill, but getting every last bit of product is never a problem with a bar. Say goodbye to throwing away the bit that’s ‘stuck in the bottle’ and hello to using up every last penny of product!

How to Use Shampoo Bars

Before you jump in strands first, it is important to know that with natural shampoo comes a ‘transitional period’. This is similar to the stage many of us experience when switching from ‘normal’ to natural deodorant. 

Because your hair is so used to being washed with chemicals and fillers, it can take some time for your strands to adjust to the natural oils and nourishing ingredients. This is because the new shampoo will need to detoxify all of the build-up that has taken place.

Check out this video to see just how much build-up is really on your luscious locks!

During this time, it may feel like your hair is greasier than normal or lacks the shine and shimmer you are used to from silicone products. But fear not! Once you push through this stage, you’ll love the clean, soft, and shiny results to follow!

Pick Your Partner

Choose the best shampoo bar in Australia by shopping based on your specific hair needs and goals. 

Use this handy little chart to narrow down your hair type and select the best brand and formula for your unique locks!

Lathering Up

Just like a bottled shampoo, you’ll want to ensure your hair is thoroughly wet before you apply any shampoo. From here, take your shampoo bar into your damp hands and create some friction to produce suds. 

Once you’ve got some sudsy goodness in your hands, set the bar down outside of the stream of water (no need to wash away any product!). You can then use the product on your hands to lather your shampoo onto the scalp in a circular motion. 

There’s no need to use the entire bar against your head. Just a small amount of product in the hands is plenty.

Rinse Away!

Once you’ve scrubbed every follicle, gently rinse, rinse, rinse! This step is vital, especially at the beginning when build-up is being detoxed from your strands. Make sure you take the time to really rinse away all of the product for the best results.

For extra rinsing power, consider using an apple cider vinegar rinse once a week to keep your scalp healthy, strengthen your hair, and encourage growth. 

Make your ACV rinse by combining 2-4 tablespoons of organic Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 cup of water or pick up our supercharged nourishing mixhere!

Once you’re all done, pat your bar dry and store it outside of the shower to ensure no product is lost to the steamy stream of the water.

Ingredients to Avoid

As we mentioned before, one of the best things about shampoo bars is their lack of harmful ingredients. Of course, not all shampoo bars are created equal so it’s important to watch out for key chemicals on the ingredient list.

Sulphates (SLS or SLES) 

This ingredient is used to make liquid products (and shampoo especially) foam. Unfortunately, this not only contributes to unhealthy hair but an unhealthy body. According to the Journal of American College for Toxicology, SLS can cause damage to our immune system and inflame our skin and scalp.

Parabens 

Parabens are present in beauty products as a preservative. Of course, while they may make your shampoo bottle last longer, they are easily absorbed through the skin and scalp. This gives them the ability to mimic estrogen and disrupt the hormonal cycle of the body.

Silicones 

If you’re wondering why any brand would put silicones in hair products, we're right there with you. Silicones are used to coat the hair shaft and create the illusion of smooth and shiny hair. Of course, silicones are one of the main culprits of build-up on the hair shaft and actually clog your pores and dry out your hair.

DEA or TEA (Diethanolamine or Triethanolamine)

DEA or TEA is usually used as an emulsifier to mix the water in your liquid shampoo with oils. In Europe, DEA is prohibited due to concerns about the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, which are cancer-causing substances. 

Fortunately, here at Go For Zero, we’ve done the hard work of vetting all of our products for you, so you never have to worry about sneaky, unwelcome ingredients!

Getting Started with Zero-Waste Shampoo Bars

Now that you know the ins and outs of using shampoo bars in Australia, you can set forth with confidence on this zero-waste swap! From abandoning plastic packaging to treating your hair with the gentle natural ingredients it deserves, this change will have you feeling (and looking) like a rockstar!

Ready to trade your bottles in for plastic-free solid shampoo bars?Shop our selection of natural shampoo bars today and experience the beauty in a bar!