It’s impossible to ignore the volume of waste created by the beauty industry, especially when it comes to plastic packaging. Some companies are taking steps to reduce the amount of resources used by their products, and shampoo bars are a great example of both eliminating water and using environmentally friendly packaging. It’s an approach that’s becoming popular throughout the beauty industry, including hair care brands such as Christophe Robin, whose hydrating shampoo bar is available at Sephora, natural beauty brands including Odacité, which has a soap-free shampoo bar available at the Detox Market, and at concept shops. Foekje Fleur’s organic shampoo bars from the Netherlands are stocked alongside housewares and other objects at 313 Design Market in Toronto, for example.
Alicia Sharp, founder of Upfront Cosmetics in New Brunswick, explains that most commercial liquid shampoos consist mainly of water. For her shampoo and conditioner bars, she uses only the ingredients that maintain the hair and the packaging is recyclable and plastic free. “You’re not going to the store and paying for a bottle of shampoo that’s 80- to 90-per-cent water,” she says of her products. “You’re just paying for the shampoo and you add the water yourself.” All of her bars are pH balanced, meaning they won’t dry out hair, and they still offer plenty of sudsy lather.
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Mag Hood/Handout
Upfront Cosmetics Nourishing Shampoo Bar, $13 through upfrontcosmetics.ca.
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