I started using J.R. Liggett's Shampoo Bar in November of 2012. I won't lie-- if I didn't' learn about what was going to happen I would have stopped after that first attempt!Once I applied it to my hair it seemed impossible to run my fingers through it because it felt really waxy. I learned that this was because my hair had been so stripped by the chemicals in regular shampoos and conditioners that I had no natural oils left to lubricate my hair! Yikes!
However, it did get better each time I used it and within a week or two my hair looked better than ever! This shampoo allows your hair to start to produce your own natural oils again and that is the secret to beautiful hair!
After the first couple of shampoos, the difficulty getting my fingers through my hair stopped. I noticed that my fine hair felt a little thicker, and that it was easier to manage. It can even hold a curl now! My hair didn't even need to be washed as frequently. I can go two to three days and it won't even look like it needs to be washed.
After the transition was over I thought I was in the clear. Guess again!
A few months later, I started feeling little lumps of what felt like dried skin or a pimple. If I scratched them then this white stuff would come out. I was initially afraid I had a reaction, but then I learned that my scalp was purging itself of the chemicals from the old products! How gross!! They say that it's very important to lather the shampoo bar into your hair and massage it into your scalp to help loosen up clogged pores, release the old chemicals and to let your natural oils release.
That stopped after a month or two of using the product (thank god!) and now I swear I'll never go back to using regular shampoo and conditioner!!
I used a vinegar rinse now to finish this product off. It's really useful for balancing the pH of your hair and removing the old chemicals, but honestly, after the transition you don't always need the vinegar rinse.
I've used the shampoo bar by itself and had really good results. It can be a bit drying after prolonged use if you have long hair, so you may want to use a hair mask or put a little oil on the tips if you feel as if your hair is starting to become dry.
This little bar lasts forever too! I'll use one bar for over 5 months before I needed to get a second bar and it's less around $5 for one. Talk about savings! I used to by the expensive Aveda Shampoo which was around $40 for a 2 months supply. Ha! Definite win.
Yearly Savings: $230 from switching from fancy $40 "natural" shampoo.
Yearly Savings: $50 from switching from traditional brand, assuming cost is $5 per bottle.
Um, yes, please!
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| Air Dried. No products. |
Where to buy it? I usually use Amazon or the JR Liggett store, but you can sometimes find it at health food stores, too. I recommend starting with the Ultra Balanced Bar 3.5 oz
or Old-Fashioned Shampoo bar
, as I have had good results with both.The JR Liggett website has quite a bit of information about each bar and why you should convert over to a natural shampoo: JR Liggett
I don't use conditioner and I use a hair rinse that I make myself. Lavender Hair Rinse
Initially, I used a leave in conditioner by Dr. Bonner which was all natural. It seemed to help a bit with tangles: Dr. Bronner - Lavender and Coconut Hair Conditioner
but I rarely use it anymore.UPDATE: If you want more info on shampoo bars, I posted another article about natural shampoo and reviewed a bar from Beauty and the Bees.
If you'd prefer something different but all natural try my DIY Herbal Hair Poo or this DIY Hair Gel Recipe
Disclaimer: I have not been paid or compensated in any way for this review. This is my opinion of the product.
Hello, I have long thick wavy hair. I have used this bar 3 times along with your ACV rinse (I have hard water). After my hair dries it has a waxy feel to it and I can barely get a brush through it. If I use my hand to flip my hair out of my face it creates tangles and it is taking me approx 20 minutes just to brush through all the tangles every day. Do you think this is something that will get better if I wait it out? Should I add more ACV to the rinse? I really want this to work out but the tangles and feel of my hair are not something I can do daily.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! My hair initially felt very waxy too-- thats the natural oils starting to come back and repairing your hair. It doesn't last forever-- don't worry!
DeleteI had some issues with tangles, but not as much as you are having-- bless your heart. I had been using a leave in conditioner by Dr. Bronner before I started the natural shampoo/ACV rinse and I used that which seemed to help my tangles. I'll add a link to this article if you want to give it a look.
But I also I think that you do need something more since you're having so many tangles. You may need to use more of the ACV rinse each shower or if you can up the ACV by 1 TBSP to the entire batch to see if that helps.
It took my hair about a month to balance out, but once it did-- it has been great so hang in there!
