Your Hair Cares

One of the first rooms I noticed the most waste being produced was the bathroom. The soap dispenser, face washes, lotions, toothpaste, tooth brush, combs, loofahs and the list goes on. I was shocked by the amount of plastic in my bathroom and I was more shocked by how many of those products I didn't even use. Finding personal care products you like is hard but finding wasteless personal care products you like is even harder.

I decided to first tackle the 15 bottles of shampoo and conditioner I had in the shower. I came across shampoo and conditioner bars. For those of you who are not familiar, imagine a bar of soap that is made out of shampoo or conditioner. I was really excited to see this as an option but quickly found out that like bottles of shampoo/conditioner, there are so many options.

Before I share my thoughts on each one, let's look at some numbers. On average, 552 million bottles of shampoo are thrown out each year in the United States alone. Think of how many bottles of shampoo and conditioner are being thrown out each year, world wide! Now, I know what you are thinking: it's fine because I recycle the bottles when I am done. First of all, do you really take the time to walk that bottle of shampoo from the shower to the kitchen, rinse it out, and properly recycle it? The truth is probably not. But even if you do, have you checked that the particular brand you purchased is accepted by your recycling program? Remember, the best thing we can be doing is REDUCING, because that is a guarantee.

Okay, time for the products. Here is a list of shampoo bars my husband and I tried, each washing our hair daily on average.

1. Ethique. This bar is made from biodegradable ingredients and comes in a compostable wrapper. I purchased mine from Amazon which means it is shipped in a plastic wrapper but hey, I tried. This bar cost me $16 and lasted 2 months. We liked this shampoo a lot but felt it didn't last as long as a bottle of liquid shampoo would, especially for that price. If I were to purchase it again, I would buy it directly from their website because they ship the bars in compostable packaging including paper tape, cardboard boxes and paper filler.

2. Beauty and the Bees. This bar is made from natural ingredients and comes in a compostable cardboard box. I also purchased this one from Amazon... I used to have an Amazon problem. This one cost $13.95 and lasted 2 months. We did not like this bar as it left our hair feeling waxy. It is sold out on Amazon but you can buy it and similar products here.

3. J.R. Liggetts. This bar is made from natural ingredients and comes in a biodegradable wrapper. I purchased it on Amazon for $6.99 for one bar and then because we really liked it I bought the three pack for $14.50. These bars last over 3 months and we both really like the way they lather and feel. You can find these in stores using their store locator or on their website.

4. Meow Meow Tweet. This bar is made from all natural ingredients and shipped in compostable paper. I purchased this bar from Package Free Shop for $12 almost 3 months ago and we are about half way through the bar. This is by far our favorite shampoo bar from the list as it leaves our hair feeling soft and clean but not stripped.

Here is a list of conditioner bars my husband and I tried, each conditioning our hair daily on average.

1. Ethique. I purchased this bar at the same time as the shampoo listed above. It was $18 and lasted 6 months. We really liked this conditioner and felt it did a great job. Trust me, I DEPEND on conditioner.

2. Unwrapped Life. I purchased this bar from Package Free Shop for $14 almost 3 months ago and we are about 1/4 through the bar. This one is also a hit! I would say it is similar to Ethique but I appreciate the shipping practices of Package Free Shop so I will opt for this one in the future.

Overall, making the switch to shampoo and conditioner bars might sound daunting but you don't have to tackle it all at once. Wait until you are running out of a product, look at the bars I have listed above and see if maybe one of them will fulfill what you seek in a hair care product. It might feel unnatural at first because many of you are accustomed to using liquid shampoo/conditioner rather than rubbing a bar on your head. Just remember it is only a different way of getting the shampoo to your head- the lathering, rinsing, and results are all the same regardless of your hairs length and texture.

Please note all my bars have been purchased online because no stores in my area carry them- make sure to check your local stores for shampoo and conditioner bars.