Hair soaps are trending and enjoying a genuine comeback. However, for a very long time hair-washing soap was displaced on the market by conventional products.
Plastic-free hair washing: What is hair soap made of?
A hair soap consists largely of plant oils that promote foaming. All in all, every hair soap contains only natural ingredients and no synthetics such as surfactants and silicones. A hair soap is therefore a natural alternative to conventional shampoo. Washing your hair (plastic-free) with hair soap cleans your hair and scalp in a completely natural way and places less strain on the environment than conventional hair care systems.
What advantages does hair soap offer?
As already mentioned, hair soaps contain no preservatives, parabens, silicones or surfactants. Another plus is that by purchasing a hair soap you save vast amounts of plastic waste.
Moreover, hair-washing soap is significantly more economical than conventional shampoo, which justifies the higher price. And with the natural ingredients you benefit your scalp, as hair soaps are particularly mild.
Who is hair soap suitable for?
Due to the mild ingredients, hair soap is generally suitable for all skin types. We recommend that you select a product tailored to your specific requirements. So if, for example, you tend to have a sensitive scalp, you should choose a hair soap that meets that need.
What to consider before using hair soap?
The local water hardness plays a very important role when washing hair with hair soap:
Optimal for washing hair with a hair-washing soap is soft water, which contains little limescale.
With medium-hard water a acid rinse with organic apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in cold water is advisable to better remove limescale from the hair.
If you have very hard, limescale-rich water the following occurs: when water and soap combine, the so-called lime soap forms. These are white flakes that deposit on the scalp and can result in rough hair. How can this problem be solved? Counteract it with a stronger acid rinse.
Plastic-free hair washing: with hair soap
This requires experimentation and patience. Our tip: there are specific filters for shower heads that remove limescale from the water. Please also note: It may take a while for your hair to get used to the hair soap, especially if you previously used a product containing many synthetic substances. It is estimated to take about 4 weeks until all synthetic substances have been removed from your hair. Persevering is worth it, because you will usually be rewarded with naturally beautiful hair and the hair will no longer become greasy so quickly.
After washing hair: acid rinse for hard water
As already mentioned above, with hard water you should definitely prepare an acid rinse after washing your hair, because it removes limescale residues and limescale soap from the hair and makes it supple. The acid rinse is basically a hair rinse with a splash of vinegar or lemon. In addition, it seals the roughened cuticle layer. The result is strong, shiny hair.
How does it work?
Mix 1–2 tbsp apple cider vinegar with approx. 1 litre of cold water. After the hair soap has been thoroughly rinsed out, treat the hair with the apple-cider-vinegar rinse. Simply pour this over the hair and scalp; the rinse does not need to be rinsed out again with water, as the vinegar smell dissipates very quickly. Please note: the harder the water at your location, the higher the concentration should be adjusted. You will need to test a bit to find the best ratio.
Using the hair soap
Before lathering, briefly run the shower stream over the hair soap to moisten it. Rub the soap directly in your hands and then apply the foam to your wet hair.
Alternatively, rub the soap directly onto the damp hair.
Massage your hair and scalp thoroughly with the foam produced. Rinse everything out very well with water. Use an acid rinse with hard water.
Important note: after use, let the hair soap dry thoroughly in a dry soap dish. This keeps the hair soap economical and extends its lifespan.
More information on natural beard care with Aleppo soap.
Selected hair soaps for beard and hair care can be found in our online shop