Unlisted Brand • JR Liggett's Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo • Shampoo

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ILgirl on 10/6/2012 11:09:00 PM more reviews by ILgirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I was skeptical about this because I have tried other bar shampoos in the past. Some from local farmer's markets and from Lush.com. I can't use conditioner at all due to the fact that it makes me break out in really bad acne on my face and shoulders that I have scars from. So zero conditioner for me, ever. Anyways, I only wash my hair 2 times a week or else my scalp dries out and gets flaky. Lush bars dried my scalp even only washing 2 times a week! I had to stop using it. Liggett's does not dry my scalp at all. Because my hair is color-treated and chemically straightened about half-way up, I usually have a really hard time detangling. I do NOT need conditioner or spray detanglers with Liggett's!!! I have to do a little knot separation before I start combing, but I have less hair in the comb than I do using bottled shampoos or other bar shampoos. The very limited ingredients means much less chance of developing contact dermatitis due to no parabens, formaldehyde, etc. All in all, very good stuff! I'm growing my hair out with this.

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faffner on 3/3/2012 4:18:00 PM more reviews by faffner

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I've been looking for a new shampoo since they changed the formula of the one I usually use, and I seem to be allergic to most of them. I remember trying the original Liggett's shampoo bar when I was a kid and not liking it, but because the "balanced" version of this bar is unscented, and I am running out of options, I decided to give it a try. I have to say that the problem I usually have with shampoo bars is that I have trouble lathering and distributing the cleanser through my thick, curly hair, and this bar was superior to others in that respect. However, the results I got after washing my hair were...embarrassing. My hair was dry and flyaway, and when I tried to put a bit of coconut oil in to add a little moisture and combat frizz like I usually do, it became stiff and greasy -- which is not a problem I usually have. The next time I washed it, it was even drier and more out of control. I looked like a crazy cat lady. I usually wash my hair every three days, but with the Liggett's, by the second day my hair looked dirty. After washing it only twice, it was weirdly stiff near the scalp, and it stayed where I put it in a bad way, like it was funky sculpting clay. I've washed it several times since then with clarifying lemon shampoo, and I even did a vinegar rinse (shampoo, then vinegar rinse, then shampoo again), and I still haven't been able to completely remove the weird residue. It also seemed to leave a soft, waxy coating on my ears and cause a mild breakout around my hairline. I guess shampoo bars aren't for me.

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JMNeaves on 2/10/2012 4:54:00 PM more reviews by JMNeaves

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I LOVE this product. I, like many other curlies, have been trying to switch to more natural products without harsh cleansing ingredients. I use the old fashioned bar ~2/week and do a clarifying scalp scrub with baking soda paste twice per month to remove buildup. The shampoo bar has really softened my hair and allowed me to use less conditioner and styling products ($ in the bank!). It leaves my hair feeling fresh, but not stripped of the (good) natural oils. I hope to try the jojoba peppermint version next time!

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marthabkcollins on 1/22/2012 2:06:00 PM more reviews by marthabkcollins

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I also bought this product @ Whole Foods when I was traveling to Costa Rica last winter. I too wanted less packaging & plastic waste & it's made here in my home state of NH.
I liked it well enough, I cut the bar in 1/2 as I really didn't need so much. It did melt down quickly,but overall I liked it & will purchase again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* signsoflife on 1/21/2012 11:29:00 PM more reviews by signsoflife

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I like to use this product at the gym because I have fewer things to carry into the shower with me. I rub it on my wet hands and then rub it onto my scalp, then rinse out and haven't had any problems yet. Initially, I was wary to try it because of the lye (sodium hydroxide), but I've taken care to keep it away from my eyes and I haven't had any problems. I would buy it again.

