Sweet Creek Herbs

Shampoo Soapmaking 101

Okay, why Shampoo Soapmaking, huh?

For a few reasons: shampoo bars have increased in sales, more people are blogging about shampoo bars, and interest in shampoo bars has increased.

I vend my products at craft shows.  And, the soapmakers I have met this way do not make shampoo bars.  Well, they don't make pet soap, either. ;)

I have had people tell me that shampoo bars would not do well, because our society is so use to liquid shampoo. And, at every show I do, there is always some surprise that you can buy shampoo in bar form.

But, online?  That is a different story.  My shampoo bars sell as well online as all my other products.  Some of my customers are first time shampoo bar users, but some are not.  And the feedback from both is outstanding.

And, it has come to my attention lately that there is a lot of talk online about shampoo bars.  Here are three sites that I have only recently become aware of:

http://stonl.inspirehandmade.org/ is a site by a customer who has taken the initiative to request a few samples of shampoo bars and is doing her own comparison study.  It is pretty interesting.  I hope to have one of my bars in her study, as well; but it hasn't been done as of this writing.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74 is a site the above customer turned me onto just yesterday.  I have yet to peruse this site at my convenience, but it looks very interesting from a similar position as above buyer.

https://www.everydayminerals.com/forum/index.php?board=7.0 is a forum on natural living offered by Everyday Minerals make up company.  One of my customers visits there with her review of products she buys.  I know she has reviewed some of my soaps and shampoo bars there.

Bath Bar (Goat Milk)               Shampoo Bar (MM Root)

I'd like to address Questions on this Forum Thread by Customers.

1.  The most common question is "What is the difference between a Bath Bar and a Shampoo Bar?"

After reading some online material recently, I think you may get a different answer from each soapmaker.    We are individuals, after all, and we have learned our craft in many and varied ways.

My answer is this: I do a few things in a shampoo bar recipe I do not do in a soap recipe.  I add real silk to the sodium hydroxide solution for the amino acids so good for our hair.

I increase castor oil 600% in my shampoo bar, too.  I have read the most wonderful things about castor oil.  It is the only oil with ricinoleic acid that is extremely conditioning to our hair and skin/scalp.  This oil adds rich, creamy lather to the equation, along with the extra glycerin it produces upon becoming soap.  That extra glycerin acts as a conditioner and humectant - it prevents hair from drying out.

I use only extra virgin olive oil for the olive oil part of the recipe. (As with the face soap - the other recipes get a blend of evoo and pomace olive oil.)

I add jojoba to the recipe.  It is a liquid wax that assists in the repairing of damaged hair shafts.  It serves to protect the hair from environmental hazards, as well.

And, I limit the ingredients to the above added to coconut oil for the hardness (to offset all that castor oil), and the big bubbly lather it adds to the soap.

At this time, I make 5 herbal shampoo bars.  I include additives I think will enhance the purpose of each shampoo bar.  But, there is seemingly no limit to the amount of varieties offered on the web.

I think they are great products.  I think decreasing the need for a plastic container in this one product is awesome.  And, they are quite effective.  I have hairdressers recommending them to their customers in my local area for really clean, unfettered, shiny hair.  They last longer than a bottle four times the ounces, and they are travel hardy.

I would love to hear your comments regarding your experiences with shampoo bars, good or bad.  And, if you could change anything about a shampoo bar, (besides making it liquid), what would it be?

 Thanks for hearing me out.  Kathleen