The Best Shampoo Bars To Keep Your Hair Looking Healthy

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If you're a lover of all things beauty, you probably have a fully-lined skin and haircare arsenal, chock-full of the latest product trends and classic must-haves. Chances are, you have a favorite dry shampoo for third no-wash days, a trusty waterproof mascara that will stay put through beach days, and lipsticks in every shade under the sun. There's that hairspray you swear by for keeping curls bouncy, that eyeshadow that's a surefire recipe for someone complimenting your eyes, and that miracle-in-a-body-scrub that wards off the winter cold's effects. But even if you have an all-time favorite shampoo, there's a new kid on the block that will kick your regular hair wash routine to the curb.

You might be thinking, I wouldn't leave my hydrating-yet-weightless shampoo for the world. While we're sure your tried-and-true bottled formula is great, you might not even be thinking about giving shampoo bars a try instead. Yes, you might be wincing at the thought of scrubbing the equivalent of your grandmother's bar soap all over your precious locks, but this is a whole different ball game. Shampoo bars are packed with moisture-locking oils, give you a deep clean, and make for the easiest traveling experience imaginable. Even better? They're notoriously environmentally friendly, leaving behind zero waste once they're finished. 

Just like regular shampoos, these bars come in all shapes and sizes, ready to combat frizz, increase hair growth, or make your scalp less oily over time. Convinced yet? Here are our favorite shampoo bars for every hair concern.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, you might want to look into the most decadent, luxurious shampoo bars money can buy. Bars that can be found at the most opulent of spas and hotels, and that combine lush, super-sumptuous, hard-to-find ingredients. If you don't mind spending more to keep your hair in tip-top shape, try these alternatives.

A celebrity favorite loved by the likes of Gigi Hadid, per Harper's Bazaar, Odacité is a California-based, French-inspired beauty brand making the rounds for its downright-impressive "clean-minded" ethos. If looking for an option that's soap-free, vegan, and super moisturizing, try the brand's 552M Shampoo Bar ($29), made with argan, coconut, and castor oils to combat frizz and fortify strands, per Vogue. Lipid-rich cupuacu oil pushes this bar's hydration powers even further, while the spa-ready lemon scent is absolutely heavenly. This is great for all hair types, especially those looking for quenching without sacrificing volume at the roots.

We also love Fischersund's Shampoo Bar ($33), an Iceland-made alternative that beauty expert Amy Chang told Vanity Fair is "the equivalent of an oil cleanser but for your hair." Intrigued? As per Chang, the coconut, castor, and olive oils in the formula "are able to penetrate the hair shaft, nourishing the strand from within as well as coating the outside for overall shine." Grab this if you want hydration but still want something that gets rid of grease and environmental pollutants.

Many of us would love some more moisture at the hair shaft, especially after a hair-coloring treatment or too many beach days with tons of sun exposure. Sure, several shampoo bars promise at least some hydration, but we've found the absolute best thirst-quenching options for fried ends. Your hair will love these!

Christophe Robin's Hydrating Aloe Vera Shampoo Bar ($22) is a must-try if you have dry hair, bringing in aloe, glycerin, and nourishing castor oil to tame flyaways and repair your mane from the inside-out. This will give you the epitome of bouncy, shiny hair, promising both volume and a healthy dose of hydration you'll love. Christophe Robin's shampoo bar is recommended by countless outlets, with Allure saying it's perfect for all hair types, and its sulfate-free approach makes it great for gently washing both your locks and body. Plus, Amy Chang explained to Vanity Fair that the sodium phytate in this formula is perfect if you wash your hair with hard water, as it "binds to heavy metals and removes them from strands."

Another must-try is Brite Organix Bar None Hydrating Shampoo Bar ($12), which brings together nourishing ingredients like cocoa, shea, and coconut butter in order to hydrate hair at the follicle, per Vogue. Byrdie named this the top shampoo bar for dry hair, saying it is supremely moisturizing, rich in antioxidants, and smells ah-mazing. As per Who What Wear, it only has 11 super-clean ingredients, too.

One hair concern that doesn't get as much love in the shampoo bar world is frizz, which may put you off the whole idea of scrubbing your scalp with a block in lieu of a liquid formula. Shampoo bars are all about getting a deep clean or being nourishing, and not always so much about taming flyaways. Luckily, we've found incredibly-effective shampoo bars that combat frizz like there's no tomorrow (even in seriously-humid climates!).

Ethique's Frizz Wrangler Shampoo Bar ($12.61) is the quintessential option if you want something environmentally-friendly, moisturizing, and frizz-fighting. Today recommends this product for anyone dealing with frizz, dryness, or hair damage, citing it as one of the best shampoo bars for color-treated, chemically-processed, or textured manes. You'll love waking up its tropical coconut scent, while slick ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter make sure your hair is hydrated within the follicle. More than 12,000 Amazon reviews averaging out to 4.6 stars say this bar is a "game-changer" and simply "the best."

Similarly fantastic for frizz, Unwrapped Life's The Balancer Shampoo Bar ($14) blends calendula, shea, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and quinoa protein to seal hair at the shaft, taming flyaways for good. Mind Body Green says this pick works for frizz and dry scalps, getting rid of dandruff with essential oils like neroli and rosewood. Grab this option if dealing with a humid climate and scalp irritation all at once — you'll love how volumizing it is to boot.

