A Newbie Guide to Making Your Shampoo Bars Last Longer

No matter how beneficial or positive it is, making a change and doing things in new ways can come with new challenges. This doesn’t mean you should revert back to the old way of doing things, you just need to make a few readjustments and you’ll be on your way to reaping the benefits of the new method. The same applies to making the switch from single-use shampoo bottles to shampoo bars. On top of the list of challenges, you might face when you start using shampoo bars is making sure they last long, so you don’t have to pay more to go natural. This way you enjoy the benefits of going natural and the joy of watching out for the environment, without an increase in the amount of money you’re spending.

Two major factors significantly impact the lifespan of your shampoo bars:

• How you use your shampoo bars (Usage), and
• How you store your shampoo bars (Storage)

In this article, we’ll shed light on both factors and give you some practical tips and tricks you can use to make your shampoo bars last longer so you can get the best out of them.

Usage: Avoiding Waste

How long your shampoo bar will last is heavily impacted by how you use it. But before we dive into usage, it is important to understand the normal lifespan of shampoo bars so there will be no unrealistic expectations at play.

How Long Should a Shampoo Bar Last?

Shampoo bars are highly concentrated, which means you only need a little bit to wash your hair each time. You just need to work up a lather and you’re good to go. One shampoo bar will usually last as much as two bottles of shampoo. This means you should expect your shampoo bar to last twice as long as a bottle of shampoo. Now that it’s established that shampoo bars last longer than liquid shampoo in bottles, the next aspect of usage that can affect how long your shampoo bar is how effectively you’re using your shampoo. Are using it the right way?

The Right Way To Use Shampoo Bars To Make Them Last Longer

Your shampoo bars will last longer when you use them effectively, without wastage. You can only start using your shampoo bar when you activate it with water and you get a rich foamy lather. You have to pay attention to this process so you don’t activate too much, thereby creating too much lather and causing waste.

There are two ways to activate your shampoo bar to get just the right amount of lather you need to wash your hair. The first way is by getting your shampoo bar wet and rubbing it in your hands to build some lather in your palms. You then take the lather and rub it into your scalp and along your hair strands to begin the shampooing process. The second way is getting your shampoo bar wet and rubbing it directly on your scalp and hair to form a lather so you can then start washing your hair. The goal is to make sure you only activate as much of your shampoo bar as you need for just one wash. This way you won’t be wasting your precious shampoo and it will last longer.

Storage: Keeping Your Shampoo Bars Dry Between Washes

The second major factor that affects how long your shampoo bars will last is how good you are at keeping them dry between washes. Shampoo bars get activated when wet, it is only when it is wet that it breaks down and starts to lather. To make your shampoo bar last longer, you need to make sure it is always kept dry and inactive when you’re not using it. Listed below are some effective ways to keep your shampoo bars dry between washes.

Soap Dish

A very effective way to make sure your shampoo bar stays dry between washes is to use a soap dish to store your shampoo bar. Soap dishes are designed to hold bars and also keep them dry. There are different designs of soap dishes and a wide variety of materials are used to make them. Shop around and you’re sure to find something practical and appealing that will work for you.

Shower Rack

Shower racks are specifically designed to hold bathroom essentials and they work well at holding shampoo bars. Invest in a shower rack and you’ll find it’s more comfortable and economical when you have a permanent structure in place to hold your shampoo bar. The only downside with the shower rack is that it might not be able to hold your shampoo bar when it gets small from use. At the end of this article, there’s a special tip that concerns small bits of shampoo and making sure they don’t go to waste.

Cut Your Soap Bar Into Quarters

Instead of getting your whole shampoo bar wet every time you wash, you can cut your shampoo bar into four equal pieces and rotate between them when you wash. This might mean you’ll end up with four little pieces at the end of the day, but we have a special tip at the end of this article just for that.

Keep Shampoo Bar Out Of Sunlight/Water

The placement of your soap dish or shower rack is very important to the lifespan of your shampoo bar. Be sure that your shower rack or soap dish is not placed directly under sunlight or close to the showerhead. The heat from the sun can melt the oils in your shampoo bar and water from your showerhead can turn your shampoo bar to mush. To keep your shampoo bar dry at all times when not in use, make sure to keep it away from direct sunlight and water.

Special Tip (Zero Waste Tip)

If you have tiny bits of shampoo that have become hard to use because of their size, you can put them all together with some boiling water and then let it cool. After the mixture cools you can use it like the traditional shampoo without anything going to waste.

Conclusion

Shampoo bars are more economical and environmentally friendly compared to single-use plastic liquid shampoo. But how they come, in solid naked form, means you have to make an effort to take special care of them so you can get the best out of them. We hope the tips we’ve shared in this article will help you lengthen the lifespan of your shampoo bars.