FAQs - Shampoo Bar

Why did The Olive Tree launch a shampoo bar?

Many of our customers started asking for shampoo bars and although it took us a while, we finally managed to develop a shampoo bar in our bestselling Rosemary & Mint scent. We truly admire and are inspired by our customers' journey in reducing waste and we ourselves have started on our reducing waste journey by slowly trying to do away with single use plastic packaging.

Does your shampoo bar lather well?

As we do not use sulphates (i.e. SLS, SLES) as the foaming agent in our shampoo bar, it lathers minimally. As a result, our shampoo bar cleanses your scalp and hair gently without stripping away its natural oils. If you would like more lather, just add more water whilst using the shampoo bar.

How to use the shampoo bar?

Rub the shampoo bar between your hands to create lather. Alternatively, you may apply the shampoo bar directly onto your wet hair. Massage into the hair and scalp, then rinse off.

How long does a bar of shampoo bar last?

Our shampoo bar generally lasts up to 30 - 40 washes. The trick to prolonging the use of the shampoo bar is to keep it dry between uses. Please place the shampoo bar away from the shower head where water may collect or placed it on a well-drained soap dish.

Can the shampoo bar be used on face and body?

Generally, our shampoo bar can be used not only for the hair and scalp, but also on the body. However, because our face is more sensitive that other parts of the body, we recommend that you use the milder olive soap or avocado soap on your face instead as some people may find rosemary and mint essential oils too strong for their faces.

Does the shampoo bar make my hair dry and frizzy?

When switching to a natural hair care regime, during the initial stages, your hair may feel stiff, sticky or dry as natural hair care products detox your hair from petrochemical polymer which acts as a coating agent. All these transitional inconveniences will gradually disappear and it can take up to a month for your hair and scalp to adjust to the change. However, once your hair and scalp have adjusted to the natural hair care regime, it is worth it as your hair will regain its natural healthy and beautiful state.

To help with dry, frizzy hair whilst using the shampoo bar, you can try our silicone free hair conditioner (i.e. Refreshing Conditioner and Gentle & Mild Conditioner).

Why does my hair feel clammy, heavy, waxy or sticks together after using the shampoo bar?

Apart from the initial transitional inconvenience of switching to a new hair care regime, this is most likely caused by some of the soap residue from the shampoo bar remaining on your hair despite rinsing. Do take a little longer in the shower to ensure that the soap is properly rinsed off from your hair. You may use your fingers to feel the tips of your hair to ensure that the soap has been rinsed off.

Is your shampoo bar suitable for pregnant women?

Pregnant women especially in their first trimester are not encouraged to use the shampoo bar as it contains rosemary, peppermint and chamomile essential oil which may lead to uterine contractions. We recommend consulting your general practitioner on the ingredients list of our product prior to use. 

Can your shampoo bar be used on children?

Since our shampoo bar uses only natural plant oils which is generally more gentle on the skin, they are suitable for children. However, for babies, we would recommend using the unscented olive soap or pure liquid Castile soap. 

We recommend that when using our soap for the first time, please test the product on a small part of your child’s skin.

Does your shampoo bar sting the eyes?

Our shampoo bar is an alkaline substance and when it enters the eyes, our eyes’ reflex is to tear so the foreign substance can be washed out. Tearing is a natural defence mechanism against foreign materials. No pH balancing biochemical was used to balance the pH level as we believe in keeping the shampoo bar as pure and natural as possible. 

What is the gooey transparent layer on your shampoo bar?

The gooey transparent layer on your shampoo bar is actually the highly prized glycerine which is extremely moisturizing for your skin. Glycerine is the by-product of the soap making process. It is a humectant which helps to moisturize your skin as it draws moisture from the air. In commercial soaps, this glycerine is removed and added to other products like body lotion unlike handmade soaps where this glycerine remains intact.

Our handmade shampoo bar does have that visible layer of glycerine when it sits in standing water because olive oil by nature is a very soft oil and tends to melt faster. Other hard plant oils like coconut oil and palm oil can be added to olive oil to make the bar soap harder, lather more and last longer.

The key to prolonging the use of olive oil based handmade soaps is to keep it dry between use.