Lady H Apothecary: Healthy Hair & Scalp Oil

Maintaining healthy hair can be a struggle, whether trying to encourage hair to grow or perhaps dealing with an irritated scalp. This is why at The Amazing Blog, we were thrilled to test out this Healthy Hair & Scalp Oil from organic skincare Lady H Apothecary. The benefits are numerous when using hair oil, whether it’s for feeding the scalp or just nourishing dry ends. We were privileged to be invited to judge this product for The 2023 Beauty Shortlist Awards, where it won ‘Best Scalp Oil’, and let us tell you why.

Lady H Apothecary is based in Northumberland and founded by Lyndsey Lees; who, with her background in salon and holistic beauty, blends various therapeutic oils for both skin and hair. After eighteen years in beauty and holistic therapy, she followed her passion and sold her beauty business to return to college to complete a degree in the aesthetic practice of advanced skin treatments and the physiology of skin ageing. Lyndsay said, "In truth, I first fell in love with aromatherapy as a young beauty therapist. I was told that essential oils were similar to people in that they had many characteristics or properties, and those characteristics could change in accordance with the different oils that they were blended with, much in the same way that human characteristics can change depending on who they're spending time with.” The base of all Lady H products is organic carrier oils like jojoba, sweet almond, evening primrose, prickly pear, pomegranate oil and Argan oil and in butters like cocoa and shea, which all have an abundance of essential fatty acids which promote the absorption of vitamins into the skin. All her products are all derived from organic plants to harness the actives and feed the skin with plant-powered nutrition. She has since opened a clinic in Morpeth, where her hand-crafted products continue to grow, and she has expanded her treatment menu to include the latest in beauty and self-care. Recognised for her skill and expertise, she won the 2022 North East Skin Specialist of the Year at the British Hair & Beauty Awards. With Lyndsey’s love of aromatherapy and organic ingredients, she went on to say, “It is amazing to carry out treatments and achieve results using the products I’ve made by hand, and even more amazing to hear how my clients are enjoying them at home.” The brand is conscious of its environmental footprint and has a refill scheme in which customers can participate. After use, the bottles can be cleaned and returned to Lady H Apothecary, where they will be sterilised and reused, and customers will be offered a discount for their refills.

We found that The Healthy Hair and Scalp Oil was excellent for hydrating and conditioning both the hair and scalp. We used it as a pre or post-shampoo treatment or reviving overnight hair mask. It contains a powerhouse blend of handpicked organic carrier oils, which include organic jojoba oil, calendula, evening primrose oil, Argan oil, tocopherol and apricot kernel oil, together with essential oils of rosemary leaf extract, lemon, palmarosa, and Roman chamomile too.

Every ingredient is here for a reason. The organic jojoba oil is high omega 9 content that protects the hair to keep moisture locked in and grow thicker, lustrous hair. Organic calendula can help soothe any irritation on the scalp or clear dandruff as it has oleic acid. The essential oil of Argan oil is very beneficial in strengthening hair and softening lifeless hair with omega 9 and omega 6, which can help reduce hair breakage. Organic evening primrose and organic apricot kernel oil are also effective with omega 9 and 6 to restore dry, dull hair and work as a detangler and decrease hair loss. For stimulating hair growth and reducing greasiness, the rosemary leaf extract increases scalp circulation along with the beneficial ingredient of lemon essential oil that improves the scalps' oxygen flow and functions of the hair follicle.  Whereas palmarosa essential oil is wonderful in restoring hair, and Roman chamomile oil calms scalp irritation.

This hair oil blend certainly has been a great multitasker for us, and we’ve used it for scalp nourishment and hydrating dry ends. The texture is light, and the fragrance is floral and uplifting. It can be used as an overnight as an intensive treatment; the oil can be left overnight and washed out in the morning.  Or as a pre-shampoo, which is one of our favourite ways to apply, using it from the root to the tip, then massaging it into the scalp, leaving it on for 30 minutes before washing it out with shampoo. Plus, it works well taming flyaway hairs by simply rubbing a few drops of oil into the palms and then gently smoothing down those stray strands. We highly recommend this hair oil, and it’s another of our #amazingfinds.