You can also try to make a detangling spray. Here is one recipe: http://www.justgrowalready.com/2013/11/diy-marshmallow-root-detangling-spray.html
I have been using Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar for about a week or so and when it is gone (it is a 0.85 oz bar) I am switching to the Liggetts. I have been having the waxy issues too and saw your solution. I gave it a try this morning and my hair is sooooooo much softer.
DeleteI have noticed that the natural bar makes my curls much more defined and a lot less frizzy!
Thanks for the advice (even if it wasn't aimed at me!)
Yay! That's awesome news! I'm so glad that you like the shampoo bar! I have noticed the same thing. I thought I had completely straight hair, but using the product now I have a bit of a beachy wave thing happening naturally and it's less frizzy! I'm so happy you're enjoying it. :)
DeleteThanks so much for replying, I will try all of your suggestions :). I really want this to work but I keep reading that shampoo bars don't do well with hard water but I'm not giving up. I love your blog by the way, thanks for all the great natural information.
ReplyDeleteI have just switched to using Dr. Bronner's castile soap on my hair (I plan to try Liggetts once I can find a local supplier), so my hair is gong through that initial transition phase. Your advice about the vinegar rinse and using a leave-in conditioner is much appreciated, though I hope I won't need those once my hair and scalp have adjusted to the change.
ReplyDeleteSo I am curious what you (and others) say when your stylist asks to wash your hair at the salon? My stylist is amazing with my cut - I wear it quite short and get it cut often - but she does not approve of natural hair care at all. (Win some, lose some, right?) She will freak out when I ask her not to wash my hair before my next cut! I will stand my ground with a smile, but I am still curious to ask about others' experiences with this. I suppose I can ask her just to give my hair a conditioning treatment instead.
By the way, switching to natural care products has been so eye-opening for me! I am getting to the point where the list of chemicals in commercial products almost makes me sick to my stomach. Why in the world do we let chemical companies tell us what beauty looks like - how did we let that happen? Why are we so susceptible to marketing that we have learned to ignore every signal we get from our bodies? Ugh, it is a nasty cycle... have a reaction, switch to the newest product, then do it all over again. It is really sad, isn't it? Anyway, thanks for all of your great information!
Haha! That's a good question! My stylist looked at me like I was crazy the first time I handed her my shampoo bar and ACV rinse. I had only been using the natural method a couple of weeks the first time I went to get my hair cut. My stylist actually lectured me on the benefits of using actual shampoo especially since my hair is naturally limp and dry--- until she saw the results 6 weeks later. She said she's amazed and that she had never seen such a drastic change in hair before. After 6 months of hearing my blabber and seeing my results she actually switched over to the natural way, too.
DeleteWow! Well said! I feel the same way about beauty products! It's appalling what has been given the okay for us to use on our bodies. I think it's no wonder that people are getting sicker and sicker as we use chemicals on our skin, in our foods and in our cleaning products. It's really scary when you think of the "what ifs" and I'm so glad that you're making a change! That's the whole reason I started this blog-- it makes me happy when I hear that people are seeing what's healthy and moving towards it!
Thanks for your feedback and I'm so glad that natural haircare is working for you! It's definitely one of the harder switches to make. I'd be interested in what you think about castile soap vs Liggetts once you give it a shot!
Thanks so much!
im thinking of switching, but I am concerned since I color treat my hair. is there one that is best to use on color treated hair?
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm glad you're thinking about switching to natural products! It's possible to do with colored hair, but it can be a bit harder transition. JR Liggett's says that they recommend their damaged hair shampoo bar for color treated hair, but I personally haven't tried it. I have a friend who uses Miessence Shampoo (it's a liquid, but it still uses a lot of the same ingredients as shampoo bars) and she loves it. It's still really safe, but she says that performs better on chemically treated hair or with hard water. I hear that Exactly! Organics is very similar to Miessence.
DeleteWith chemically treated hair, there is a 99% change that you will experience a detox because most color hair is damaged to a degree. It's likely that your hair will feel very dry and frizzy for a few weeks as it adjusts. It may knot easily. Using an apple cider vinegar rinse should help with that. It can last a few weeks as your hair detoxes, but afterwards i think you'll be really happy with the results!
