If you are trying to reduce the number of plastic bottles in your bathroom, it might be time to try a shampoo bar. Scrub a dub dub, here are 12 NATURAL CANADIAN SHAMPOO BARS THAT WORK (and how to use them)! Oh and don't forget about vegan shampoo bars, they are becoming so popular and there are so many to choose from. YAY!

Gone are the days of hippie-dippy bars that don’t work and cause your hair to be limp and dry! This new breed of natural shampoo bars is packed with plants and botanicals that will leave your hair feeling hydrated, clean and nourished!

Like with all things here on The Eco Hub, I want to make it easy for you to choose ethical and sustainable products for your home and body, but before you can do this, you need to understand the nuances and meaning behind the terms sustainable and clean beauty.

When it comes to shampoo bars.... Let's talk transition, there is one!

Your hair and you are not used to using a shampoo that does not lather like crazy when you add water. Your hair is also most likely used to Synthetic detergents and harsh chemicals (used to create lathering and foaming) and found in most conventional bottles of shampoo.

I’d say the number one issue that arises when starting to use a shampoo bar is the transition period.

Not everyone goes through it, but many people often do. Your hair is used to the chemicals you’ve been using from conventional shampoos which are intended to strip the natural oils from your hair.

Synthetic surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate are very common in liquid shampoos. SLS and other detergents strip the hair of its natural oil, which can cause several problems.

When you first make the switch to zero waste shampoo bars your hair might continue to produce those natural oils at the same rate as it was with your previous shampoo but now you aren’t stripping the oils from your hair, which can cause your hair to look greasy.

Your hair naturally produces oils and when you use bar soap because there are no chemicals stripping the oil from your hair, it can appear a bit greasy for the first two weeks.

Your hair should adjust. My advice: keep an open mind, have patience and try a few before you give up, with so many on the market you are bound to find one that works. I did. 🙂

Plastic-free shampoo bars also come with minimal packaging, helping to reduce the number of plastic bottles heading to landfills!

You will save money, research has shown that we tend to use more shampoo in a bottle than we need to.

They are amazing for travel!

How To Choose The Right Natural Canadian Shampoo Bar For You

The best advice I can give here is to simply do your homework. Learn as much as you can about the ingredients and talk to the makers. It might take you a bit to find the one that works for you.

How I use Natural Shampoo Bars 

Step 1 - Wet your hair, the wetter the better

Step 2 - I add water to the bar in my hands, it will most likely not lather the way you think it will, then I scrub the bar into my roots first and work my way down to the ends

Step 3 - Rinse

You will find what works for you!

1) How to pick a zero waste shampoo bar? 

Ingredients matter! Confirm that what’s in there is right for you and your hair type. While the basic need for a shampoo is to clean your hair, you may want your shampoo to protect, condition, and improve dryness. Try a few! Some will work for you better than others, just like any product.

2) Some misconceptions about shampoo bars are…

Shampoo bars can be made from either soap (saponified oils) or mild cleansing agents (detergents). Both clean your hair but there are some important differences. Soap-based shampoo bars generally have a higher pH which is great for adding volume to hair.

Handmade soap-based shampoo bars are ‘super-fatted’ which means not all the oil is turned to soap (some of the original oils remain), which is ultra-hydrating. Some hair types may be sensitive to the higher pH level in a soap bar or, need more detangling in which case detergent-based shampoo bars can perform better. Check the ingredients to see which type is right for you.

Shampoo bars offer better value than liquid and have less packaging or no packaging.

The moist environment of the shower could deteriorate your shampoo bar when you’re not even using it, making those 20-50 washes far fewer, so store in a dry place!

Not all shampoo bars are natural. They can still be formulated with sulfates, parabens and phthalates. Again, check the ingredients to be sure.

Top picks for Natural Canadian shampoo bars

Nature's Aid

Nature's Aid is a wonderful family-owned Canadian natural skincare company that's all about transparency. The company was founded when the owner was looking for a special ointment to treat one of her horses, but could not find one that worked, so she developed one herself! The results were an amazing skin gel that's good for horses and humans alike.

They now have a full range of products that include skincare, haircare, baby care, bath & shower, and of course, pets!

Their True Natural Solid Shampoo bars will feed your hair with the purest ingredients nature has to offer, including aloe vera, rosemary oil, and shea butter. They offer four hair-loving varieties: Fortifying Lavender and Rosemary, Volumizing Rose and Geranium, Energizing Lemongrass and Mint, and Moisturixiong Mango and Tangarine. Don't you want to try them all?!

