The best shampoo bars for an eco-friendly wash and soft strands

Using one of the best shampoo bars can greatly reduce your plastic use in the bathroom and make your beauty routine more eco-friendly. But, with so many on offer and different hair types to consider, which one should you go for? 

We know that climate change is a serious problem and pollution is having a detrimental effect on the environment. That's why swapping to an eco friendly beauty routine including a plastic-free shampoo-conditioner alternative a great way forward. But if you think they're an inferior product compared to the best shampoo and conditioners you're very much mistaken. "Formulations have come on leaps and bounds in the last decade," says Brianne West, founder and CEO of Ethique. "Shampoo bars really are just solid shampoo without the excess water, and there’s an option for all hair types – they’re not soap!"

Since you've landed here, you probably don't need much convincing to swap to a shampoo bar but are rather more concerned with finding the right one for your hair type. The good news is that we've tried and tested the lot to discover the best of the best shampoo bars, let's find the right one for you. 

Why switch to the best shampoo bars?

• Reduce plastic pollution: "Despite the best efforts of the public to rinse and recycle their empties, only 9% of plastic is recycled worldwide as global waste," says West. "Infrastructure is simply not equipped to handle the volume of plastic waste produced." Plastic-free alternatives are just one aspect of clean beauty and cutting back on personal plastic use is a great place to start, resulting in reduced demand over time.
• Cut your carbon footprint: It's not just plastic pollution that the best shampoo bars reduce, their carbon footprint is much lower than traditional plastic bottles. "Shampoo bars are much more environmentally friendly due to virtue of being small and compact," explains West. "This has benefits for transport. Per wash, the carbon footprint is much lower than a liquid."
• A lower cost: On average, the best shampoo bars give you a lot more for your money. "One shampoo bar is the equivalent concentration of three 350ml bottles of liquid shampoo and lasts over 80 washes," says West. You're basically saving the planet and your pennies.
• Options for all hair types: Whatever your hair issue, from frizz to oily roots, there is a shampoo bar to suit you. Much like the best scalp treatments, shampoo bar formulas have evolved a lot since they first appeared on the beauty scene and there's now an option for everyone. Wondering how often should you wash your hair with bars as opposed to liquid washes? You may feel the need to wash a little more frequently as your hair adjusts to the lack of ultra-clarifying surfactants.

The best shampoo bars, as tested by our beauty team

With a range of formulas to suit all hair types, this range offers something for everyone. Each bar has a delicious scent, and the creamy lather leaves hair feeling clean and fresh but not dry. 

What is so pleasing about this bar is its shape. We found the gentle curve easy to control and can be used to really massage the scalp. Even the best shampoo bars turn slippery when wet but the unique teardrop shape of this one meant we could actually keep hold of it when applying it to our scalp. 

If you're struggling to know which of the best shampoo bars is for you, you probably can't go wrong if you give one of these a try. We rated its gentle cleansing abilities and loved the affordable price tag. 

This is a thrifty choice as one bar will last up to 80 washes, and the formula is 95% natural as well endorsed by Cruelty-Free International and the Vegan Society. 

This would be particularly good for thick or curly hair that doesn’t get weighed down by products. We loved the scent and it made our tester's curly hair very soft, defining their curl pattern without frizz and keeping hair in an overall great condition. It left our tester's roots exceptionally clean and the scent was pleasant without being too much. 

It was a bit tricky to keep hold of in the shower though, the circle shape doesn't give you much grip when it's wet. Keep it in the protective box after use, or it will turn mushy in the shower and make a bit of a mess. 

This is one of the pricier shampoo bars we tested, but you can tell it's luxurious as soon as you open the box. We tested the oat/all hair types formula and the bar itself smells incredible. It lathers well and makes a great option for travel to avoid any major shampoo explosions in your best suitcase - or if you are short on space in your shower caddy. 

If you're prone to excess oil in your roots and are looking for something a little more purifying there are more suitable shampoo bars out there, like the L'Occitane option in our guide. But if you have a sensitive scalp, we'd wholeheartedly recommend this one. It's non-irritating and cleanses without stripping your scalp. 

Brassiness is the bane of every blonde’s life. This is easily one of the best purple shampoos in eco-friendly form as it quickly neutralizes the yellow tones in blonde and silver hair, so the color looks bright and salon-fresh for longer. 

Ethique shampoo bars are also cruelty-free and vegan, palm oil-free and ingredients are ethically sourced, so if you're looking for the best vegan shampoo and conditioner options in solid form, this could be your brand. Although this particular bar is specifically for blondes, the brand has an option for every hair type and need and is considered the brand to go for when it comes to the best shampoo bars. 

