When so many bathroom products are housed in plastic packaging – from roll-on deodorants to face wash and even toilet paper – shampoo bars mean fewer plastic bottles being thrown in the recycling – hurrah!
Having said that, those of us in the bottled shampoo camp may be wary of shampoo that could (at a glance) be mistaken for a bar of soap – but we don’t need to be sceptical. These formulas can pack a seriously nourishing punch, often without some of the harsher ingredients you might find in their bottled counterparts.
Whether you’re looking for mostly natural ingredients or trying to avoid sulphates and silicones, which can be drying over time, there’s no shortage of formulas that will work with your hair type – from curly and coily hair to colour-treated and bleached, oily, balanced or dry.
It goes without saying these bars are super concentrated, so, while they may be more of an investment in the first instance, they’re often billed as lasting longer than bottled shampoos – which are largely made up of water – so you can hope to get more washes for your buck, too. This should mean you are being kinder to both your wallet and the planet, which is surely reason to celebrate.
To get the best from your bars, remember they’re activated by water, so, keep them dry in between uses, if you can, lest they turn into a mushy mess – we found washing away any remaining suds before leaving them to dry out worked best. If you can store them somewhere with proper drainage (such as a riveted soap tray), even better.
How we tested
While putting these shampoo bars through their paces, our testers considered the different formulations, with attention paid to the ingredients used and whether the formulas were sulphate- and silicone-free, which, while not something everyone looks for, can be beneficial for your hair.
We looked at how easy the bars were to lather into a foam, and how easy this was to spread through hair and rinse away. Their scent (or lack of) and whether they were vegan and cruelty-free were also noted. If they showed any sign of cracking or crumbling after use, rest assured, they didn’t make the cut.
The best shampoo bars for 2024 are:
Eco Warrior deeply nourishing shampoo bar
There’s so much to love about this humongous shampoo bar from The Little Soap Company. The vegan, cruelty-free and soap-free formula was easy to lather into an ultra-creamy foam, and contains hydrating pink clay and hair-loving pure orange and ginger essential oils, which left our hair feeling cleansed and smooth to the touch. We didn’t notice any waxy residue and were seriously impressed by the level of shine achieved after the first wash.
If you prefer plumping for sulphate-, silicone- and paraben-free formulas, this shampoo bar has those boxes ticked, while also being made with 94.3 per cent naturally derived ingredients. The formula is curly-girl method friendly and, as the largest bar we tried, despite being the least expensive, it’s an economical investment, too.
Buy now £5.50, Littlesoapcompany.co.uk
Faith in Nature coconut and shea butter shampoo bar
Housing hydrating coconut oil and ethically traded shea butter, this unusually shaped shampoo bar contains 100 per cent natural origin ingredients and natural fragrances. With a barely there coconut scent and sulphate-, silicone- and paraben-free formula, we were expecting some waxiness on our strands – which can sometimes happen when you first start using natural formulas – but that wasn’t the case at all.
It does take a little longer than some other bars to lather up, and the lather is more frothy than it is creamy, but, most importantly, it was easy to move the product through our hair. The curved shape of the bar also lends itself to lathering the bar straight into your hair, rather than in between your hands.
Importantly, we loved how hydrated and refreshed our hair felt after use. We’re also yet to see any crumbling or cracks, after using this bar multiple times, so we think this will last us ages.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon.co.uk
Okiki Skincare olive oil and neem shampoo bar
The Okiki olive oil and neem shampoo bar comes in a generous size of 150g-160g, making it last longer than many other shampoo bars. It is easy to foam and lavish through the hair. The olive oil and neem in the bar have a rich scent, adding a natural fragrance to your tresses when applied. The shampoo bar acts as an effective cleanser, while being equally good at imparting long-lasting moisture to afro hair. It left our tester’s afro hair feeling soft, yet without feeling like it had stripped it of its natural oils and strength.
