12 Best Shampoo Bars for Every Hair Type, Tested and Reviewed for 2024

Not only is this bar 100 percent soap-free—which makes it the go-to shampoo for color-treated hair—but it’s vegan, eco-friendly, and safe for all skin and most hair types. It’s formulated with creamed coconut, cocoa butter, pink grapefruit, and vanilla oil—so not only does it smell yummy, but it’ll nourish your hair, too.

• Key ingredients: Coconut oil, sodium cocoyl isethionate, lactic acid
• Washes: Up to 80
• Sulfate-free? No

Glowing Customer Review: “This shampoo is the best I’ve used EVER. Including all the bottled shampoos I have used throughout my life. My hair has never been softer.”

• Key ingredients: Longsheng rice water, cocoa butter, hydrolyzed rice protein, aloe vera
• Washes: 30-60
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “This is easily one of my favorite sustainable shampoo and conditioners on the market. The packaging is genius and works perfectly for the shower without getting the bars slimy and the product themselves lathers very well and does a great job cleaning and moisturizing my hair.”

Yes, shampoo bars are absolutely curly hair-friendly, and this one is specifically formulated to moisturize dry curly hair. The Good Juju shampoo bar is made with coconut and jojoba oil to nourish the hair and provide shine. Plus, it’s safe to use on color-treated hair.

• Key ingredients: Cocoa seed butter, sativa bran oil, vitamin B5
• Washes: Up to 75
• Sulfate-free? Yes
  
  

Glowing Customer Review: “Great for curly hair—I used this in combination with the dry/curly hair conditioner bar, and they both kept my curls light, defined, and frizz-free.”

This shampoo bar for thin hair is made with kiwi extract, argan oil, and broccoli seed oil to help moisturize and strengthen the hair without weighing it down. Plus, along with the eco-friendly nature of shampoo bars in general, Pacific Spirit also donates 1% of its sales to the Ocean Cleanup Foundation. It’s a win-win!

• Key ingredients: Argan oil, panthenol
• Washes: Up to 90
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “This soap makes a wonderful lather and gives just enough moisture. It does not weigh the hair down and leaves it soft enough to comb through without conditioner. I especially like that the next day I don’t have to wash because my hair isn’t greasy.”

I normally love a scented shampoo, but when my dry scalp flairs up, I reach for this unscented shampoo bar. Suitable for all hair types, it contains cocoa seed butter, marshmallow root, and panthenol to condition and protect the hair, helping to keep it hydrated and smooth. The same formula comes in seven scents, including unscented, so it’s great for those with sensitive skin.

• Key ingredients: Cocoa seed butter, panthenol, apricot kernel oil
• Washes: 50-75
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “Highly recommend. My hair feels amazing and you could see the difference in my hair right after the first wash.”

Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, and for those of us who struggle with dandruff, that can be a tough thing to achieve. This HiBar Soothe shampoo bar helps combat flaky scalps with salicylic acid to exfoliate and Kukui nut oil to soothe the skin. What I love most about it is the shape of the bar, which fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, making it easy to glide across wet hair without dropping it.

• Key ingredients: Salicylic acid, shea butter, panthenol
• Washes: Not specified
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “I have psoriasis and very sensitive skin. Soothe actually has greatly improved the condition of my scalp, and it rinses out so much better than bottled shampoo and lasts longer. I already have my replacement bar in my cabinet.”

This fragrance-free shampoo bar is equivalent to a 24-oz. bottle of shampoo—which, IMO, is really freaking cool. And thanks to the tea tree oil in the formula, it’s a great shampoo for oily, greasy hair. FYI, it’s also super gentle.

• Key ingredients: Olive oil, castor oil, tea tree oil, hemp oil
• Washes: 1 bar = 24 oz. liquid shampoo
• Sulfate-free? Yes
  
  

Glowing Customer Review: “I have fine/curly hair with oily roots and dry ends, and this shampoo is magic. After the first use, my hair became softer, voluminous, and my curls more defined. I used to wash my hair every other day, but with this shampoo I love my hair even on the third day after wash.”

Keep your hair smooth and nurtured with the Peach Moisturizing Shampoo Bar. Made with coconut oil, shea butter, and babassu seed oil, this bar is meant to smooth dry and dull hair. I also love the triangle shape, which fits comfortably in the palm of my hand.

• Key ingredients: Coconut oil, shea butter
• Washes: 1 bar = up to two 8.5 oz bottles of liquid shampoo
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “This made my hair softer than any brand of shampoo and conditioner combined. I am switching to these shampoo bars for good.”

There’s a reason Dr. Bronner’s castile bar soaps have a cult-like following—you can use them on your hair, your body, and even your dishes (yup, really). This lavender-scented option is a personal favorite. Pro tip: I love using this to clean my makeup brushes because it doesn’t leave a residue. 10/10 multi-use product.

• Key ingredients: Organic olive oil, coconut oil, vitamin E
• Washes: Not specified
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review:“I finally found a shampoo that is good for me and doesn’t have a high salon cost. It does not irritate my scalp!” writes one tester. “Plus the bar is so much better for washing locs than the liquid because I can easily control where I want to put it without wasting product.”

