The best shampoo bars can work just as well as a liquid shampoo, says certified trichologist Izabella Bordignon. “We have brilliant brands on the market today that have shampoo bars formulated for bleached, dyed, fine, curly hair and sensitive scalps”, and, the “only difference is that they’re formulated with less water and are more concentrated”.
Because of this, they tend to last far longer and are easier to travel with than liquid formulas, and as they don’t come in a plastic bottle, can be a more sustainable option.
I was, however, wary of the ‘transition period’, in which hair can feel dry, waxy or weighed down. But when I found the best shampoo bars for my hair (normal, a little dry), it turned out silky and fresh from the first wash.
The type of shampoo bar can explain why some may work better for you than others. Those made with traditional soap contain “more oil, more fat, and have an alkaline pH”, says Bordignon, and alkaline can make hair feel frizzy, dry and hard to manage. ‘Syndet’ bars (with synthetic detergents) are similar to a liquid shampoo but in solid form.
It’s important to make sure you’re applying the shampoo bar properly. “Your hair needs to be soaking wet”, Bordignon advises. “If you don’t apply it properly, you're not going to have a proper cleanse” which leads to buildup and the hair feeling “heavy, not clean, and dull”, she says.
My fellow testers and I have found the best shampoo bars for different hair types. Read on for our top picks.
Read more: Best shampoo and conditioner, reviewed
The best shampoo bars of 2026 are:
- Best overall – Eco Warrior deeply nourishing shampoo bar: £5.50, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for shine – Shower Blocks ginger and agave nectar totally solid shampoo bar: £9, Showerblocks.com
- Best co-wash – Lush avocado co-wash: £12, Lush.com
- Best for blonde hair – Ethique tone it down brightening purple shampoo bar: £7, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for curly hair – Only Curls curl cleansing shampoo bar: £12, Onlycurls.com
Read more: Best hair oils, reviewed
Eco Warrior deeply nourishing shampoo bar
Rating: 5/5
Best: shampoo bar overall
Why we love it
- Large size for the price
- Easy to lather into a creamy foam
- No waxy residue
There’s so much to love about Eco Warrior’s deeply nourishing bar, the best shampoo bar I’ve tested. The vegan, cruelty-free and soap-free formula was easy to lather into an ultra-creamy foam, and contains hydrating pink clay and hair-loving pure orange and ginger essential oils, which left my hair feeling cleansed and smooth to the touch. I didn’t notice any waxy residue and were seriously impressed by the level of shine achieved after the first wash.
If you prefer plumping for sulphate-, silicone- and paraben-free formulas, this shampoo bar has those boxes ticked, while also being made with 94.3 per cent naturally derived ingredients. The formula is curly-girl method friendly and, as the largest bar we tried, despite being the least expensive, it’s an economical investment, too.
Key specifications:
Buy now £5.5, Amazon.co.uk
Shower Blocks ginger and agave nectar totally solid shampoo bar
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for shine
Why we love it
- Thoroughly cleansing
- Lathers easily
- No waxy residue
Take note
- Ginger scent isn't very noticeable
Plastic-free brand Shower Blocks makes its shampoo bars in small batches in the UK using plant based ingredients. Its bars sound vibrant and unusual, from mango and passionfruit to mint and grapefruit. I tried the ginger and agave nectar and it had a pleasant, sweet smell that was less punchy than I anticipated, while the ginger was not very noticeable.
It contains jojoba oil that nourishes hair, pro-vitamin B5 to strengthen strands and hemp seed oil for scalp health, and is formulated for all hair types. It had a creamy lather and, from the first wash, my hair felt cleansed and fresh. In fact, this was one of the more thoroughly cleansing bars.
Shampoo bars containing soap can leave a waxy residue, but this one has a soap-free, pH balanced formula that left my thick, dry strands feeling lightweight, airy and silky soft. I noticed my hair had a nice shine to it after using this bar, too.
Key specifications:
Buy now £9, Showerblocks.com
Lush avocado co-wash
Rating: 4/5
Best: co-wash shampoo bar
Why we love it
- Travel-friendly
- Has a fresh scent
- Lathers easily
- Nourishing
Take note
- Can get used quickly if not stored properly
- Can leave a little residue/build up if not rinsed thoroughly
- You will need a separate clarifying shampoo to get rid of build up
When it comes to finding the best shampoo bars, I knew that I had to go straight to Lush to test out its offering. The ethical cosmetics retailer has held a standard of excellence in the solid shampoo bar space. And when it comes to cutting down on synthetic preservatives and plastic bottles, it has led the charge, while also being cruelty-free since its formation.
