Dryness, Buildup, Frizz & More: 4 Easy Shampoo Bar Recipes For Every Hair Concern

Shampoo bars, while sustainable and portable, often receive a bad rap—they're typically made using a saponification process, which increases the pH of oils and results in an extremely alkaline product. If you're well versed in the role of pH in beauty, you likely know alkaline hair products raise the cuticles, which can lead to dryness, frizz, and damage. 

But wait! That doesn't mean you must shy away from these eco-friendly products—just make your own at home. You should be picky about your shampoo bar, which might make the DIY venture way more appealing. You control what goes into your mold—all the hydrating ingredients, with none of the stripping players—to create a seriously heavenly lather. 

For a very basic bar, you'll at least need some sort of base, like lye or calendula wax. Tara Pelletier, product formulator and co-founder of Meow Meow Tweet, uses a method called "cold process soapmaking" for the brand's own vegan bar, but she says you can also use a glycerin melt and pour soap base, as long as you make sure the ingredients are pure and high-quality (here's a plant-derived option with plenty of hydrating ingredients). From there, you can sprinkle in your moisturizing oils, butters, and the like. "Add ingredients for your particular concerns according to the base instructions," she notes. 

Once your bars are dried solid, they're ready for the shower; either apply it directly to your hair or create a lather in your hands before scrubbing with your fingertips. If you do decide to apply it head-on, though, just remember to rub in small, circular motions—large circles can easily tangle the strands. Also make sure your strands (or hands) are wet enough to create a lather: "The idea is that a shampoo bar is waterless, but it does need water to distribute through your hair and rinse out properly. If it isn't spreading or lathering well, add more water!" says Pelletier.

And, again, curls deserve their own moment. Ringlets and coils can easily snarl, so it's best to use the lather method in your hands. And while each curly girl might follow slightly different shampooing schedules, you might want to use the bar sparingly. As Branch explains, "To maintain healthy curls, it's crucial to avoid overwashing, as doing so strips moisture from the strands."