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GMJAG on 1/6/2012 6:14:00 PM more reviews by GMJAG

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Neutral   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

For me, I actually didn't buy this EXACT formula,I bought the tee trea and hemp oil bar of shampoo, and it caused my hair to feel waxy. I am not even kidding you. The first day it wasn't so bad. It also lathered very well. But after 2 or 3 more days my hair felt extremely waxy and like it had a ton of build-up. So then I went back to my regular bottle shampoo (organix) and used baking soda to get the buildup out and my hair felt soo much better. This wouldn't be a repurchase for me at all. Causes badddd buildup.

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*TOP REVIEWER* EcoPretty on 5/9/2011 2:12:00 PM more reviews by EcoPretty

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Badly wanted this to be my new HG "shampoo." I've tried nearly every natural & organic haircare line on earth -- all with disappointing results. I'm also trying to reduce my plastic consumption. So, I thought these bar 'poos would be perfect given their good reviews. I have fine, normal hair that's been so frizzy since switching to organic haircare and moving from NYC to Chicago, which has harder water.


Ladies, THESE WILL NOT WORK IF YOU HAVE HARD WATER. I first used this bar (the one for damaged hair) at my parents' home in Indianapolis, where they have a water softener. My hair felt tangled and really straw-like post-shower but once it dried, I had the fluffiest, softest hair in years. However, once I returned to my apartment in Chicago, where I don't have a water softener, this left my hair unbearably residue-y, waxy, and stiff.


After doing research, I learned that soap and hard water are a bad combo. They form scum, and it's important that shampoos contain a chelator (e.g. EDTA) if you have hard water. After a week, I couldn't stand the itching and gross feeling any more and bought Pureology's Purify chelating shampoo. My hair was softer and the itching stopped!

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Orientexpress on 3/22/2011 2:17:00 PM more reviews by Orientexpress

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Curly   Eyes: Green    

I bought this for travel and because I like to stick with natural products. I was prepared to dislike this, but I am pleasantly surprised. I cant use Lush solids because they are too drying (I have fine, thick, curly hair that is dry on the ends). I have tried dr bronners as a shampoo and it made my hair look and feel gross. This shampoo bar lathers well (unlike dr bronners), and it does not dry out my hair (like lush). The scent is subtle, clean, and soapy in the shower, but it does not linger in dry hair. My hair never smells clean after I wash it. I think it's because I use naturally scented products and they don't stay in the hair like chemical based fragrances. This natural shampoo actually leaves my hair smelling fresh. The label says that one can skip conditioner. I don't use conditioner with this shampoo and my hair is still extremely soft. I swop the bar directly on my head at the nape, crown, and hairline and scrub then rinse. My hair feels squeaky clean (which gave me pause at first), but a comb slid through my wet hair as if I had conditioned. This stuff cleans my face and body without stripping essential moisture too. This product is a must for travelers, crunchy folks, or anyone that wants to pair down their grooming routine. Good stuff!

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halogens on 2/25/2011 1:17:00 PM more reviews by halogens

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I REALLY wanted to like this. Not least because it costs 15 usd over here but alas it was not to be. I've tried this five times, done it five different ways. Rubbed it on the hair itself, rubbed it on the scalp only, rinsed only a little, rinsed medium, rinsed loads -- I've tried it all. It lathers well and it cleans the hair alright, so far so good. But there are two huge cons:

1) It leaves my hair impossible to wear down since it keeps knotting and tangling. Literally a minute after I've combed it all through it's back in knots yet. It's okay, although not exactly smooth when it's still wet, but once it's dry it's impossible. It feels like I've washed my hair with regular soap, not shampoo. It's a kind of coarse feeling, not entirely dissimilar to what my hair feels like when it's been drenched in salt-water surf spray. Or what I imagine my hair would feel like if I didn't follow Redken's clarifying shampoo up a with conditioner -- really stripped but still tacky feeling.

2) My hair gets so electric that it sticks to everything. I look like Einstein, but very stupid. It's way beyond something that can be smoothed down with water or a bit of serum. I last washed my hair with this over 24 hours ago and my hair is STILL so electric you can actually hear it. Completely unbearable.

