I’ve been working on these chocolatey, clay-spiked shampoo bars since early March, and I’m super excited to finally share them with you today! They’ve got a stunning, creamy lather that leaves your hair feeling fabulous, and I’m making them with my beautiful new automatic press from the Edmonton-based The Bath Bomb Press company. You don’t need a press to make these, but I’m sure having a ton of fun with mine and love how quickly it produces super sturdy & professional-looking shampoo bars.
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The initial inspiration for these bars was my new year’s resolution to take more risks and do more things I’ve been told won’t work. Rhassoul clay is famously wonderful for hair care, but like most clays, it can be hard to preserve, so I’d shied away from including it in shampoo bars—until now. My first version included 10% rhassoul clay, and after those were completely fine throughout use, I bumped it up to 12.5% as I was fiddling with the formulation. I’ve since made several batches of those 12.5% bars over the past few months, gifting them out to friends and testing them myself, and they’ve all been fine. I even left one wet in a plastic bag for two months to see if anything would happen—nothing did! Booyah.
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The first batches of these shampoo bars weren’t pressed as I didn’t yet have my beautiful Bath Bomb Press, but as soon as it arrived I knew I needed to try pressing this formula. I ended up tweaking the formulation a bit to make it a bit drier for better pressing, and oh my goodness—I’m in love with pressed shampoo bars. You can still make these without a press by forcefully smashing the mixture into a mold of your choice, but the press makes them quite a lot firmer and sturdier. I’ve found this formulation works well pressed and hand-smash-molded, but not all do. A bar I intend to share at some point in the future did some pretty whacky oozing when I tried to press it 😂
Our surfactants are a blend of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) and Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) with a touch of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) and Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) are both solid anionic surfactants, and I’ve chosen the stick versions of both for that Lush-like look. I love a blend of these two surfactants—the Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) offers excellent cleansing and crazy amazing lather, while the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) tempers the strength of the Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) and ensures the pH of these is naturally hair-friendly without adjusting (they average around pH 5). Some amphoteric Cocamidopropyl Betaine helps further gentle-up the blend.
The oh-so-wonderful Bath Bomb Press!
The cube mold for The Bath Bomb Press.
70% dry surfactants + 6% liquid Cocamidopropyl Betaine makes for some slightly damp-ish dry surfactants, so to round that out and create something useful and press-able, we need some melted hard fats to hold everything together. I went with a blend of cocoa butter and stearic acid, choosing unrefined cocoa butter for a delicious chocolate-y scent that pairs nicely with the brown colour we get from the rhassoul clay. I further complimented that scent with a blend of two Brambleberry fragrances; Kentucky Bourbon and Cinnamon Cocoa. I used a variety of scents throughout the development and testing of these bars and found fragrances and essential oils that pair well with chocolate are downright lovely; if you want to use something that doesn’t work well with cocoa I’d recommend using deodorized cocoa butter instead. Something I find fun about fragrances vs. essential oils in shampoo bars is how the scent lingers in my hair post-washing; essential oils just don’t do that. This isn’t a good or bad thing, it’s just a thing to keep in mind based on your preferences 😊
After making the bars you’ll want to leave them to dry out for a while, similar to when making soap. I’d say 24 hours is the bare minimum, but I’d recommend a week to ten days for the best balance between longevity of use and ability to use ’em quickly after making them. In my experiments, the bars lost an average of about 0.3% of their weight in the first 24 hours, and an average of about 1.2% if left to dry for 10 days. Because Cocamidopropyl Betaine is approximately 60% water, these bars will contain ~3.6% water. I left one bar unused for eleven weeks, and over that time it lost a total of 2.38% of its overall weight. That bar got to 1.08% weight loss in 12 days, and then took another 65 days to roughly double that loss. I don’t notice a difference between a ~1% and ~2% loss when it comes to usage, so 1% it is! If you are hand pressing the bars they will lose more moisture due to the bar not being as tightly packed. My hand pressed bar lost 0.8% in the first 24 hours and 1.9% in a week.
