How To Use Conditioner Bars + Ingredients

It’s been years in the making — numerous research hours, test batches, formula tweaks, trials, and more middle of the nights brainstorming sessions than I can count. This has truly been a long time coming, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. Conditioner bars are here and they are so fantastic!

If you’ve been hoping for an easier, beautifully effective, more sustainable way to care for your hair, keep reading. Once you try them, they’ll quickly become a staple in your haircare lineup.

Okay, But Are They Actually Any Good?

Here's the simple answer - a loud, resounding, enthusiastic YES!!!

I get the hesitation — conditioner in bar form might seem confusing, harder to use, maybe even less effective at first glance, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. These conditioner bars deliver everything you want and nothing you don’t:

• Hair that looks and feels light, silky, and smooth, not heavy or weighed down

• A brush that glides through tangles

• No worry of build up with regular use

• Less frizz and more defined curls

• Long lasting — one bar goes a very long way

• Vegan-friendly ingredients for all hair types

Long and straight? Thick and curly? Coarse and dry? Fine and oily? Somewhere in between? These bars are amazing for all of it!

Why Go Solid?

Aside from their performance (which is a win all on its own), conditioner bars bring a whole list of benefits that liquid conditioners just can’t match:

• Better for the planet — no plastic bottles to toss

• Better for you — no harsh or nasty ingredients

• Better for travel — liquid free, leak proof and light

• Better for your wallet — because they last many, many washes

It’s a small swap with a great long term impact — and one that doesn’t sacrifice results. In fact, many people notice their hair looks its absolute best after switching!

How to Use a Conditioner Bar (It’s Easy!)

One of the best things about these bars is how effortless the zero-waste switch can be. No extra hassle, nothing complicated — just simple, everyday use. Here’s how to get the most out of it:

1. Wash your hair as usual

2. Rub the bar under warm water for a moment

3. Glide it gently over the lengths of your hair you wish to condition, repeating strokes as needed

4. If you like, use your fingers to massage your hair after applying

5. Let it rest in your hair for a minute, then rinse out

That’s it. Simple, mess-free, and incredibly effective. It won’t feel overly creamy—just a light, smooth slip as you work the conditioner through your hair.

And a little goes a long way. In fact, the most common learning curve when switching to these conditioner bars is simply using too much. Start with less, especially if your hair tends to get oily. For many people, a couple swipes is enough. You can always use more next time if you find your hair would benefit from more.

For very dry or damaged hair that needs a boost of moisture, there are a couple of ways to enhance hydration beyond a generous application in the shower. Try leaving a touch of conditioner in by only partially rinsing, or apply a small amount again after towel drying. These bars are incredibly versatile — experiment and find the routine that best suits your hair!

Read on for frequently asked questions and, following that, a deep dive into the ingredients...

FAQ

How do I store it?

Keep it somewhere it can fully dry between uses — a draining soap dish, shelf, or somewhere out of direct shower spray works perfectly.

How long does one bar last?

I'm always hesitant to give a time frame or number of bottles comparison as there's too many variables (length of hair, application needed, size of bottles, etc). The short answer is this — a very long time. With proper storage (see above), one bar lasts many, many washes.

Will a conditioner bar work for my hair type?

Yes. These bars are designed to work beautifully on all hair types — straight, curly, coarse, fine, thick, dry, or oily. The key is simply adjusting how much you apply to match your hair’s needs. There are two formulas tailored to specific needs to choose from — Hydrate and Volumize — however most people can use either with great results by simply adjusting the amount used.

Do they work on colour-treated or chemically processed hair?

Absolutely. The ingredients are gentle and nourishing, making them a great choice for dyed or chemically treated hair.

Will a conditioner bar make my hair greasy or heavy?

Not at all. If you notice anything like this, there are a few things worth checking. Be sure the conditioner is only being applied where it’s needed — typically the lengths and ends, not the scalp. Try reducing the amount you use, and take a moment to ensure you’re rinsing thoroughly. With the right amount and proper placement, your hair should feel smooth and soft after every application.

Can I use it on my children's hair?

Yes, please do. It’s not only great for tangles and gentle on hair, but it’s made with some of the healthiest, highest-quality ingredients available.

A Deep Dive Into Ingredients

If you're like me and want a clear understanding of what you're putting on your body, this next bit is for you.

These bars of silky goodness are made with natural and naturally-derived ingredients. The naturally-derived ingredients are more processed than what I would normally use in my products - specifically the cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol and behentrimonium methosulfate (BTMS). The inclusion of these ingredients is actually why I have delayed offering a conditioner bar to pair with my shampoo bars for over 4 years! I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person and have built Searl Soap Company on using only completely natural ingredients and I'm all about transparency (links to blog posts I've written about these), so let’s take a look into why these are included.