To purchase the award-winning 100ml Healthy Hair and Scalp Oil for £36, see here.

KinKind : Give me MORE! Shampoo & Deep Conditioner Bars

For our lovely readers with dry, curly or textured hair, this one's for you. At The Amazing Blog, we understand how difficult, or maybe even unheard of, it is to find haircare bars that detangle and hydrate our kind of hair. KinKind's Give me MORE! Shampoo and Deep Conditioner Bar for Damaged, Frizzy and Curly Hair are two one-of-a-kind haircare bars that set a new bar (pun intended!) for haircare products. Yet another one of our #amazingfinds, each bar saves two (250ml) plastic bottles and is 100% plastic-free while being proudly handcrafted in the UK, vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free and delivered directly through the letterbox. The gently cleansing, fabulously foaming, and freshly fragranced duo has won two awards recently, earning them the Bronze Award at the 2022 Global Beauty Awards.

Even after changing her shopping habits from single-use plastic to reusable bags, significantly reducing disposable coffee cup usage, and rediscovering milk delivery in glass bottles, Victoria Coe and her family knew they could do more to reduce the massive environmental issues caused by plastic pollution. They realised that most plastic consumption occurred at home, where the average UK household uses 480 plastic bottles per year. This plastic bottle usage mainly happens in the bathroom, as none of the big personal care brands can tackle the plastic pollution problem head-on due to a primary focus on recycling plastic instead of changing production lines. This was Victoria Coes' aha moment, inspiring her to develop plastic-free products that are easy swaps with solid shampoo bars and body wash soap bars. It was at this time in 2019 that KinKind was born. As if it couldn't get even more eco-friendly, the products sell directly to families online with a subscription model, minimising carbon impact. While KinKind strongly hopes to create a positive environmental change by creating eco-friendly bars, customers are always of equal importance: ensuring the same high quality and user experience - despite using a different type of shampoo and conditioner. As they say at KinKind, "Bye Bye Bottles…Hello KinKind!" KinKind has saved over 289,091 bottles since its launch, helping oceans and sea creatures alike, one bar at a time. In an interview with Natural Product News, Victoria commented, “At KinKind, we believe that families can create positive change against plastic pollution and climate change, and our products are an easy, effective and enjoyable way to radically reduce the use of plastics in our bathrooms.”

Launched in February 2022, KinKind's Give me MORE! Shampoo and Conditioner Bars are unlike any shampoo or conditioner bar you've seen. KinKind's Give me MORE! is here for those who need more care and protection for their hair. One of the best shampoo and conditioner bars out there for curly, frizzy, damaged, long and thick hair, its silicone-free, wheat bran based and protects hair fibres for extra smoothness, softness, hydration, moisture, shine, strength, resistance, and ease of combing – the whole package. The Shampoo Bar is rich, foaming yet gentle, and cleansing with a fresh geranium and ylang-ylang fragrance. They use a gentler cleanser than bottle shampoos, and it’s suitable for coloured or highlighted hair. On the other hand, their Deep Conditioner Bar is enriched with cocoa seed butter and coconut oil, and packed with concentrated conditioning ingredients. Each palm-sized conditioner bar lasts up to a generous 50 washes, allowing an easy switch from bottles. You'd be surprised at how much rich lather and conditioning comes from each bar, leaving hair feeling silky soft.

The Shampoo Bar is pink in colour and starts with sodium coco-sulfate, a mix of all fatty acids from coconut oil that creates foam, cleanses the hair and is much gentler than SLS, followed by polyglyceryl-4-caprate, a water-loving emollient and solubiliser, and then pentylene glycol, a glycol with conditioning and preservative abilities. Then, there's glycerin, the much-loved humectant with excellent moisturising properties, wheat extract, skin softening and hair conditioning agent, caprylyl glycol, a skin conditioning agent with antimicrobial activity, 1,2-Hexanediol, a synthetic preservative and moisture-binding humectant, and lastly, benzyl benzoate, a solvent and preservative. Citronellol, a fragrance chemical from geranium, rose, and other plants that give the bar a citrus-like scent, and geraniol, a naturally derived fragrance from rose, geranium and citronella for a fresh, natural scent, make it in the mix too. You can also find limonene, a chemical with potent antioxidant benefits, linalool, floral and spicy terpene alcohol that gives off citrusy and lavender scents—lastly, CI 17200, a pink colourant.