Making-wise, this is mostly a bit of stirring and mashing before moulding and waiting. Make sure you have a good, tight-fitting dust mask when making these! I have this one and I’ve been very impressed with it. All my testers have loved this shampoo bar and I hope you do, too!
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Chocolate Rhassoul Shampoo Bars
Surfactant phase
60g | 40% Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) noodles (USA / Canada / NZ)
45g | 30% Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) (USA / Canada)
9g | 6% Cocamidopropyl Betaine (USA / Canada)
0.75g | 0.5% Kentucky Bourbon fragrance
0.75g | 0.5% Cinnamon Cocoa fragrance
0.75g | 0.5% Liquid Germall Plus™ (USA / Canada)Heated phase
10.5g | 7% cocoa butter (USA / Canada)
4.5g | 3% stearic acid (USA / Canada / UK)
18.75g | 12.5% rhassoul clayPrepare a water bath by bringing about 3cm/1″ of water to a bare simmer over low to medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
Weigh the surfactant phase into a small heat-resistant glass measuring cup and stir to combine.
Weigh the heated phase into a second heat-resistant glass measuring cup. Place it in your prepared water bath to melt everything through.
Once the heated phase has melted (the clay won’t melt, but the stearic acid and cocoa butter will), remove it from the heat and stir, allowing it to cool a bit before adding it to the surfactant phase and stirring thoroughly to combine. I recommend using a metal stirring implement for this as I find my favourite silicone spatulas aren’t always up to the task with this stiffer mixture.
When the mixture is uniform, it’s time to press! I used the cube mold, pressing 75g of the shampoo bar mixture into each bar. If you don’t have a press you can hand-press the mixture into a silicone mold; I spooned the mixture into a mold, lay a sheet of parchment paper over top, and then used the base of a flat metal measuring cup to squish the mixture as much as possible. Make sure the silicone mold you chose is relatively simple (no intricate details) and has relatively sturdy sides so they don’t bulge out as you’re pressing.
Carefully un-mold the bars and leave them to dry for at least 24 hours, but preferably 7–10 days, before using. Enjoy!
Shelf Life & Storage
Because this shampoo bar contains some water and will come into contact with water regularly, I have included a broad-spectrum preservative. In my experience, these bars last 3+ months in the shower—I’ve never had one spoil on me, I just finish them by the time three or four months have passed!
Substitutions
As always, be aware that making substitutions will change the final product. While these swaps won’t break the recipe, you will get a different final product than I did.
- As I’ve provided this recipe in percentages as well as grams you can easily calculate it to any size using a simple spreadsheet as I’ve explained in this post. As written in grams this recipe will make 150g.
- To learn more about the ingredients used in this recipe, including why they’re included and what you can substitute them with, please visit the Humblebee & Me Encyclopedia. It doesn’t have everything in it yet, but there’s lots of good information there! If I have not given a specific substitution suggestion in this list please look up the ingredient in the encyclopedia before asking.
- If you’re like to use a different preservative, please review this page.
- If you’d like to learn more about the surfactants used and compare them to ones you might already have so you can make substitutions, check out this page.
- You can try a different clay in place of rhassoul.
- You can use deodorized cocoa butter or tucuma butter instead of cocoa butter.
- I don’t recommend swapping out the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS), or stearic acid unless you want to possibly re-develop the formulation.
- You can use a different fragrance or essential oil.
Gifting Disclosure
The bath bomb press and cube mold were gifted by The Bath Bomb Press.
Can I know there really isn’t a difference between the noodles and the powder, but can I substitute the SCS/SCI noodles for the powder?
I was going to ask the same. I have SCS noodles but my SCI is in powdered form. I’d love to try these but use what I have on hand.
