Solid cosmetics are on the rise, but it’s not just a fad. They are actually better for your health and for the planet. Here is useful information and easy recipes to make at home.
What is a solid shampoo?
It does not look like our usual products, and yet it is just as effective. Normal, it contains the same number of assets, with one difference : it does not include water, or very little. The manufacturing resembles that of conventional cosmetics. With just one extra step to solidify the whole thing. Some brands use surfactants, waxes or coconut oils that harden naturally. Others opt for saponification – the method used to make traditional bars of soap.
Why opt for solid shampoos?
Here are the reasons why it is more interesting to opt for solid cosmetics to wash your hair:
Read also: Why put shampoo in the washing machine? You won’t be able to do without it
- First of all it’s an ecological gesture which has a direct impact on the amount of plastic waste. Empty bottles, toys and various plastic gadgets form tons of waste which accumulate in the oceans (we are even talking about the 8th continent…).
- YOU consume less product if you use a solid shampoo for example. There are indeed studies that show that the liquid product is difficult to control.
- It’s lighter and more convenient when traveling for holidays or if you have frequent business trips.
- When you put water in a cosmetic product it is necessary to systematically add preservatives, in order to fight against bacterial proliferation. Solid cosmetics are therefore by definition free of preservatives, which are harmful to health.
- Small important detail: it is not likely to be confiscated at the airport!
What does a solid shampoo contain?
- herbal powder ; it is the ingredient that will give the product its essential virtues (anti-dandruff, regulator for sebum, etc.)
- vegetable oil (or butter) ; which will allow to hydrate the scalp and the hair to the tip.
- A hydrosol; for example rosemary water or rose water. You can also simply use an infusion of the same plants. It’s more economical.
- If necessary a essential oil ; a few drops are enough for a large volume because they are very powerful compounds and can be irritating. It is therefore necessary to be very careful with the dosage and to respect the recipes rigorously.
- Possibly Bach flowers.
- You can also add a surfactant, whose role is to amalgamate the whole and especially to give the foaming effect to the shampoo. But you have to know that it is really secondary. You can very well get used to a product that is not foaming, it’s a question of consumption habits. And a product that is not foaming is not at all less effective than a foaming product!
The benefits of a solid shampoo for your hair
It is eco-friendly
Its plus? It is unpackaged. While nearly 174 million plastic bottles of shampoo are thrown away each year, solid shampoo is most often sold unpackaged, in recyclable cardboard or just a small paper bag. A first step towards zero waste!
It is convenient to carry
This solid format is also advantageous when travelling. Because it is small and light, it easily finds its place in a toiletry bag, stored in a box or a glove, and can thus be taken away on weekends. Do you take the plane? “No need to ask yourself the question of the capacity because not being liquid, it slips without problem into a cabin suitcase”, indicates Claire Maurice expert in cosmetics.
It is economical
“Already because the children cannot empty half of the bottle each time they shampoo, as is often the case with liquids!” remarks Claire Maurice. But also because it lasts a long time. It can be used for 80 to 100 washes, the equivalent of three 250 g bottles of liquid shampoo. All while avoiding waste because, with this version, there is no risk of leaving any at the bottom of the bottle.
It washes our hair whatever its nature
Whether you have dry, oily, normal, dull, rebellious, colored hair or an irritated scalp, you will find, with the increasing supply, a solid shampoo made for you. Then, nothing could be simpler to use it: wet your hair then simply pass your roller over your scalp until you get a foam. Massage your hair before rinsing it. The solid shampoo is suitable for the whole family. “But to prevent it from melting on the edge of your bathtub, keep it in a non-flooded area of your bathroom,” says our expert.
The advantages and disadvantages of solid shampoos
The advantages and disadvantages of solid shampoos. Source: spm
Solid shampoo recipe for dry hair
This shampoo nourishes and soothes the scalp, stimulates the roots and promotes growth, revives the shine of the hair and protects it.
Ingredients for about 100 g
- 12g shea butter
- 13g castor oil
- 10 g d’amla
- 15 ml witch hazel hydrosol (Hamamelis virginiana)
- 20 drops of Ho wood essential oil
- 7 drops of each Bach flower: elm, walnut, olive, clematis, chicory. And 52 g of SCI (surfactant, optional). SCI (sodium cocyl isethionate) is a derivative of coconut oil presented in the form of granulated powder.
Necessary material
You need some equipment to make your recipes, it does not cost very much but we advise you to start by participating in a workshop with friends or a little training, in order to start the practice with more experienced people. Maybe you will fall in love with natural cosmetics and you could even make it your future job… who knows! In any case, it is a growing sector.
- Precision balance (to the nearest gram);
- 4 small containers to weigh your different products;
- 1 stainless steel bowl (100 to 500 ml)
- 1 saucepan for the bain-marie;
- 1 spoon;
- 1 spatula type “maryse”;
- Flexible silicone molds (unitary, in plate, in the shape of fluted… molds for food use are suitable) of 10, 20, 50 or 70 g.
Preparation steps
It’s the same procedure for all recipes, that is to say even if you use other hydrosols, essential oils, etc. Weigh each ingredient beforehand and set aside.
Preparation – Source : spm
- In the stainless steel bowl, pour the SCI powder and the hydrosol. Remember to wear a mask when handling the ICS.
- Place the stainless steel bowl in a bain-marie and mix the SCI powder with the hydrosol (about 1 min) using a spoon.
- Add the vegetable (and/or mineral) powders and the oils while mixing vigorously.
- Pour the Bach flowers while still stirring. When the consistency becomes pasty, check that the SCI pellets are all melted. You should get a smooth paste.
- Remove the stainless steel bowl from the bain-marie and add the essential oils.
- Knead with a spoon to evenly distribute them. Without waiting too long, fill the molds before the dough cools too much (it begins to harden). (You can add flowers of your choice over your shampoo)
Preparation – Source : spm
- Press well to evenly fill the molds and smooth the top with the back of a slightly dampened spoon. This recipe is taken from the book Grimoire moderne by Valérie Catala published by Jouvence, 2021. A very easy-to-access book with lots of useful information and practical advice for beginners.
Solid Shampoos – Source: spm
Our favorite plant
Hibiscus flowers stimulate hair growth, slow hair loss and are suitable for all hair types to give shine and strengthen dull, tired and fine hair. The hibiscus flower is recommended for its anti-dandruff action, it brings mahogany reflections when combined with henna (natural plant dye). Hibiscus brings radiance to dull, devitalized and mature skin and also slows down skin aging.
The best solid shampoos
Read also: This Woman Hasn’t Washed Her Hair With Shampoo For 6 Years: Here’s What She Replaced It With
Potentially harmful ingredients in conventional cosmetics
In addition to preservatives, liquid cosmetics contain many other ingredients that you will be able to avoid by using solid cosmetics…
- Silicones (endings in “-cone” or “-xane”), carcinogenic and disruptive of the reproductive system, toxic for aquatic fauna and flora;
- Quaternary ammoniums (names with “-monium”, “chloride”, “bromide”, “quaternium” followed by a number) irritants and non-biodegradable;
- Parabens, endocrine disruptors and allergens banned today but replaced by thiazolinones which release formaldehyde and create irritation;
- MEA, DEA, TEA (monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine) carcinogenic when combined with other compounds, allergenic and harmful to fish.
Read also: 5 common mistakes when using hair conditioner