The Deep Conditioner Bar's recurring ingredients include wheat extract, caprylyl glycol, pentylene glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, benzyl benzoate, citronellol, limonene, geraniol and linalool. New elements comprise Cetearyl alcohol, a chemical to soften hair and stabilises products; cocoa seed butter, a deeply nourishing, soothing and scalp-supporting fat. There’s coconut oil, a dandruff-relieving, lustre-restoring and frizz-taming protectant, and behentrimonium methosulfate, a non-irritating and mild conditioner that reduces static and frizz. While also encouraging moisture retention, voluminous hair and easy detangling without causing build-up. Besides that, the conditioner bar houses caprylic triglyceride, an excellent emollient and skin-replenishing ingredient.

We used the Shampoo Bar, rubbing it into a lather in our hands, and then putting it directly into our hair, to lather gently and rinse accordingly. For the Deep Conditioner Bar, we smoothed the bar between our palms, then down the length of our hair, from root to tip. Easy to use, the Deep Conditioner Bar, after leaving for a minute, provided instant conditioning when rinsed away. It also lends itself as a hair treatment when left on longer. For both bars, pop them on a rack after use to allow them to air dry. If you're using their Curly Girl Method, (kindly put together by the KinKind team), it's recommended to use both the Give me MORE! Shampoo Bar & Deep Conditioner Bar every few weeks. This is to be part of your curly hair routine to properly cleanse any dirt or bacteria from your hair. For our hair, we found this Give Me MORE! duo ingenious, our hair was left with a softer texture, hydrated, tangle-free and super-shiny. The mild Shampoo Bar lathered well, and delicately moisturised our hair, and the Deep Conditioner Bar tamed our wild locks. A one-of-a-kind shampoo and conditioner, it's another of our #amazingfinds, we highly recommend this for dry, damaged or other curly-haired people out there.

To purchase a 50g bar of the Give me MORE! Shampoo Bar at £6.50, click here. For a 40g bar of the Give me MORE! Deep Conditioner Bar at £7.00, click here.

Pure Lakes: Sweet Basil & Orange Shampoo & Conditioner

At The Amazing Blog, we understand the importance of trying to have a good hair day - every day. That’s why we always turn to natural haircare because it works. Pure Lakes is a natural skincare brand that uses the best and most potent plant-derived ingredients, with some products being entirely organic. We’ve had our eye on this brand for a while, especially their haircare which was a recommendation. Today we feature their Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo and Conditioner, which offer a naturally moisturising fix and leave hair soft and smelling zesty-fresh.

Pure Lakes Skincare is a multi-award-winning brand made in The English Lake District, now a world heritage site. Originally founded in 2006, the highly successful natural spa and skincare brand that we know today started through a café opened by Sandra and Iain Blackburn in Grasmere. The lack of income from the café inspired Sandra to make her own skincare products. Sandra’s chemistry background, feedback from friends and family, and her love for pure plant-based ingredients allowed her to create handmade, affordable, luxury products that gently care for the skin and planet. Pure Lakes’s first opportunity was supplying eco-friendly skincare products to hotels all over the UK; now, happy hotel guests and affordable, eco-friendly luxury skincare lovers flock to Pure Lakes for the best. The story continues….Previous regular buyers of Pure Lakes, who lived in London before moving to the Lakes shortly afterwards, Claire McKeever, a former actress and salsa dance teacher, and her husband Gareth bought the business in 2016.  Claire is a Lake District lass, and the Mc Keever's and their young family live in Far Sawrey, home to Claire's family for several generations. Keeping it local, its products’ environmentally-friendly packaging is designed by Cactus Creative in Kendal and is further complemented by unique artwork created by Claire McKeever’s late Grandmother, Patricia “Paddy” Naylor. They continue to work closely with Iain and Sandra to ensure the core principles and values of the company are inherent in every decision. Claire told Green Parent, “Four years on and I have completed an apprenticeship with Sandra - she & Iain still work for us, albeit one day a week - and love formulating and making products that I am passionate about. I have long suffered from eczema and being able to make products that help and that are beneficial for the skin, is incredibly fulfilling.”

