Top 10 Best Shampoo Bars in the UK 2020

Solid shampoos are a growing hair care trend so there is a wide range on the market to pick from, and options exist for all kinds of hair types. Shopping for shampoo bars online can feel like a mammoth task, so we’ve rummaged through the internet’s bathroom cabinet to find the best for each individual hair type.

Sodium laureth sulphate (sls) is one ingredient to watch out for. Although it’s used in the production of many skincare products to create a bubbly, foaming lather, it also has a tendency to strip skin of its natural oils and can be highly irritating too, especially if you’re sensitive. In general it’s best to avoid sulphates altogether if you have dry or easily irritated skin.

Another ingredient to be aware of when choosing a solid shampoo is lye, otherwise known as sodium hydroxide. Though it is often used in small amounts in skincare products to help maintain the ph balance of a soap or shampoo, it can be an irritant and dry out skin, so it is best avoided if you don’t want to further aggravate a dry or itchy scalp.

If your hair and scalp produce a lot of oil, however, they may become greasy-looking more quickly, so you’ll need a lighter block shampoo that won’t weigh hair down. In these cases, choose a shampoo bar whose ingredients list has a lower oil content and higher amounts of plant extracts instead.

Activated charcoal, an odourless black powder, has been used in medicine for hundreds of years to prevent the absorption of toxins into the bloodstream, and is now a hugely popular ingredient in hair and skincare. While the jury is still out on its beauty benefits, activated charcoal is widely considered to have the potential to prevent toxins from binding themselves to your hair, working just as it does internally.

For thinning hair in men and women, make a beeline for solid shampoos which promise to reinforce the follicles. One ingredient to seek out is rosemary, which contains carnosic acid, known for its potential to heal damaged tissue. Products containing rosemary will not only smell delicious, but may also strengthen weak hair roots and prevent excess hair fall.

Now you’ve thought about the results you want from your shampoo bar, here’s a list of the best buys you can find online in 2020.

Nowadays there are more reasons than ever to give up your liquid shampoo in favour of solid shampoo. With our plastic consumption ever increasing, it is estimated that the number of plastic bottles sold in 2020 will rise to over 500 billion, but that only 9% of all plastic is recycled at the moment.

To avoid an ocean with more plastic than fish, pick up a plastic-free shampoo bar such as one of the ones on this list. In addition, with shampoo bars being smaller and lighter than liquid shampoos, as well as often made locally, transporting them has a smaller carbon footprint, making them better for the ozone layer too.

Plastic-free soap bars are as great for the environment as cleansing is for the scalp. You don't have to stop with shampoo bars, though: there are also some super soap bars for the face and hands too. Take a peek at some of the other products we recommend. 

We hope our countdown of the UK’s best bars has got you inspired and ready to make an eco-friendly splash next bath time!

Author: Annie Hopkins