In recent years I have traveled a lot from Texas to Iceland and everything in between. And while I love experiencing new things, I don’t always like traveling with liquid conditioners and shampoos. This nutritional conditioner bar recipe is perfect for travel and at home use!
The best conditioners are those that murmur and moisturize your hair, and don’t have any rough ingredients. I have this homemade hair conditioner that I like, but having a solid conditioner bar can be nice too.
What are the conditioner bars available?
Shampoo bars have been building style for a while for their hair care routine. I shared a moisturizing shampoo bar recipe and post many years ago. It is basically a handmade soap that lathers and cleans hair with natural ingredients. Conditioner bars are similar, but instead of soap and detergent, they use more moisturizing ingredients. They are popular as a more environmentally friendly alternative to regular shampoo and conditioner (and even zero waste is zero waste).
There are lots of clean versions out there, but most of them are still included Behentrimonium methosulfate or chloride. This chemical is made from canola oil (often GMO) and extracted with a solvent (not a healthy option either). The end result is technically safe, but certainly not so natural. There are mixed reviews of this ingredient, but it is a bit lacking in safety data. So I wanted to create a conditioner bar that skipped it.
I like the DIY conditioner bars are an easy way to skip the parabens, silicones and sulfates that come in traditional shampoos. You can also create fragrance-free conditioner bars. It also uses a single plastic-free product, as it allows you to skip plastic bottles.
Creating a completely oil-based bar is easy. These are suitable for damaged, dry, curly, and curly hair. However, for certain hair types, it can be too heavy, like those with hair or thin hair. And if you use too much, it may leave a weight, greasy or curly sensation in your hair.
Natural Conditioner Bar Materials
My daughter and I have long hair so we wanted something that would work without making them greasy. And while some of us are blessed with natural curls, my hair is definitely straight and fine.
This conditioner bar recipe incorporates light ingredients such as glycerin and aloe into the mix. And instead of beeswax, use cocoa butter and mango butter to fortify the bar. We’ve also added some hair-loving oils like jojoba (or argan) oil and lavender and rosemary essential oils. These promote healthy hair and make it smell good! If you want a fragrance-free version, you can rule out essential oils, but add a powerful health benefit.
The recipe also uses emulsifying wax, as it uses both water and oil soluble ingredients. This helps to combine all the ingredients. Usually, when making a lotion bar (a similar process), when you’re done, pour hot liquid into the silicone mold. In this recipe, you must mix it when cooling to prevent the mixture from separating.
This recipe is very simple and basically involves melting, mixing and pouring. It makes your hair feel soft and smells amazing! Try it with this DIY shampoo bar.
Natural Solid Conditioner Bar
This DIY Natural Conditioner Bar is portable and helps your hair stay soft and nourished.
yield: 4 bar
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Add cocoa butter, mango butter, jojoba oil and emulsifying wax to the top of the double boiler. Heat medium low heat or whisk occasionally until completely melted.
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Combine aloe vera, glycerin and essential oils in another small bowl while the oil is heated on the stove.
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Once the oil has completely dissolved, turn off the heat and slowly pour in the water-based ingredients. Continuously whisk while pouring.
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Let the mixture cool in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes. Stir and whisk every 10 minutes until creamy appearance, opaque and thick batter consistency.
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Spoon the mixture into the mold and smooth the top.
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Let it cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until it hardens. I left mine overnight.
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Use after shampooing (see directions below). These also make great skin lotion bars!
- From the research I did, this should be safe for colored hair. However, ask your hairstylist if you are unsure.
- You can also apply a bright layer of this to apply the hair to really dry the hair.
How to use the DIY conditioner bar
It’s a little long way! Do not use too many conditioners. Otherwise, your hair will feel greasy. Also, the scalp naturally produces oil, so most people don’t need to adjust it.
- Scrub a layer of conditioner bar in your hand.
- I rub my hands over the edges of my hair and it works. Avoid the scalp.
- Rinse using very warm water. This helps the oil to further disperse.
Have you used shampoo or conditioner bar before? Leave a comment and let us know!