The only reason I'm giving this one star instead of zero is that it removes makeup okay and is relatively gentle on the face. Not as gentle as regular dove soap bar, but it dissolves makeup better. Because of that it's not completely useless, and I think I'll finish the bar even if I wont repurchase it.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

dachinkyloser on 3/29/2010 8:33:00 PM more reviews by dachinkyloser

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Great product!
Regular store brands made my scalp itchy and actually caused me to have dandruff.
I could feel the difference after one use! No more itch or dandruff!
I use a vinegar rinse after because I have hard water which leaves me with a residue. My hair feels even better using this shampoo than with store shampoos.
I ordered two bars two months ago and half the bar is still left.
This is great considering it gets used 3x a week.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tried_em_all on 2/21/2010 9:59:00 AM more reviews by tried_em_all

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

Bar shampoos are so not for me. I have so much hair that is somewhat straight and fine and after following everyone instructions about running the bar directly on my hair, I just couldn't get it distributed. It lathered a little, but disappeared almost immediately. I also found that it left a bit of a film on my hair and I couldn't get it rinsed properly. Plus, there was no way in the world I could use this without a conditioner. I could see where this would be good for shorter hair and/or thinner hair, but it's just not for me. Although, I would say the results are better than any of the Lush soaps I had tried - I found those very drying, even though they lathered better than this. I also did not find it very moisturizing for my body. I threw it out.

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jellybabythepinkcat on 2/13/2010 11:44:00 AM more reviews by jellybabythepinkcat

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I bought this wonderful product after reading the positive reviews here and on amazon. I live in Norway and it is not possible to find it here. But was lucky enough to find it on Ebay.

I can´t tell you how wonderful this shampoo is. I have had severe hair loss for a few months and commercial shampoos which are supposed to make our hair look like expensive silk were no help at all. I was scared of washing my hair as my hair would fall like the rain in the shower (I am talking about hundreds a day).

That is when I decided to give up on regular shampoos. I had had used organic shampoos before but had not found them too impressive either. This time I wanted to buy an old fashioned silicon free soap/shampoo bar to wash my hair with. After reading for a few days, I decided to buy this one. I used it the first day it arrived. My hair was so clean and fluffy after wards. It was fluffy but not at all frizzy so I could say that it did not dry my hair and it looked just so healthy. I wash my hair every other day. It kept my hair ok the next day too but didn´t look as good as the first day. When I used it the second time my hair looked even better and it looked clean and shiny until the next hair wash. I can say that my hair loved this shampoo at once and got used to it the second time I used it. I think it would keep hair looking okay at least for three days but I prefer to wash mine more often.

I can´t say that it completely stopped my hair loss. But I do lose less hair in the shower each time and come out of the shower less depressed since I started using it. And my hair looks much better than it does with other shampoos.

I am planning to buy a few more of the bars next time and give them as gifts specially to friends and family with children. I will never go back to cosmetic shampoos again.

Update: jojoba & peppermint version is even better on my hair. My hair loss stopped completely. Thanks to Liggett´s bar shampoos.

11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

tempescape on 11/16/2009 1:31:00 AM more reviews by tempescape

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

I wrote a review on the damaged hair version which I had ot wash out after an hour because unfortunately I found I was allergic to the oil in it. I rewashed with the herbal version of this bar soap and it's incredibly different. The damaaged hair version makes the hair so soft. The herbal version is more like a regular shampoo that cleans well.but without the amazing conditioning results. They both wash hair far superior than Dr Bronners. The damaged hair version gives the same affects as the old green bottle of Creme of Nature shampoo so I'm pretty sad I can;t use it more. I gave it away because it was too good to throw away.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* ChildOfTheMoon on 10/16/2009 10:43:00 AM more reviews by ChildOfTheMoon

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I have the Herbal version of this soap, since herbs usually work for me. I don't use foaming products on my face. Ever. But this bar is wonderful for my body. (I much prefer soap bars over shower gels, they're longer lasting + no plastic waste) It's also wonderful as a solid shampoo bar- (as intended) and gives me tons of volume. Imagine going from somewhat thin/dull long hair to big hair drama in one wash. LOVE! But it doesn't offer any extra shine. I like rotating products though, and this one is a new edition in my shampoo cycle. :) All natural, vegan friendly, smells kinda lemony/herbal and fresh. Wonderful wake-up scent for those gloomy mornings. Will buy again.