I dyed my hair after my initial transition and my hair was dry for about 3-4 days, but then it went back to normal so don't fear! It shouldn't be something you have to do each time you color your hair. :)
I just want to thank you for all of this information. I started using JR Liggett's shampoo bar and your ACV rinse exactly a week ago. (I love thick, long, wavy hair.) The first three washes were terrible; my hair was really waxy and I was so relieved every time I hopped in the shower because it just felt disgusting. Then this past sunday my hair felt fine, but today I started getting the "purging," of old chemicals. There is a small amount of white buildup at the base of each of my hairs, and when rubbed off they feel like pieces of sand. If I hadn't read your blog and others like it, I would have stopped immediately for fear of causing damage to my hair. But now, it is oddly satisfying knowing that all those chemicals are finally finding their way out of my head. So thank you for the information, especially your reply to the anonymous question about colored hair (I am trying to help my mom go through this and she depends on me for research). Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel! That purge scared me, too! I had no idea what it was and I almost quit using the routine because I was scared of what was happening. I did some research and found out about the purge. I'm glad my experience helped you. :) It really does it A LOT better from this point on. That waxyness slowly eta better and as it does your hair will probably be even more wavy!
DeleteOh, I know about mothers. I do the same thing for mine! ;) Speaking of graying and colored hair… I am actually making my mom try Beauty and the Bees shampoo bar for blondes and grays to see how it works for the older generation. I just gave it to her recently, so I'm hoping to have a report on how it works in the next month. If there is anything in particular your mom is worried about or what's to change- let me know. I am always up for ideas for new experiments! ;)
I stumbled upon this product on Iherb and was immediately interested so here I am looking up reviews. I think yours may have just convinced me to try it.I am very apprehensive at the same time though, I've been meaning to give up regular shampoo for a long, long time but I dread the greasy in between stage!! I have relatively long hair but it's so thin I've been thinking of cutting it to get some volume but I might give this a go first. I think I will take the plunge and add this to my cart. Wish me luck ;-)
ReplyDeleteHello! It's great that you're thinking about switching to a shampoo bar!
DeleteI love being privy to a lot of different people's experiences on the web, so I can tell you that it's rarely as bad as you dream it may be! But you really won't know what your experience is going to be until you do it. Some people barely have a transition and others have quite drastic ones, but most people fall somewhere in the middle. Most people who use ACV rinses tend to have an easier time and it actually makes the transition go faster, so I'd definitely recommend trying one.
It sounds like you and I have very similar hair and if so, you will be absolutely amazed at how thick it will feel in a few weeks. I have A LOT of thin hair which has been pretty flat with regular shampoo, but using shampoo bars I have gotten more volume and body!
I just got a sample of Beauty and the Bees Shampoo Bar and that's definitely another brand to look at. Based on your hair type, you'd probably want their Beer Shampoo Bar (if you decided to try their brand), but they are both good companies.I love them both {sigh}
Some tips: 1) Since you have long hair, for the first few weeks, brush your hair a couple of times a day to distribute oil from the scalp to the shafts. It's best done by a soft brush if you have one. 2) Use an ACV rinse to help speed up the process of "detoxing" and also to rebalance your scalps pH. 3) Don't wash your hair every day. Give it time to figure out what it's doing-- only wash it when you need it (mentally or physically).
I hope this helps and I hope you let me know how it goes or if you have any questions in the process!! I'm excited to hear about your journey! :)
Sherri
Hi Sherri!
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog somewhat religiously for a few months now. I started using JR Liggett shampoo bars a few months ago after stumbling upon your blog in a search for non-toxic personal care alternatives since my husband has a mTBI and has become extremely sensitive to unnatural scents as a result (needless to say, I came for the review of shampoo bars and have stayed for all your other wonderful posts).
I'm on my second shampoo bar (I used the peppermint one first and now I've been trying the new coconut oil one) and I'm having a problem with what looks like dandruff. However, my scalp isn't itchy at all. I use an ACV rinse and even then I still have these little white specks (they're not really flakes..) in my hair until like.. day 3 post-wash. We have very hard water in our house, and I keep thinking that might be it but I'm not really sure. I've also done a coconut oil mask, but once I washed it out the little white flecks were back.
Any thoughts?
