Goat Milk Stuff makes a solid shampoo bar as a natural alternative to most store bought shampoos. We do not add any harsh chemicals such as SLS to our shampoo bar because we believe that using fewer chemicals benefits your health and your hair.
My boys regularly get "buzz cuts" and have very little hair to wash. They use our regular goat milk soaps in their hair. Jim uses the tea tree, but the boys use whichever scent they currently have in the shower.
The shampoo bar differs from our regular soap in two ways. First, we infuse nettle and rosemary into olive oil for the shampoo bar. Nettle and rosemary have properties that are beneficial to hair. Rosemary is often considered a stimulating herb that will promote healthy hair growth. Nettles are believed to strengthen hair and prevent hair loss because they are nutrient and mineral rich.
Second, the shampoo bar has extra oils (jojoba and castor) and butters (shea and cocoa) to help nourish and condition the hair, while still leaving it clean.
We have found that different people prefer to use the shampoo bar in different ways. We recommend that if you have shorter hair, you start with one or two swipes of the soap across your hair. Then lather and spread through your hair.
For longer hair, produce a lather in your hands and then rub onto your scalp and spread it through your hair. You can experiment with both ways to see which method you prefer.
No matter the length of your hair, you want to be sure to massage your scalp as you are using the shampoo bar. The scalp produces oils that protect the hair shaft and prevent breakage. So when you are washing your hair, it is just as important (if not more important) to clean the scalp and not just the hair.
Conventional hair products continuously strip the natural oils, thereby causing your scalp to produce excess oil. Many people find that their scalp adjusts immediately to a natural shampoo. But for others, it can take several weeks for your scalp to adjust to the shampoo bar and stop producing excess oil.
Because everyone's skin (and scalp) is different, we can't tell you how long it will take. But I don't know of anybody who has committed to make the switch who hasn't adjusted to it. If your scalp doesn't immediately adjust and your hair is feeling yucky, you may just need to give it some time. Your scalp will eventually adjust if you are patient.
When using the shampoo bar, it is also very important to not use too much. Using too much of the shampoo bar can cause sticky and heavy feeling hair. It takes very little shampoo bar lather to get the job done. Please remember that store bought shampoos lather so much because they typically have SLS, a foaming agent, added. This extra foam does little to actually clean your hair and is unnecessary, so don't try to match it.
Simply focus on trying to clean your scalp.
When using the shampoo bar, rinsing may need to be more thorough than with conventional shampoos. Every time you wash your hair, rinse very well with warm water then finish with cool water.
Your hair may also benefit from a weekly vinegar rinse. Simply bring some diluted apple cider vinegar into the shower and do a final rinse with it. The vinegar scent will disappear as your hair dries.
Many people find that once their scalp and hair have adjusted to the shampoo bar, they no longer need any conditioning. If you find that your hair still needs a conditioner, put a pea sized amount of coconut oil on your hands and rub it together. Smooth through your hair, particularly the ends. You can experiment with the amount used and whether you apply the coconut oil to wet or dry hair. Different people prefer different methods. But if you use too much, your hair will be heavy and greasy instead of conditioned.
Please be aware that everyone's hair is different. The best advice is always to experiment til you discover the method that works best with your individual hair.
And then please let me know what works for you so I can share it with others!
Ruth – I’m so glad to hear it! :) PJ
Kathryn – the older the soap gets, the better it is. So I think it probably has more to do with the soap being older than it being the center. :) Hope that helps! PJ
I bought the Lavendar shampoo bar and I just love how great my hair is even after my first time using it. You will have a faithful customer but you probably already know that.
Also, I’ve noticed and wondered if anyone else has; as you work your way through the bar, it seems to sudse up more and feel more slippery, so it takes less lathering up
When I’m kind of a hurry; I put the bar in a small container of warm water and swish it around. It works just as well. Usually though I lather up my hands and apply the shampoo.
Joyce – The soap gets better as it ages, so you’ll be fine! The scent will start to fade after about a year, but it will still be a wonderful bar of shampoo!
Sherry- That is so great to hear! I hope your husband is still enjoying the shampoo :)
I was wondering if the soap expires? I have had the almond shampoo bar in the bag for a very long time. Thanks.
