Clean Beauty Products The 10 Best Shampoo Bars of 2022 An eco-friendly alternative to liquid shampoo. By Margaret Badore Margaret Badore Facebook Twitter Associate Editorial Director Columbia University Sarah Lawrence College Maggie Badore is an environmental reporter and editor based in New York City. She started at Treehugger in 2013 and is now the Associate Editorial Director. Learn about our editorial process Updated November 21, 2022 Share Twitter Pinterest Email Clean Beauty Products Tips & Techniques We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Getty Images Shampoo bars are a straightforward swap for anyone looking to make their self-care routine more sustainable. These bars are often package-free when you shop in person or come wrapped in easily recyclable or compostable paper packaging, which reduces the amount of single-use plastic in your life compared to a plastic bottle of shampoo. Of course, not all hair types are the same, and neither are all shampoo bars, so Treehugger has put our first-hand experience and research chops to task to help you find the best bar for you. We reviewed every ingredient to make sure all our recommendations are vegan, never tested on animals, and paraben-free. For some people, the results may actually be better than your current liquid cleanser. Bar soaps also tend to be associated with fewer planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions compared to liquid bottles of suds because they weigh less due to low water content. For the same reason, bar shampoos will also travel well in your luggage. You won't have to worry about the TSA's liquid limits or any wasteful spills. Ahead, the best bar shampoos, whether your hair is dry, fine, oily, or curly. The Rundown Best Overall: Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar at Lushusa.com Jump to Review Best for Dry Hair: Soap for Goodness Sake Babassu Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar at Soapforgoodnesssake.com Jump to Review Best for Fine Hair: Lush Cosmetics Flyway Hair Shampoo Bar at Lushusa.com Jump to Review Best for Itchy Scalps: Ethique Heali Kiwi at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Dandruff: Superzero Shampoo Bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp at Superzero.com Jump to Review Best for Color-Treated Hair: Love Beauty And Planet Shampoo Bar at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Natural + Curly Hair: HiBar Volumize Shampoo at Walmart Jump to Review Best Shampoo and Conditioner in One: Wildland Organics The Super Bar at Wildlandorganics.com Jump to Review Best for Kids: Not!ce For Tangles Shampoo at Package Free Shop Jump to Review Most Long Lasting: Brixy Mint Eucalyptus Shampoo Bar at Amazon Jump to Review Best Overall Lush Cosmetics Montalbano Shampoo Bar 4.7 Courtesy of Lush Cosmetics View On Lushusa.com Lush Shampoo Bars Are a Wonder for My Hair The Montalbano bar has become part of my daily morning routine and can be used without conditioner. It’s great for regular-to-oily hair types, and the citrus scent is a perfect wake-me-up. The vegan formula includes rosemary and green olives for added shine. Lush’s shampoo bars are beloved by many Treehugger staffers, but the best one for you depends on your hair type. One of Lush's bars can replace up to three 250 milliliter bottles of liquid shampoo. If you shop in person you can get it with zero packaging, or if you order online, Lush shampoo bars usually come packaged in a small paper bag. Price at time of publish: $14 Best for Dry Hair Soap for Goodness Sake Babassu Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar Courtesy of Soap for Goodness Sake View On Soapforgoodnesssake.com This bar from Soap For Goodness Sake doubles as a body soap and gets top marks from the Environmental Working Group, which independently rates the safety of product ingredients. This shampoo uses babassu oil, which comes from a tropical palm tree, is moisturizing, and contains antioxidants. It has a gentle coconut fragrance. Soap For Goodness Sake offers two packaging options when shipping their bars: paper or compostable glassine. Price at time of publish: $11 The 9 Best Conditioner Bars of 2022 Best for Fine Hair Lush Cosmetics Flyway Hair Shampoo Bar Courtesy of Lush Cosmetics View On Lushusa.com The Flyway bar is another Lush shampoo bar that gets rave reviews from the Treehugger team. One staffer reports that this bar makes her “super-fine hair super-soft.” The Flyway shampoo bar has organic cocoa butter and calming chamomile oil that’s great for dry or sensitive scalps, while hand-harvested sea salt helps add volume and texture to hair. The sea salt also adds to a scent that’s fresh and beachy, and lemon oil cuts greasy buildup. Price at time of publish: $15 The 7 Best Organic Conditioners to Nourish Your Hair Best for Itchy Scalps Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo for Dandruff or Scalp Problems 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Ethique.com Treehugger writer Katherine Martinko took a number of Ethique's products for a spin and found that these shampoo bars deliver effective cleaning in plastic-free packaging. If you suffer from an itchy or easily irritated scalp, then the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar may be right for you. This bar is formulated with calming oatmeal, coconut oil, neem oil, and karanja oil to help soothe scalp issues as well as dandruff. As the name would suggest, it has a fruity fragrance. Ethique also donates a portion of its profits to environmental charities. Price at time of