We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping InStyle Picks The 8 Best Shampoo Bars for Your Best Hair Yet, Tested & Reviewed Sustainable and cleansing? Yes, please. By Rebecca Norris Rebecca Norris Rebecca R. Norris is a full-time freelance writer living in the DC metro area. She writes for a variety of publications, covering everything from beauty and wellness to style and celebrity news. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on July 16, 2024 @ 04:52PM In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews What to Keep in Mind Your Questions, Answered Why Shop With Us Photo: InStyle / Jaclyn Mastropasqua In a world where people are trying to be evermore sustainable, traditional shampoo bottles filled with liquid formulas are being replaced with solid solutions to cleanse and hydrate hair. A bar is good to the last sliver and without bulky packaging, there's no confusion about recycling versus garbage when you're done. Plus, they're ridiculously easy to use. According to trichologist and founder of Alodia Hair Care, Isfahan Chambers-Harris, PhD, MPH, you can either lather the bar in your hands and transfer this to your hair or directly scrub into your hair, against your scalp, and down your hair. While all that is well and good, you still need the product to work to fully make a sustainable swap, well, sustainable. That’s where we come in: We tested 21 top-rated shampoo bars to determine the best within the category. When testing the shampoo bars, our team paid close attention to how convenient they were to hold, how easily they lathered, how well they worked to clean hair, how they smelled, and how they held up with weeks of use. Throughout the testing process, we were able to weed out the less stellar products to determine the eight best shampoo bars for your precious strands. Our Top Picks Best Overall: J.R. Liggett's All-Natural Shampoo Bar at Amazon $13 Jump to Review Best Budget: SALE Kitsch Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar at Amazon $17 $14 Jump to Review Best for Curly Hair: Ethique Curl-Defining Solid Shampoo Bar at Amazon $16 Jump to Review Best for Oily Hair: Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar at Lush.com Jump to Review Best for Frizzy Hair: Davines LOVE Shampoo Bar at Amazon $27 Jump to Review Best for Damaged Hair: Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo Bar at Amazon $22 Jump to Review Best for Color-Treated Hair: ODACITÉ 552M Soap Free Shampoo Bar at Amazon $29 Jump to Review Best Natural: Aari & Co. Loretta Herbal Shampoo Bar at Aaricompany.com Jump to Review Best Overall J.R. Liggett's All-Natural Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Amazon $13 at Amazon $8 at IHerb View on Jrliggett.com What We Love: This shampoo bar hydrates without weighing hair down, and it lasts for a long time.What We Don't Love: It's pretty straightforward to use, but the details on the packaging, like the ingredients list and how to use, could be easier to read. From the softening and moisturizing benefits to its affordable price and old-school packaging, we completely fell in love with J.R. Liggett's Moisturizing Formula Shampoo Bar. Where many shampoo bars are round, this bar is squared off, which makes it particularly easy to hold and maneuver through the hair. “I have a lot of fine hair, which generally means it's hard to get shampoo all the way to my scalp,” says Rachel, a tester for InStyle. “This bar solved that problem beautifully—not only is it easy to use, but rubbing it directly into my hair produces an impressive lather.” Beyond its ease of use, we love the results this bar delivers. “My scalp is so much happier when using this—more so than anything I have ever tried before. I find myself loving my second-day hair as much as I love my first-day hair, which is rare,” says Rachel, who adds that the durable bar works well to hydrate her dry, flaky scalp while keeping greasy-looking strands at bay. Hair Type: All | Scents: 6 | Size: 3.5 oz Best Budget Kitsch Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Byrdie $14 at Amazon $14 at Ulta View on Mykitsch.com What We Love: You can feel the bar conditioning your hair as you wash.What We Don't Love: It’s round, which makes it slightly harder to hold when wet. Kitsch Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar has earned high praise for its ultra-hydrating, velvety lather that gets hair squeaky clean without drying it out. Plus, even after months of use it looks like new, so we can count on it lasting through countless wash routines. Aside from being a bit difficult to hold because of its round shape, the only other downside of this shampoo bar is that it sometimes takes a few lathers to really cleanse hair. “Sometimes after a particularly sweaty day, I find I have to lather, rinse, and repeat to get to my scalp,” explains our tester Sophia. Still, she recommends it, especially in unison with the Conditioner Bar, as they work together to create a shiny, full-bodied finish. Hair Type: All | Scent: Sweet amber | Size: 3.2 oz InStyle / Sophia Noulas Best for Curly Hair Ethique Curl-Defining