Also, I should report that my husband has also been using the shampoo bar or sometimes our Bronner's Castile Peppermint soap to wash his buzz-cut short hair and there are all sorts of flakes in his hair the day he washes it and even into the next day at times. Everyone else in the house (mother, sister, father) all use evvvviiillll commercial chemicals to clean their hair and have reported no similar problems.
Hi!! First, I have to thank you for all that flattery! I love it! You make me blush!! I'm really happy that you're enjoying the blog and that you asked me this great question. It's really important!
DeleteI think I know the answer to your problem! I had the same exact thing happen to me and it was quite confusing. I did some research and I found out that there is a "purging" period when you switch to a natural hair care where all the chemicals and build up get pushed out from around the follicle as your hair grows and you start to produce more oils. Gross, right?
It was white-ish, but not really flakey and it didn't itch at all-- sounds like how you described your situation! It's really hard to describe, right?! It's like dandruff, but not like dandruff. Such a vague description, but that's the best I can do!
It was the worst for me just a couple months after I started using natural hair care products, but then it calmed down and then went away completely. As for your family with the evvvviiillll commercial chemical shampoos (I love your description-- it made me giggle!), you won't find that reaction because the chemicals suppress the oil production in your hair which allow the build up to happen. As the oil gland learn to work-- out comes all the buildup!
Unfortunately there isn't too much to do about it because it has to come out. The length of time will depend on how quickly your hair grows, and how much of a build up had accumulated. Since your hubs has a buzz he could probably exfoliate his scalp periodically to help remove some of the dead skin which could help the transition move a little faster (and reduce the visible "flakes"), but probably no more than once a week so he doesn't get irritation.
Unfortunately with ladies it's harder to exfoliate because we have hair! The ACV actually helps quicken things a bit. I do hair masks, too, and they don't really seem to help unless I do a hot oil hair mask. It may be my imagination, but I think it opens up the oil glands. I started doing them towards the end of the "purge" so I don't know if they helped or if it was just coming to an end anyways.
I would heat the oil using a double boiler method, add any ingredients I wanted to the hot oil, and then put it on my scalp (if you do this just make sure it's warm and not HOT!) and really work it into the roots. I cover it with a hair cap, and then wrap a towel over it retain heat. I leave it on for at least 30 minutes, but up to an hour. It's really good for the hair shaft itself, but I hypothesize that the heat opens up the oil glands and could help to move out the chemicals. In fact, I'll work on a post soon about the hair mask. Where you heating up your coconut oil? I would be interested to know if you thought if there was any difference if you did.
I totally understand that this can be very annoying and confusing, so I'm glad you asked the question! I felt better after I knew what it was and I felt good about knowing that what I was seeing was an actual confirmation of chemicals leaving my body! I hope you feel the same way and you can use it as proof to the rest of your family that your "flakes" are totally cool and awesome. Maybe they'll even want to join you! :)
So sad.. I hit the wrong button and the internet ate my reply.
DeleteFirst: Thanks for the speedy response!
I had read your original comments about purging, but I wasn't sure if that was it or not because I'm at 4 1/2 months of using the shampoo bar. Hopefully it is and my scalp will stop soon :)
When I use the coconut oil, I do heat it up. It feels awesome, right? But I haven't done that in a while, so I need to get back into the habit. It makes sense that it would help clean our the oil glands, just like the oil-cleansing method (on my to-do list) for your face cleans out the pores there.
I will keep up my shampoo bar, ACV, and boar bristle brush attempts! If it doesn't clear up soon, back to the trouble-shooting board.
Argh! I hate when the internet gets hungry and eats comments!!
DeleteYou're welcome-- I try to be speedy. I have notifications on my phone, tablet and computer to alert me when I get comments because I love my readers!! And, I may also be looking for an excuse to stop doing homework {grins}
And YES! The hot oil treatment is AMAZING! I love it! I did one this morning and it made me soooo happy.
I was thinking about your comment from earlier and I wanted to suggest that if you don't seen an improvement soon, that maybe you may want to try a different shampoo bar. The JR Liggetts soap has a lye base which can be irritating to some people, but it's usually dermatitis-- which it doesn't sound like you have, but it may be drying to your scalp.