Buy now £8.50, Okikiskincare.co.uk
Davines Dede shampoo bar
This shampoo bar from B-Corp luxury haircare brand Davines was a real treat. Super hydrating and a wise choice for everyday cleansing, the formula is suitable for all hair types and made our tester’s hair (which is usually slightly on the dry side) look markedly smooth and shiny – our tester actually received a compliment on how amazing it looked the night after hair-wash day.
The sulphate- and silicone-free formula calls on mineral-salt-rich red celery extract, which left hair feeling lightweight, bouncy and soft. Meanwhile, the buttery bar creates a creamy foam that is not too dissimilar to that of a liquid shampoo. The bulky rectangular shape was harder to lather than rounded bars, but this is bound to last for ages and held onto its structural integrity well after multiple washes. If you can stretch your budget, we would highly recommend this one.
Buy now £17.00, Davines.com
Ethique St Clements clarifying solid shampoo bar
This clarifying bar (read: brick – this is a very large bar, which is no bad thing) from New Zealand-born brand Ethique was a zingy treat for the senses. As a clarifying formula, it’s best suited for scalps on the oily side, with castor oil helping to melt away sebum, oils and product build-up left on your strands. The formula is also soap-free, which means it is PH balanced – this is important when it comes to dry hair – and plumps for lime and orange essential oils, which offer a gentler cleanse.
While our tester doesn’t have especially oily hair to begin with, this bar gave smooth, bouncy and thoroughly cleansed results without leaving hair feeling stripped of natural oils. What’s more, our tester’s hair usually feels ready for washing around day three but they found their roots were remarkably fresh by day five. Considering there are around 80 washes packed inside the bar, it should last for ages, which means we’re happy to forgive the price.
Buy now £12.00, Ethique.co.uk
Only Curls curl cleansing shampoo bar
Our curly haired tested started using sulphate-free, curl-appropriate hair products a few years ago and hasn’t looked back since. It makes all the difference in reducing frizz, hydrating your locks and achieving bouncy, voluminous curls.
This shampoo bar from Only Curls blew our minds, as we didn’t think adding a different shampoo to our haircare regime would make this much of a difference. We were surprised by how well it lathers up, yet it feels quite creamy to touch. The bar smells amazing too, and it still lingered after using other hair products.
Thanks to the avocado and kukui-nut oils, it left our hair feeling more hydrated than it has in months, and we really noticed the difference when applying our regular post-wash hair products. We also spotted some extra shine to our locks, and we assume the results will become even better over time with regular use.
We can only fault it for its square shape, as we personally find a round shampoo bar easier to handle for application, but it does feel like you get more product because of it. Overall, we’d definitely recommend this to fellow curly guys and girls.
Buy now £12.00, Onlycurls.com
Lush honey I washed my hair shampoo bar
As purveyors of solid and cruelty-free products, the entire shampoo bar range from Lush looks good enough to eat, but this honey-scented bar is one of the brand’s bestsellers. Formulated for dry and frizzy hair, it left our tester’s hair feeling fresh, bouncy and, funnily enough, as smooth as honey.
We liked how the surface of the bar is slightly textured and softer than others we tried – plus, in classic Lush style, there’s an extra blob of honey actually embedded in the bar for an extra hit of goodness. Lathering up into a creamy consistency, we like that the ingredients list is short but sweet, with hydrating fairly traded honey and honeycomb, sweet wild orange and bergamot oil, which left a soft scent on our strands. The bar is delivered in a 100 per cent recycled cardboard box and, from Lush, we would expect no less.
Buy now £9.00, Asos.com
The Afro Hair and Skin Company nurture gentle cleansing shampoo bar
When using this on their afro hair, our tester found this cleansing bar is most effective when directly applied to the hair, when it comes to lavishing it throughout. The British, organic ingredients promise to help promote both scalp and hair care, and include lavender oil, lemongrass oil and more. We found the shampoo bar formula helps impart moisturise without leaving a coat-like substance on your hair. Instead, it leaves your tresses feeling soft and nourished. This shampoo bar is great to use before prepping your hair for styling, as it leaves it feeling easy to manage for detangling.