We loved the rich lather it produced and the square design means it's a bit easier to hold on to in the shower. If Ethique made a toning bar for brunettes too, we'd snap it up!

An oily scalp can be the reason some people avoid even the best shampoo bars, but this one is incredibly clarifying. When testing, it lathered up well and made quick work of excess oil and product buildup, removing everything but keeping hair soft and nourished. 

If you're struggling to use a shampoo bar properly West suggests this protocol, "Wet your hair and the bar then slide the bar from root to tip 3-4 times, put the bar down, and lather shampoo into hair. It will foam!" Those with very greasy hair should repeat this process to get a really deep cleanse. 

The strong mint scent won't be to everyone's taste but we loved its invigorating effect in the morning.

This bar is enriched with healing, nourishing honey and smells good enough to eat. It also lathers up a treat, working its way into a rich and creamy foam that leaves hair impressively shiny and silky.  

As this shampoo bar does contain honey, it's not vegan meaning so won't make our list of the best vegan beauty products. It does, however, win our vote on the best shampoo bar for dry hair. It's really gentle and hydrating and we loved using it. 

The honeycomb design means you get some grip in the shower but this will wear off after a few uses making it quite slippery. We recommend storing it somewhere dry to keep it from turning to mush. 

Ask any hair expert and they will tell you beautiful hair always starts with a healthy scalp. This means applying the best scalp treatments, but also ensuring that your haircare won't irritate your skin further. This sulfate-free formula won't strip the scalp and hair of its natural oils, but also soothes itchy scalps, protects from flakes with natural oils, and has an antimicrobial effect to reduce dandruff. It's a treatment and hair wash in one. 

We loved the strong scent but some might find it too overpowering. It leaves hair feeling deeply cleansed but still gives the ends some nourishment. When we tested this bar, it held its form well and didn't instantly turn to mush. The drawback of this shampoo bar is that it only lasts for 20 washes so you may need to repurchase it more often. 

Shampoo bars may seem like a new concept, but we've been using bar soap for centuries and with A-list colorist, Christophe Robin's expertise behind this luxury offering, you'll be wondering why you didn't make the swap to plastic-free shampoo bars sooner. 

When we tested it, we found the rich, lathering formula brilliant and the fragrance utterly divine. It deeply cleanses without leaving hair 'squeaky' clean and left our strands feeling soft and hydrated. It's also perfect for travel as it's suitable for use on the hair and body – so you can save space in your luggage for other toiletries (or more clothes!)

Of course, the price is a little bit higher than other shampoo bars we tested, but you do get a 2-in-1 product that can be used from head to toe. 

When even the best hair straighteners don't tame your frizz, the problem could be lying in your shampoo. The answer? A conditioning, frizz-reducing shampoo bar that combats coarse texture and leaves hair feeling soft and shiny.

As this shampoo bar is enriched with olive extracts, it gives incredible softness to hair with more texture and we loved the rich, creamy lather it produced. It definitely felt like it was cleaning our hair but kept an element of nourishment within the hair cuticle.

It's pricey for a shampoo bar but the price is reflective of the formula. It really does deliver what it promises and if you can spare the cash and your hair is coarser than you'd like, we recommend giving it a go. 

Named after the 552 million plastic shampoo bottles that end up in landfill every year, this shampoo bar is aimed at every hair type, but we think it would be particularly good for fine to medium-thickness hair. 

It's made with a moisturizing blend of coconut, argan, and castor oils that leave hair soft rather than weighed down. The benefits of coconut oil for hair are well documented and we loved the clean scalp feeling it gave.

One thing that we couldn't help but notice when testing was that it left our ends feeling quite dry. This is not a problem if you're going to apply conditioner straight afterward but those who skip this step might find it too stripping.

The distinctive ‘Percy & Reed’ fragrance is always a hit – it's energizing, bright, and really sets you up for the day. We found this one particularly great for thick hair as it lathers so well in comparison to other shampoo bars and easily foams up in areas like the nape of the neck and behind the ears. 

This bar is also really long-lasting and can be used for up to 50 washes, so you get value for money plus it's really easy and light to travel with. It also comes in fully recyclable packaging with no plastic in sight. Tick!

Those with fine hair might find it a little too stripping as it is a clarifying formula, but if you use lots of styling products like hairspray and hair oils, it does a great job of gently removing any buildup. As with many shampoo bars, you will need to store it in a dry area between uses or it can turn mushy.