The concept of bar cleansers certainly isn't new, but as brands become more mindful of packaging waste and water consumption, formulas that use less water are increasing in popularity. Many beauty enthusiasts probably have given dry shampoos a whirl at some point, but a shampoo bar is a completely different format that cleans hair more like traditional shampoo. And much like a bar body cleanser, a shampoo bar is activated by water but contains ingredients that are suited for removing oil and product build-up while meeting the needs of different hair textures. 

As explained by cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson in a recent episode of Allure's The Science of Beauty podcast, your typical shampoo formula — both liquid and bars — contain surfactants to emulsify oil and dirt on the hair and scalp. What you're also getting from many of these bar cleansers are ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter to leave moisture and shine behind. 

Instead of pouring a liquid shampoo into your hair, you can either work the bar into a lather in the palm of your hands and then work the foam through from roots to ends; or, for lower-lather formulas, rub the bar directly onto roots while water runs over your hair. Once your strands are coated in the cleanser, massage the shampoo into your roots and through the ends of hair to loosen debris and dirt, and then rinse thoroughly. 

You should shop for a shampoo bar just like you would a traditional hair cleanser — based on what your texture needs. Some of these solid soaps help eliminate an extra step in your washday routine by combining both a cleanser and conditioner into one product. Others are laced with oils, butters, and soothing aloe vera, which target scalp concerns like dryness and flaking. There are even sulfate-free options if that's your preference. 

With a growing list of bars to choose from, we gathered up some new and original solid shampoos to suit a range of textures and specific hair needs. Keep scrolling to see our picks. 

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

• Courtesy of brand

  1/13

  Kitsch Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar

  Castor oil is one of those solve-everything ingredients that's a staple in many hair products, including Kitsch's Castor Oil Nourishing Shampoo Bar. "[Castor oil has] antimicrobial properties, which may be useful in terms of fighting off bacterial or fungal overgrowth on the scalp that can lead to hair-damaging inflammation," Adam Friedman, a board-certified dermatologist in Washington, DC, previously told Allure. This bar is also sulfate-free and will last for around 100 washes. 

  $14

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2/13

Love Beauty & Planet Murumuru Shampoo Bar

Made especially for color-treated hair, Love Beauty & Planet's Murumuru Shampoo Bar uses the fruit butter murumuru to help seal in moisture and protect against environmental damage and color fading. There's also coconut oil in the bar to help restore moisture on drier textures. 

$5

 

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3/13

Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo Bar With Aloe Vera

A combination of soothing aloe vera, hydrating glycerin, and moisture-sealing castor oil makes Christophe Robin's Hydrating Shampoo Bar With Aloe Vera a versatile cleanser for just about every hair type. Free from sulfates, it's gentle enough to wash both hair and body without stripping away natural oils. 

$22

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4/13

Oyin Handmade Grand Poo Bar Succulent Solid Shampoo

The Oyin Handmade Grand Poo Bar is one of the first solid shampoos on the market. Its low-lather formula is rich in moisture-retaining castor oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter — an ideal combination for thicker textures in the 4A to 4C curl type range. 

$10

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  5/13

  Obia Naturals Coconut Shea Shampoo Bar

  In the same oldie-but-goodie boat as Oyin Handmade is the Obia Naturals Coconut Shea Shampoo Bar. A blend of shea butter and coconut oil moisturizes and deep-conditions as it breaks down excess oil and gunk from styling. 

  $10

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  6/13

  Foamie Hibiskiss Shampoo Bar

  Soap-on-a-rope has never looked cuter. The attached ribbon on Foamie's Hibiskiss Shampoo Bar makes for easy and mess-free hanging in the shower so that your bar doesn't melt away in a puddle of water. The bar itself is made with hibiscus and nettle extract, alongside coconut and sunflower oils, which work together to help repair damaged hair.

  $10

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7/13

Davines Solid Shampoo Bar

Davines just introduced four Solid Shampoo Bars to its roster, including this variant, Love, which is made to bring out the best in coarse and frizzy hair. Olive extract, sunflower seed oil, and glycerin help restore shine and moisture to thicker hair — and like a traditional shampoo, this formula bubbles up into a rich lather. 

$35

• Carol's Daughter

  8/13

  Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Luscious Moisture Shampoo Bar

  Carol's Daughter laced its Black Vanilla Luscious Moisture Shampoo Bar with moisturizing shea butter, lavender, and jojoba oil to hydrate hair as it removes dirt and grime. The formula is also free of sulfates, mineral oil, and dyes, which can further dry out hair. 

  $11

• 9/13

  Klorane Shampoo Bar With Mango

  Klorane's dry shampoo is pretty iconic among editors and stylists. The brand's newest hair cleanser, this Shampoo Bar With Mango, is sure to follow in its footsteps as a rising star in hair-care regimens. Mango butter does the deep-moisturizing work, and the nearly three-ounce bar will get you through 32 hair washes.  

  $14

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Courtesy of brand

10/13

HiBar Solid Shampoo 

HiBar streamlined its Solid Shampoo Bars into five straightforward options that meet different hair needs: moisture, volume, maintenance, soothing care for the scalp, and this fragrance-free option for sensitive skin. The fragrance-free bar has all of the nourishing ingredients as the Moisturize bar, including coconut oil and strengthening rice protein. What it leaves out are essential oils, which can irritate sensitive skin. 

$14

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  11/13

  Superzero Blondest Blonde Purple Shampoo Bar

  Made especially for bleached and naturally blonde hair, Superzero's Blondest Blonde Shampoo Bar wards off yellowing and brassiness as it adds shine and volume. Purple pigments in the formula do the toning to give hair an ashier blonde hue or a clearer white. There's also avocado oil to replenish moisture lost during the bleaching or coloring process. 

  $18

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  12/13

  Ethique Sweet & Spicy Shampoo

  Orange, cinnamon, and ginger give Ethique's Sweet & Spicy Shampoo its zesty scent. The salt in the formula works at the roots to remove the oil and grime that can weigh hair down, and a combination of coconut oil and cocoa butter adds all-over moisture. 

  $16

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13/13

Bar None Hydrating Shampoo Bar

Like some of the other bars on this list, Bar None's Hydrating Shampoo Bar is packed with moisturizing glycerin. There's also coconut and olive oils, which hydrate hair from within, as well as castor oil to lock in all that moisture. 

$12