What Is A Conditioner Bar?
Conditioner bars are all natural and vegan alternatives to traditional bottled conditioner. These bars are great for our hair and have a much lower environmental impact than chemical filled bottled conditioners at every stage of their life cycle from creation to completion. As an added bonus with a little time and effort they can be made at home to be used or to be shared with family and friends. These vegan condition bars make a great gift to show those you love that you care about them and want them to be naturally beautiful.
What Are The Benefits Of Conditioner Bars?
There are many benefits of using conditioner bars. For example conditioner bars provide you the peace of mind of knowing exactly what ingredients you are using on your hair and scalp and where these ingredients come from in nature. These vegan bars also provide your hair deep conditioning while also reducing your consumption of plastic. This is important because plastic ends up in the waste stream ending up in landfills or in our oceans affecting marine wildlife which then comes back around and affects us all. Finally, natural conditioner bars last many more washes than tradition bottles and therefore are more economical. It is always wonderful when we can do something good for the world and save ourselves money at the same time.
What Makes A Good Conditioner Bar?
Good conditioner bars help balance the pH of our hair which typically is slightly basic by being slightly acidic. They hold or give moisture to our hair to help restore moisture to hair damaged by the effects of everyday life. Everything from the sun, to brushing, to exposure to heat can damage hair and this is why it is so important to moisturize our hair. Conditioner bars also condition the shaft for volume and shine because no one wants to have limp, dull looking hair..A good conditioner bars contain proteins which help strengthen our hair.
How To Make Conditioner Bars
There are many recipes you could follow one such recipe is provided by Seek Bamboo your favorite Zero-Waste Shop!
Ingredients:
For this particular recipe you will need:
- 4 ounces cocoa butter
- 2 Tablespoons shea butter
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoons raw honey
- 2 Tablespoons aloe vera
- 1 teaspoon hydrolyzed rice bran protein
- ¼ teaspoon nettle leaf powder
- 15 drops lavender essential oil (or whatever essential oil you like)
In additional to
- A double boiler
- Cheesecloth (or similar cloth)
- A stand mixer or mixing bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Molds
- Freezer
Instructions:
- In a double boiler, add cocoa butter, shea butter, and coconut oil and melt.
- Add honey, aloe vera, rice bran, nettle, and essential oil and stir until combined.
- Pour through a cheesecloth or similar cloth into a stand mixer or mixing bowl to filter nettle leaf.
- Let cool until around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare mold. A silicone mold is recommended for its ease of removal. No lining or preparation needed.
- When color is lighter and it is around 80 degrees, turn on the mixer and blend until the mixture lightens and begins to slightly thicken into a creamy texture.
- Use a rubber spatula and scrape into molds. Smooth with the spatula if necessary.
- Place in a freezer until fully set.*
- Store in a dry location.
*If you simply place all the ingredients in a bowl, mix them, and then place in molds they will separate which is not useful. Paying attention to temperature and then freezing will solve this issue.
How to use conditioner bars
Conditioner bars are pretty easy to use. Wash your hair, and rub the bar in your hands until you have a light layer on your hands. Think about how you would use a bar of soap, it is a similar concept. Next rub the conditioner through your hair being careful not to add too much. Conditioner bars are concentrated so a little goes a long way. Finally rinse with hot water which helps make sure that you don’t have too much conditioner in one place. The heat will help the conditioner to spread throughout your hair.
You are now empowered to make and enjoy all natural conditioner bars. There is a certain charm at being able to make your own bath and body products and know you are doing your part to live a low environmental impact life. So go and jump in the shower, pamper your hair and scalp, and be proud of the product that your own hands have created. If you're wondering about Shampoo Bars, we have those as well!
