Shampoo Bars, questions before making

[Zing]

Dear crafty people, Can I please hear from experienced shampoo bar makers? I make cold process soap and am now getting requests for shampoo bars. I've got a lotta totally noob questions! How do you use them? If you've made cold process soap, how does it compare to making them? In the shower, do you store it in a container or a soap dish? Do you make individual molds or one large one and then cut them? Is there a cure time, etc. OR just give me a link to a real good URL or YouTube or a post on here. I'd appreciate it!

I'm open to making them but likely won't use them -- my hairstyle is what I like to call "low maintenance" which is better than saying the b--- word. Thanks and enjoy your weekend,

 

[Cellador]

It depends on how you define "shampoo bar."
A lot of soap makers like to make a soap that's formulated to be "good for hair." Unfortunately, a lot of the science on this matter indicates that no soap is good for hair due to it's high pH.
On the other hand, you have other shampoo bars which are formulated with Syndets (synthetic detergents), and if made correctly, they are safe and beneficial to your hair.
So, I guess my question is which type are you interested in making or getting requests for?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You make CP Shampoo Bars the same way you make CP. The really important difference is you must rinse with increasingly cool water until it is as cold as you can stand it (think "Viking") to get all the soap scum out and close the hair shaft. Follow with an ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse to restore the acid mantle of the scalp. There is also an adjustment period for your hair to get used to bar soap vs. syndet shampoo and other hair products. This isn't true for everyone, but it took a year for me to get used to it.

As far as lathering up is concerned, you can either rub the bar all around your head or lather up and use your hands to work the soap into the hair.

Here's my favorite recipe for a CP bar with an elegant feel that sold well for my wholesale customer for years. Seniors especially loved it. It left DH's white hair shiny white with no yellow tone:

62.5% palm or lard
23% olive oil (I use pomace)
14.5% PKO (Palm Kernel Oil)
1/2 Tablespoon White Kaolin Clay (optional) PPO

Equal parts lavender, rosemary and tea tree essential oil blend is good for hair, but any great smelling FO would probably sell better.

Read more about the benefits of Shampoo Bars on the Chagrin Valley Site. Links:

Why Use A Natural Shampoo Bar?
Everything About Shampoo Bar

PS: This subject has been discussed many times. You can use the search box top-right of the page to read more.

It depends on how you define "shampoo bar."
A lot of soap makers like to make a soap that's formulated to be "good for hair." Unfortunately, a lot of the science on this matter indicates that no soap is good for hair due to it's high pH.
On the other hand, you have other shampoo bars which are formulated with Syndets (synthetic detergents), and if made correctly, they are safe and beneficial to your hair.
So, I guess my question is which type are you interested in making or getting requests for?

Well said.

 

[cmzaha]

I am on the side of not using soap as shampoo and would absolutely not consider selling soap as shampoo. If you want to risk damage to your own hair it is up to you. As a retired long-time cosmetologist I do not agree with the use of soap, the ph is just too high and the risk of damage to possible especially to long hair which is seldom cut.

Chas Dean with Wen products tried that route with all-natural shampoo and was sued big time. He ended up settling and never claimed negligence. His original liquid shampoo was a lye-based shampoo and the records of such shampoo have also disappeared, I just remember reading the ingredient list when it first appeared on the market and mentioning it to my husband. I remember commenting it was a bad shampoo.

 

[AmandaLRF]

On YouTube Royalty Soaps does a video on making shampoo bars and lists the resources she used in creating her recipes.

 

[shunt2011]

I’m another who does not recommend CP soap for hair. I tried it several years ago and it totally ruined my hair. It went from shoulder length to darn near a pixie. Now, my ex-husband has and still does use it but he’s a one and done kind of guy and doesn’t have a lot of hair to begin with. I’ve been playing with syndet shampoo bars and will consider selling those but I’m still in the beginning phase of formulating etc.

Some will tell you CP is awesome for them but it’s a risk in my opinion. If you sell make sure you have insurance.

 

[Zing]

Thanks, all, very helpful comments. Before I posted I did a search here and got overwhelmed with various acronyms, unfamiliar chemicals, debates about everything, etc. I'm not nor never will be a seller -- friends and me are looking for ways to reduce using plastic containers. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Before I posted I did a search here and got overwhelmed with various acronyms, unfamiliar chemicals, debates about everything, etc. I'm not nor never will be a seller -- friends and me are looking for ways to reduce using plastic containers.

My thoughts exactly. I didn't learn to make all-natural bath & body products to use chemicals on my hair & body. Using less plastic is an added benefit! My thoughts on the use of CP soap as shampoo are best expressed in this thread, post #6

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/shampoo-bars.68585/#post-679463

If you want help or feedback in designing a CP shampoo bar, there is a forum for that

RECIPE FEEDBACK

 

[Jennifer Horne]

On YouTube Royalty Soaps does a video on making shampoo bars and lists the resources she used in creating her recipes.

If i am not mistaken Katie bought that recipe and does not share it (or maybe thats the bathbomb video?)