Gareth and Claire McKeever have their sights fixed firmly on spreading the word about how their products are created ethically and sustainably within the boundaries of the UNESCO-recognised Lake District National Park. In an interview with Cumbria Growth Hubb, Gareth said, “We’ve always had that ethos. What’s changed is the way we communicate it. Everything we do has to have clear environmental benefits. For example, we’ve started using plastic made from sugar for our bottles, which has a smaller carbon footprint than normal plastic made from oil. Consumers ordering online can save £1 by opting for minimal packaging. Our products to hotels come in refillable bottles that can be used time and again.” He added, “Just because our products are environmentally friendly doesn’t mean they can’t look luxurious. We package them in environmentally-friendly materials in keeping with high-end products using high-end ingredients.” The four main pillars of Pure Lakes Skincare are its customers, employees, supplies and owners. They strive for excellence in all products, ensuring customers are always satisfied. If not, a replacement or refund will be issued within a reasonable period, no questions asked. Pure Lakes also believes in sustainable, equal pay careers with flexibility to enjoy the beautiful Pure Lakes and building and maintaining long-lasting relationships with great suppliers for the most traceable, undeniably sustainable, and highest quality ingredients. Once a secondhand bookseller, Claire finds the recycling of pre-loved items very satisfying – especially using a significant number of pre-used padded envelopes and recycled packaging much like Pure Lakes does today. Claire stated, “I believe in the stance Pure Lakes is taking on recycling, with their biopolymer bottles, their reusable and refillable policy and their use of organic products: the team are aware of the company’s impact on the environment and is committed to keeping in the forefront of innovation.” Not forgetting to mention that Pure Lakes are vegan and never tests on animals; they are free from synthetic ingredients, parabens or SLS. They even donate a portion of online orders to young carers, children looking after siblings and/or parents, in collaboration with Honeypot and West Cumbria Carers. Over the past six months, Pure Lakes has donated over £2,000 to young carers.

The Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo is a natural shampoo with a gentle lather giving cleansed and nourished hair, with the essential oils of sweet & bitter orange, sweet basil, geranium and lemongrass. On the one hand, sweet & bitter orange oil is abundant in vitamin C, promoting collagen production and reducing hair breakage. Whereas in contrast, sweet basil oil is exceptionally beneficial for hair growth by improving scalp circulation, stimulating hair follicles and promoting the production of new healthy hair. The basil plant has an astonishing 120 varieties, and the sweet basil variety is known to retain its potent properties even in high temperatures, making it a better choice for use in cosmetics. The geranium oil balances secretions around the hair follicles, effectively stimulating hair growth. And the lemongrass oil’s astringent and antiseptic properties strengthen hair follicles, control hair loss, and leave hair shiny.

Other key ingredients start with organic aloe vera, an excellent pain reliever, antiseptic and healing agent ideal for eczema, burns, sunburn and cuts – making it highly soothing for the scalp and hair. It’s followed by cocamidopropyl betaine, and decylglucoside, both amphoteric detergent that produces a fine foam and makes products gentle on the skin. There’s organic jojoba, a scentless liquid wax easily absorbed by the skin that functions as a moisturiser and protectant to the scalp and skin, safe for all skin types and a great hair oil. Organic sunflower oil, a dry oil rich in omega 3 for soft and silky hair; D-panthenol, a nutrient from vitamin B for managing oxidative stress on the scalp and skin; and vitamin E (tocopherol), an antioxidant that prevents fat and oils from going rancid; Meanwhile, a combination of phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol and potassium sorbate, are antibacterial agents that form the most gentle and eco-friendly preservative, along with citric acid, an acidity and pH regulator, also make its way into the formula.

