J.R. LIGGETT Shampoo Bar Review and Haircare Update!

In my post about using apple cider vinegar as conditioner, I had mentioned the no 'poo challenge as the ultimate natural way of hair cleansing without using shampoo. I aspired to make this switch. I diluted 1 tbs of baking soda in 1 cup of water and added a few drops of tea tree oil, which I have heard combats dandruff, and kept this solution in an empty shampoo bottle. In place of shampoo, I generously poured some of this hair wash over the top of my head and massaged my scalp as one would with a good lathering formula, followed by using the diluted ACV as a conditioner rinse. For over a month, I stuck to this routine hoping that my hair would eventually make it out of the notorious purging phase during which the hair around my face and close to the scalp would look greasy. This stage is allegedly when the scalp readjusts from the stripping routine of conventional shampoo and eventually produces less oil. Unfortunately, I did not have the patience for this process and I could not stand looking like my hair was never dry (or clean). 

My return to the world of shampoo was bittersweet. Instead of repurchasing anything I've used before, however, I made a new discovery - shampoo bars! And of all places one would find these things, I never imagined that the furniture store West Elm would carry personal care items. Their selection of hand creams, lip balms, soaps, candles (and more) reflects a health/social conscious vision. At the time the entire store was having an extra 20% off their sale items, so the bar of J.R. Liggett's Old-Fashioned Original Formula shampoo (retail price $6.99) checked out at $3 and change. 

Read on for my review of this shampoo bar... 

J.R. Liggett's products, made from homemade New England recipes, are available at natural food stores (for example Whole Foods), pharmacies, outdoor/nature stores, gift shops etc - and also at your local West Elm furniture store apparently. They're also available for purchase on their website for $6.99 a pop. In addition to the original formula, the bars come in six other varieties including Herbal Formula, Tea Tree & Hemp Oil, Damaged Hair Formula, JoJoba & Peppermint, Ultra Balanced, and Virgin Coconut & Argan Oil (which is new and costs slightly more at $7.49). The following review is for the Original formula.

Packaging

The packaging for this product is quite minimal. Paper wrapping is recyclable and earth friendly, however, I would not necessarily agree that this product is completely user friendly. When I first began using the soap, I found it difficult to store in the shower. As long as the bar is in contact with moisture, its outer layer would disintegrate and inevitably wasted. Ideally it should be left out to dry after every use on a surface that is not affected by the chemical properties of the soap. Advertised on the wrapper is the patented wooden Shampoo Shelf  ($13.99 for shelf and one shampoo bar) which allows for optimal use and storage of the product. I personally will not be purchasing the shampoo shelf, so for now my bar sits in an old tupperware container.

Scent and Texture 

There are no frills with this product. It is as simple as it looks, which is precisely a block of soap, and the fragrance is not particularly overpowering. To quote the product details from the website, "it just smells clean." 

Ingredients

Ingredients include "olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, fresh pure New Hampshire spring water, sodium hydroxide (a binder) and essential oils for fragrance." The formula is 100% vegetable oil-based and lacks both detergents and pesky endocrine-disrupting chemicals. It is a dream that a shampoo has an ingredient list as short and simple as this. 

Use and Results 

The first time that I used this product, I did not realize how efficiently it transfers onto wet hair. Surprisingly, a little bit goes a long way - only a few strokes of the bar on wet hair generates a satisfying lather. And since the shampoo is essentially a bar of soap, it's a good idea to avoid the eye area. (I learned that the hard way). The shampoo also rinses out well and even though J.R. Liggett claims it doesn't strip the hair of its natural oils, I often experience that "squeaky clean" feeling right after having rinsed out the product. And because of that I find it necessary to follow up with the ACV conditioner rinse to restore the smooth texture to my hair. The shampoo bar + ACV conditioner is the winning combination right now, giving my hair the perfect amount of volume and smooth shine. Even though I did not successfully make the switch to the au naturel "no poo" routine, I don't feel as though I have made any compromises in the way I treat my hair. A single bar is also said to equal approximately 24oz of liquid shampoo, so for a $3 find at West Elm - not bad!