If you do decide to switch, I was contacted by a company called "Beauty and the Bees" and I have been trying their shampoo bar. They don't use a lye base and it's more moisturizing. I've been using their Beer Shampoo Bar for about a month and I really like it. I am THINKING about doing a Beauty and the Bees Giveaway with their shampoo bar sample kit and a few of their skin care/body care products. Would you be interested in something like that? I've never done a giveaway, but I want to do something for my readers-- I'm just trying to figure out what to giveaway!
Sorry.. I get easily distracted! Back to you...
I really do think you are going through "the purge", but I hate putting all my eggs in one basket. If you end up wanting to switch to something else, and you want some help, please shoot me an email so we can talk specifics about what you're looking for and I can send you some information about other shampoo brands I've heard good things about from other people. I've got a lot of random information in my brain-- hopefully it can help you!!
Please keep me updated!!
So bad that I'm at work doing this but I forgot to reply!
DeleteI noticed that my scalp is still dry and a little flaky every time I shampoo even with a ACV rinse (with tea tree and rosemary EOs in it). Day two it's fine and my hair actually looks pretty good the whole time, it's just my scalp (and I don't think anyone can really notice but it drives me craaaazy). I can also go up to three days now without shampoo-ing, so it's actually not the end of the world to have a slightly dry scalp twice a week. But I think the bar must be too drying for me because my wavy/curly hair is even a little dry on the ends.. hmmm.
I still have a good amount of my current shampoo bar left, but I have the Beauty and the Bees sample kit from Amazon sitting in my shopping cart there to try (I need to put the order in but I want too many things--like non-nano zinc oxide--at once so I need to prioritize). I love that they have a bunch of little bars that I can experiment with all summer. Of course, then I may have to re-experiment come winter when my hair is dryer, but that's okay!
I am going to add some more rosemary EO to the vinegar rinse I think, since I have it on hand. The Roman Chamomile sounds nice, but it's expensive! I want the good stuff, so I may have to wait to purchase that.
DeleteI LOVE the idea of a yogurt mask instead of the hot oil masks. I hate the grease monkey look! I end up having to shampoo my hair three or four times after an oil mask, which seems to somewhat defeat the purpose.
I also used more of the vinegar rinse the other day (not more vinegar in it, just more rinse) and I had a no-dandruff, good-hair day. So maybe I just wasn't using enough.
Thank you for always being so helpful :)
Oh! Yeah, the chamomile is expensive-- it's on my wish list, too!! But it's great because you can use it for a lot of skin applications and creams.
DeleteI bet you'll like the yogurt hair mask! You can also do coconut milk, too. Both are really great and although I'm sure you could rock the grease monkey look, you don't want to make all those other girls jealous! :)
I'm glad that you found the right amount of ACV rinse! I end up using quite a bit, too, but it's pretty cheap to make so that's okay! :) As long as that pesky dandruff stays away, right?!
You're welcome-- I'm happy to be helpful anytime :)
Hi, Just wondering have you tried black African soap for your hair?? I heard it's pretty good for face, but I'm not sure if it's good for hair or not
ReplyDeleteAs your blog about shampoo bar really motivate me to try, only not sure which shampoo bar should I try first :)
Hi! That's a really interesting question. I never even thought about using black soap for my hair. I'll definitely have to experiment {wink}
DeleteOh, Lardy! Picking a shampoo bar is some confusing business, isn't it?! There are so many to choose from and even just between the two different brands there are more than 10 options. It's enough to get a headache! I don't think JR Liggett or Beauty and the Bees are better than the other. They just provide some different services! If you need help, shoot me an email with your hair type and goals, and we can discuss! Sherri@overthrowmartha.com. If you have decided, then I hope you let me know which you picked and how it works!! :)
ReplyDeleteI've actually tried this shampoo bar method before with Chagrin Valley bars but later discovered that it was the hard water preventing me from succeeding. I am so determined to make this work and go at least 2 days without shampooing out of pure laziness so I'm going to invest the $1 a week to fill up my big water jug with purified drinking water to wash and rinse my hair with. so fancy right? Lol
How long would you say it took your scalp to adjust?
Also, what was your "recipe' for the ACV rinse that you used during the transition? I wasn't patient enough to experiment with the ratios to find what worked for me, but since it seems like I have a similar hair type that yours would be a good starting point.
Thanks!! I am so glad I found your blog btw. You've inspired me to give it another chance!
