Today, while I was at The Churn Room, I had a lovely conversation with a woman who stopped by the shop. She was excited to see that I make solid shampoo bars, and of course that sparked a chat about what she’s been using on her hair.
As soon as she mentioned the brand, I knew — from my own research and ingredients experience — that the bar she was using wasn’t actually a shampoo bar at all. It was a soap bar being sold as shampoo.
I explained the difference briefly, but as I was packing up afterward, I realised it was a conversation worth expanding on.
So, here we are — an educational moment for anyone curious about the difference between a true solid shampoo bar and a soap bar in disguise.
Why This Matters: Your Hair and Scalp Have Their Own Natural pH
Your scalp sits around pH 5, and your hair shaft prefers somewhere between 3.5 and 5.5.
This slightly acidic environment keeps the hair cuticle lying smooth and flat, which means:
- shinier hair
- less frizz
- fewer tangles
- happier, calmer scalp
- stronger, more resilient strands over time
When something alkaline touches the hair (like traditional soap), that delicate cuticle lifts — and suddenly your hair feels rougher, looks duller, and becomes harder to manage.
Why Some “Shampoo Bars” Are Actually Just Soap
Soap has its place — and I absolutely adore it for the body.
But soap is always alkaline. It has to be — that’s how soap chemistry works.
Alkaline is fine for the body.
But for the scalp and hair? Not so much.
If you see this terminology in the ingredient list, it's a bar of soap (not a shampoo):
- Coconut oil, Olive oil, or other oils at the very top of the ingredient list;
- Sodium hydroxide / lye;
- “Saponified oils of…”;
- Ingredients like “sodium cocoate”, “sodium olivate”;
- Anything described as cold-process or traditionally saponified.
There’s nothing wrong with these ingredients — I use them proudly in my soaps — but they belong on the body, not the hair.
Soap will always have a pH of around 8-10.
This is why soap-based shampoo bars often leave the hair feeling waxy, coated, rough or tangled. It’s not user error — it’s simply pH.
What a Real Shampoo Bar Looks Like
The shampoo bars I make at Medika Organics are not soap.
They’re formulated the same way a traditional salon shampoo is — just without the plastic bottle.
My shampoo bars use gentle, coconut-derived surfactants such as:
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate; and
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine.
These are naturally derived, beautifully mild cleansers that allow me to formulate at a pH of around 5, which keeps the hair and scalp happy.
This means:
- no "transition" phase
- no vinegar in the bar
- no waxy residue
- your hair cuticle stays flat and smooth
- your scalp feels balanced, clean, and calm
It's everything your hair wants shampoo to be — just in a solid form that's plastic-free and travel-friendly.
A Simple Ingredient Checklist for You
Here’s an easy way to tell if you’re buying a true shampoo bar:
✔
REAL shampoo bars contain:
Words ending in:
- –isethionate
- –betaine
- –glucoside
- –taurate
- –sarcosinate
- –sulfoacetate
These are the same gentle, naturally derived cleansers you’d see in good-quality liquid shampoos.
✖
NOT shampoo bars (these are soap):
- Saponified oils
- Sodium hydroxide / lye
- Oils listed at the top
- Terms like “cold-process” or “traditional soap bar”
Soap is wonderful on the body.
But your scalp simply thrives in a different environment.
Why I Make Shampoo Bars the Way I Do
Medika Organics has always been about gentle, mindful, natural self-care.
My soaps are made traditionally, with organic oils, clays, and botanicals — perfect for sensitive skin.
But when it comes to shampoo, I choose ingredients that truly support the biology of the scalp and hair.
No shortcuts.
No greenwashing.
No mislabelled soap bars pretending to be shampoo.
Just thoughtful, natural formulations that work beautifully — and feel beautiful too.
If you have questions about your hair type or which bar might suit you best, please feel free to message me or come say hello at the markets. I love chatting with you all.
Thank you for being here, and for choosing mindful, natural beauty for yourself.