Although this bar is currently out of stock, you can sign up to be notified when it is available again.
Buy now £11.95, Theafrohairandskincompany.co.uk
Grüum hår shampoo bar, fragrance free
Grüum focuses on simple and affordable formulas, and this fragrance-free shampoo bar is made with only three soothing and smoothing ingredients, for a gentler cleanse. It makes sense, then, that it is also free from artificial colours, parabens, alcohol and SLS (a particularly harsh kind of sulphate).
We liked how easily the rounded bar foamed up and left our hair feeling smooth and easy to manage, owing to rich coconut oil. While not quite as hydrating as some on our list, Grüum’s fragrance-free shampoo bar left our hair feeling clean and refreshed. Don’t be fooled by the size of this unassuming bar, either, as it should last for a whopping 80 washes – pretty good going for an £8 purchase.
Buy now £9.00, Gruum.com
Afroani solid shampoo bar
Steering clear away from any toxic chemicals is Afroani’s solid shampoo bar, which is cruelty-free and free from artificial colours, sulphates, parabens and gluten. Needless to say, it is vegan-friendly and also plastic free. A gentle cleanser, the shampoo bar is not the biggest in size (125g) but it is clearly designed with afro hair in mind, as it left our tester’s afro hair feeling both cleansed and moisturised. Packed with natural oils, such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil and extra virgin olive oil, the bar gives off a natural sweet-smelling scent and provides your hair with natural nutrients.
Buy now £13.99, Afroanishop.com
WeDo moisture and shine no-plastic shampoo bar for normal or damaged hair
Formulated for balanced hair that may also need a little extra TLC, this shampoo bar from WeDo smells divine. Refreshing but not overpowering, we enjoyed the soft fragrance as we lathered the mid-sized bar into a creamy foam. Containing organic argan oil and natural mineral red clay for a hit of hydration, the formula is created to be suitable for damaged hair, and, while our hair wasn’t in too bad a condition to start with, it left hair feeling soft, lightweight and healthy.
Sufficiently cleansing from the first wash, we didn’t notice any residual waxiness, despite eschewing sulphates and having a high percentage of natural origin ingredients. The bar is also silicone-free and nourishing for the body as well as the hair – win-win.
With an RRP that’s on the pricier side, it should, however, last around 80 washes once you make the investment. We also love that WeDo has teamed up with Plastic Bank, so that eight waste plastic bottles are cleared from the environment every time a product is sold.
Buy now £15.75, Lookfantastic.com
Kinkind give me strength shampoo bar
Every shampoo bar in the Kinkind collection is handmade in the UK, as well as being vegan, cruelty-free and free from parabens, silicones and SLS (a type of sulphate). The aptly named ‘give me strength’ shampoo bar contains growth-boosting rosemary oil, helping to stimulate the hair follicles, while wheatgerm oil is on hand to strengthen, moisturise and add volume – and, sure enough, our tester noticed their waves looked more voluminous and defined. The bar itself is quite small but lathers up well, and is said to last for 50 washes. Refreshing and floral but not too sweet, we love the calming lavender scent, too.
Buy now £7.45, Kinkind.co.uk
Earth Kind bergamot and sage shampoo bar for dry and coloured hair
Formulated by an award-winning hair specialist, Earth Kind produces three shampoo bars that are all made in the UK with vegan, cruelty-free and biodegradable ingredients, and with sensitive skin in mind, owing to their gentle and PH-neutral formulas.
This bergamot and sage bar offers a gentle cleanse with a soft, sweet coconut scent. With organic avocado and olive oils to nourish and hydrate thirsty hair, the paraben-free bar is also formulated to boost colour vibrancy and maintain the richness and shine in colour-treated hair, using natural ingredients.
