Don't wash your hair with shampoo, but with hair soap? The organic product should be a shampoo, conditioner and treatment in one. Let's see…
What was tested
The "soap for healthy hair" from the natural cosmetics brand Manna.
What does the product promise?
On his website, Manna asks, "Do you also long for healthy, full, shiny and supple hair that is easy to care for? This soap was specially made to make your hair look beautiful with the help of numerous natural ingredients. Try it now! " Okay, let's do it. After all, the organic product should replace shampoo, conditioner and treatment and be suitable for all hair types.
And what does the test person say?
Beauty editor Astrid: "I wash my shoulder-length hair every two to three days shampoo, clear. And now and then I resort to the quick version, the dry shampoo. Today I'm going to try something completely different – and one Hair soap. First of all, I like that the little piece is 100 percent chemical free. Everything organic.
What's inside:
- Castor oil: Should rid the scalp of dirt and bacteria – without drying it out. Because of its antibacterial effect, it is also suitable against dandruff.
- Coconut oil & olive oil: Should provide moisture and care for brittle hair ends.
- Green clay: Rich in minerals and trace elements (including iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, selenium, potassium) and has a cleansing effect, removing dead skin cells and stubborn dirt. The clay regenerates the hair roots.
- Lavender essential oil: Should soothe the scalp – and smell delicious.
- Essential tea tree oil: Should have a cleansing and antiseptic effect – with a stimulating scent.
Hair soap in the test
That sounds pretty promising. So I wet my hair in the shower, lather up the soap in my hands and go over the roots and lengths with it. Not that easy when you're used to a walnut-sized amount of shampoo. My hair doesn't really foam up. It should be rinsed thoroughly to avoid a greasy look. You have to, because the soap "sticks" stubbornly in my strands. The storage of the soap? Not easy either.
This is what hair feels like after washing
Then I blow-dry and wait anxiously for the promised effect. Unfortunately, my hair doesn't feel loose, flaky or soft. Shine? Unfortunately not. On the other hand, my hair is definitely more voluminous. And more grippy. It's much easier to style and pin.
Next time I'll follow this tip that Manna gives on his website: The soaped hair with Vinegar water Rinse (use lemon water as an alternative, but vinegar gives you extra shine!). In fact, the hair feels better afterwards. Nevertheless, I still have to get used to this "natural hair feeling" … Have you gained experience with hair soap? Tell me about it!
What does it cost?
The 90 gram piece of Manna hair soap costs 6.90 euros. Available from Manna's online shop. But other brands are now also making hair soap. The products of the soap manufacturer SauberKunst are also well-known, for example. The vegan soaps start at € 2.20 each.
Dry or sticky? It's overfat!
If you are dissatisfied with your hair structure after washing, you should look into the composition of your soap. The ingredients and the degree of excess fat are important. When a soap is too greasy, it is oils that are not saponified, but rather remain in the hair to give them an extra dose of care. Perfect for dry hair.
Tip: If the hair feels brittle despite being washed and not fresh and fragrant, then you should bring a soap higher degree of excess fat choose (for example olive oil soap), i.e. one that contains more than five percent pure fat. If your hair is sticky or if you have naturally oily hair, you should use a less oily soap.
Which soap is the right one?
Soaps that contain palm oil, coconut oil, and glycerin are more likely to be avoided as they can dry out and knot the hair. For first-time users, soaps with avocado oil or babassu oil, castor oil, olive oil, Almond oil, hemp oil or Grapeseed oil. They also take care of the hair and don't make it so dull.
What are the advantages of the hair soap?
- Washing natural hair with hair soap has many advantages, starting with plastic-free packaging.
- Hair soaps are very economical.
- They do not contain any preservatives, fragrances or silicones (we have other shampoos without silicone, parabens and surfactants, are free from palm oil.
Tips on washing hair with hair soap
Before washing, dose the soap by cutting off a small bar of hair soap (about 20-40 grams). The rest can be tidily tucked away and you don't have a bar of soap to slip around in the shower.
Tip: If you soak the bar of soap for 2-3 minutes beforehand, it foams better and the active ingredients dissolve more easily. Prepare the acidic rinse (the mixture of water and vinegar for rinsing out), a measuring cup is ideal for this.
Surfactants – we are happy to do without them
They are found in most conventional shampoos and create a lot of foam on the head. We have got used to them and expect reliable cleaning performance from them. But surfactants are chemically complex, are mostly based on petroleum derivatives, can irritate our skin and make it permeable to harmful substances.
Wash hair with hair soap – the water makes the difference!
The hardness of the water is important for washing your hair! Soft water that contains little lime is ideal. In the case of medium-hard water, it is recommended to rinse the soaped hair with a rinse of water and apple cider vinegar (3 tablespoons of it in 1 liter of water) or lemon juice in cold water. Very hard water makes it difficult to wash your hair with soap, because the mixture of hard water and hair soap creates lime soap, i.e. white flakes that lie on the scalp. Thorough rinsing with a rinse made from apple, raspberry vinegar, or lemon juice can help.
How do I find out the water level in my home?
You can simply google the water level or ask the municipal utilities. At under eight degrees one speaks of soft water, up to 14 degrees it is medium hard, from 14 degrees hard water comes out of the tap.
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