I did an experiment on this and shared my photos + results (so far) on Instagram 🙂
I did an experiment on this and shared my photos + results (so far) on Instagram 🙂
Is there anything non-oily to substitute for the butter? I cannot put anything containing oil of any kind on my scalp as it makes my acne get worse
Nothing I can think of, I’m afraid—the stearic acid would also be problematic for you as it’s also a fatty acid :/ I wonder if you could try something kind of like a sugar cube in getting the surfactants a touch damp, squishing them together, and leaving them to solidify? I also wonder if that might be too strong/harsh. Hmm. I’ll keep thinking on it!
Could you give a little guidance on other presses that are not so expensive?
Topical oil/butter doesn’t cause acne, it’s more than likely diet related. Try omitting dairy and fat from your diet.
Maybe substituting for bentonite clay would work? I think in combination with sulfates it should be better at stripping oils than rhassoul clay. I’m giving it a try this weekend!
Let me know how it goes!
Excellent tutorial!! I just wanted to add that the exception to the rule about essential oils not lingering in your hair would be patchouli, cedarwood and lemongrass. I’ve made this blend for several years and it will definitely leave your locks smelling like a hippie!
Ooh yes, so true! I think patchouli might linger through until the end of time LOL 😀
Are your solid shampoo bars safe for colored hair?
Sulphates generally aren’t recommended for coloured hair, so I’d recommend my sulphate-free Mango Mango Shampoo Bar if your hair is coloured 🙂
WOW!! That bath bomb press made these look so sleek and professional! Love it
Right?! I’m so in love with how it makes such sleek & smooth things 😀 I have been pressing pretty much anything and everything all summer long, ha!
Hello Marie,
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes as always!
Just a query, Can I substitute the stearic acid with cetearyl or cetyl alcohol?
Hey Mercury! As per the list at the end of the formula, I don’t recommend swapping out the stearic acid unless you want to possibly re-develop the formulation. You can certainly try it, but I cannot guarantee the results 🙂 Happy making!
Hi Marie,
thank you for sharing this recipe! I can’t wait to make these bars myself, but I can’t buy SCS in the Netherlands anywhere. I read your surfactants table to look for substitutions, but there’s nothing that compares in solid-PH-anionic terms. What would your advice be?
You can buy it in Germany. I will get my package delivered tomorrow..can’t wait to try these babies!
Perhaps try my Mango Mango bars that don’t call for Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS)? You can also try a different solid anionic surfactant (like Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa)), but you’d likely be in re-development territory if you made that swap 🙂 Happy making!
Je kan het kopen bij Aroma Zone in Frankrijk.
(You can buy it at Aroma zone in France)
Thank you so much!
Ahh damn it…didn’t read it properly (my bad) and used SCI powder…far too crumbly. Wondering if I save salvage it some how? ??
Bummer! Did you hand press or machine press?
Could I make them without the Clay?
What do I put instead of clay?
Probably, but you’d be in re-development territory without it 🙂
Can I melt the surfactants, and/or use the powdered instead of the noodle form? I like a more blended look. Oh, and you recommended a book on making shampoo bars in your video. I’d like the book and authors’ names. Thanks!
You can try it, though I haven’t tested it. As promised in the video, the book details are in the description box 🙂 It’s this one!
Can you make thing in a Loaf mold and cut it as if it was a soap?
You could certainly try it—let me know if you do!
hi, i have tried to make this shampoo bar but, in my city about the level of the sea and high moistures and temps, the bar its really soft, its like a molding clay if i push mi finger that leaves a mark on the bar, how can i harden it??
How long have you left it to dry?
Hello,
Is it possible to leave out the cocasomething betaine or substitute it. I saw it in the table but I am not sure I understand what to swap it with?
Thank you
Have you read this FAQ? 🙂
They worked out beautifully!!! Would it be possible to incorporate some hair goodies like panthenol or arganoil?
Hey Diana! You totally can, but I find I prefer to save things like that for hair conditioner, where they have more time to work their magic 🙂
I hear you :). If I would want to incorporate something do I need to cut back on some other ingredient?
