The Best, Zero-Waste Shampoo Bars for Every Hair Type, From Oily to Coily
These sudsy shampoo bars are made with natural, gentle ingredients to nourish hair and promote growth while generating zero waste in the enivronment.
Jul. 2 2024, Published 12:44 p.m. ET
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Sick of single-use plastic shampoo bottles cluttering your shower shelf? U.S. landfills have it worse; they collect 552 million shampoo bottles a year (and that's not counting conditioner and body wash bottles). I was an early adopter of shampoo bars, but their lack of lather made me rule them out before I gave them a fair chance. Fast forward to the present day, and shampoo bars have come a long way. Even the most natural, vegan, pure shampoo bars generate tons of suds — and unlike bottled shampoo, they generate zero waste, as most come in recyclable, plastic-free packaging.
The 5 Best Shampoo Bars
Best for All Hair Types: Zero Waste Store Shampoo Bar ($13, was $16)
Best for Wavy, Curly, and Coily Hair: EcoRoots Moroccan Oil - Zero Waste Shampoo Bar ($13)
Best for Dry and Frizzy Hair: Kitsch Castor Oil Shampoo Bar ($13, was $17)
Best for Thin and Oily Hair: Ethique Volumizing Shampoo Bar ($16)
Best All-in-One: Auromere Ayurvedic Shampoo Bar ($8, was $8.50)
Shampoo bars are formulated to address all kinds of hair textures and types, including thin and oily, curly and coarse, or dry and damaged. My favorites don't contain any of the chemicals notorious for drying out hair — things like sulfates, parabens, and SLSs. They contain deeply hydrating and nourishing ingredients like Moroccan oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter. They also use some of the most delicious-smelling essential oils — scents like citrus, spice, and florals, to name a few. And they're all cruelty-free.
Once you get on board with the waste-free, travel-friendly simplicity of shampoo bars, there will be no turning back, I promise!
Zero Waste Store Shampoo Bar - Earth
Zero Waste Store's shampoo bars truly have it all: they're handmade, Fair Trade, vegan, plastic-free, and cruelty-free. They're also SLS-free, so they won't irritate your scalp or pollute the water supply. This palm-sized bar is available in a range of scents with ingredients to suit different hair woes, but this Earth bar — a floral-lemongrass blend — is great for all hair types and has just 11 wholesome ingredients.
Top review: "These bars work as well as most bottled shampoos and last me 3 months. It’s a great way to reduce plastic use!"
EcoRoots Moroccan Oil - ZeroWaste Shampoo Bar
Curls and coils can be a lot to manage, but this EcoRoots shampoo bar gets to the root of the issue with natural emollients like Moroccan oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, cocoa butter, and essential oils. It works up an amazing lather to gently cleanse and nourish your glorious mane. It comes in plastic-free packaging to reduce landfill waste and is an SLS-free option that smells like vacation.
Top review: "My hair is thick and curly. Since using this my hair has felt smooth and less frizzy. I also noticed that I am getting less split ends. I love the smell!"
Kitsch Castor Oil Shampoo Bar
If your hair feels more like it's made of straw than silky strands, the Kitsch Pro Shampoo Bar can give it a moisture infusion and fortify the hair shaft with nourishing castor oil, coconut oil, and shea butter. This sustainable shampoo bar is free from plastic packaging, SLS, and parabens, so it's a friend to the environment and your coif. Bonus points for castor oil, which is believed to help boost hair growth, too.
Top review: "This has really improved my dry hair!! I have always had thick course and dry hair but my hair has felt fuller and softer since getting this and I love that it is in bar form so I never use to much or too little!"
Ethique Volumizing Shampoo Bar
Need a little body? The Ethique Sweet & Spicy Shampoo Bar is formulated to add volume and bounce to fine, flat hair. It uses yummy natural, aromatic ingredients like orange, cinnamon, and ginger, which help invigorate the scalp and cleanse your hair without weighing it down. It also helps nourish the scalp and regulate your hair's natural oils.
Top review: "I love this bar! It gets so bubbly and make my flat hair feel a little more voluminous all day. It’s my new go-to bar from Ethique!"
Auromere Ayurvedic Shampoo Bar
Anyone looking for an all-in-one cleansing bar (we're looking at you, dudes) will love this Auromere Ayurvedic Shampoo Bar, crafted with a unique blend of natural and Ayurvedic ingredients used in traditional Indian medicine: herbal extracts like Reetha, Shikakai, Henna, and especially Neem, a rejuvenating herb renowned for its skin and scalp benefits. The shampoo bar is vegan, cruelty-free, and free from SLS, parabens, and gluten. It comes with biodegradable and zero-waste packaging and is cruelty-free.
Top review: "I've used a shampoo bar exclusively for five years and I've tried several brands. This one is by far superior. My hair is soft, clean, washes out clean with no leftover residue. The smell is faint yet long lasting, pleasant like spices. I get compliments on the smell of my hair all of the time. I can go several days without washing my hair because there is no waxy buildup."