Nature's Aid natural shampoo bars are biodegradable, vegan, and cruelty-free. They are all safe for colour-treated hair, rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and contain zero nasties like parabens, SLS, palm oil, artificial colours, silicones, or fragrances.

You can read about their impressive ingredients on their website too, which I love.

These natural shampoo bars are not soap bars—they are specially formulated for your hair, so you are getting salon-quality products. I've been using the Energizing bar because I LOVE Lemongrass. It lathers up beautifully and does not leave any residue. I paired it with the geranium conditioner bar which left my hair feeling full and manageable!

All of their ingredients are sourced ethically and responsibly, and a lot of them are organic too. They focus on using reclaimed and salvaged wood along with steel and repurposed waste streams and found objects.

With these bars, you can skip the plastic packaging and support a company that is shaking up the sustainable beauty game!

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Barefoot Daughter

Barefoot Daughter makes natural shampoo bars that are scented and coloured with only organic herbs and essential oils. There are no preservatives or chemical colourants and the products are never tested on animals. These multi-purpose hair and body bars make great suds and will leave your skin and hair feeling silky smooth and hydrated. All bars are sulfate and palm-free.

Herbalist, author, and founder Aly Coy first began making her own natural creations in the Netherlands while on a small farm community on the outskirts of a small village. After taking a class with an herbalist and learning about the medicinal benefits of oils, herbs, and beeswax, Aly wanted to know more about it.

From the Netherlands, she moved to an off-the-grid community in the Spanish Pyrenees where she used her knowledge in herbal medicine to help people in the community. They grew their own food, cooked on a wood stove, and used a greywater system for their shower. This was the first time she truly thought about the ingredients in most soaps and the potential impact they might have on human and planetary health.

Aly now calls Salt Spring Island, BC home. That's where she began making her own gorgeous creations for Barefoot Daughter. She uses ingredients like bergamot oil (which can help to revive hair bulbs and aid in hair growth by helping blood flow to the scalp) and french clay (which is known for its ability to eliminate dead cells and gently remove excess oil from the scalp without stripping it).

I'm totally in love with her heart-shaped soaps too!

BROWSE BAREFOOT DAUGHTER

Kinsfolk Shop

Not only does this small, amazing, local business carry natural Canadian shampoo bars, they also offer a wide range of amazing zero-waste products. This small, local business is owned by a lovely woman named Tiu and her partner Rahul, who after realizing the detrimental effects of our "throw-away" society decided to "introduce fellow Canadians to a more simple and intentional approach to living everyday life. I aim to help you find useful, practical pieces for your home." It's one of the reasons I love this company so much.

Their products include Canadian-made goods, as well as Fair Trade and carefully selected makers and manufacturers from various regions around the world.

Find an amazing selection of natural shampoo and conditioner bars.

They carry by far one of my top picks for all-natural shampoo bars: Jack59. I have curly hair and the Citrus Shine Shampoo Bar makes my hair feel like I just walked out of the salon. I found my hair was more manageable and super soft, but not too soft to affect styling it.

The smell is also so intoxicating, it's a combination of "turmeric to stimulate hair growth, calendula to improve the health of your scalp and chamomile to help brighten your hair."

Jack59 is plastic-free, sulphate-free, silicone-free, vegan, and even has gluten-free options! LOVE the fact that they have prevented over 500,000 plastic bottles from ending up in landfills.

BROWSE KINSFOLK

Upfront Cosmetics

Upfront's The Refreshing Shampoo Bar is infused with uplifting, fresh, herbal, floral tones that come from lemon, rosemary, and lavender notes. This sulphate-free shampoo bar creates an abundant lather that is pH-balanced to be gentle, non-irritating and safe for colour-treated hair. Provitamin B5 helps retain moisture and protect your hair from the elements. Hydrolyzed oat protein adds softness, aiding in manageability. I LOVE Upfront and have been using their shampoo bars FOREVER! After a lot of trial and error, this is by far my top pick for eco-friendly shampoo bars.

Upfront is all about being upfront about their ingredients and you will not find any crappy ones here. In fact, quite the opposite. Their shampoo and conditioning bars are 65 grams of nutrient richness without the water weight or the plastic bottle. They use plant-based emollients and proteins to make your hair shiny and soft, and natural essential oils to refresh, awaken, stimulate, and soothe.

To date, they have diverted 272,035 plastic bottles, plants 2,000 trees and donated $20,000 to charity!

