I wanted to share with you my recent experiences with the JR Liggett Shampoo Bar. Have you heard of this natural alternative to traditional bottled shampoos? If not, here’s a quick rundown. Shampoo bars are solid bars of soap that are made specifically for hair. They were commonly used before the shampoos and conditioners most people use today were invented.

When I began my journey to a (close to) chemical-free lifestyle, I looked at all of the products I used on a daily basis and researched safer, more natural alternatives (to protect myself against endocrine disruptors, scary stuff!). Things like my cleaning products, makeup, nail polish, and soap. I really didn’t notice a difference between the products I used to use and the new chemical-free ones. But something I had a hard time finding was a natural shampoo. My hair tends to be oily/greasy, and when I used some more “crunchy” shampoos it never felt clean. I had seen shampoo bars come up in my searching, but immediately disregarded them because it felt too weird going from a traditional shampoo in a squeezy bottle to using a bar. Who does that?? Keep reading to see how it went.

My Expectations Before I Tried It:  To be honest, they were pretty low. I had tried other natural shampoos in the past that barely lathered and with long hair, a good lather is important to work it around. It doesn’t look like a bar would give off a lot of bubbles. I did read though that most people find benefits to switching to a shampoo bar such as increased volume, faster-growing hair, reduced dandruff, shinier hair and less frizz. That would be nice! I really like the eco-friendly packaging (no plastic bottles), and the fact that there are no synthetics, no chemicals, no detergents, no preservatives, or anything artificial in it, just real pure ingredients. Nothing that will damage my hair or my body, win-win! But is it worth the sacrifice?

Cost:  Pretty cheap, I got it for $5 on Amazon, and saw it for the same price as Vitacost. How long the bar lasts depends on how long your hair is, and how often you use it. With my long hair, washing it every 2 days, it lasts me 3 months. But I’ve heard it lasting up to 6 months for some people. My old shampoo bottle cost me around $15, and would last me the same amount of time, so yay for savings! Stay tuned to see if those savings were worth it…

Directions: There aren’t any directions explaining how to use the shampoo bar written on the packaging, and I actually had some trial and error before I got the hang of it. It wasn’t as simple as rubbing the bar between my hands to get a lather. When I did that, I had to repeat this process maybe 8-10 times to get enough suds to reach all areas of my head. Then when I tried to rinse it out, I started with my hairline by my forehead and worked my way to all areas underneath. This proved quickly to be a bad idea! Turns out, the shampoo makes your hair feel SUPER waxy and impossible to run your fingers through. This meant I couldn’t rinse out anything under that top layer of hair.

In the end, this is the method I ultimately found that works the best: Wet your hair completely first. Then, get a good suds going by rubbing the wet bar between your hands and working it onto your scalp. I then take the bar itself and rub it directly on my head around my hair line, and use my fingers to keep working in the suds to my scalp. It actually gets REALLY sudsy, just as much as bottled shampoo. I leave it on while I soap up and shave my legs, then rinse it off. When I do this, I gather my hair in my hand and lift most of it so I can rinse it out from the underneath to the upper layers. I use my fingers again to massage my scalp as I rinse to make sure all of the shampoo washes out. Instead of using a traditional conditioner, I use a vinegar rinse instead (mix 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of warm water).

The Results: I can’t say that it was love at first sight. Especially with the learning curve of how to use the product. In general, too, there is a transition when you switch from using a shampoo with chemicals to a natural shampoo. When you first begin, your hair or scalp may become oily or dry or even switch between the two extremes. You may have increased tangles, or frizz and the hair shafts may feel waxy. This is just your hair freaking out a little because it forgot how to do its job. But stick with it, it will go away, it’s just your hair’s way of trying to figure out how to rebalance itself.

This transitional period can last for just a week and up to a month. It really depends on how damaged your hair is and how frequently you used products with harsh ingredients. Using a Vinegar Rinse will help to speed up the process, balance scalp pH and remove build-up. During this transitional time your hair may develop a build-up of chemicals that have been collected over the years from using traditional shampoos. Again, DON’T WORRY! 🙂 If you need some encouragement, check out this website where you can look at how safe your shampoo and conditioners are:  Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.

After I got through that period, mine lasted around 3 weeks or so, it’s been amazing ever since. I do admit it was frustrating at times going through those few weeks, but I knew it wouldn’t be forever and I could rock a ponytail for a bit if I needed to. I’d say the biggest benefit besides not introducing chemicals into my body that might cause me more problems down the road, is that I can go up to 3 days without it looking oily/greasy. This is a big deal to me because I have naturally curly/frizzy hair that I straighten every time I shower. So the less I have to get it wet and go through the straightening process, the better! I also think my hair has developed more volume, and I love how clean and light it feels. When I travel, it’s super easy to throw this bar into my bag because it takes up next to no space and I can carry it on the plane no problem. I’m also saving money on buying more expensive shampoo and conditioner.

My Rating: I give the JR Liggett Shampoo Bar an A.  I am so thrilled with the results that I have seen so far and I will continue to use this on an every 3-day basis. If you are thinking of trying out a safer and more cost-effective hair washing alternative, do not even hesitate!  This is totally worth it. Plus you might even get some additional perks like more volume, less frizz, or less oil. There are a few different formulas of the bar, so look for the type that matches your hair type best. This is the one that I get.

If you have any questions regarding this product review, leave them in the comment section below and I will try my best to answer!