Lush has also put a lot of care and testing into its Afro hair range, and this avocado co-wash bar is packed with nourishing ingredients like avocado, olive oil and cocoa butter that aren’t stripping to a curly-coily hair texture. Just don’t expect a clarifying shampoo from a co-wash bar like this, which is very conditioning.
I have been a shampoo bar skeptic for a long time, but I’ve loved using the avocado co-wash bar. I have thick, curly hair that’s very easily tangled and the thought of using a bar instead of a liquid concerned me, but it foams well. It lathers like a soft baby foam and has a clean, milky, yet lemony fresh scent.
My curls are left defined, moisturised and conditioned when using this, which is exactly what I look for when it comes to detangling and fighting frizz.
Tested by Nicole Ocran
Key specifications:
Buy now £12, Lush.com
An’du nourishment shampoo bar
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for moisture
Why we love it
- Adds moisture
- Foams easily
- Smells amazing
Take note
- Leaves a film of moisture, so is better for dry hair types
True to its name, An’du’s nourishment shampoo bar left my hair feeling moisturised, even after the first wash. Despite a lack of sulphates, the bar foams really well with little effort needed. Unlike medicinal smelling shower bars, it’s made with walnut and fig, so has a lovely spa-like scent that makes it feel indulgent to use.
After washing my hair felt clean but not stripped, with a slight film of moisture left on my locks, likely thanks to the addition of coconut oil. My hair is typically quite dry so I didn’t mind this, but if your hair is on the oilier side then I’d skip the rinse and repeat. The bar is a decent size too and even after multiple uses, shows little sign of wearing away.
Tested by Sabrina Sahota
Key specifications:
Buy now £13.5, Hollandandbarrett.com
Grum brightening shampoo bar
Rating: 4/5
Best: shampoo bar for thick hair
Why we love it
- Leaves strands feeling nourished and cleaned
- Makes thick hair feel lightweight
- Easy to lather into a foam
Take note
- Not as effective at brightening as some purple shampoos I’ve tried
Founded by four friends from Manchester, Gruum make hair, skin products that are effective and kind to the planet. It has a range of shampoo bars, from frizz taming to scalp repairing, but as someone with dyed hair I tested the brightening one. Harnessing lemon juice, sweet almond oil, marigold, it aims to breathe new life into blonde locks while hydrating at the same time.
The look of the bar was very tempting with flecks of the marigold visible and it smelt very fresh. It created a thick lather pretty quickly, enough to cover my thick strands. Rinsing it out, my hair felt instantly clean and nourished. I also tested the brightening conditioner bar (£10, Amazon.co.uk), which took more effort to create enough balm for my ends, but it left my hair fairly soft.
In terms of its brightening power, it’s hard to tell at this stage (plus, my hair always tends to look lighter after washing). However I was really happy with how fresh and weightless my thick hair felt after use, and once a sceptic, it has converted me to shampoo bars.
On the sustainability front, the packaging is fully recyclable and plastic-free, and Gruum also partners with environmental charities to reduce plastic in our oceans and CO2 emissions.
Tested by Alice Reynolds
Key specifications:
Buy now £9, Amazon.co.uk
Afroani solid shampoo bar
Rating: 4/5
Best: gentle shampoo bar for afro hair
Why we love it
- Packed with natural oils
- Gentle on hair
Take note
- Could be larger for the price
Steering clear away from harsh chemicals is Afroani’s solid shampoo bar, which is cruelty-free and free from artificial colours, sulphates, parabens and gluten. Needless to say, it is vegan-friendly and also plastic free.
A gentle cleanser, the shampoo bar is not the biggest in size (125g) but it is clearly designed with afro hair in mind, as it left mine feeling both cleansed and moisturised. Packed with natural oils, such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil and extra virgin olive oil, the bar gives off a natural sweet-smelling scent and provides your hair with plenty of nutrients.
Tested by Maxine Harrison
Key specifications:
Buy now £12, Afroanishop.com
Rituals the ritual of Ayurveda shampoo and body bar
Rating: 5/5
Best: shampoo and body bar
Why we love it
- For hair and body
- Feels gentle but effective
- Softening
- Very creamy lather
Take note
- Fairly expensive for a shampoo bar
Two in one shower products bring to mind the cheap and the cheerful, but the ritual of Ayurveda shampoo and body bar feels like a luxury, from the scent to the engraving on the bars’s exterior.
While it’s suitable for the body, the soap-free formula didn’t leave my hair waxy or weighed down. Instead, it was light and fresh from the first wash, with no transition period. And while some shampoo bars that didn’t make the cut were quite drying, this one made my hair feel healthy and soft.