Ew. It seems like hard water really messes up the shampoo bar experience! You sound like you're determined now!! No hard water is going to keep you down! :)
DeletePersonally, it took my scalp about 3 weeks to adjust, but it varies from person to person. I've had a lot of people talk with me while they are going through their transition and it seems to vary from person to person. Some people are lucky and only need a couple of shampoos while other people are closer to a month. I think that's the hardest thing-- you don't know what to expect!
ACV really helps speed up the transition and keeps your scalp balanced. It's just really, really important to keep the ACV ration steady and if you need to only adjust it by 1 TBSP at a time. I've had some people use way too much ACV and end up causing more problems. You can use as much of the rinse as you want-- sometimes using ½ cup during transitions is good, but just keep the dilution ratio. I'll put the recipe link at the bottom of this comment
Shoot me an email (sherri@overthrowmartha.com) or another comment or question or if you have any question or want to talk about your shampoo/ACV experience :) I'd love to hear from you!
Here is the link to the ACV rinse:
http://www.overthrowmartha.com/2013/06/review-diy-lavender-tea-tree-oil-and.html
Thank you for the quick response! I will definitely keep you updated :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry!
ReplyDeleteI started to use the J.R.Liggett's Old-Fashioned Shampoo Bar two weeks ago without any conditioner and/or hair rinse. I like the way my hair looks so far - it doesn't feel waxy - or anything like that - on the opposite - it seems my hair became more voluminous and thicker. The only thing - in the foggy weather my hair is very frizzy - but it has always been this way, no surprise here. Do you think I should start doing ACV hair rinse as well? Or just using the bar would suffice?
Thank you so much!
Anna
Anna, I'm so happy to hear about your experience with the shampoo bar! That's awesome! :) You're so lucky that you didn't have much of a transition and your hair is already feeling thicker and more voluminous. That's awesome!
DeleteOh, yes, frizzy hair. That's my natural problem too. Some of that will decrease as the oils coat the hair and the shafts heal, but there are also some natural ways to combat it. You can do the ACV rinse, but I'd recommend using something like rosemary essential oil in the rinse to help coat the hair or dried lavender herb. You might want to do the ACV rinse at some point if your scalp starts to feel itchy or funny-- somethings the shampoo bars can alter the pH of the scalp so you can just use it when you feel like you need it.
The other thing you could do (and this is my favorite) is to get a little spray bottle and put a little rose water, vegetable glycerin, water and argan oil in it.
This is my recipe:
1 TBSP Vegetable Glycerin
2 TBSP Rose Water
1 TBSP Distilled Water
2-3 drops of argan oil.
It smells really lovely and it really helps tame the frizzes. I squirt it on after a shower and then if I think I need it later in the day. If you don't have all the ingredients, you don't really need them. The vegetable glycerin and argan oil help coat the hair with just a little oil to reduce frizzing, but plain rose water can help too-- I just like to mix it up because I think it works better that way!
Please let me know what you decide! :)
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI started using JR Liggett's shampoo bar since 5 days ago. I have the hair up to my waist. This washes have been terribles; my hair is really waxy and it feels disgusting specially because my hair used to shine a lot then I feel like it is dirty; on desperate moments (almost all time) I think on give up and return them (I ordered 6 bars because in my country it doesnt sell it), but sometimes I get a light of hope when I notice that some little parts of my hair shines again (or is just my imagination?).
I wrote to the company directly and they doesn't mention anything about the transition, they just said "Get the hair coated with shampoo, scrub it well and then rinse it right out and use enough shampoo to create a lot of suds..." ¿?
I have no idea if I'm using it in the correct way; I'm using it daily and I washes it twice (with the first shampoo I don't feel it really clean) and obviously I just have half of bar in 5 days! Can you advise me of how I have to wash it?
In the meantime I will start with the ACV rinse.
Thanks!
I'm so sorry you're having a hard time :( The transition can be very difficult. It's normal for the hair to feel waxy during the transition (mine did, too). It does take some time-- most people it is about a month for the hair to stabilize and return to a normal feeling and shine. But when you are through with your transition your hair will most likely feel thicker and fuller.
DeleteJR Liggetts does have minimal information on their website, which is a shame. If you look at other shampoo bar companies they address it.
The ACV rinse will help speed up the transition and make it less severe. I hope that you find it helpful.
