The 10 Best Shampoo and Conditioner Bar for Shiny, Silky Hair
In our experience, clean beauty is usually a feel-good shift. When you make the switch, you won’t find yourself reading ingredient lists that feel like chemistry quizzes. One of the easiest (and most effective) places to start? Your hair routine. Shampoo and conditioner bars have become the it-girls of the eco-friendly beauty world.
Not only are they cruelty-free and plastic-free, but many of them work just as well—if not better—than traditional liquid shampoos. Still, with so many options on the market, choosing the right bar for your hair type can be overwhelming. That’s where The Daley Dose comes in. We’ve rounded up the best shampoo and conditioner bars that are worth the shelf space in your shower (and, let’s be real, your hard-earned cash).
Keep reading to learn why shampoo and conditioner bars may be better for your hair, which are the best products currently on the market, and tips for using them. (And if you’re looking for more clean beauty content, don’t forget to check out our Verb hair products review.)
Best Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
Shampoo and conditioner bars are solid products designed to cleanse and nourish your hair without the need for plastic bottles. Instead of liquid formulas, these bars are compact and concentrated—meaning a little goes a long way. They’re typically made using natural and organic ingredients, with minimal preservatives or synthetic fragrances. Because they’re water-free and low-waste, they’re a great eco-friendly option that helps reduce packaging pollution. Plus, they’re TSA-friendly and won’t spill in your suitcase—what’s not to love?
Are Shampoo and Conditioner Bars Good For Your Hair?
Yes, shampoo and conditioner bars can be just as good—if not better—for your hair health than liquid alternatives. Since many bars are made with gentle, nourishing ingredients and skip the sulfates, parabens, and harsh detergents found in traditional formulas, they’re often ideal for sensitive scalps, damaged hair, dry hair, and even color treated hair. The key is picking a bar suited for your specific hair type and texture. (Don’t worry; we’ll get to that.)
How Do Shampoo and Conditioner Bars Work?
Shampoo and conditioner bars work by lathering when activated with water, just like a bar of soap. The shampoo bar cleanses your scalp and strands, while the conditioner bar adds moisture, detangles, and smooths. Look for ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and essential oils. These do the heavy lifting when it comes to cleansing and conditioning.
What Are The Best Shampoo and Conditioner Bars?
The Vida Bars
Available at Amazon ($18) | Also available at Vida Bars
Formulated with curly hair and natural textures in mind, The Vida Bars offer options tailored to different hair types like dry hair, fine hair, and color-treated hair. The Latina-owned shampoo and conditioner bars brand uses nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil. Plus, each bar is cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and free of synthetic fragrances. Each shampoo line has a corresponding conditioner, which is nice because it’s not true of all brands.
Ethique Beauty Everyday Shine Solid Shampoo Bar
Available at Ulta ($17) | Also available at Amazon and Ethique Beauty
One of the pioneers in the solid shampoo space, Ethique bars are plastic-free and long-lasting. They cater to a range of hair types with targeted formulas for dry, oily, or damaged hair. This particular product contains vitamins C and B5 as well as coconut oil. Other formulas include cocoa butter, and peppermint oil to cleanse while protecting your scalp and strands. While the shampoo bar is crescent-shaped, the complementary Ethique Everyday Shine Conditioner Bar is triangular. Since they’re similar in color, this’ll help you determine which is which.
HiBAR Moisturize Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
Available at Target ($14) | Also available at Amazon and HiBAR
Great for curly hair and dry hair, HiBAR’s ergonomic shape is designed to fit comfortably in your hand. The slanted top allows you to more easily reach into your scalp, which makes these bars that much better. Their Moisturize line (photographed here) uses shea butter and coconut oil to replenish lost moisture while enhancing your natural curl pattern. This pick is color-safe and vegan.
Lush Seanik Shampoo Bar
Available at Ulta ($16) | Also available at Lush
Reviewers absolutely love this cruelty-free shampoo bar, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s infused with seaweed, lemon oil, and sea salt to boost volume for fine hair. It also adds texture without stripping natural oils. It’s ideal for beachy waves or a fresh, clean scalp. According to the Lush product page, this little bar “replaces up to three 250ml bottles of liquid shampoo.”
Viori Hidden Waterfall Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
Available at Sephora ($36) | Also available at Amazon and Viori
Inspired by ancient rituals of the Red Yao women in China, these bars are made with fermented rice water—which is known for promoting hair health and growth. Bonus: they’re beautifully packaged and smell like a spa day. They’re also great for all hair types and support hair hydration, growth, strength, and shine.