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Rocky Mountain Soap Company

Their Natural Canadian Shampoo bar with Rosemary doubles as a body soap and is SLS-free!
It’s made with rosemary leaf oil to stimulate the scalp, and castor oil to leave your hair feeling soft. Rosemary oil increases circulation to the scalp, while castor oil leaves your hair feeling smooth and soft. This shampoo/soap bar is perfect for taking on vacation, as it can be used as both shampoo and body soap.

Rocky Mountain Soap Company is based in British Columbia and has a HUGE range of green beauty products. They have recently started to phase out some of their plastic bottles which is awesome, they are also 100% Natural, tested on people, not animals and GMO-free.

Buck Naked Soap Company

The Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar adds volume and shine while cleansing your hair and scalp. This incredible ingredient has been a trusted secret for over 1,400 years. With continued use, our conditioning and mineral-rich zero waste shampoo bar may help reduce dandruff and also double as body and hand soap. These bars do contain sodium hydroxide which has a higher PH than your hair. Just a heads up on that! They are free from nasty chemicals that are typically found in shampoo. These bars are cruelty-free and vegan and are made with shea butter that is sourced sustainably through the Global Shea Alliance.

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Lavami Everyday Shampoo Bar

Lavami's shampoo bar will cleanse your hair and leave it soft and manageable. It got so many really great ingredients like Jojoba oil, castor oil and olive oil. Jojoba oil in liquid wax and the chemical composition resembles the natural sebum produced by the scalp. It's a lubricant and emollient and may help repair damaged shafts and protect from environmental damage.

They note on their website that "These bars clean your hair differently and if you're looking for something simple these are for you. However, if you're looking for the same kind of performance as salon products, check out our Juicy, Revitalize, or Restore shampoo bars." Love that they have this option.

All the bars are natural, cruelty-free, vegan, good for sensitive skin and come in eco-friendly packaging!

BROWSE LAVAMI

Boreal Folk Apothocary

The Juniper + Birch Soap/Shampoo bar from Boreal Folk is all about cleansing and moisturizing for both skin & hair, it creates a thick frothy lather. It is lightly scented with notes of geranium, juniper berries, and creamy wintergreen. Juniper: Contains anti-inflammatory virtues and is rich in antioxidants. Strengthens and conditions hair. These soaps also contain sodium hydroxide, FYI.

Boreal Folk is a unique company handcrafting natural skincare products inspired by Canada's wilderness. Their products are made from sustainably gathered plants and locally sourced Canadian ingredients. Boreal Folk uses minimal recyclable glass & biodegradable packaging to minimize the company's footprint, making them one of the best low-waste skincare companies out there.

BROWSE BOREAL FOLK

Wild Jasmine Natural Apothecary

The Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar from Wild Jasmine is great for normal hair, it's a natural conditioning low waste shampoo in a bar form, formulated with natural plant oils, butter's, botanicals and pure essentials oils that nourish your hair and scalp. The combination of peppermint and rosemary is said to stimulate the growth of hair follicles and leave your hair clean and shiny and your scalp with a cool refreshing tingle.

Wild Jasmine is all about integrity and that shows in their line of body and facial care too. All are packed with potent ingredients that will leave your hair and skin feeling and smelling wonderful.

Saltspring Soap Works

Saltspring's little powerhouses pack a lot of cleaning power—in an awfully convenient form. They last longer than liquid shampoos, and they’re chock full of essential oils, natural ingredients, and fresh scents. The Calendula Chamomile Shampoo Bar is specially formulated for those with fine, light hair. Want extra-thick lather? Well… you’ll find it in this one. Castor oil, chamomile, and calendula all work together to give you soft, silky hair. Sensitive scalp? This is your shampoo bar.

Saltspring knows natural skin and hair care, they have been around for over 40 years and have made products rich in organic ingredients and natural botanicals. Today, they offer a complete line of handmade natural soaps as well as skin, hair, and body care products.

This shampoo bar is chemical-free, cruelty-free (we do not test on animals), gluten-free, paraben-free, preservative-free, silicone-free, sulfate-free, and tree-nut-free. It’s also vegan-friendly. At $7.95 per bar, these are the most affordable natural shampoo bars.

BROWSE SALTSPRING

Love Fresh

I have been in love with this brand forever! Their body butters are to die for and now they have a line of the most delicious smelling shampoo bars. They come in three scents, citrus, lavender- tea tree and rosemary- mint, my bathroom smells like a spa. The bar lather well, my hair feels clean and bouncy and no weird residue is left. Plus it smells amazing. If a scent is your vibe make sure to check out the scents page.