I would not use the shampoo bar daily-- I would use it every 2-3 days so the hair can figure out how to balance itself. Washing it too often can prolong the transition and make the hair look and feel worse. You can shampoo twice in the shower if you like, but I would not wash your hair every day.
If you have any questions please let me know :)
I have been using my own home made olive oil soap bars exclusively on my hair for about 2 years now. I will never use shampoo again. I used to use ACV rinse, but now I don't use anything. I use an ionizing hair dryer sometimes. I can flat iron my hair without anything on it and it does not damage it. I have noticed that I have very minimal hair loss compared to when I used shampoo and conditioner.
ReplyDeleteHomemade olive oil soap bars? I'm intrigued. How do you make them? It sounds awesome!
DeleteHello (:
ReplyDeleteSo I literally just came out of the shower and it was my first time using this shampoo. Why is it that when i rinsed my hair after lathering it, my hands have a difficult time running itself through my hair? WIll it always be this way or is it just because this is my first time using it? I use the apple cider rinse afterwards and my hair feels pretty nice BUT this is the first time i used this shampoo so i'm sure there's a lot of difficulty to come. Thank you! (:
Yes Ma'am, my hair did the EXACT same thing. It gets better each wash-- it has to do with the hair being stripped of natural oils. Once the hair shafts start to repair and become lubricated with oils, then it will feel much, much better! I really suggest trying to not wash everyday if you can and to brush your hair A LOT to distribute the oils-- also a good scalp massage before showering doesn't hurt either. It helps to unclog any ducts. But you'll see improvements in a few days-- the faster you can get your scalp to start producing the oils like it's supposed to the shorter your transition will be :)
DeleteHi! I was curious — how often do you wash your hair, now that you're doing it naturally? I have been using a homemade shampoo, but I'm not a huge fan of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks :D
Megan, I wash my hair about twice a week-- every 3 to 4 days. The hair is definitely the hardest part. I've been trying to make my own DIY shampoo for readers who don't want to use the shampoo bar as well, but I can't seem to get a recipe that I really like either. It's sooo hard!! I do like the shampoo bars and they've worked well for me :)
DeleteThank you for the advice, I have aloe at home so I will definitely try and give myself a scalp massage next time I have to wash my hair. Thank you so much!! :o)
ReplyDeleteGermany is a nice place, you should really come and visit us one day! ;o)
What would you recommend for those who live in hot climates or who exercise regularly? I got my Ligget's bar this week but have had to wash my hair every day or every other day due to either going to the gym or sweating profusely in L.A. weather. Washing my hair only every 3 days or so (even after my hair gets used to the bar) just doesn't seem possible for me. Would the solution be to wash it with only the ACV wash certain days?
ReplyDeleteI've had the same waxy finish on my hair. Tried the ACV solution for the first time today and my hair felt normal for a few hours and then waxy again later. Still not as bad though, so I'm excited to keep trying it!
One thing I'm wondering too...if I ever use regular shampoo again, will it mess the whole process up? I'm thinking of when I get my hair cut at the salon and they wash it, or if I stay a friend's house and forget my bar, etc. I'm just wondering how bad it would be to occasionally cheat.
I live in Florida and honestly, I just wash my hair with water on some days and I usually add a little bit of essential oils to the water to help with cleaning and such. For me this works great-- it's very similar to the no 'poo idea except I use the shampoo bar once or twice a week. Using the ACV every day can cause a pH imbalance, so I wouldn't recommend that.
DeleteI have used regular shampoo before when I went to get my hair cut, and it was horrible, but there definitely was a change for about a week where I transitioned again. It wasn't nearly as drastic as the first time, but it's enough to make sure that I bring my shampoo bar to my hair salon from now on! ;)
Hey, Sherri! I'm so glad I found your blog!
ReplyDeleteSo, about a year ago I first heard about the "no poo method". I tried the baking soda and the ACV rinse. It started out fine. I liked how my hair was looking a weekor two into it but over time it began to get too dry. I eventually just quit because I was afraid my hair was going to dry out and be worse then it was before. I kept my eye out though because after learing what I had I wanted to lighten up on the harshness of shampoos.