It’s suitable for all hair types and was quicker than some to lather up, thanks, in part, to the smooth rounded surface that was easy to flip in the hands to work off a good foam. The lather was one of the creamiest I’ve encountered, too.
As for the body wash element, it had a soothing effect that left my skin cleansed but comfortably nourished. Fans of Rituals may already be familiar with the brand’s Indian rose and sweet almond oil fragrance, which is softly sweet and noticeable for days after hair wash day.
Key specifications:
Buy now £14, Rituals.com
Kin Kind make me shine gloss complex shampoo bar
Rating: 5/5
Best: shampoo bar for softness
Why we love it
- Foams easily
- Leaves hair feeling soft and lightweight
- Pleasant but subtle scent
Take note
- Bar is slightly on the smaller side
Immediately after rinsing, Kin Kind’s make me shine shampoo bar left my hair feeling smooth and silky. It’s the kind of effect that you typically only get after rinsing out conditioner, so I was intrigued to see the results once my hair was dry.
Fortunately after drying, my hair felt incredibly soft and lightweight, and not weighed down at all. It also left a subtle shine on my locks, thanks to the addition of glycolic acid.
The shampoo bar foamed really easily and has stayed intact, even after a few washes. While it’s slightly smaller compared to other shampoo bars at 50g, Kin Kind says it should last 50 washes.
Tested by Sabrina Sahota
Key specifications
Buy now £7.95, Amazon.co.uk
Nope into the deep shampoo bar
Rating: 4/5
Best: shampoo bar for volume
Why we love it
- Gentle cleanse
- Gives hair some extra volume and body
- Foams easily
Take note
- Some may experience a transition period
- Pricier than most
Nope’s into the deep shampoo bar is vegan and cruelty-free, and formulated to deliver a gentle cleanse, specifically for thick and coarse hair types to reduce frizz.
The brand doesn’t use traditional soap in its shampoo bars and so most people won’t experience a transition period when first starting to use them. However, there’s the caveat that if your usual shampoo contains a lot of sulphates, then you may go through a transition period over a few washes.
With this in mind, after the first wash, my hair didn’t feel as sleek as it has after my liquid shampoo, or some bars in this review, like Shower Blocks and Rituals. That being said, it did feel clean and healthy and had a little extra volume and body. And, I noticed that it looked and felt cleaner for longer than it usually would.
Taking a closer look at the ingredients, the bar contains coconut oil and shea butter to hydrate and nourish, lavender to soothe, enriching seaweed extract and pro-vitamin B5 to strengthen, and it works to maintain the natural pH balance of the scalp.
It doesn't have any noticeable scent, plus it’s quick and easy to lather up and wash out. The bar is also billed as colour-safe, but my hair is only lightly bleached and toned so I can’t attest to this.
Key specifications
Buy now £16.99, Amazon.co.uk
Only Curls curl cleansing shampoo bar
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for curly hair
Why we love it
- Smells amazing
- Hydrating
- Foams easily
Take note
- Square shape slightly trickier to handle
I started using sulphate-free, curl-appropriate hair products a few years ago and haven’t looked back since. It makes all the difference in reducing frizz, hydrating your locks and achieving bouncy, voluminous curls.
This shampoo bar from Only Curls seriously impressed, as I didn’t think adding a new shampoo to my haircare regime would make this much of a difference. I was surprised by how well it lathers up, yet it feels quite creamy to touch. The bar smells amazing too, and it still lingers after using other hair products.
Thanks to the avocado and kukui-nut oils, it left my hair feeling more hydrated than it has in months, and I really noticed the difference when applying my regular post-wash hair products. I also spotted some extra shine to my locks.
I can only fault it for its square shape, as I find a round shampoo bar easier to handle for application, but it does feel like you get more product because of it. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this to fellow curly guys and girls.
Tested by Dominique Boulan
Key specifications:
Buy now £12, Amazon.co.uk
Davines Dede shampoo bar
Rating: 5/5
Best: luxury shampoo bar
Why we love it
- Suitable for all hair types
- Left hair feeling lightweight, bouncy and soft
Take note
- Bulky rectangular shape was harder to lather than rounded bars
- On the pricier side
This shampoo bar from B-Corp luxury haircare brand Davines was a real treat. Super hydrating and a wise choice for everyday cleansing, the formula is suitable for all hair types and made my hair (which is usually slightly on the dry side) look markedly smooth and shiny – I actually received a compliment on how amazing it looked the night after hair-wash day.
The sulphate- and silicone-free formula calls on mineral-salt-rich red celery extract, which left my hair feeling lightweight, bouncy and soft. Meanwhile, the buttery bar creates a creamy foam that is not too dissimilar to that of a liquid shampoo. The bulky rectangular shape was harder to lather than rounded bars, but this is bound to last for ages and held onto its structural integrity well after multiple washes. If you can stretch your budget, we would highly recommend this one.
