What is solid shampoo? How do you use it? Which one should you choose? Why is it better? When you think about changing your hair care habits and routine, a lot of questions can come up. We’re here to explain everything you need to know to make the switch to solid shampoo with confidence.
What is it?
Very trendy in recent years, it has established itself as the ideal alternative to traditional shampoo. Unlike its conventional counterpart, solid shampoo contains a small amount of water. It is much more environmentally friendly as it doesn’t require the use of plastic and unnecessary packaging. But that’s not all! Solid shampoo, like organic and vegan cosmetic products, is better for our hair, and also for the environment. As it is free from chemical preservatives, it is much gentler on your hair. What more could you ask for?
Why use it?
For years, we have been used to conventional liquid shampoos, so why change now? Here are a few good reasons that should be enough to convince you.
More environmentally-friendly than conventional shampoo
Due to its packaging, conventional shampoo leads to 174 million plastic bottles being thrown away in France every year. Fortunately, ELENATURE only uses recycled and/or recyclable plastic packs. Solid shampoo comes with reduced packaging, often made from recyclable or biodegradable cardboard or seed paper. In addition, it contains a small amount of water, it is free from any chemical preservatives which could be toxic to the environment…
Natural ingredients
Unlike conventional hair products, which are mostly packed with sulphates, silicone, and parabens, solid shampoo very often contains only healthy ingredients of natural origin. At Elenature, we make sure we offer you products and solid shampoo that are highly concentrated in ingredients of natural origin, such as our solid shampoo, which is made of 99.9% ingredients of natural origin, making them gentler for your skin and hair.
Cheaper
Solid shampoo is better for the environment, for your hair, and for your wallet! A bar of solid shampoo can be used for around twice as many hair washes as a bottle of conventional shampoo. Even if the price is slightly higher (this doesn’t concern ELENATURE), solid shampoo lasts a lot longer and will help you make savings in the long term. Moreover, its format is practical and easy to slip into your suitcase and carry everywhere with you.
How to choose your solid shampoo?
If you have already done a bit of research, you will have noticed that there are many different varieties of solid shampoo, and it can sometimes be difficult to know which one to go for.
First and foremost, look at the ingredients to ensure the shampoo contains primarily natural ingredients. The more natural a product is, the better it is for your hair. Don’t forget to check this carefully because a solid shampoo is not necessarily synonymous with a natural one. Some contain surfactants made from petrochemicals, making them harsh and harmful for our locks.
Labels and certifications can also be a good guarantee of quality. Look out for shampoos carrying the Cosmébio, Ecocert, or Vegan Society labels, which you can be sure will be clean and environmentally friendly.
Try to use mild surfactants. Surfactants are make a lather and wash the hair. Avoid SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) at all costs and instead go for milder alternatives such as Sodium Coco Sulfate or Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Lastly, make sure you pick a shampoo that is suited to your hair type. Solid shampoo for dry hair with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients should be avoided if you have oily hair and vice versa.
How to use your solid shampoo properly?
Unlike liquid shampoo, you is it like soap.
Once your hair is wet, rub the shampoo over your scalp to make a lather. Some products don’t lather as much as traditional shampoo, but don’t worry, this is normal! Some natural surfactants don’t lather up as much as those derived from petrochemicals. This is not a problem. Contrary to what you might think, the amount of foam you see is not a measure of effectiveness.
It is useless to stress the lengths, which would tend to weaken the hair fiber.
Once you have washed your hair, don’t forget to let the shampoo bar dry in a dry place to make it last longer. Ideally, keep it in a soap dish so it dries properly or hang it in a net to store it in the best conditions! The new alternative is to use a magnetic soap dish made of a metal insert and a magnetic suction cup that you stick to the wall of the bathroom.
Lastly, to make the switch to solid shampoo as smooth as possible, you could start by alternating between liquid shampoo and solid shampoo so the transition is not too abrupt and to give your hair time to get used to this new routine.
