Extreme Green: Part Two of My Quest for Solid Hair Care Products

With your interest and mine caught from my previous post on solid hair care products, I decided to continue the quest. My product tests and discoveries follow, including an unscented solid conditioner from a company that may not be on your radar yet. Read on.

First, the SylviaL.Com Solid Conditioning Bar.

I was super excited to find this. If you recall from my first post on solid shampoos, at that time I had only found one solid conditioning option in all of my extensive research efforts. Enter, Sylvie L. This was one of those times when entering one last search query at the end of the day really paid off.

For starters, having been up close and personal with one of Sylvie’s product samples, I can personally confirm that this stuff is truly unscented. It was also way easier to use than I expected. While the technique is an adjustment after using liquids for all these years, you just get it moist and rub it through wet, wrung out hair. Going light, I was able to use this product as a leave in treatment with success from the first attempt.   Additional bonus? Sylvie is super helpful answering questions.

What does she see as some of the eco-benefits of solid conditioner in general? Reduced packaging for starters, and less energy spent in shipping since a product without water is lighter to distribute. The lack of water apparently reduces the need for preservatives as well. As far as the personal use benefits of solid hair care products, she pointed out that often times with a liquid product, you run the risk of pouring or pumping out too much. Not an issue with solid bar products. This bar can also be used as a rub on skin moisturizer after the shower, reducing the number of products you need to buy , as well as carry or pack if you are going on a trip. Product tip? Sylvie recommends using a draining soap dish to prevent accelerated dissolving from too much moisture. Retail price? $9.50 for a 2.5 ounce bar.

Second, Lush’s Solid Jungle Conditioner. 

I have to be honest here. I was pleasantly surprised with the scent. Anything I’d heard or read previously about the product’s smell had me poised for a light sneezing session at the very least.

While it’s true the scent is quite strong, I personally found it relatively pleasant. In fact, since I don’t usually include perfume when I’m trying to travel light, I was thinking while using it for the first time that it might be nice to smell like something besides road dust for a change when traveling to some of the lesser developed countries.  So imagine my surprise when the press kit arrived from Lush’s U.S. public relations rep recommending “solid fragrance” as one of the multi-use options of the product, along with a shaving cream substitute. I guess great inspiration CAN come from the bathroom after all.

As with the above conditioner, this one also needs to be “rubbed” on, so to speak.  It’s also (no pun intended) incredibly luscious. And while that can be a good thing, I do think one needs to be aware that along with that lusciousness comes the need for a more judicious use of the product. What I mean by that is you’ll need to use less and be prepared to play around with it for a few session, as I did. Let me be clear. I think this is a fun product and of equal quality to the one listed above. You just need to know there are some subtle variations with regard to application methods and amounts.  This one retails for around eleven dollars per quarter pound.

The Lush Solid Shampoo Bars. 

In a word? Fun! Bright colors, chunks of the add-ins (seaweed, rosemary) there to discover as you work through the bars, and super sudsy. The ones I tested were the Seanik, which is a bright shocking blue and a bit on the tropical side, and their Squeaky Green bar which is made without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Both retail for between seven and ten dollars.

Is there more research to be done? Absolutely. And I’m the first one to count myself among those with more to learn on the subject. However, I have to say I’m encouraged thus far. First of all, it’s nice to have some green options that are high on (to quote Linsey) fun factor.  Second, prior to knowing solid hair care products even existed, I thought my only option to reduce my consumption of extra packaging was to buy the giant bottles (which usually eliminates the “get one free with a coupon” option most of us folks on a budget like to use) and fill up reusable smaller containers for controlled use and travel. Finally, discovering these products has opened the door to my discovery of several other solid personal care products that come without all the traditional packaging such as lotions, body butters, deodorants and massage bars.

So, lots more posts on the way, not the least of which includes my ongoing quest for some DIY recipes and techniques for these eco-friendly gems. Until then, retail options continue to abound for interested tree huggers and travel enthusiasts alike.