How To Use: Cold Process Shampoo and Conditioner Bars

Some people love them, some people hate them - but if you're curious about cold process shampoo and conditioner bars, keep reading! We will cover how to use them, the difference between cold process and store-bought bars (often called "syndet" bars), and how to find the right fit for your hair.

First, what's the difference?

Cold process shampoo and conditioner bars are made like traditional soap, using oils and lye. These bars have a different pH level to your hair (because of the saponification process; turning oils into soap), and so an apple cider vinegar rinse is necessary to ensure your hair isn't left feeling dry.

Sydnet bars (which is the shampoo bars you typically see in shops likes coles - Ethique is a great example of a syndet bar) are solid bars that are made with surfactants (ingredients that help create lather) and detergent, which can be gentler on the hair due to being pH-balanced. These bars work more like liquid shampoo, so they're ideal for a variety of hair types, or those with sensitive scalps.

How to use:

1. Wet your hair thoroughly

2. Rub the shampoo bar over your head and massage in, focusing on your scalp. Rinse thoroughly.

3. Rub the conditioner bar over your scalp and massage it through to the ends of your hair. Rinse with water.

4. Finish off with an apple cider vinegar rinse

   If you find your hair feeling a little drier than you'd like, you can do a second apple cider vinegar rinse.

   
   

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse Recipe: (I keep mine in a spray bottle in the shower and spray it over my hair at step 4)

Mix 1 - 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water. You can either mix it in a bowl and pour the whole mixture over your head, or alternatively spray it evenly over your head from a spray bottle.

And not to worry! The apple cider vinegar rinse doesn't leave you smelling like vinegar!

Cold process shampoo and conditioner is a great natural alternative, but not all bars are the same, and results can vary depending on your hair type! I love using them, but I don't have curls - so it may be that you need to adjust the routine for it to suit you. I recommend starting with a sample to see how your hair reacts - and giving it a few washes to really judge the results! Cold process shampoo and conditioner do have an adjustment period, so don't give up after one use!

Have you tried cold process shampoo or conditioner bars yet? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below - or feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Hannah

Owner and maker of Raw Beauty Apothecary