If you hate the countless plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles that clutter up your shower know this: the environment hates them even more than you do.
Worryingly, the personal care and beauty industry produces more than 120 million units of packaging every year. And if you think that’s not that big a deal considering you can throw your empty bottles in your recycling can, think again.
The truth is that very little plastic can be recycled. In fact, Greenpeace recently reported that out of the seven different types of plastic used in consumer goods, only two them (#s1 and 2) can legitimately claim to be recyclable in the US. The rest just ends up in landfill or gets dumped in our oceans where over a million marine animals die as a result of plastic pollution.
Mic. Drop.
The good news is that not all of your plastic hair products have such dire consequences.
In fact, many are manufactured from high-density polyethylene which fits into the #2 category, so they can legally be recycled. You know that number you often see on your plastic bottles? The one that has a triangle of arrows around it? Well, that’s its plastic specification. One and two? Good? Three to seven? Not so much.
Of course, some companies don’t even tell you whether their packaging is recyclable or not (although if they don’t make that claim, you can be pretty sure it’s going to end up in landfill!).
So what’s the best way to ensure you’re doing your bit to cut out single-use plastics and help reduce the amount of plastic pollution that ends up in our oceans?
Thankfully, there are tons of plastic-free options that help to not only look after our world, but to look after your hair at the same time. Which is important, right? It’s all well and good doing everything you can to be environmentally-conscious, but you don’t want to waste your money on cruddy shampoo and ineffective conditioner that your hair hates.
Which is why we’re in love with the latest array of bar shampoos and conditioners currently filling our social feeds and Google searches.
What Are Bar Shampoos & Conditioners?
While traditional shampoos and conditioners come in plastic bottles and are filled with liquid formulations that often get wasted – how hard is it to use every last scrap? – their bar counterparts are exactly what they say on the tin. Or in this case, exactly what they say on their eco-friendly cardboard box!
They’re solid (like soap), usually wrapped in paper or cardboard and you get to use every single bit of it until it’s literally shrunk to nothing in the palm of your hand. What’s more, most bar formulas equate to somewhere between three and five bottles of regular shampoo or conditioner. So they save you $$$s as well. Result!
Granted, bar shampoos take a bit of getting used to because they often don’t lather as much as traditional ones. But that’s not such a bad thing because it means they’re gentler on your hair and don’t contain all those harsh surfactants which can strip your locks of essential oil and moisture.
Don’t be fooled though, these babies will still clean and condition your hair effectively. But only if you choose the right ones, of course.
Keep scrolling for three of our current faves…
1. Great For All Hair Types: Viori Hidden Waterfall Hair Shampoo & Conditioner Bar
Handcrafted with Longsheng rice to nourish, repair and strengthen all hair types, these gorgeous hair care bars were inspired by the women of the Red Yao tribe who are known for their luscious, long hair. They are packaged absolutely beautifully and the shampoo, in particular, is almost too pretty to use. But please do; you won’t regret it.
Thousands of reviews prove that these are up there as some of the best solid shampoos and conditioners you will ever have the privilege to use! They’re also cruelty-free, plastic-free, completely sustainable and perfectly pH balanced. And if all that sounds too good to be true, we have one final thing to say, it isn’t.
2. Best For Curly Hair: Ethique Professor Curl-Defining Solid Shampoo & Curliosity Conditioner Bar
A big favorite in the solid hair care world, Ethique began way back in 2012 and now includes over 100 plastic-free products to crush your every hair need. Whatever your hair desire, it has you covered, but a particular favorite of ours is this curl-caring duo.
Excellent for all types of curl, coil and textured hair this perfect partnership uses castor oil to help dissolve oil and impurities without killing your hair with lather. Shea butter, cocoa butter and glycerine also provide your curls with all the moisture it needs – with zero weight.
3. Fabulous For Oily Scalps: J. R. Liggett’s Tea Tree & Help Oil Shampoo Bar
If you have oily hair, the thought of forgoing all that lather might fill you with dread. But honestly, give this fan-favorite a try. Gentle enough to be used every day, it harnesses the power of detoxifying, anti-bacterial tea tree oil to cleanse and purify your scalp. This comes combined with olive, almond and hemp oils to nourish and fortify.
What’s more, coconut oil helps give you the lather you crave for. We love that combination. This shampoo bar has also been shown to work pretty effectively against dandruff and an itchy scalp. Follow it with the brand’s just-as-good Conditioner Bar for healthy, clean hair every time you wash.
But Is Plastic-Free Shampoo & Conditioner Enough?
Switching out your plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles for plastic-free options is a great step, but it doesn’t stop there. What about the rest of your hair care routine? Your styling and finishing products, for example? And even your hair brush?
Read on for five of other sustainably packaged hair products we love right now…
1. Superzero Solid Hair Treatment
Conditioners are awesome, but sometimes hair needs that little bit extra. Vacations in the sun, weeks of intense AC, maybe too many nights of partying, all these things can add up to extra dry lengths and frizzy ends. Well, that’s when this multi-use, plastic-free hair treatment comes into its own.
Free of many hair nasties like sulfates and silicones, this powerful moisturizing treatment is incredible when applied to dry or damp hair and used like a serum to tame frizzies and smooth strands. Alternatively, you can apply it to dry hair and leave it overnight for an intense hair mask. Either way, you will not be disappointed.
2. Kitsch Hair Wax Stick
Not only is this beauty made right here in the USA and packaged neatly in biodegradable FSC-certified paper, but it’s also Leaping Bunny approved and totally vegan. That’s quite a feat for a hair styling product, btw.
Furthermore, it’s a great finishing wax that helps tame, smooth and control your hair without feeling too great. And the thing we love most of all? It’s super lightweight on your hair and smells of almost nothing.
3. Zero Waste Store Bamboo Hair Brush
It’s easy to forget about hair tools like brushes and combs because, after all, you use them for a very long time. Still, why go plastic when you don’t have to? We’re big fans of wooden hair brushes because they look way better on your bathroom shelf and feel super gentle on your hair.
And this gorgeous paddle brush is no exception. Its handle and bristles are made from bamboo, while its cushioned base is natural rubber. Plastic? What plastic? It’s completely plastic free and is comfortable to hold, feels fabulous to use, and detangles and styles your hair with zero damage.
4. Jack Henry Hair Paste
This cruelty-free styling paste is a big favorite at TH HQ! It’s non-greasy and packed with plant and protein extracts to hydrate and nourish your hair while adding hold, texture, definition and shine.
That’s what we call one helluva styling product! What’s more it gets shipped in plastic-free packaging and comes in a recyclable glass jar. Just remember to wash it out before recycling.
5. Lumi Dry Shampoo Powder
Most dry shampoos come in aerosol cans which be just as bad for the environment as plastic containers. How so? Well aerosols contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contribute to air pollution, affect cloud formation and encourage global warming.
The good news is that not all dry shampoos come in spray-on aerosols. Or plastic bottles! This 100 percent natural formulation is packaged in cardboard and contains just three ingredients – arrowroot powder, kaolin and raw cacao powder. It also comes in three variants depending on your hair color. Oh and, important stuff, it works!