Did somebody say volume? We're not talking about the kind you turn up in the car while jamming to Taylor Swift's latest 10-minute-long "All Too Well" (here's looking at you, Jake Gyllenhaal) — this kind of volume is all about a bombshell mane. If big hair is your game, here are the absolute best shampoo bars for you.

Peach's Volumizing Shampoo Bar ($12.95) is a must-have, specifically created for thinning hair that tends to become oily or fall lifeless just after a wash. Beauty expert Amy Chang told Vanity Fair that this brand is a sustainable, small-batch distributor, and makes triangular-shaped bars for easy holding. This volumizing option makes your hair go into overdrive when it comes to making keratin, with Chang explaining that it lathers up through "coconut-derived surfactants" instead of traditional sulfates. No parabens, phthalates, or silicones, and a delicious sweet, honey scent make this a perfect buy. Grab a few of these for last-minute Christmas gifts!

Back to cool-girl brand Lush because, well, it's amazing. Their Seanik Shampoo Bar ($12.95) is another great alternative if you want to lift at the roots, mixing sea salt and lemon oil for beach-inspired volume and body. Byrdie says this is the best bar for fine hair, creating the illusion of thicker locks while smoothing hair. The seaweed in the formula also packs tons of vitamins and amino acids, which work to strengthen your mane. Thousands of reviews say this nutrient-rich bar is "amazing" and "squeaky-clean."

Shampoo bars are known for being an environmentally-conscious way of washing hair, leaving zero waste behind once they're finished. Still, you might want to take it a step further by using a vegan bar. With nary any honey or goat milk in sight, these shampoo bars are 100% vegan.

We adore VIORI's Shampoo Bars ($16.25), a vegan alternative that is molded to look like a gorgeous flower. This bar is formulated with Longsheng rice water to make her unbelievably shiny, soft, and strong, an ingredient traditionally used by China's Red Yao tribe for healthy hair. These bars are the product of a partnership between the brand and the tribe and are ethically sourced, sustainable, sulfate-free, and zero waste. Amy Chang explained to Vanity Fair that the vitamin B8 in rice water "is thought to help with hair loss," making this bar "a great option for someone with damaged hair from coloring or frequent heat styling, as it contains hydrolyzed rice protein which can strengthen strands."

Another unbeatable vegan option is Meow Meow Tweet's Lavender Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar ($12), which is handmade, plastic-free, and compostable. While this bar doesn't lather up too much, it makes up for it by making hair squeaky-clean and offering tons of moisture through coconut, olive, and castor oils, plus shea butter and coconut milk. As per Women's Health, the hemp seed oil in this bar offers fantastic hydration, while mica clay soaks up all the pesky oil from your roots.

Conversely, you might be dealing with a far different issue altogether: tons of hair breakage. If your hairbrush is full of split ends, and you struggle to grow your mane out to long lengths, then a fortifying shampoo bar is right for you.

Garnier Whole Blends Ginger Recovery Strengthening Shampoo Bar ($7.49) is a grocery-store-found alternative that is just as good as pricier options for building hair up from within. We love this bar for its zero-plastic enclosure, calming honey scent, and its antioxidant-rich ginger component. Celeb hairstylist Ashley Streicher told Women's Health, "it's the first one I've used that cleanses the same if not better than a liquid and the fact that it's made for hair and not hair [and] body really targets your hair and scalp." Tailor-made for anyone who's finding a bit too much hair on their bathroom floor, this bar will fortify your hair and help it grow to impossible lengths.

We also can't get enough of J·R·Liggett's All-Natural Shampoo Bar ($9.99), which Byrdie says is the best alternative on the market today. It's packed with luxurious ingredients like argan oil and virgin coconut oil, plus scalp-soothing tea tree oil, moisturizing olive oil and vitamins A, B, and E. All about hair health, the moisture-boosting components of this bar will make your hair noticeably shinier. Plus, this bar creates a shield against environmental pollution and is 100% natural and handmade. 

A different hair concern altogether, you might not be dealing with dryness, or even breakage: It might be hair loss, instead. While this may have you seriously stressing out lately, we've found shampoo bars that will fortify your strands and promote hair growth at the scalp, too.

First up, Rowse's Perfect Balance Shampoo Bar ($22), a spa-like, decadent option that comes with its own travel-friendly tin case. As per Vanity Fair, this bar is jam-packed with Curcuma extract, which works with antioxidants to get your scalp in tip-top shape. Plus, vitamin-C-rich Amalaki extract makes your mane stronger and shinier, while controlling oil at the scalp. This shampoo bar is a natural antiseptic, making it great for dandruff, and it's moisturizing to boot. Amy Chang explained to Vanity Fair that "the rich penetrating oils, like olive" will "nourish the strands within" and give "amazing shine," while the formula's "phytosterols are thought to help with hair loss, keeping hair full and thick." Score!

Just as effective at a slightly lower price point, Superzero's Thinning Hair Shampoo Bar ($14.40) is a game-changer when it comes to bringing on hair growth. As recommended by Women's Health, this bar is pH-balanced for prime scalp health and strengthens strands through caffeine, hydrating shea butter, and olive extract. Dhairius Thomas told Vanity Fair that this bar's rosemary oil component is a natural growth stimulator, plus "lightweight oils like avocado prevent the hair from being too oily or weighed down."