These plant-based ingredients only enhanced our hair, as the shampoo is light and natural, and yet it left a beautiful zesty lemongrass scent on our hair. It didn’t dry the scalp, or make hair tangly; instead, it left our hair soft and clean.

Followed by the Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Conditioner, which is equally zesty and naturally moisturising. Each bottle contains plant keratin and a pleasant blend of essential oils like sweet basil and orange. You will find similar ingredients as the shampoo, plus each bottle contains glyceryl monostearate, cetyl alcohol and isoamyl laurate for emulsification that leads to soft and silky hair, along with isoamyl cocoate, a light, natural emollient with low viscosity for quick absorption of formulas. Also, there are hydrolysed corn, wheat and soy proteins, that maintain hair elasticity by controlling the loss of humidity, reducing breakage, improving traction of hair fibres, and increasing collagen production for moisturised, nourished, shiny hair. Avocado oil is a mild, nourishing, semi-fatty oil that is rich in vitamins and perfect for treating damaged hair cuticles; cetearyl glycoside, an emulsifier that won’t clog scalp pores; and lastly, coconut butter, a butter rich in essential proteins to nourish, repair and condition dull, damaged hair and can even be beneficial for dandruff when massaged into the scalp.

Again, we found the conditioner light on the hair, much like the shampoo, and it did its due diligence in leaving hair soft and silky. We suggest letting the conditioner sit for a few minutes to give it time to hydrate hair and scalp, and then in our case, follow with a wide tooth comb and rinse. The Shampoo and Conditioner work perfectly in tandem for a lightweight summer haircare - we used it twice a week to keep hair clean, shiny and smelling fresh. Suitable for all hair types, including our long fine curly hair, although with the essential oil content and the lively scent, we’d caution those who have flaky or sensitive scalps to do a patch test first. Another of our #amazingfinds, thanks to this dynamic duo, you don’t have to think twice about your next good hair day!

Both products are free from alcohol, lanolin, petroleum jelly MI, gluten, and artificial perfumes or colours. To top it off, they even have refills available see here. For a 250ml bottle of Pure Lakes’ Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Shampoo for £14.50, click here; and the 250ml bottle of Pure Lakes’ Sweet Basil & Orange Keratin Silken Conditioner for £14.50, click here.

Floragy : No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil

More so than any other time of year, the balmy British summer days bring humidity, giving our hair the dreaded frizz… Every summer at The Amazing Blog, it becomes a bit of a mission to find a nourishing and hydrating haircare to tame our flyaway locks, which is why we want to talk about Floragy's No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil, which Edwina judged at the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards, where it was awarded an Editor's Choice.

Floragy is a natural skincare brand, founded in 2019 by Louisa Tidy, She started the company after stepping down from her fast-paced city world and moving to the countryside to embrace a slower pace of life. "I was exhausted after a full-on career travelling and working too many hours and wanted to take some time to rebalance my life. I’d always suffered from dry skin but as I’ve got older, I’ve found I need extra protection during the colder months. After some extensive research and experimenting, I created a few recipes for skincare products which my skin reacted well to, and I preferred over my usual products.” Louisa also became involved with various holistic practices such as acupuncture, homoeopathy and mediation, together with natural ingredients and studying how they could improve one's wellbeing. After a few years of testing and developing formulas, she launched Floragy with the ethos that ‘less is more’ keeping their ingredients to a minimum and using only key botanicals. In an interview with Faversham Life, Louisa revealed how they came up with the brand name, "We dreamt up the name Floragy by combining 'flora' and 'foraging." Floragy, as the name suggests, is made up of only natural botanicals; it’s clean and transparent with easy-to-understand labelling and focuses on using the healing powers of plant-based ingredients. Since its inception, Floragy’s focus is on its eco credentials and sustainability. Ingredients are sourced from local farmers and ethical producers, and the packaging is recyclable and has glass bottles and jars with aluminium lids. They also offer a refill option for the haircare range, so there’s less waste is generated from the pipette applicators. It’s a vegan and 100% cruelty-free brand and lists all the product ingredients and their benefits on its website here.. Floragy gives back by planting a minimum of 10 trees a month through One Tree Planted, they donaten10% of all sales of their Restore Body Oil to the Ocean Generation, and has pledged to be net zero carbon by 2040 as part of the SME Climate Hub.