Kitsch Rice Water Protein Shampoo Bar
Available at Ulta ($14) | Also available at Target and Amazon
Kitsch is one of the leading hair care brands because it’s sustainable, high-quality, and eco-friendly. This pick is a solid shampoo that’s especially good for color-treated hair and damaged hair, thanks to its rice water protein and castor oil combo. These bars are also fragrance-free and gentle enough for sensitive scalps.
JR Liggett’s Old-Fashioned Shampoo Bar
Available at Amazon ($9) | Also available at Target
This pick is perfect for those wanting a no-nonsense, fragrance-free bar made with minimal ingredients. Olive oil and castor oil keep it moisturizing without being too heavy for fine hair. Out of more than 14,000 reviews on Amazon, this bar has 4.1 stars on average. That’s pretty good, all things considered.
Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk 3-in-1 Cleansing Bar
Available at Amazon ($25) | Also available at Briogeo
This fragrance-free, cruelty-free cleansing bar is a triple threat—it works as a shampoo bar, facial cleanser, and body wash. Made with aloe and oat milk, it’s gentle enough for sensitive scalps and color-treated hair, and perfect for those seeking a fragrance-free, eco-friendly routine. It’s also safe for all hair types, from fine hair to coils, and is especially great for folks prone to dryness or damaged hair. Bonus points for being plastic-free and packaged in biodegradable materials. (Pro tip: If you’re going to use this soap on your face, hair, and body, consider having at least two on hand to avoid spreading grime or bacteria.)
Davines MOMO Shampoo Bar
Available at Sephora ($27) | Also available at Nordstrom and Amazon
Davines is known for its luxe approach to clean beauty, and this solid shampoo bar is no exception. The MOMO bar hydrates dry hair using Cartucciaru melon extract, a rare Italian melon packed with vitamins and minerals. It creates a nice lather, rinses clean, and leaves your hair soft and bouncy. Though there’s no matching conditioner bar, it plays nicely with your favorite liquid or bar conditioner. It’s a win for hair health, especially if your strands need a serious moisture boost.
The Earthling Co. Shampoo and Conditioner Bar Set
Available at Amazon ($30)
Looking to make the switch in one fell swoop? This shampoo and conditioner bar duo comes in a variety of fun scents (like sandalwood and citrus) and works for most hair types—including curly hair, dry hair, and color-treated hair. They’re cruelty-free, plastic-free, and made with nourishing ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter. Reviewers rave about how soft their hair feels after just a few washes, and the bars last for weeks (if not months!) with proper storage.
How To Use Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
Wet your hair first.
Make sure your hair is fully saturated with water before applying your shampoo or conditioner bar. This helps the bar lather properly and glide through your strands. The best way to do this is to let the water run on your hair for several seconds. From there, use your hands to feel whether all of your strands are soaked.
Lather in your hands or directly on your scalp.
When it’s time to apply the bar to your hair, you can rub it between your hands to create a lather that you can easily see. If you’re okay with just feeling it out, apply the bar directly to your scalp in circular motions. Choose whichever method helps you get the product evenly distributed. It may take a few tries, but it’ll definitely be worth it once you figure it out.
Rinse thoroughly.
Just like with liquid shampoos and conditioners, make sure to rinse out all product to prevent buildup. Give your hair a good rinse, especially at the roots. Pro tip: Hair stylists say that a double-shampoo is the only way to ensure your hair is 100 percent clean. Read: Shampoo your hair once to get the surface grime off. Then, once you rinse out the shampoo, go in with the bar again to get the stuff that’s under the surface.
Comb conditioner through.
Once you’re done with your double-shampoo, it’s time to apply some much-needed nourishment to your hair. That’s where your conditioner bar comes in; it’ll help your hair feel silky smooth. For thicker or curly hair, use a wide-tooth comb after applying your conditioner bar. This will help evenly distribute the product and make detangling a breeze.
Store bars in a dry spot.
One unmissable note about shampoo and conditioner bars: It’s crucial to keep your bars dry between uses. This extends their shelf life and prevents bacteria from growing on the surface. A slotted soap dish or bar saver will do both of these things. To take some of the legwork out of online shopping, consider the Yamazaki Self-Draining Soap Dish. It’s $12 on Amazon and is slanted to help keep water away from it.