Lathering into a creamy foam with ease, the size of the bar is perfect for flipping between your palms. It didn’t feel as deeply cleansing as some other bars we tried, owing to the brand’s use of natural cleansing materials made from coconuts, but we did notice our hair felt hydrated and looked notably shiny from root to tip.
Buy now £7.50, Iamearthkind.com
Lush avocado co-wash
This Lush vegan-friendly shampoo bar takes a while to foam up. We found it is better applied when you put the soap directly onto your hair. But when it does eventually catch foam, it comes out in abundance, making it easy to spread evenly through the hair. The sweet scent is attractive and stays with your hair for a while after application.
Although it is clear there is a moisturising element to it, compared with shampoos with sulphates, for afro hair, the Lush bar may need following-up with a moisturising conditioner to ensure long-lasting moisture is kept in your tresses. This is because our tester found their afro hair to be a little dry after using this shampoo bar.
Buy now £11.00, Lush.com
An'du back to basics shampoo bar
Founded by a mother and daughter duo, An’du creates haircare products that have as little impact on the environment as possible. Its shampoo bars are free from mica (a mineral commonly included in shampoos, mining for which is associated with human rights issues, including child labour) for a more ethical makeup. Opting for biofermented surfactants (versus a sulfate-prompted lather), An’du shampoo bars are gentler on scalps with a lower pH and boost moisture while minimising dryness.
Using the bar on day three hair, we found it foamed up nicely and was easy to distribute throughout the scalp for a quick and thorough cleanse. What’s more, after drying, we found that our hair looked glossy and smooth, and felt as soft as when using our usual silicone-heavy formulas.
Buy now £13.50, An-du.co.uk
Ethique tone it down brightening purple shampoo bar
We’re yet to find a purple shampoo that can completely eliminate brassy tones, but this bar from Ethique does just as good a job as the liquid shampoos we’ve tried – with the added bonus of compostable packaging. Plus, it feels like it lasts forever. The brand says the bar should last you at least 80 washes but we’re pretty sure it will exceed that.
The first few times we used this bar, it left our hair feeling a little dry, so it’s best used with a good conditioner (the Ethique tone it down conditioner bar works well in tandem), but we liked the fact the shampoo felt gentle on our hair and didn’t weight it down. It’s free from sulphates and parabens but lathers up nicely when applied directly to the hair, and we love the fact it’s vegan as well as being carbon neutral.
Buy now £14.00, Ethique.co.uk
Centred altered state solid shampoo bar
Undoubtedly an investment for your haircare routine at £20, Centred’s altered state solid shampoo offers a soothing cleanse, owing to using 99.75 per cent naturally derived ingredients. Organic flower waters and aloe vera calm and soothe while orange blossom is on hand to protect the hair from future damage, while also strengthening strands – caffeine is also at work to help with improving growth.
Lathering up quickly and easily into a creamy foam with a sweet and citrusy scent that lingered on our hair post-wash, we noticed a glossy finish from root to tip, owing to upcycled apricot-kernel oil. Our tester’s natural waves looked enhanced, thicker and more voluminous too, and while the sweet scent is subtle and fresh, there is also a fragrance-free version available.
Buy now £20.00, Wearecentred.com
The verdict: Shampoo bars
Eco Warrior’s deeply nourishing shampoo bar is our favourite, thanks to its ultra-creamy lather, high percentage of naturally derived ingredients and nourishing formula that left our tester’s hair feeling healthy, smooth and refreshed. Bonus points were awarded for ticking the sulphate- and silicone-free box, while still delivering a satisfying cleanse. We can’t knock it for its size or price, either.
The Only Curls curl cleansing shampoo bar delivers a sulphate-free hit of hydration and shine for curly hair, meanwhile, the Okiki Skincare’s olive oil and neem shampoo bar is easy to foam and delivers long-lasting moisture to afro hair.
We also really like Davines’s Dede shampoo bar for its velvety smooth lather and silky results, and we loved the Ethique’s St Clements clarifying solid shampoo bar for its zesty scent and thorough cleanse.
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