From my research and trials over the years I’ve come to this conclusion: conditioner which doesn’t leave hair at least somewhat greasy is a modern convenience that is only possible by using more processed ingredients. I've tried numerous recipes made solely with natural ingredients with really terrible greasy, goopy results. Just ask my poor daughter who had to wash her hair more than half a dozen times after her enthusiastic application of one of these trials!

So What Are These Ingredients And Are They Safe?

While I’m not a chemist myself, experts in the field agree that cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol and BTMS are safe for use on skin and hair. These (or similar alternatives but with concerning EWG Skin Deep scores such as behentrimonium chloride or cetrimonium chloride) are in every “natural” conditioner bar I’ve found on the market.

Now, bear with me, we're going to do a deep dive for a moment.

First, let's talk about what an EWG Skin Deep score is. Check out the Environmental Working Group (EWG) personal care products resources for the full scoop but here's a very brief overview: the EWG Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 (best) to 10 (worst), reflects known and suspected hazards linked to personal care product ingredients which, quite frankly, can be shocking. Even the alternative ingredients I mentioned in the paragraph above in other conditioners labeled as "natural" have EWG scores of 6 to 7. To give you some context, a score of 7 to 10 is reason to stop, drop-that-product and run!

So let's check out the EWG scores for the three naturally-derived ingredients used in my conditioner bars.

Cetearyl Alcohol + Cetyl Alcohol

Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are types of vegetable-based fatty alcohols used in many personal care products such as lotions, creams, shampoos and conditioners. Both of these lovely ingredients have an EWG Skin Deep score of 1. It doesn't get any better than that! These are very similar ingredients and both are wonderfully gentle and safe. Because they are fatty alcohols, they are not drying but actually help lock in moisture giving hair a luxurious silky feel.

BTMS

BTMS is a vegetable-based emulsifying and conditioning wax. It's always combined with another ingredient when it's produced and the concentration is either 50% (BTMS-50) or 25% (BTMS-25). The ingredient(s) it's combined with can vary. The BTMS-50 used in my conditioner bars is combined with cetearyl alcohol, which we've already looked at above.

BTMS has an EWG Skin Deep score of 3. Although I'd love for the score to be 1, the main reason it isn't is due to the desire for more research to be done (this automatically bumps up the score to 3) as it is an ingredient in many leave-on products for skin, such as moisturizers and deodorants. Since conditioner bars have very limited contact with the skin and are rinsed away, they don’t meaningfully interact with the body — which further reduces the impact of this factor in our use.

Another factor considered in the EWG score is the environmental impact. There has been some evidence of possible adverse effects on aquatic life as BTMS does not biodegrade easily. This gave me pause. Quite a bit of pause actually as sustainability is one of my core values...

I spent a lot of time researching and thinking this through—which is part of the reason it’s taken so long to offer conditioner bars—and I’ve reached a point where I feel fully confident in the decision to include this ingredient. Here’s a closer look at why.

Once you start using a solid conditioner bar, it quickly becomes clear how little product is actually needed—far less than with traditional liquid conditioners. You might think, “But won’t all those small amounts add up?” Those were my thoughts exactly, at first. However, the key difference is that conventional conditioner ingredients are far more harmful to both aquatic life and our health. Although effort is being put into finding an alternative, right now there’s simply no substitution for BTMS that works as effectively or is gentler on the environment. Remember how I mentioned earlier about conditioner being a modern convenience? If you want to keep using it, it really comes down to choosing the product with the least amount of health and environmental impact.

This is why I have made these bars, to offer you what I feel is one of the best options available.

So What Does This Mean?

To sum this all up, these ingredients are far better for you and the environment than what’s in any conventional conditioner, and even many "natural" conditioners. On top of that, these bars last an impressively long time. It’s quite encouraging to think about just how much plastic, unnecessary harmful ingredients, and production waste they help eliminate! It’s because of all of this that I've decided to add these fabulous bars to my lineup of products.

Final Thoughts

Conditioner bars aren’t just a trend — they’re a better way to care for your hair and the planet. If you love silky, soft, manageable hair — without plastic bottles or harmful ingredients — it might just be time to skip the liquid and switch to a bar. And while you're at it, pair this conditioner with my solid shampoo bars for double the impact and gorgeous locks!

(As always, other than links to my own products, the links included in this post will bring you to more information, not where to buy a product.)