Solid Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Amazon $16 at Amazon $17 at Walmart View on Ethique.com What We Love: It lathers quickly and easily and works well to keep hair looking fresh for days post-wash.What We Don't Love: It could be slightly more clarifying, but a double wash when you need a deep clean does the trick. When it comes to good shampoos for curly hair, Ethique Professor Curl Curl-Defining Solid Shampoo Bar is a fan favorite for its easy-to-use block shape that smells delightfully (but subtly) of citrus. Shape and scent aside, this shampoo bar is easy to use, works well to deeply clean hair, and helps define curls. “It easily creates a rich lather that gets my oily scalp and hair clean without drying it out,” says Hira, a tester for InStyle. “After using, my hair feels soft and manageable, and it makes my waves and curls pop.” As much as we enjoy the shape, scent, and ease of use of this shampoo bar, the one thing we would change is how clarifying it is. “Since I have curly hair, I use a lot of styling products, and I typically need a shampoo that will clarify to get all of the product out without stripping my hair,” says Hira. “All things considered, though, I definitely recommend this to friends and family with curly or wavy hair. It's easy to use, eco-friendly, and keeps hair clean and healthy." Hair Type: Curly | Scent: Coconut lemongrass | Size: 3.8 oz PHOTO: InStyle / Hira Srinivasan PHOTO: InStyle / Hira Srinivasan Best for Oily Hair Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Lush View on Lush.com What We Love: It’s textured, which makes it particularly easy to use and lather.What We Don't Love: It’s not the most moisturizing, and the scent is strong. Lush was a pioneer in shampoo bars, so it makes sense that the brand’s Montalbano Shampoo Bar is a top pick among shoppers and our testers alike. The yellow puck has a slightly textured feel that makes it easier to hold despite its round shape. Ease of use aside, the bar naturally exfoliates the scalp with rosemary (which also adds to the scent), and leads to less oil production, so hair still looks fresh on day two (and three!). InStyle tester Michal says that the slightly clarifying nature of the bar didn’t bode well for her dry strands. “I felt like my hair was less moisturized than with my normal shampoo,” she explains. Still, if your goal is to cut down on a greasy-looking mane, this bar can help. Plus, it will smell like a Mediterranean getaway in the process. (Of course, if strong citrus scents aren’t your thing, this bar may not be a good pick for you.) Hair Type: All | Scent: Citrus | Size: 1.9 oz InStyle / Michal Hanover Best for Frizzy Hair Davines LOVE Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Amazon $27 at Amazon View on Davines.com What We Love: It smells subtle and delicious while leaving hair feeling soft and clean.What We Don't Love: It doesn’t come with instructions on the packaging. Davines Love Shampoo Bar happens to be the bar version of the brand’s cult favorite bottled shampoo. It’s an ultra-gentle, super-hydrating formula designed to tame coarse, frizzy hair. “The shampoo bar is gentle on my strands and scalp, and my hair feels soft and clean after each use,” says InStyle tester Allison, also remarking on how durable the bar feels after two weeks of use. Our only gripe with this bar is that it doesn’t come with instructions on the packaging. Since shampoo bars are still rather new-fangled, some shoppers may not know how to properly use them and thus misjudge them based on misuse. “It took me a couple of washes to get used to the bar and ensure I distributed product evenly throughout my scalp and hair, but after that, it was smooth sailing,” says Allison. Hair Type: Coarse, frizzy | Scent: Light herbal | Size: 3.53 oz PHOTO: InStyle / Allison Vancura PHOTO: InStyle / Allison Vancura Best for Damaged Hair Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Christophe Robin $22 at Amazon $22 at Dermstore $22 at Skinstore.com What We Love: It’s easy to grip and deeply hydrates hair.What We Don't Love: It doesn’t lather well in your hands—but it does on your head. The Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo Bar, which is infused with aloe vera, coconut oil, and olive oil, is renowned for its deeply hydrating benefits. While it was a bit overwhelming for our tester Julia's fine, oily-prone hair, it wasn't a dealbreaker in the slightest, given it's now become her go-to recommendation for friends with thick, dry, and damaged hair because of the ultra-nourishing ingredients. Her one complaint? It’s not the easiest to lather. “At first, I found this shampoo bar hard to lather, but as soon as I started putting the bar directly on my head, it lathered very easily, and I felt comfortable using it,” she says. “It isn't difficult to grip, but it did take me a few washes to feel like I got enough product in my hair with a proper lather.” Hair Type: Dry, damaged | Scent: Citrus | Size: 3.3 oz Best for Color-Treated Hair ODACITÉ 552M Soap Free Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Amazon $29 at Amazon View on Odacite.com View on The Detox Market What We Love: It