Key specifications:
Buy now £20, Amazon.co.uk
Faith in Nature coconut and shea butter shampoo bar
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for natural ingredients
Why we love it
- Made with mostly natural origin ingredients
- Leaves hair feeling hydrated and refreshed
Take note
- Takes a little longer to lather up, compared with other bars tested
Housing hydrating coconut oil and ethically traded shea butter, Faith in Nature coconut and shea butter shampoo bar contains 99 per cent natural origin ingredients and 100 per cent natural fragrances. With a barely there coconut scent and sulphate-, silicone- and paraben-free formula, I was some waxiness on mystrands – which can sometimes happen when you first start using natural formulas – but that wasn’t the case at all.
It does take a little longer than some other bars to lather up, and the lather is more frothy than it is creamy, but, most importantly, it was easy to move the product through our hair. The curved shape of the bar also lends itself to lathering the bar straight into your hair, rather than in between your hands.
Importantly, I loved how hydrated and refreshed my hair felt after use. After multiple uses, there were no signs of crumbling or cracks, so the bar should last a while too.
Key specifications:
Buy now £4.9, Amazon.co.uk
Kinkind give me strength shampoo bar
Rating: 4.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for wavy hair
Why we love it
- Makes waves more defined
- Foams easily
- Calming lavender scent
Every shampoo bar in the Kinkind collection is handmade in the UK, as well as being vegan, cruelty-free and free from parabens and silicones. The aptly named ‘give me strength’ shampoo bar contains growth-boosting rosemary oil, helping to stimulate the hair follicles, while wheatgerm oil is on hand to strengthen, moisturise and add volume.
Sure enough, after testing I noticed my waves looked more voluminous and defined. The bar itself is quite small but lathers up well, and is said to last for 50 washes. Refreshing and floral but not too sweet, I love the calming lavender scent, too.
Key specifications:
Buy now £7.95, Amazon.co.uk
Ethique tone it down brightening purple shampoo bar
Rating: 3.5/5
Best: shampoo bar for blonde hair
Why we love it
- Doesn't weigh hair down
- Foams easily
- Bar should last a long time
Take note
- Left my hair feeling a little dry
I’m yet to find a purple shampoo that can completely eliminate brassy tones, but the Ethique tone it down bar from Ethique does just as good a job as the liquid shampoos I’ve tried – with the added bonus of compostable packaging. Plus, it feels like it lasts forever. The brand says the bar should last you at least 80 washes but I’m pretty sure it will exceed that.
The first few times I used this bar, it left my hair feeling a little dry, so it’s best used with a good conditioner, but I liked the fact the shampoo felt gentle on my hair and didn’t weight it down. It’s free from sulphates and parabens but lathers up nicely when applied directly to the hair, and I love the fact it’s vegan as well as being carbon neutral.
Tested by Annabel Grossman
Key specifications:
Buy now £7, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about shampoo bars answered
What is the best shampoo bar?
Eco Warrior’s deeply nourishing shampoo bar is my personal favourite, thanks to its ultra-creamy lather, high percentage of naturally derived ingredients and nourishing formula that left my hair feeling healthy, smooth and refreshed. Plus it’s excellent value at £5.50 for bar.
I also really love the Shower Blocks bar, which gave my hair weightlessness and shine. The Lush avocado co-wash leaves curls defined, moisturised and conditioned, and the An’du nourishment shampoo bar is incredibly moisturising for hair that’s on the dry side. The Afroani solid shampoo bar provides a gentle cleanse for afro hair, and the Ethique tone it down brightening purple shampoo bar works well for blonde hair.
How we tested shampoo bars
While putting these shampoo bars through their paces, our testers considered the different formulations, with attention paid to the ingredients used and whether the formulas were sulphate- and silicone-free, which, while not something everyone looks for, can be beneficial for your hair.
We looked at various things, including:
How to use a shampoo bar
To use a shampoo bar, start by wetting your hair thoroughly. Rub the bar directly onto your hair or between your hands to create a lather, then massage it into your scalp and along the lengths of your hair. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove all the shampoo. Afterwards, store the bar in a dry place between uses to keep it from getting soft and ensure it lasts longer.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lois Borny has been writing for the IndyBest team since 2021. She is well versed in the beauty brands to know (and avoid). She’s tested everything from hand creams to lip balms, and has a particular interest in sustainable haircare and skincare. When testing items, Lois factors in quality, value for money and only recommends products she believes to be worth your money.
For more, we’ve tested the best purple shampoos to brighten blonde hair