The No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil is one of Floragy's most popular and well-loved products and with good reason. This product is designed to soften and strengthen dry hair as well as soothing and moisturising the scalp. When used for styling, it offers more defined curls and worked brilliantly on our unruly hair.

There are only five ingredients, coconut oil which hydrates and enhances the hair's lubrication, making it easier to style and manage. It also increases shine and helps prevent frizz. Argan oil is probably the key ingredient with its many benefits. It’s rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, and helps improve dryness, smooths and detangles the hair, and protects it from damage. Olive squalane is an excellent conditioner and helps restore hydration to the hair and scalp. It also softens the hair texture and adds shine without adding any greasiness. The two essential oils are sweet orange and bergamot; apart from their zesty fragrance they also provide other hair and scalp benefits. The sweet orange is full of vitamin C to purify the scalp and aid healthy hair growth; bergamot is full of antioxidants which shield the hair and scalp against the damaging effects of oxidative stress, and antimicrobials which stop bacteria.

Hair oils can be applied in many ways, post-wash, added to shampoo as a boost, or even as an overnight hair and scalp treatment. We do post-wash for condition and styling, and use oils overnight as a treatment. But adding to shampoo as a boost? Well, that was a first for us. When we tried combining it with shampoo, it stopped any stripping or straw-like effects, that we sometimes get from testing out various haircare. We highly recommend trying this method if you have any of these issues. We’d also like to add that this No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil was particularly suitable for our dry ends and for smoothing long, fine and textured hair. Hair oils are an essential part of our haircare, mainly used as a detangler and to help deter further split ends. Floragy offers three different hair oils, all of which have specific benefits. The No 2 Conditioning Hair Oil is lighter and probably best for bleached or damaged chemically treated hair, it helps to bring back condition and shine. And the No 3 Smoothing Hair Oil is another award-winning hair oil, that’s excellent for sealing in moisture and adding extra shine.

Apart from leaving hair smelling deliciously fresh and citrusy, this No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil made it shiner, softer and curls more defined. This is why Floragy is another of our #amazingfinds and a go-to for its simple, natural and effective haircare ingredients. To purchase the 15ml No 1 Strengthening Hair Oil at £14 see here, or £25 for 30ml, both have refill options.

Hairy Jayne : Floral Shampoo Bar

Hate having to pack heavy bottles of shampoo and conditioner for your trips away? They always take up far too much space, and if decanted for hand luggage, they’re too small to last the holiday! At The Amazing Blog, we’ve abandoned our regular liquid shampoos to try out the solid bars for a while. Today we’d like to share another of our latest #amazingfinds with a very travel-friendly sulphate-free Floral Shampoo Bar by Hairy Jayne; it’s gentle on hair and, best of all, won’t leak all over your clothes!

