Raise the shampoo bar and lather up with these 8 eco-friendly options
Help your hair and the planet


When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Environmentally friendly and easy to toss in a toiletry bag, shampoo bars are a conscientious choice for travelers. Plastic-free packaging cuts down on waste, and by ditching the liquid shampoo, you can also sail through the TSA line. These eight bars target different hair types and concerns, but all share a common goal of helping the planet.
Easy on sensitive scalps: Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk bar
Save space in your luggage by packing this hair, face and body bar
This hypoallergenic 3-in-1 bar, made with soothing oat milk and aloe, works on your hair, face and body, and "actually performs well in all three categories," Condé Nast Traveler said. The formula "naturally calms scalp irritation" and keeps hair from feeling "dry or frizzy" after spending hours in the sun and salt water. ($19, £15.14, Amazon)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Combats frizz: Davines Love shampoo bar
Say goodbye to frizz with the Love shampoo bar
This is the bar version of Davines' "cult favorite bottled shampoo," InStyle said, an "ultra-gentle" and "super-hydrating formula designed to tame coarse, frizzy hair." Its herbal scent is "subtle" but there, lingering on your locks. The bar feels substantial in your hand even after weeks of daily use. ($27, £21.50, Amazon)
Works for all: Earthling Co. shampoo bar
The Earthling Co. bars come in six scents, plus fragrance-free
All hair types can lather up with Earthling Co.'s strengthening shampoo bar. Cocoa seed butter, marshmallow root and panthenol "condition and protect the hair," Cosmopolitan said, and help keep it "hydrated and smooth." A fragrance-free version is available and great for people with dry scalps, otherwise there are six pleasant scents that include wild lavender and sweet sandalwood. ($16, £12.75, Earthling Co.)
Cleanses thick tresses: HiBar Moisturize shampoo bar
The untraditional shape of this bar ensures it reaches hair roots
The HiBar Moisturize bar's asymmetric bullet shape is a big part of its strength. This "allows for easy lathering and reaching the roots of thick strands," Good Housekeeping said, while the coconut oil and rice protein deeply hydrates. If you wash your hair in the morning, the bar's invigorating orange and ginger scent is like a soapy coffee jolt. ($10, £8, Amazon)
Boosts volume: Lush Seanik shampoo bar
Seaweed and sea salt add texture to Lush's Seanik shampoo bar
Give your hair some va-va-voom with this volumizing shampoo bar, made with shine-enhancing lemon oil, Irish moss and Japanese nori. These seaweed bits and exfoliating sea salt granules help "refresh" oily hair as well, Good Housekeeping said, and the bar's ocean scent "brings the beach to your bathroom." ($15, £12, Lush)
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Protects color-treated hair: Odacité 552M soap free shampoo bar
The citrus scent from Odacité is an invigorating option
Prepare for a professional-quality wash away from the salon. The Odacité 552M bar is made with argan and castor oils and cupuacu butter, which creates a "creamy lather," Condé Nast Traveler said. The "refreshing" citrus scent also ensures a "pleasant in-shower experience."
After rinsing, expect "bouncy, silky-soft locks" that do not feel "stripped of their natural oils." The formula's name, 552M, refers to the 552 million plastic shampoo bottles that are thrown away every year in the U.S. ($29, £23.11, Amazon)
Treats oily hair: StarBars Clarity shampoo bar
All Star Bars products are stamped with the brand's cute logo
StarBars' Clarity shines when it comes to cleansing oily hair. Apricot kernel oil guarantees hair is soft without being greasy, while blueberry extract repairs damage and averts breakage. Safe for color-treated hair, Clarity does not weigh down curls and smells fresh, with a rich herbal fragrance featuring notes of cypress and juniper. Bars are handcrafted in small batches, then packaged in a recyclable paper container. ($22, £17.50, StarBars)
Strengthens locks: Viori Hair shampoo bar
Viori designed its bar around Longsheng rice water
Nourishing Longsheng rice water is a key ingredient in Viori's shampoo bar, resulting in "strands that shine, have more volume and break less frequently," Marie Claire said. The formula was inspired by the Red Yao women of China, who use Longsheng to clean their silky hair, and reviewers "rave" that Viori's bar "reduces hair shedding" and "makes hair more manageable." ($18, £14.34, Sephora)
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Aimee Betro: the Wisconsin woman who came to Birmingham to kill
In the Spotlight US hitwoman wore a niqab in online lover's revenge plot
-
Facial recognition vans and policing
The government is rolling out more live facial recognition technology across England
-
Dive in! The best children's books to spark a love of reading
The Week Recommends These gripping stories will keep kids hooked until the last page
-
The latest entry in Ethan Coen's queer trilogy, a Jeff Buckley documentary and the rare children's horror flick in August movies
the week recommends The month's film releases include 'Honey Don't!,' 'It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley' and 'Sketch'
-
One great cookbook: 'Salt to Taste'
The Week Recommends Your roadmap to satisfying Italian home cooking
-
The return of 'Wednesday,' an 'Alien' prequel and a dramatic retelling of the Amanda Knox trial all happening in August TV
the week recommends This month's new television releases include 'Alien: Earth,' 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' and a new season of 'Wednesday'
-
Go beyond the islands you already know in these 8 countries. Surprises await.
The Week Recommends These destinations fly under the radar
-
The most fun road trips are the ones with the least curveballs. Use these tips to get there.
The Week Recommends The music blaring, the windows wide open and a carefree drive
-
Destination unknown: the exciting ins and outs of mystery travel
The Week Recommends Surprise yourself the next time you vacation
-
5 cultural and scenic trails to wander on four wheels
The Week Recommends Leave the hiking shoes at home
-
Time to land completely refreshed. Because it's one-and done with these pre-assembled toiletry kits.
The Week Recommends All the essentials in one place