What is a Shampoo Bar?
This is a very common question I get asked. I must confess, when customers kept asking me to make them, I was a little dubious at first. I’d seen them made by Lush and Ethique and noticed how popular shampoo bars were from those companies, but I’d never really tried one myself. As a young adult I suffered quite severely with scalp psoriasis, so I’m very particular about the shampoos I use, and I kept thinking, “a shampoo bar won’t lather up as much as a liquid shampoo” and “my scalp psoriasis is going to return.” It turns out I was wrong — and pleasantly surprised by the results.
So, what is a shampoo bar? Basically, a shampoo bar is a solid, concentrated version of a liquid shampoo — it contains the same cleansing ingredients but without the added water and without the plastic bottle it usually comes in, making it a compact, leak-proof, travel-friendly and more eco-conscious alternative.
Shampoo bars will do exactly the same as liquid shampoos and, when formulated effectively, they will offer the same benefits to the hair and scalp — such as gentle cleansing, added volume, protective nourishment, softening, and a healthy natural shine.
A shampoo bar may look like any other bar of soap, but it’s formulated specifically for use on your hair and scalp, with pH-balanced ingredients chosen to be gentle, nourishing and kind to both scalp and strands.
After completing my Natural Haircare Formulation course, I learned a great deal about the physiology of the hair and why pH-balanced ingredients are so important — more on this later.
I also discovered that there are so many wonderful plant-based, natural ingredients you can add when formulating a shampoo bar; each offers beneficial properties for both scalp and hair. Think nourishing oils and butters, mineral-rich clays, calming botanicals, strengthening proteins and carefully chosen essential oils.
With so many excellent options, deciding which to include became a delightful challenge.
Are Wild Māra Shampoo Bars Soap Free?
YES!!!!! Wild Māra Shampoo Bars are SOAP FREE!
They are formulated with very mild, sulphate-free surfactants called sodium cocoyl isethionate, SCI for short, and cocamidropopyl betaine, CABP, which are naturally derived from coconuts. Surfactants give the shampoo bar its cleansing and lathering properties.
Conditioning ingredients are also used, such as BTMS and cetyl alcohol — they may sound scary, but in fact they’re plant-derived and gentle (and contain no alcohol). These ingredients help give the shampoo bar its conditioning, protective, hydrating and manageable qualities, leaving hair softer, smoother and easier to style.
Because shampoo bars are soap-free, there is NO acidic (apply cider vinegar) rinse needed afterwards & NO transition period is required.
What do you mean by pH balanced?
Let me explain why this is important!
Our hair is naturally acidic, so it likes acidic products. It has a pH of about 5. Natural cold process soap has a pH of around 8 - 10, making it very alkaline, which is not suitable for haircare.
An alkaline product will make the hair cuticles (the outer part of your hair) lift & become swollen, making hair more prone to dryness, frizz, breakage & damage (photo on the left).
The ideal hair pH is 4.5 - 5.5, slightly acidic. So when I use mild surfactants like SCI & CAPB to make my shampoo bars, I can achieve a more balanced pH of 5 - 6.
Thus, helping to tighten & smooth the hair cuticles (photo on the right), making the hair feel softer, shinier, healthier & maintaining the scalp’s natural oils, reducing hair loss & breakage.
Microscopic photo of a swollen hair cuticle.
Microscopic photo of a smooth hair cuticle.
Star Botanical’s used in Wild Māra Shampoo Bars:
Horsetail - “Equisetum arvense” - an amazing botanical which is rich in minerals such as silica & selenium. In terms of hair, it strengthens & improves elasticity of the hair fibre, adds sheen & texture, helps regulate hair growth, provides a healthy scalp due to it’s anti-inflammatory properties & stimulation of cellular turnover.
Stinging Nettle - "Urtica Dioca". Rich in vitamins & minerals such as Vitamins A, B, C, D & E and minerals folate, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and manganese. Giving hair purifying & anti-inflammatory properties. Great for oily hair & to improve shine. Nettle also contains silica, making hair stronger and promoting hair growth by boosting blood flow
Horsetail botanical
Other amazing Ingredients used:
Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter
Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, Broccoli Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil
Rice Protein, Oat Protein
Panthenol (vitamin B5) , Vitamin E
Natural Clays, Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils & Botanicals
So depending on your hair type or hair/scalp concern, the amazing natural ingredients above are what you will find in a Wild Māra Shampoo bar.
Eco-friendly, Zero-waste, Sustainable.
One 60g Wild Māra shampoo bar replaces up to three plastic bottles of liquid shampoo. It contains NO water, unlike liquid shampoo & it’s ingredients are mild yet super concentrated so you don’t need to use a lot. Fantastic for travelling, as it’s compact & easy to pack. Plus the best part is that shampoo bars are zero waste, so better for our environment.
“Just wanted to let you know how much I’m enjoying using your soap. I’m currently using the shampoo & conditioner bars. I love the fragrance & the quality is brilliant. The hair bars have surprised me, the shampoo bar lathers up a lot more than I expected and the conditioner bar is equally as good. My hair is curly & quite dry, the conditioner does an excellent job. No frizzy result……….Kate”
Wild Māra Shampoo Bars are:
Soap free & pH balanced, so NO acidic wash or transition period required.
Contain NO water.
Vegan & contain NO Nasties, using ethically sourced, naturally derived ingredients.
Cruelty-free & Plastic-free.
Free from Silicones, Parabens, Phthalates, Synthetic Fragrances, SLS & other Sulfates.
Safe to use on coloured hair.
Best followed with the use of a Wild Māra Conditioner Bar.
Thank you for reading — I hope this has helped you better understand what a shampoo bar is. Please feel free to email me if you have any further questions. I also hope I’ve persuaded you to give a Wild Māra Shampoo Bar a try.
Debbie x