Then I learned about shampoo bars. I was looking into trying one of J. R. Leggitt's bars but then I thought I'd read a few reviews before I placed an order. There are sooo many otions! I thought I'd ask for some advice, where should I start?
I have long hair past my shoulders, mostly straight but somtimes a little wavy. It's generally pretty flat. People say it's thick but I think it was thicker when I was a little girl. The ends aren't too dry anymore. I like to use coconut oil to moisturize my hair. My hair can get oily up top but my scalp has been dry latley, not sure why. What bar would you suggest? J. R. Leggit or Beauty and the Bee? Are there any other brands people recomend?
Thanks so much!
Jessica
Jessica, I would try Beauty and the Bees Beer shampoo if I were you ;) I have also heard that Chargin Valley has some great options for hair like yours as well, but I haven' tried them personally. I do love the beer shampoo bar and I think it's pretty amazing :)
DeleteThanks so much for your sharing! And everyone else's input. I just used my Liggett shampoo bar today and encountered the waxy feel. Frankly, I didn't do ANY research whatsoever before I bought the bar to try. I just liked that it claimed to have only the basic ingredients for clean hair. And it was a solid easy bar to tote around.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I appreciate your detailed support and won't give up on using the bar. The biggest effect I feel is how clean and light my scalp feels after washing.
I am on week 2 now... I used to use a boar bristle brush before I switched. Now I have stopped using it because it seems to strip the waxy oils from my hair. My brush is super sticky and it is a lint trap! I seem to have a whole bunch of build up on my hair. It has gotten slightly less waxy, but I am still unable to run my fingers through it. Do you suggest I switch brushes permanently, or do you think once my hair levels out I will be able to use the boar bristles again??
ReplyDeleteAre you using the ACV rinse as well? Everyone is different in how their hair reacts to the transition and the length of the transition, but there would be no reason as to why you couldn't use boar bristle brushes afterwards. :)
DeleteHow did you store this shampoo bar? I stored it in a soap box and unfortunately it turned into a jelly like consistency.
ReplyDeleteIt really shouldn't be stored anywhere wet or it basically melts! Eck! I keep mine in one of those wire soap racks that suction cup to the side of the glass and out of the stream of water. No problems if it's stored that way. :)
DeleteHi, I have just stumbled across this blog after trying to find out some more info on the JR Liggetts shampoo bars! I hope you can help! I have been wanting to go natural with shampoo for a while and after watching video's on youtube and researching online, I found the shampoo bars and couldn't wait to give them a try! I am in the UK so ordered online from an American company as they don't seem to sell them anywhere here!
ReplyDeleteSo I used the bar for the first time last night and the results are not good at all! My head looks like it has been dipped in a chip pan it is sooo greasy! It feels waxy, greasy, limp and very unmanageable! It didn't really lather at all but kept trying with it a few times in the shower until i could feel it had coated my hair. I rinsed well and used a small amount of natural conditioner on the ends to help with tangles and then rinsed again. My hair is naturally quite thick and i have lots of it. It is layered and passed my shoulders, it is also colour treated. It is usually really dry and I have to use products regularly to help with frizz. It is naturally wavy but i blow dry it straight.
I really don't want to give up on the bar but my hair looked so bad this morning like i hadn't washed it in mths! I have had to come to work with a plait in just so no one sees! Do you have any solutions or things I could try? I really don't want to go back to commercial shampoo's :( Please help! Thanks xxx
I'm sorry to hear about the greasy hair, but that really is quite common. Our hair is used to being stripped and is in a constant state of damage. It will be a bit crazy until it begins to fix itself and as yours is color treated it may take a bit longer to repair the damage. Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinses can help with this, but it still takes time.
DeleteBrushing your hair often and avoiding ALL chemical hair products was best for me. Henna Hair dye as a substitute for chemical hair dyes is also fantastic. I have two other blog posts on this site about Herbal Hair Shampoo and another about shampoo bars (beauty and the bees) which has some other tips as well. Hopefully they can be helpful to you. :)
Good luck!
Hi Sherri,
ReplyDeleteI've been using the J.R. Liggett shampoo bar for about a month now and recently I've noticed my scalp becoming itchy at times and what seems to look like dandruff?? Did you have this happen to your scalp?
I mentioned in the blog post that I had some dandruff like symptoms-- it's very common. Massaging the scalp before using the shampoo bar helps :)
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