Shampoo Bar Fail

So through this simplifying journey I'm on, I am trying to make proactive choices in making life more simple in every way that I can. For me that also includes trying to use less plastic. I have been bringing my Norwex grocery shopping bags with me when I shop so I won't have to hold on to the plastic ones, collecting them and forgetting to take them to be recycled so they take over my pantry. My daughter and I switched from using disposable shavers to safety razors. We use a reusable coffee filter in our coffee maker, decline the use of straws when we remember, and recycle as much as we can.

I know there are many little ways to avoid using plastic, so I decided to try a shampoo bar soap to eliminate the shampoo bottles I usually use. Normally I use Aveeda shampoo and Head & Shoulders. I wash my hair twice a week and switch between the two. I have really thick hair that is wavy. I straighten it twice a week after I wash it. If I didn't straighten it, my hair would just be frizz, not holding together but each strand just floating separately from each other. I always recycle my bottles, but I'm trying to decrease plastic use in general.

I bought a shampoo bar from Life Without Plastic. It's made of lavender and rosemary. I figured with my anxiety, I could benefit from using this because perhaps the lavender and rosemary would help calm me while I washed my hair. There was a tea tree oil shampoo bar, but it only made me think of flashbacks to the time I used Trader Joe's tea tree oil shampoo and it dried my hair out very badly.

I probably should've gone to the Lush store in town (I've never been there or shopped there before) because I found online that they sell shampoo bars and maybe I could've gotten help from someone there to pick out a bar, but I compared prices and ounces and figured the bar I bought would be more worth it because it would last longer.

I also purchased a container free shaving bar

The directions I received were to either wash your hair with the bar directly on it, or lathering it up in your hands and then washing through your hair. DO NOT DO THE FIRST STEP! I REPEAT DO NOT WASH THE BAR DIRECTLY ON YOUR HAIR! At least not with this shampoo bar! 

I did the first because I looked up two YouTube videos when searching about bar shampoo, and it was suggested that was the best way to wash with it. I immediately felt like I didn't know how to wash my hair as soon as I got out of the shower. My hair weighed down heavily. I straightened it and by mid day it looked extremely greasy. I felt like I had put melted wax in my hair. It was horrible! It took three washes with Head & Shoulders to get it out of my hair! I avoided the bar for weeks until yesterday. I lathered it up in my hands and washed my hair. So far it does feel a little heavy, but not like the first time I used it. One plus side was that I only had to straighten the top of my head because the bottom layer was so moisturized that it stayed collectedly together. 

My scalp is a bit itchy, but that is normal for the shampoo day that I don't use Head & Shoulders. I think I just need a bit more practice with this bar, because I'd hate to not use it and waste the money I spent on it.