Ethique: Low Waste Shampoo & Conditioner Bars

On the final frontier of trying to minimize my waste, I’ve finally tackled the issue of plastic waste when it comes to my shampoo and conditioner.

I have gone through a few shampoo bars and my own concoctions in the past but failed miserably due to having hard water. The result would be waxy soapy scum in your hair without a way to really get it out unless you use more of a detergent based shampoo!

I just about gave up when I leaned about the Ethique brand. Not only does this tick my low waste box but it also ticks off my eco friendly, non-toxic and cruelty free boxes! Last, it actually works! Also, I purchased and repurchased the bars myself, this is not a sponsored post!

I use Frizz Wrangler shampoo because I have wavy/Curly hair. It’s important to keep my hair moisturized to keep the curls intact. It’s gentle enough for that, but cleans the roots well enough that I can skip washing and just condition every other day to two days.

I use the Guardian conditioner, which is also formulated for dry/frizzy hair. I find that it gives just the right amount of hydration without weighing my hair down.

I started out with their sampler pack so I got to test out a few. One of the bars is for oily hair. This would be okay for me if I ever needed a clarifying wash, but would strip the oils from my hair if used regularly. The other shampoo bar included was for scalp problems and irritation like dandruff. I don’t have that issue so it’s just something I’d repurchase. The other conditioner bar was for oily hair, which would not provide enough conditioning for my hair type. But it works well as shaving cream! You could also use it as a first step for a co-wash. I would consider buying that again for co-washing.

I’ve been using the Ethique brand for a few months and I’m super happy with it. They also offer soaps, hair masks etc all in a low waste bar form. They last a long time too! I ordered the simple set in February. After a week long test, I decided it was awesome and I wanted to go with the full sized bars. As much as I try to avoid the dreaded “A” online market place, it looks like it’s the only way I can make the purchase. I set up a subscription to deliver every 2 months. I got the first set of full sized bars early March and didn’t need them until a month ago and I’ve barely made a dent (The tiny sample bars lasted almost 3 months). I’ve since then got the second set of bars from the subscribe and save, but it looks like I can change the frequency from 2 months to at least 3. It’s seams a little expensive upfront but for how long it lasts it looks like so far I’m saving money but getting a high quality product. Just be sure to keep your bars in a spot where they aren’t in direct water and can dry out between uses.

The next thing I’ll try is the bloom hair mask.

Here is the Ethique website if you want to check out the brand.

Check out my related post regarding my shampoo bar hack.