Yup! Give this a read for an idea 🙂
Hi! Can I not put a preservative anymore? And how long will the bars last without a preservative?
I’m afraid I don’t know, I haven’t tested it. It could work given the bars are usually dry and contain a high percentage of anionic surfactants, but if you want to know you’ll have to test it yourself 🙂
Hi One more question though. I would like to leave out the rhassoul. Do I need to corporate another type of clay or can this recipe do without. I would like to make a naked bar. Maybe only some EO and color.
You’ll need to do your own experiments there 🙂 It’s definitely possible to make shampoo bars without clay, but if you want to drop/swap 12.5% of the formulation you’ll be in re-development territory. Happy making!
Hi Marie,
Can I use SCS and SCI liquid form instead of noodles? Can’t find them on amazon in UK.
I’m so looking forward to making it, hoping it would be gentler on my curly hair more than the lye based shampoo bars.
Many thanks, Marie. Beautiful recipes ❤️
Love,
Nora
Sadly no—in order for this bar to be solid it needs to be comprised primarily of solid things, so swapping out the solid surfactants (70% of the formulation) for liquid ones will not work. It would be a bit like using apple juice instead of apples in an apple pie. See this blog post from my friend Bex (she’s in the UK, too) for places to get them!
https://www.thesoapery.co.uk/search?q=Sci
The lovely people at The Soapery are good UK suppliers 🙂
Thank you so much!
Thank you for this recipe! It worked beautifully on my oily hair (still feels clean two days later) and it’s nice to have a recipe I can make myself.
I’m so thrilled to hear it! Thanks for DIYing with me, and happy making 🙂
When dry, how much do the recipe shampoos weigh? How many shampoos did you give these ingredients to?
How much weight did this recipe result?
Hey! Have you read the entire post carefully? You will find information/answers to all your questions in the post + instructions + substitutions list 🙂
Hello.
I have learned many things with you. Thanks
I made my shampoo bar and frezzed it for 4 hours but the result was a soft bar. What do you think is the problem?
Hmm. Did you make any changes? Did you hand press or machine press? Do you live somewhere very hot? Are you certain your scale is accurate?
Hi!
What is the pH of these bars?
You’ll find that info in the 4th paragraph 🙂 Happy making!
Hi Marie, I’m a total convert of shampoo bars. But not a fan when it gets to the end of the product.
Is there a way I can recombine my ends into a new bar?
Thanks
Mya
Definitely! I usually just stack a tiny old scrap onto a new bar and then they fuse together over time 🙂
I love way your bars look. I’ve followed your shampoo bar developing work – sounds amazing! I think I’ll give this a go with kaolin or french green clay though – or some other bar of yours. I’m making it as body wash bar actually but in case it works for my hair too, awesom. I just got all supplies so I let you know how it goes!
I’m wondering what does one do if he/ she messes up with pressing and the bar looks ugly/ needs tweaking. I just break it into pieces, addjust if needed and melt it again (?) My molds are 100 ml so product loss would break my heart.
Just made a version of this. I still got rose argan bar but I needed a change. I’ll keep you updated how it works.
Even though it was quite soft (propably due to hand pressing and subsitutions, ha), it’s best shampoo I’ve had for long time. Amazing. Feels more gentle than rose argan bar. I’m already working on new one with same actives. xx
Hi Marie!
Instead of rhassoul clay, can I use ayurvedic powders?
Thanks
You can definitely try it! I think it will work structurally, you’ll just have to test the stability 🙂 Happy making!
Your modifications idea sounds very cool, Domunco. In case you end up trying it, I’d love to hear how that goes!
This was my first attempt to a shampoo bar with 2 different surfactant, as most recipes I saw elsewhere use only SCI. I’ll stick to that combination from now. I like the addition of powder to shampoo bars, it allows to try different things! I replaced some of the clay with powdered shikakai and nettle and result is great! Solid shampoo are much easier for washing kids hair, also!