If you want to keep your blonde, light, or white hair looking clear and brass-free while consuming less plastic, try this purple shampoo bar from superzero. It’s made with vegan keratin to strengthen hair and purple pigments to neutralize yellow tones. Plus, its unique triangle shape makes it easy to grip and focus the product on specific areas.

• Key ingredients: Ultraviolet pigments, vegan keratin, chamomile flower oil
• Washes: 1 bar = two 8.4 oz. bottles of liquid shampoo
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “I have bleached white/silver Asian hair, so it’s pretty fragile. The bar itself lathers better and applies more evenly than any other purple shampoo I’ve used. The tint is perfect, and my hair is feeling healthier and stronger.”

Ready to wash your hair after using dry shampoo all week? Need a good moisturizing shampoo for your dry, damaged hair and want to exfoliate it simultaneously? Reach for this detoxifying shampoo bar, which lifts away product buildup and oil thanks to the charcoal yet is still hydrating thanks to the shea butter.

• Key ingredients: Coconut oil, charcoal powder, shea butter
• Washes: Not specified
  
  
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “This actually tames frizz, adds incredible volume, and gives me an extra day (or two!) between washes. I didn’t think that was possible.”

This shampoo bar is formulated with two types of clay—rhassoul and bentonite—to gently (but v effectively) clarify your scalp. It’s a little bit too drying for everyday use, so lather up with this bb when your hair feels weighed down with oil, products, or grime.

• Key ingredients: Coconut oil, castor oil, bentonite clay
• Washes: Not specified
• Sulfate-free? Yes

Glowing Customer Review: “When applying, it melted into my curls and I was able to finger detangle smoothly. This bar as super moisturizing and the clays didn’t strip my hair at all, they made my curls POP!”

Shampoo bars aren’t necessarily better than liquid shampoo, it just all comes down to personal preference and hair needs. “Ingredients in shampoo bars are generally more concentrated than liquid shampoo because they contain less water,” explains trichologist Tiffany Dixon.

So, while it’s hard to say whether one is objectively better, know that shampoo bars are likely more concentrated than your average shampoo, so you’ll want to check the ingredients. To that end, Dixon warns to avoid shampoo bars formulated with sodium hydrogen carbonate, aka baking soda, as “it could cause damage to the hair shaft and create scalp irritation.”

There are two basic strategies for effectively using a shampoo bar:

1) Lather the shampoo bar in your hands and apply the lather to your scalp, or 2) Put the shampoo bar directly onto your hair and make circular motions to create a lather. Dixon suggests using the first method, as lathering the bar first in your hands “creates less friction and manipulation to your strands.” In other words: it can lead to a lot of painful tangles and breaks.

Personally, I like to do a little combo, depending on my mood. If I’ve used a lot of hair product in the week, I’ll apply the bar directly onto the top of my scalp, careful to keep my movements small so I don’t end up with a bunch of extra knots, and then lather it in my hands to work through the rest of my hair.

Make sure to store shampoo bars in a dry place between uses. When they remain damp, shampoo bars can disintegrate quicker and break apart more easily, so it’s advised you store them somewhere they can dry—or, at the very least, drain—in between washes.

Depending on how often you shampoo, it might be worth investing in a separate soap dish or container to hold your bar. Some of the shampoo bars mentioned come with their own specialized containers, but any regular soap dish will do in a pinch. If your bathroom gets steamy on the regular, I would also suggest keeping your shampoo bar in a separate room in between washes to make sure it stays as dry as possible.

Determine your hair type

As with any shampoo or haircare purchase, first, you must determine what your hair actually needs. Is it dry and in need of moisture? Is it curly and in need of some definition? Do you need something to help eliminate product buildup? Once you determine your hair type and concerns, you can pick a bar formulated for those needs.

Consider your hair wash routine

How often you wash your hair will determine how long your shampoo bar lasts. Just remember, no two people will get the same number of washes out of the same shampoo bar, so you might want to determine the size of the bar to compare it to the liquid shampoo you’re currently using.

Another thing to consider is your dexterity. Shampoo bars have a learning curve because you have to hold your hands differently as opposed to using liquid shampoo. Think about what shape bar you might feel most comfortable using.

Do you wear a protective hairstyle?

People with protective hairstyles might find it more difficult to use shampoo bars because it’s harder to lather and thus harder to get to the scalp, notes Dixon. Liquid shampoo, on the other hand, “can be applied directly to the scalp from the bottle with little saturation of the strands.”

• Tiffany Dixon is a certified trichologist and licensed cosmetologist who began her career as a natural hair stylist. She founded Embrace Your Natural Beauty (EYNB), through which she offers personalized consultations and hair and scalp analyses.

Olivia Truffaut-Wong is an editor at Cosmopolitan with 10 years of experience writing about culture trends, with stories ranging from the best scalp massagers to the best magnetic lashes. No stranger to shampoo bars, she’s a fan of anything that can limit plastic use in the beauty industry.

Siena Gagliano is an associate editor at Cosmopolitan and has three years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing beauty and hair stories, like the best texture sprays and the greatest purple shampoos on the market.

Ruby Buddemeyer was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan for three years and has written hundreds of beauty stories about hair, skin, and makeup, including shampoos for thinning hair and protein treatments.