Even better, you can fly with them since they're not liquid!

They actually do last forever. I bought Lush's Trichomania coconut shampoo bar and used it for almost a year on my long (past the shoulder) hair.

Can someone explain the difference, if any, between shampoo bars and other kinds of bar soap? They seem nearly identical to me, or at least the ones I've tried do. I've been puzzled by this for some time, and haven't found a good explanation.

J.R. Liggett's shampoo bars are my favorite. They make my hair look and feel so natural. None of those icky shine coatings you get from other shampoos. I tried Burt's Bees' rosemary bar and was completely let down. My hair felt like straw. I tried J.R. Liggett's after that and haven't looked back.

I've really struggled with any green hair care since moving somewhere with hard water. No 'poo, bar shampoo, and SLS-free shampoos do not play well with hard water =( Lately I've only been washing my hair every 3 days so I'm not using so much of the bad stuff. Ideally, I'd like to get a showerhead water softener so I can use the good stuff.

I am fond of baking soda. I've been using it for a year and a half on my hair (with conventional conditioner, alas) and it's been great.

I love LOVE Lush shampoo bars and have tried several kinds, though my perennial fave is Seanik. I have waist-length hair that's wavy when it's shorter and tends to freak out in hard water, and Lush's products (I use their conditioner too) work great for me.

Not sure what exactly the difference is between shampoo bars and soap is, but I do know that I really appreciate:

1 - significantly less packaging.
2- not paying for a bottle of mostly water

And my experience too has been that the Lush bars last for a really long time. I guess you could say I'm a fan. They're a pretty responsible company too.

One of my favorites is Chagrin Valley Soap, based near Cleveland, Ohio. All their products are made from natural ingredients and are free of SLS and ALS and they last a really long time! See their website for a super-detailed description of all their products based on hair type. http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/

I've been using bar shampoo for about a year now and am quite satisfied. As a guy I was never too picky about my shampoo in the first place, so switching wasn't a big adjustment or anything. The lack of environmental benefits were enough to make me want to switch.

I've been using J.R. Liggett's and really like it. The small paper wrapper (the only packaging it needs) is 100% biodegradable. It's cheap- about $4 a bar, and available at the grocery store near my house (and it's not even a co-op or whole foods-esque place). It tends to kinda disintegrate if it stays wet, so you need to be sure it dries quickly once you're done showering. As long as they stay dry they can last months.

Nice idea but be careful which bar you choose. Several of those contain SLS. And have you noted the packaging on the "biscuit"? That is a lot of packaging!

omoriala: Thanks for the tip! You just helped me shop local. :)

I have long (past my shoulder blades), thick, wavy hair. I used to get really gross dry scalp, my hair looked greasy every other day, and it would get frizzy very easily.

I resisted the thought of shampoo bars for years, thinking that I had too much hair for them to deal with, and that my hair would become horribly tangled during the washing process. I tried every shampoo and conditioner combo known to man, as well as the baking soda protocol.

I hesitantly tried shampoo bars about two years ago and I will never go back. I am able to get away with only washing 2x/wk, 3 if I'm sweaty. I don't use conditioner anymore, just a spray with 50%-50% apple cider vinegar/tea every other wash or so. If my ends are dry I'll rub them with coconut oil. My hair looks so much better, is far more manageable, and my scalp is healthier. I am happy.

I converted my mom about 6 months ago, and her post-menopausal hair has gotten noticeably thicker.

Ligett's are my favorite brand, but my very favorite are the bars my friend makes with goat's milk and other fancy stuff.

No, shampoo bars chemically are not different from bar soap. They are a superfatted lye soap that uses vegetable fats, typically coconut and olive oils, along with herbs that have "nice hair" properties.

Bars Rule!

I've been using the J.R. Ligett for about 2 months now. I'm quite happy with the quality and very happy with the minimal packaging.

@christyyyjoy: I use baking soda and had issues with it not working so well with hard water - until I learned the following: Bring a quart or so of water to a bowl, cut off the heat, add about 1/4 cup of baking soda. Let it fizz up and stir to combine. Let cool and then put in a bottle for use in the shower. If it crystalizes- no problem - just use less BS the next time. Going on 3 years now. Love it.