Love Fresh is based in Toronto, Canada and has been in the green beauty space for many years. You could call them the OG for sure! They use natural and botanical ingredients in all their creations and are starting to introduce plastic-free options for their hair care and deodorants. One of this thing I love most about them is the branding. It's chic and simple and will go in any zero waste bathroom.

BROWSE LOVE FRESH

Art Soap Life

Art Soap Life's soft shampoo bar is unscented and great for sensitive or dry skin, as a shampoo bar and facial soap. Saponified organic olive oil, organic coconut oil, chamomile & calendula infused organic sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, cocoa butter, castor oil, Manitoba beeswax, and vitamin E, gently cleanse and moisturize and soothe dryness, promoting healthy, refreshed, glowing skin and hair.

Cold process is used for all soaps so can they create bases of pure oils. They source local botanicals and Manitoba beeswax. No chemical preservatives or artificial fragrances are used in the soaps and all aromas derive from therapeutic quality essential oils, ground botanicals, spices, butters, oxides, micas and clays.

I love the Chamomile and Calendula Soap and Shampoo Bar, great for my sensitive skin. The soaps are all made using the cold process method with select organic or local oils and butters. All the skincare is made with raw ingredients that nourish your skin.

Local sourcing is important to this company. The beeswax and hemp seed oil are from Manitoba. All ingredients and packaging are sourced from within Canada. Art Soap Life collaborates with local craft breweries to make beer soap and hop-infused balm and contracts, local artisans, to make custom designed eco-friendly natural birch boxes for balms and salves

Art Soap Life also makes all-natural cleaning products.

BROWSE ART SOAP LIFE

Natural shampoo and conditioner refillable options

Eco+Amour offers this service in Toronto.

Bring clean, dry containers of your choosing, or shop our selection of refillable containers. Fill your containers with our amazing natural products and pay by weight. Enjoy the great vibes you get from making a more sustainable purchasing decision.

Looking for other zero waste shops, I've got your covered:

Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Saskatchewan
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Manitoba
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Quebec
Zero Waste Shopping Guide British Columbia
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Nova Scotia
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Ontario
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Alberta
Zero Waste Shopping Guide: Toronto

Common questions we get when it comes to natural shampoo bars

What is a shampoo bar?

A shampoo bar is shampoo in solid bar form.

How to pick a zero waste shampoo bar? 

Shampoo bars can be made from either soap (saponified oils) or mild cleansing agents (detergents). Both clean your hair but there are some important differences. Soap-based shampoo bars generally have a higher pH which is great for adding volume to hair.

Handmade soap-based shampoo bars are ‘super-fatted which means not all the oil is turned to soap (some of the original oils remain), which is ultra-hydrating. Some hair types may be sensitive to the higher pH level in a soap bar or, need more detangling in which case detergent-based shampoo bars can perform better. Check the ingredients to see which type is right for you.

How long does a natural shampoo bar last?

It depends on the brand and how often you wash your hair, but generally, a small bar will last 50-70 washes.

How do you use a shampoo bar?

Step 1 – Wet your hair, the wetter the better
Step 2 – I add water to the bar in my hands, it will most likely not lather the way you think it will, then I scrub the bar into my roots first and work my way down to the ends
Step 3 – Rinse

What are some of the benefits of natural shampoo bars?

They are affordable (because they last so long) and great to travel with and very convenient to use?

Is a zero waste shampoo bar better for the environment?

With the plastic crisis, many people are looking for ways to cut back on the amount of plastic they bring into their homes. Opting for a shampoo bar is a great way to reduce plastic bottles that shampoo typically comes in. A shampoo bar has a lower carbon footprint as no plastic is manufactured to keep it in.

How long does it take for hair to adjust to a shampoo bar?

It depends on your hair and the bar you are using. A good rule of thumb is to try it for at least 2 weeks to give your hair some time to adjust and fully remove build-up from commercial shampoos.

Can you use shampoo bars on Coloured hair?

Yes, you can.

How Should I store my shampoo bars?

Never leave your bar in standing water. Use a soap dish and make sure it gets lots of air. Try to keep them away from direct sunlight to avoid melting.

Final thoughts on natural shampoo bars

You need to give your tresses some time to adjust to the bar, for some it happens pretty fast, others not so much. Stick with it. You will find one that works for you and don't be afraid to reach out to the brand directly to answer your questions and the reviews are also a really great place to learn more about a particular bar.  My favourite zero waste online stores carry a wide range of Natural Canadian Shampoo Bars.

And if shampoo bars are not your thang! These eco-friendly shampoos and conditioners might be just what you need!

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