Sustainable hair care: hair soap and solid shampoo

On average, we use 787 bottles of shampoo in our lifetime. That's 787 bottles too many. Sustainable shampoos are good for the environment and also for hair and scalp. Most conventional products contain synthetic surfactants, preservatives and silicones. These are ingredients that are unhealthy and, on top of that, bad for the scalp. The sustainable alternative to shampoos in plastic bottles are hair soaps and solid shampoos.

We know: Our solid shampoos and hair soaps save a lot of waste, contain no unwanted additives and are good for our hair. That's what the two have in common. But what is the difference? And which one is suitable for which hair?

hair soap

Like traditional soap, hair soap is made from fats, oils and lye. However, they have a lower fat content than body soaps. The basis of hair soaps are vegetable oils: coconut oil, olive oil, St. John's wort oil, etc. The soap is supplemented with shea or cocoa butter, for example, for an extra portion of care. All in all, hair soap contains only natural ingredients and no synthetic ones. Hair soaps are very economical and therefore inexpensive. The hair feels strong and grippy and is often more voluminous. They have an alkaline pH value.

When using hair soaps, we recommend rinsing your hair with an acidic rinse. This removes soap residue from your hair and prevents limescale. Limescale is residue that sticks to your hair and makes you feel like your hair was n't completely clean when you washed it.

For the acidic rinse, mix lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar with water, pour it over your hair after washing and rinse well. The acidic rinse closes the cuticle and makes your hair shiny and easier to comb. And don't worry: your hair won't smell of vinegar afterwards. The acidic rinse is particularly important if your water is hard.

Acid rinse recipe:
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 liter of cold water
Mix and use as a rinse

Solid shampoo

Solid shampoo is similar to classic shampoo. Only solid (surprisingly ;)). It is pH-neutral to slightly acidic , it is mixed from surfactants and other fillers and additives and finally pressed into shape. The base of solid shampoos is preferably coconut or sugar. Be careful when choosing. Solid shampoos can contain SLS or SLES. These are sulphates which are supposed to have a foaming or strong cleansing effect, but are unhealthy for our skin. So it is worth checking the ingredients. We make sure that our solid shampoos do not contain any such undesirable additives.

Generally speaking, solid shampoos are a little easier to use, especially for newbies in the business. They don't require conditioner. But once you've found a hair soap that's perfect for you, it's hard to imagine going away from it.

One big, big advantage that both have: the hair needs to be washed much less often. It may be that your hair has to get used to it a little at the beginning, as it is "addicted" to the artificial additives. The change may take a few washes. But it's worth it. Good luck!

The author's favorites:
I have tested our range from top to bottom and these are my two favourites:

Henna hair soap: My hair has never been so manageable and voluminous. It makes you realize how much hair you really have on your head.

May Chang Solid Shampoo: For those who don't like washing their hair. Your hair stays beautiful for a long time and it's really easy to use.