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thanks, all, very helpful comments. Before I posted I did a search here and got overwhelmed with various acronyms, unfamiliar chemicals, debates about everything, etc. I'm not nor never will be a seller -- friends and me are looking for ways to reduce using plastic containers. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Hi Zing - I recently made my first batch of syndet shampoo bars and have been trialling them on my hair (and a couple of friend volunteers). Today I intend to make another batch with a few 'tweaks' that I think will improve it. I'm more than happy to share my recipe with you, with reasons why I use, or exclude, various ingredients. I'm still very new to this, so if you would like to use my recipe you will also be 'testing' it as I don't make any claims as to its efficacy.
In NZ we have a serious push towards not using plastics, so shampoo bars are all the go at the moment. Initially I had a hard time reconciling my goals of 'natural' and 'palm free' soap when embarking on the syndet shampoo bar journey. I've had to break all my own 'rules', except the one of reducing plastics - which seems to be everyone's most important goal right now.

 

[paradisi]

My thoughts exactly. I didn't learn to make all-natural bath & body products to use chemicals on my hair & body. Using less plastic is an added benefit! My thoughts on the use of CP soap as shampoo are best expressed in this thread, post #6

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/shampoo-bars.68585/#post-679463

Soap has chemicals too, you know. And lye isn't all natural. It's disappointing to see people disparaging others' products on such an unscientific basis.

Loads of us make and use both soap and syndets, there ought to be room for both here. And the chase of whose product is more righteously packaged seems equally unedifying. Prefer soap? Fine. Prefer syndets? Fine too.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Zing - just made:

 

[dibbles]

@KiwiMoose those look nice. Did you use the same recipe or do a tweak on the first one you made? What do you think so far?

 

[KiwiMoose]

@KiwiMoose those look nice. Did you use the same recipe or do a tweak on the first one you made? What do you think so far?

Hi Dibbles,
I'm using the first recipe now in my shower - and it seems absolutely fine, with my two testers thinking the same. No irritation and we're happy with the way our hair feels. But how longs do you test before it's safe to send further afield? What if my hair falls out in 6 months?
For this second recipe I made today I have added - vegetable silicone, DLS and Capryl Glucoside and changed the ratio of some of the other ingredients.

 

[dibbles]

Hi Dibbles,
I'm using the first recipe now in my shower - and it seems absolutely fine, with my two testers thinking the same. No irritation and we're happy with the way our hair feels. But how longs do you test before it's safe to send further afield? What if my hair falls out in 6 months?
For this second recipe I made today I have added - vegetable silicone, DLS and Capryl Glucoside and changed the ratio of some of the other ingredients.

These syndet bars interest me, but I think I just might have to buy one. I don't know how long you test something like this before you know it's good to go.

 

[KiwiMoose]

These syndet bars interest me, but I think I just might have to buy one. I don't know how long you test something like this before you know it's good to go.

I guess on the plus side - it's no worse than the ingredients in my current commercial shampoo - in fact it's likely better because I've not included some the sulphates and other 'questionable' ingredients.

 

[earlene]

Hi Dibbles,
I'm using the first recipe now in my shower - and it seems absolutely fine, with my two testers thinking the same. No irritation and we're happy with the way our hair feels. But how longs do you test before it's safe to send further afield? What if my hair falls out in 6 months?
For this second recipe I made today I have added - vegetable silicone, DLS and Capryl Glucoside and changed the ratio of some of the other ingredients.

I'd take into account how some members here have described their own experience with shampoo bars on their hair and the result they have had and factor in the amount of time it took them to determine they either had to cut off their hair or whatever, and test for at least that long. I don't specifically remember without going back and re-reading some of those threads. In some cases, I recall several months, in some sooner, maybe in some longer, I am not sure. But that's what I would do when trying to determine if it's been tested long enough.

 

[atiz]

I would wait a few months as well. I'm not a formulator, but have made (and been using) some shampoo recipes of others whom I trust and those have been working well for me. If I did formulate, I would make sure to pH test my bars and adjust the pH if necessary -- that seems to be important for hair. I would also use it at least for a year before trying to sell any.

 

[Gaisy59]

Hi Zing - I recently made my first batch of syndet shampoo bars and have been trialling them on my hair (and a couple of friend volunteers). Today I intend to make another batch with a few 'tweaks' that I think will improve it. I'm more than happy to share my recipe with you, with reasons why I use, or exclude, various ingredients. I'm still very new to this, so if you would like to use my recipe you will also be 'testing' it as I don't make any claims as to its efficacy.
In NZ we have a serious push towards not using plastics, so shampoo bars are all the go at the moment. Initially I had a hard time reconciling my goals of 'natural' and 'palm free' soap when embarking on the syndet shampoo bar journey. I've had to break all my own 'rules', except the one of reducing plastics - which seems to be everyone's most important goal right now.

Hi KiwiMoose I would definitely be interested in your recipe. My supplies haven’t arrived yet so I haven’t tried my recipe. I’m glad you didn’t use sulphate but I see you took the step to a silicone. Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

[Zing]

Hi Zing - I recently made my first batch of syndet shampoo bars and have been trialling them on my hair (and a couple of friend volunteers). Today I intend to make another batch with a few 'tweaks' that I think will improve it. I'm more than happy to share my recipe with you, with reasons why I use, or exclude, various ingredients. I'm still very new to this, so if you would like to use my recipe you will also be 'testing' it as I don't make any claims as to its efficacy.
In NZ we have a serious push towards not using plastics, so shampoo bars are all the go at the moment. Initially I had a hard time reconciling my goals of 'natural' and 'palm free' soap when embarking on the syndet shampoo bar journey. I've had to break all my own 'rules', except the one of reducing plastics - which seems to be everyone's most important goal right now.

Yes, please, I'd love your recipe and rationales. You are my soaping idol, @KiwiMoose !