publish: $18 Best for Dandruff Superzero Shampoo Bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp Courtesy of Superzero View On Superzero.com After a month of using Superzero's Shampoo bar for Flakes and Itchy Scalp, Treehugger's tester noticed fewer flakes and overall thought this bar worked great. Key ingredients that fight dandruff in this shampoo include tea tree leaf oil, rosemary oil, and extract from Ziziphus Juazeiro bark (an evergreen tree native to South America). The formula also includes avocado oil and shea butter to help soothe the scalp. Superzero's products are shipped without any plastic and come in a recycled paper box. As a member of 1% For The Planet, the company also donates to non-profits that work to fight plastic pollution and protect marine wildlife. Price at time of publish: $20 Best for Color-Treated Hair Love Beauty And Planet Shampoo Bar 3.7 Courtesy of Love Beauty and Planet View On Amazon View On Target If you're looking for something that will be gentle on your color-treated hair, consider Love Beauty & Planet’s Murumuru Butter and Rose Shampoo Bar. Its cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, sulfate-free, and dye-free. Plus, it is full of beautiful ingredients like Bulgarian rose petals and Amazonian murumuru butter which will give your hair a glossy “I just went to the salon” feel. Although some shampoo bars can be hard to find at your local supermarket, Love Beauty and Planet products are carried by many national drugstores and big-box retailers. Price at time of publish: $8 Best for Natural + Curly Hair HiBar Volumize Shampoo Courtesy of HiBar View On Walmart View On Amazon View On Hellohibar.com Here's the Latest Luscious Shampoo Bar on the Market For those with curls, regular shampoo may lead to frizz, flattening, or unwanted poofing. HiBAR’s Volumize Shampoo is designed to help curls hold their shape while minimizing frizz, and Treehugger's tester agrees. She noted that this solid shampoo left her hair feeling soft and clean. The featured ingredients include African dates and Vitamin B5. It’s free of sulfates, silicone, and phthalates, and it’s safe for color-treated hair. This product may also work for people with natural hair in search of a shampoo bar. Ariel Sahar, the low-waste YouTuber, did a full review of this product on her natural curls and was happy with the results. Price at time of publish: $13 Best Shampoo and Conditioner in One Wildland Organics The Super Bar 5 Wildland View On Wildlandorganics.com This multitasker can be used as a shampoo, conditioner, body bar, and for shaving. This shampoo bar is great for anyone who wants a minimalist approach to bathing or to save space in a tiny bathroom. The majority of the all-natural ingredients are certified organic, and its scent is a blend of sage, bergamot, and palo santo. The Super Bar is packaged in post-consumer recycled paper. Although Wildland Organics' products do not have a third-party organic certification yet, the company is in the process of applying for certification and holds all of its ingredients to an organic standard. Wildland Organics also donates 1 percent of all sales to protect wilderness areas in the United States. Price at time of publish: $16 Best for Kids Not!ce For Tangles Shampoo Courtesy of Not!ce View On Package Free Shop View On Noticehairco.com This shampoo bar from Not!ce (formerly Unwrapped Life) is perfect for detangling thanks to marshmallow root. Essential oils including ylang ylang and pink grapefruit give it a bubblegum scent. It works into a lather easily. It’s free of any ingredients derived from palm oil or petroleum products. Not!ce also offers a For Tangles Conditioner Bar in the same scent. Price at time of publish: $19 Most Long Lasting Brixy Mint Eucalyptus Shampoo Bar for Balance & Hydration 4.9 Brixy View On Amazon View On Gobrixy.com Our tester was impressed by how long Brixy's bar lasted. As someone who shampoos daily, she noted that this bar outlasted others she's tried by a month. It feels and lathers a lot like your typical bar of milled soap. It's Leaping Bunny certified, meaning it's animal-testing free, in addition to being vegan and free of palm oil. We tested the Mint Eucalyptus bars, which have a refreshing and bright scent. There are also citrus and coconut vanilla scent options available. It comes packaged in recyclable cardboard. Price at time of publish: $14 Final Verdict Hands down, shampoo bars from Lush won the hearts and heads of our team, although the best one will depend on your hair type. If you're a true minimalist looking for one product that can do it all, try The Super Bar. Frequently Asked Questions How do you use a shampoo bar? There are two approaches to using a shampoo bar. One option is to gently massage the bar over your wet hair and scalp until a lather forms. The second option is wet the bar and work up a lather in your hands, then apply the suds to your hair.In either case, it's a good idea to store your shampoo bar in a dry spot when you're done using it, to help it last much longer. Why Trust Treehugger? Here at Treehugger, we're dedicated to helping our readers find the best sustainable, ethical, and low-waste products. Over the years, our team members and testers have tried many shampoo bars and are eager to share our first-hand experiences to help our readers find the right products. Senior Commerce Editor Margaret Badore is an environmental journalist with over a 15 years of experience reporting. She personally tested many of the products on this list. The 8 Best Organic Shampoos of 2022