About Our Shampoo Bar
What's the difference between body soaps and shampoo bars?
Skipping Stone's body soaps and shampoo bars are both cold-process soaps. Our body soap produces abundant lather, cleanses gently, and leaves the skin supple and soft. The shampoo bars are specially formulated with premium oils known to be beneficial for hair, including avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, macadamia nut oil, and argan oil. Unlike many shampoo bars on the market, ours are made exclusively with natural ingredients, yet they deliver excellent results. Additionally, shampoo bars can also double as facial or body bars.
How do you use a shampoo bar?
Similar to using liquid shampoo, start by wetting your hair, then massage the wet shampoo bar against your hair in a circular motion to create a rich lather. Work the lather into your scalp and gently massage with your fingers. Rinse thoroughly and immediately. As mentioned above, our shampoo bars can also be used on the face and body. You can spread the lather over your face and body, then wash and rinse thoroughly. This is particularly convenient when traveling or camping, as you only need to bring one shampoo bar with you.
Do I need to use a conditioner afterward?
When transitioning from regular liquid shampoo to our solid shampoo bar, you may initially find that the bar leaves your hair feeling dry, greasy, or frizzy during the first week or two. Hair reactions vary, and while most people have no issues, some may experience undesirable conditions. If this occurs, consider trying an "apple cider vinegar conditioner" that you can easily make in your kitchen. In a spray bottle, combine 1/2 cup water and 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, or citric acid if you prefer to avoid the vinegar smell). After shampooing and completing your shower, towel-dry your hair, spray the cider conditioner, and massage it into the hair from roots to ends using your fingers. Allow it to dry. This should make your hair more manageable, and the vinegar smell will dissipate as it dries. Alternatively, you can pour the conditioner over your hair in the shower, massage, and then rinse as you normally would if you prefer. Adjust the water amount in the bottle based on your hair length. Be sure to rinse off the soapy suds from your hair, body, and shower walls first, as the acidity of the rinse can make surfaces slippery. After a week or so, you may find that you no longer need to use the conditioner.
I tend to have dry, frizzy hair, and an apple cider vinegar rinse doesn't provide enough conditioning. What can I do?
To manage dry hair, we recommend using hair-friendly oils such as jojoba oil, argan oil, olive oil, and coconut oil. Apply a few drops to your palm, rub your hands together, and distribute evenly on your damp or dry hair, avoiding the roots.
Which shampoo bar should I choose for my hair type?
Every hair is different and reacts differently to hair care products. We don't categorize our shampoo bars by specific hair types. All of our shampoo bars share a soap-based formula, which is slightly alkaline and free from synthetic detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium coco sulfate. The "Bayside", "Arctic Rain", and "Meadow" Shampoo Bars are formulated differently from the rest of our shampoo bars. They contain fewer hard oils (oils that are solid at room temperature), resulting in a lighter texture.
It's not just our soap. All-natural soaps tend to sting the eyes. This is because the pH level of soap is slightly alkaline. When washing your face or shampooing, it's best to keep your eyes closed! The positive aspect of using natural soap is that, if it accidentally gets into your eyes or your kids' eyes, tearing up is a natural defense mechanism that helps wash out the soap. On the contrary, tear-free body gels or shampoos for kids often contain synthetic detergents with toxic numbing agents. While these products may not elicit a reaction in your kids' eyes (since their senses are numbed), the dangerous chemicals can remain in their eyes.
Here are some tips you may want to try:
Tip 1: Use a regular shampoo to clear excess oils. (I know it is counter-intuitive, but it often works.) Then go back to the shampoo bar next time. When it becomes greasy again, try clarifying with regular shampoo. This should become less frequent.
Tip 2: Strip the build-up with a baking soda solution. In a spray bottle or squirting bottle, mix 1 cup warm water with 1 tsp baking soda, and let it finish fizzing. Spray or pour some on your hair in the shower, massage gently throughout, then rinse thoroughly. Finish with an apple cider vinegar rinse. I would only do this no more than once a week.
Tip 3: The hardness of water can affect the efficiency of shampoo bars (and all other soap products). The harder the water, the less effective the shampoo bars become. A showerhead filter (usually about $25-40 at Amazon or home centers) can help remove chlorine and minerals to soften the water. Soft water would improve the overall shower and shampooing experience.
Tip 1: Use a regular shampoo to clear excess oils. (I know it is counter-intuitive, but it often works.) Then go back to the shampoo bar next time. When it becomes greasy again, try clarifying with regular shampoo. This should become less frequent.
Tip 2: Strip the build-up with a baking soda solution. In a spray bottle or squirting bottle, mix 1 cup warm water with 1 tsp baking soda, and let it finish fizzing. Spray or pour some on your hair in the shower, massage gently throughout, then rinse thoroughly. Finish with an apple cider vinegar rinse. I would only do this no more than once a week.
Tip 3: The hardness of water can affect the efficiency of shampoo bars (and all other soap products). The harder the water, the less effective the shampoo bars become. A showerhead filter (usually about $25-40 at Amazon or home centers) can help remove chlorine and minerals to soften the water. Soft water would improve the overall shower and shampooing experience.
I have an oily hair and the scalp is prone to dandruff. Which shampoo should I use?
Our "Lemonade Stand" shampoo bar contains ingredients such as lemon essential oil, unpasteurized honey, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil, all known for their natural dandruff control properties. Soap-based shampoo bars won't strip the hair of its natural oils. Continue using it for 2-4 weeks, allowing the scalp time to adjust to the new product. Additionally, consider using an apple cider vinegar rinse. Apple cider vinegar can help remove dead skin cells, balance the pH level of the scalp, eliminate build-up, and promote shinier hair. Use the ACV rinse twice a week; refer to the instructions at the top of this page for guidance.
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