How To Make DIY Shampoo Bar Recipes Without Using Lye (2024)

DIY Shampoo bars are my new obsession. I know I have many of them; please don’t judge me. But this sulphate-free shampoo bar recipe is natural and perhaps the best and the easiest recipe so far.

If you’ve made a shampoo bar after trying to make liquid shampoo, you’ll know what I’m talking about.Honestly, I’m unsure if I’ll ever go back to making liquid shampoo. So, let’s dive into why I rate this unassuming hair product so highly.

What Are DIY Shampoo Bars?

Shampoo bars are exactly what they sound like, a solid shampoo. They look like soaps, but they’re anything but true soaps. They’re actually a combination of oils, detergents, and powdered ingredients to create a stiff bar that has a gorgeous, creamy lather.

Homemade shampoo bar recipes also give you the opportunity to get creative. Provided you’ve got the ratio right, you can use whatever oils, extracts, and additives you want. Liquid shampoo, however, is another story. The viscosity of the finished product is vitally important but also super volatile, being influenced by many different ingredients in unexpected ways.

This is further complicated by the fact that liquid shampoos can be surprisingly difficult to intentionally thicken if they’re too thin. This is especially true if you’re trying to formulate naturally. There’s just way less room for experimentation, improvisation, and creativity when formulating new recipes.

So, that’s why I’m obsessed, and I encourage you to learn how to make shampoo bars, especially if you’ve tried liquid shampoo making and found it hard going.

Why Make A Shampoo Bar Recipe Without Lye

It’s important to remember that shampoo bar recipes without lye are not the same as soap making. I know, I know, I’ve seen saponified soaps being touted as excellent shampoo bars, too. But experience has taught me cold process shampoo bar recipes are not good, and let me tell you why.

Saponified soaps are very high in pH. They’re literal anionic surfactants, which, when applied to the hair, can cause many kinds of problems. Chief among them is increased sensitivity and dryness of the scalp and hair that is brittle and more prone to damage and split ends.

So, avoid using actual soap on your hair. Trust me, a shampoo bar recipe without lye is easier to make anyway.

Homemade Shampoo Bars and pH

pH is less of an issue when we make shampoo bars. If you opt for the surfactants in my recipe below, it’s unlikely your bars will be too high in pH for your scalp or hair. This is because I’ve opted for mild, low-pH surfactants. I’ve done this for two reasons.

Right off the bat, they’re just better for your hair. I don’t want to put excessively strong detergents in my hair if I don’t have to, so why should you? But it’s also because testing the pH of your shampoo bars can be a bit annoying if you want to use something else.

Because our bars are solids, you’ll need to take a small piece and dilute it in distilled water. Then, test it using a universal indicator strip or a pH testing meter. If you find that it’s too high, then the bar is ruined, and you have to start again (with a bit of citric acid added as a pH modifier).

But don’t worry, you don’t have to do that, provided you opt for my choice of surfactants. For those of you who do want to get creative, I’ll give you some guidance below on how to go about substituting and properly pH testing.

Ingredient Spotlight: Shampoo Bar Recipe Secrets!

Surfactants/Detergents

We’re using two different surfactants for this recipe: powdered and liquid. First up, let’s talk about our powdered SCI.

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate Powder, or SCI for short, is a natural mild surfactant that is known for its mild cleansing properties, helping to remove dirt and oils without irritating the scalp.

It also produces a rich and stable lather with great foaming properties. SCI is a great stand-alone surfactant, giving the finished product a good pH level.

I’ve been having a lot of fun with this ingredient lately, and honestly, it’s perfect for this formulation. But I wanted to include a co-surfactant to help improve the lather of the bar. I went for Cocamidopropyl Betaine.

It’s the perfect choice for this formulation! It’s super gentle, so it won’t make the bar more irritating (which is a problem with many different surfactants)

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is our main moisturizing agent for this formulation, and it’s a great choice. Firstly, it will lend some stiffening power, as coconut oil is a solid at room temperature. But honestly, I’ve included it mostly because of how great it is for the hair.

You’re probably no stranger to this ingredient. Still, for anyone who doesn’t know, coconut oil is packed full of moisture and nourishment for your hair. Its nourishing qualities will help combat split ends, control frizz, add shine, and prevent further damage.

Powdered Agents

Our powdered ingredients are actually more important than you think. They’re vital for the structure of your bar. Without them, they wouldn’t harden, and they’d be difficult to use in the shower. In fact, they’d melt in your hand like bath truffles!

For this formula, I’ve selected arrowroot powder and coconut milk powder. Coconut milk powder synergizes with our coconut oil, as it’s intensely hydrating and provides great nutrients for the hair. It can actually penetrate into the hair shaft to provide moisture deep into the roots of your hair.

Arrowroot powder, however, is mostly there to help keep our bar solid, but it does provide a more creamy texture to the finished bar.

Fragrance

This one is totally optional, as you don’t actually need to have one at all! But It’s nice to have a lovely fragrance that you like to be imparted onto the hair when it’s washed.

I opt for an essential oil every time. They just smell better to me, and I love how long-lasting they are in my hair. For this recipe, I went for distilled lime essential oil, which not only smells gorgeous but also provides some anti-microbial action.

You can, of course, use a fragrance oil if you prefer. There are some aromas that you just can’t get as an essential oil. If you want your homemade shampoo bar to smell like chocolate chip cookies, you’ll want a fragrance oil!

Important Notes

Substitutions