Hairy Jayne all began when hairdresser Jayne Rutland started getting raw hands from washing clients’ hair with mainstream and professional shampoos. This was when she decided it was time to investigate making her own natural hair care and went on to train at the cosmetics workshops Plush Folly. It inspired her to start experimenting and creating shampoos and conditioners using only natural plant oils. Jayne wanted a vintage-style name that everyone would remember, and ‘Hairy Jayne’ was born; it also rhymes with Mary Jane (shoes), which she says makes people laugh. She formulates and oversees the making of all her refillable and zero-waste hair care products, which are Vegan Society certified and cruelty-free. All ingredients are naturally derived and sustainably sourced. Jayne explained, “Unlike a lot of other zero waste beauty brands in the UK, we live, breathe and specialise in hair care. We only make hair care. We believe that living a sustainable lifestyle shouldn’t mean compromising how lovely your zero-waste shampoo and conditioner makes your hair feel.” Sustainability is also of paramount importance to Hairy Jayne; therefore, the packaging is either plastic-free, biodegradable or comes in refillable bottles. They also reuse packing materials wherever possible and plant a tree for every product sold with Ecologi to help reduce carbon emissions. The brand is probably best known for its sulphate-free Shampoo Bars, which have certainly made their mark as a Gold winner at the Free From Skin Awards 2020 and, more recently, as a Commended Winner in 2022, the Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Let’s talk more about The Shampoo Bars; these are ‘sydnet bars’, a made-up word that combines ‘synthetic’ and ‘detergent’. The detergent they use (sodium cocoyl isethionate) is derived from coconut oil. Jayne tells us, “The sulphate-free detergents we use in our solid shampoos are very mild and hair softening and won’t damage the hair like a traditional soap would. Syndet bars work better in hard water than soap does, too.” The brand offers a chart under ‘Is This The Right Product For You?’  showing the type of shampoo bar and the best option for each hair type. Jayne explained her reasoning for creating the Shampoo Bar, comparing herself to soap bars, “Unfortunately, there are a lot of products on the market that say ‘shampoo bar’ on the label, but they are actually bars of natural soap with added hair-friendly ingredients. These soap bars give solid shampoo bars a bit of a bad name when the user is left with hair that feels waxy and dull.” It’s because a simple natural soap isn’t the right pH level to use in the hair. Something to note is that shampoos need to be acidic (compared to soaps which are very alkaline) because the pH level of hair is between 4.5 and 5.5, which is acidic on the pH scale. pH-balanced shampoos don’t strip your hair and scalp of natural oils and protect it from dryness, frizz and damage. A slightly acidic shampoo also seals the hair cuticles keeping it strong and shining.

The Shampoo Bars come in four different fragrances:  Floral, Citrus, Musk and Herbal. Colour coded for hair types (see about ‘chart’ above), these are sulphate-free Shampoo Bars contain many ingredients as the liquid sulphate-free shampoos. We tried the ‘Floral Shampoo Bar’, which has three key essential oils, geranium, bergamot and vanilla, to give it its fragrance and restorative properties. The geranium also targets the scalp; and controls dryness, excess oil, and sebum production. Bergamot is rich in fatty acids and conditions and tames frizz. Lastly, vanilla strengthens hair and induces blood flow to the scalp.

The core ingredients in each Shampoo Bars are sulphate-free cleansers, mango seed butter, olive oil, aloe vera, green clay, palm-free stearic acid, detangling agent, and essential oils. The sulphate-free cleansers are sodium cocoyl isethionate, derived from the fatty acids in coconut oil that attract oil and water in the formula making it blend together; and disodium cocoamphodiacetate is a foam booster, that also conditions and improves dry, or damaged hair by replenishing moisture. The mango seed butter seals moisture and reduces breakage giving hair its elasticity. Olive oil provides softness and shine, and aloe vera controls greasy and helps an itchy scalp. Green clay anchors the essential oils allowing the scent to remain strong within the shampoo bar; it’s also effective at eliminating dirt and toxins while balancing oil production. Finally, the stearic acid is vegetable-derived and here as an emulsifier, stabiliser and thickener. 

What we like about this Shampoo Bar is the absence of water, and the concentration of ingredients, which means that it lasts longer than its liquid counterpart. Hairy Jayne gives three eco-friendly packaging options: recyclable cardboard box, reusable aluminium tin or no outer package (naked). To use the Shampoo Bar, they recommend saturating hair and massaging the Shampoo Bar directly onto the scalp, then rinsing away. Edwina, who tested this Shampoo Bar for the Awards, has very long, fine curly hair and gave it the big thumbs up. It lasted over a month, smelt amazing and was very gentle on her scalp and hair. In fact, it left her scalp nourished and with no irritation, unlike some other liquid sulphate-free shampoos. She also used Hairy Jayne’s multi-award-winning liquid Treatment Conditioner in tandem with the Shampoo Bar, and recommends it as a conditioner for optimum results - i.e. tangle-free hair!

Why not invest in this for gentle hair care for home use, or for your next trip away? To purchase the 50g Floral Shampoo Bar (which can last up to 2-3 months) for only £9, see here. Or, if you’re looking for a hair care bundle, they start at £15 here.