I really have enjoyed the rosemary mint shampoo bar. It took my hair about three weeks to adjust to the shampoo bar. My hair is very thick and short, and I blow it dry with the hair dryer. I can not believe how manageable my hair is without using any styling product.
Hi PJ
Don and I have been using goats milk soap for many years now. My husbands hair has always been very oily. After using the soap on his hair the oil has been cut down The pillowcases are no longer brown and his hair looks much better thank you for producing a good soap. His skin is. Much better also.
Hi PJ
I have been using your soap for years and love it. I finally started with the shampoo, the unscented, loved it!
Moved to a new house with no water softener had a big waxy mess. Quit using it, had to use strippers on a weekly basis with regular shampoo.
Finally got a water conditioner not with salt. Have been trying to use the shampoo for 6 months still not where it used to be. I wet the soap and make one swipe on the palm of my hand, there is never really any lather. Always rinse with cold water.
Does the soap go bad? The shampoo bar was stored in the cloth bag for a year. Could that be the problem?
Thanks for your help.
Kay
I’ve had some of your shampoo bars forever but my water softener wasn’t working properly so it would leave a nasty residue in my hair whenever I tried to use it, but now my water softener is finally working and I tried the bar out again, it cleaned my hair perfectly! I’m so happy that I can finally use a natural shampoo bar because bottle shampoos, even sulfate free ones were making my scalp extremely dry and red. I’m excited to finally have a healthy scalp. Thank you for making these products! I love using your amazing natural soap, and I will use it for the rest of my life along with the shampoo bar!
Pamela – I’m so glad it helped!
Bekah – I’m so glad it was helpful! Hope your hair now loves the shampoo bar!
Michelle – Yes, the shampoo bars do have goat milk in them. They are designed to nourish your hair.
SHaron – you’re very welcome!
I’ve just started using the bar shampoo (I’ve only used it twice as of now) and I was so happy to come across this article!! It answered all my questions about the shampoo and how it related to my hair. I’m excited to have my hair get used to the shampoo and all the benefits it will produce as I continue to use it!!
Thank you for article about using shampoo bar. Very helpful..
We suffer from skin issues- eczema and psoriasis. I happened on your site from a YouTube search for goats milk. I had heard about the benefits for dry skin. I have severe dandruff. I had no idea you sold shampoo. After using your soap, I tried it on my hair. I immediately saw positive results! It is, however hard on you hair. I’m glad I found out you make shampoo. Does your shampoo have goats milk in it as well? I’m interested in placing an order.
B.Ellen Rowe – I’m so glad you love it, and it’s helping you!
I love your shampoo. I am 78 years old and have had scalp issues all of my life. Believe me I thought I had tried everything and then I found you.
Strange as it sounds I could tell a difference in the first use. The itching was greatly reduced. Then after several weeks of use I had my daughter, who has cut my hair for 40 years, check my scalp. She was amazed not only at how good my hair itself felt but at how clear my scalp was. She saw very little evidence of the psoriasis. It is so wonderful to not be scratching like a wild woman and to wake up without having drawn blood even in my sleep.It did take me a wild to be happy with the bar but rubbing it across my head and then lathering works for me.
Thanks
Cathy – Yes, it can be used on color-treated hair. I’ve had two people over the past decade tell me they thought it didn’t help their color, but I’ve had about 7-8 people tell me they thought that it improved and lengthened their color. Hope that helps!
Can the shampoo bar be used on color treated hair?
Yes, Meg, you can definitely try sweet almond oil instead. Just a teeny bit. I have had a couple of people tell me that they believed the shampoo bar helps with their alopecia, but everyone is different, so there’s no way to know that it will definitely help. Said a prayer it does!
Hi! Wondering if a small amount of sweet almond oil would work as a conditioner instead of coconut oil?
Also, do you know if the shampoo bar is helpful for alopecia? I have been trying sulfate-free, less chemical-y products in hopes of avoiding alopecia flare-ups. Any experience with that?
Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Pam! I hope you love it!
Thank you so much for the information! Thinking of adding this to my next order. I already just use the bar soaps for shampoo this sounds GREAT! Also great information as to using a cream rinse! Love your products! Sincerely, Pam
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Sci Researcher
February 14, 2023
Wonderful explanation! When I first saw the word “Shampoo”, could be used for my hair! So thanks for explaining :) (ole customer here)