leaves hair feeling squeaky clean.What We Don't Love: It’s on the drier side, so it’s best to follow up with a deep hydrating conditioner. The Odacite 552M Soap Free Shampoo Bar is powered by argan and castor oil to leave hair feeling extra soft and clean and looking shiny. According to Lindsey, our InStyle tester, it’s easy to get a lather going for a very thorough cleanse. In fact, it left her hair feeling so clean and refreshed, not to mention looking healthy with a natural lustre, that she could extend her usual every other day wash routine to four days before needing to suds up again. That said, she admits that part of why the effects last so long is because this bar isn’t the most hydrating. “The soap worked into a nice foam and I felt like it thoroughly cleansed my hair," says Lindsey. "However, I have dry and color-treated hair, so it felt very dry and a little too squeaky clean after shampooing." As such, we recommend following up with a hydrating conditioner post-rinse. Hair Type: All | Scent: Subtle citrus | Size: 3.7 oz PHOTO: InStyle / Lindsey Reynolds PHOTO: InStyle / Lindsey Reynolds Best Natural Aari & Co. Loretta Herbal Shampoo Bar PHOTO: Aari Company View on Aaricompany.com What We Love: It’s a plant-based shampoo bar that deeply cleanses hair naturally.What We Don't Love: It’s not very hydrating. If you're loyal to beauty brands that exclusively tap naturally derived ingredients, like botanicals, plants, and fruits, then Aari & Co Loretta Herbal Bar is a great option. This plant-based shampoo bar is made with organic shea butter, saponified oil, organic plantain, and organic honey, and our tester, Emma, loved how refreshed her hair and scalp felt. (And the Zen, earthy scent didn't hurt, either.) “Overall, this shampoo bar works well and cleans my hair, but more moisture could be added to the bar if they want this shampoo to be a one-stop shop,” says Emma. “Still, it works great, and I will continue to use it." Hair Type: All | Scent: Natural | Size: 4 oz PHOTO: InStyle / Emma Tollefson PHOTO: InStyle / Emma Tollefson What to Keep in Mind Hair Type: Just like traditional shampoo, your hair type matters when shopping for a shampoo bar. Where more hydrating, oil-based formulas will work well for drier, curlier, and color-treated hair types, they can overwhelm fine and thin hair. With this in mind, be sure to consider the specific hair type listed on the bar while shopping. If it says it’s great for all hair types, take note of how many butters and oils are present, as those can be too heavy for finer hair types. Size and Shape: Even though shampoo bars are significantly smaller than bottles of shampoo, they’re more concentrated, as most are made with less (or zero water) to make the formula more potent. The water from your shower hits the bar, causing it to lather, so minimal water is needed in the actual formula. Because of this, they’re designed to last longer than most liquid formulas. When shopping for a shampoo bar, also think about what will be most comfortable to hold. Typically, square bars give you more grip, but if you don’t have a preference, you’ll have a world of options before you. Your Questions, Answered How do you use a shampoo bar? Much like a bar of hand soap! Lather directly into your hair, or transfer the suds from your hands to your scalp. Obviously, you’ll want to do this while your hair is wet. Otherwise, the solid shampoo bar won’t be able to lather at all. If you’re not sure which method is best for your hair type, know this: “If your roots are very oily, rub the shampoo bar directly on your hair,” says Dimitris Giannetos, the LA-based hairstylist responsible for some of Megan Fox and Camila Cabello's best-known red carpet looks. How should you store shampoo bars? Like bars of soap, shampoo bars can get slimy if not properly stored. For the longest-lasting use, Dr. Chambers-Harris says to store your shampoo bar in a cool, dry place when not in use. (Don’t leave it in a puddle on your shower shelf.) Another option, Giannetos says, is to plop it in a mesh bag and hang it from a hook in your shower to dry. How long do shampoo bars last? Shampoo bars can last surprisingly long. When used a few times a week, Dr. Chambers-Harris says you can expect your bar to last around three months. However, a few testers reported that their bars became cracked around the two-month mark. Are shampoo bars better for your hair than traditional shampoo? From a sustainability stance? Yes, absolutely. And from a wellness perspective, Dr. Chambers-Harris says that “one of the major pros is that shampoo bars contain less harsh ingredients. However, a con is that the pH of shampoo bars tend to be a bit higher than traditional shampoos—which can cause dryness and frizz." Why Shop With Us Rebecca Norris has covered beauty for nearly 10 years. For this story, she compiled the insights and reviews of 21 InStyle testers to determine the best shampoo bars. She also spoke with trichologist Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris and LA-based celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos to learn the top benefits and drawbacks of shampoo bars.