UPDATE: minus 1 lippie, it melts fast! Still love it though.

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mousquerader on 10/11/2009 5:03:00 PM more reviews by mousquerader

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I decided to try this shampoo bar in an attempt to be more "natural" with my beauty products. In the beginning I was a little skeptical because I didn't think a shampoo bar would work very well... at first after I rinsed it out, it felt all tangley, but surprisingly my hair was easy to comb through (not that I comb my hair much anyway). My thick, wavy hair naturally dries less poofy and instead in more defined waves. I've been using this for a few months and am on my second bar now. I won't be going back to regular shampoo and conditioner. This shampoo bar is sufficient, and I like how I don't have to spend extra time conditioning my hair because with this my hair doesn't need it anymore. My damaged, heat-styled-to-death hair looks and feels healthier, cleaner, and more moisturized; people have told me that my hair looks shinier as well. I also like how it rinses out cleanly and doesn't leave residue on my skin, which is important because my back breaks out if I'm not careful to wash and scrub it after conventional use of shampoo and conditioner. It's an economic choice also... I don't mind blowing 6 bucks on a little bar that lasts a long time because I only need a little bit to lather my scalp. I definitely recommend this and have even gotten my roommate into shampoo bars (different brand though).

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* rinnins on 9/18/2009 12:33:00 PM more reviews by rinnins

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

As a shampoo, I wasn't impressed. After a couple days my hair would just feel gross - heavy, stringy, tangled yuck. Sounds like this is great for some hair types, but definitely not mine. But as a facial bar - wowsa! Most soaps leave mmu and/or eye make-up behind, so I have to follow up with jojoba oil or something to get everything off. This bar takes off all my mu completely in one quick step without overdrying. One bar lasted 6 months - just getting ready to buy more!

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

studiodummies on 9/3/2009 1:55:00 PM more reviews by studiodummies

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Yep. I like this stuff a whole lot. It's easy to use, lasts a long time, and is not messy or gimmicky. This is combination with L'Oreal EverPure conditioner leaves my hair in overall great condition. I try other bar shampoos from time to time from small farmer's market type soap makers, but this is a product I will always go back to. I get it from Woodman's and because I have to drive a bit to get there, I try to snatch up as many as I can! I hope it never gets discontinued - I highly recommend it!

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linwild on 5/5/2009 11:00:00 AM more reviews by linwild

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I had a mixed experience with this product. I suffer from itchy, burning, painful dandruff all winter and 99% of dandruff/scalp products out there do nothing for it. The only one I've found so far that works for me and makes my hair feel soft and healthy is Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. I tried the JR Liggett original shampoo bar for the following reasons:
(1) I love the lack of plastic packaging and the compact solid formulation. I think it would be great for travel since there's less weight and volume than a liquid product, and it's certainly more eco-friendly to transport in the commerce stream.
(2) I like that it's a relatively "natural" product.
(3) Some reviewers have said it helped their scalp conditions.
(4) It's cheap!
I found that the shampoo bar quickly produced a rich lather. It alleviated my scalp condition more than most products, but not as much as the Vichy. Unfortunately, it also made my hair feel stringy and a bit stiff and dry. Pairing this with a very rich conditioner might help neutralize that effect; I'm still working my way through some old conditioners. I'll probably work this shampoo into my rotation and will likely use it for backpacking and other travel, but it's not one of my favorites.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* ilasik on 5/1/2009 5:30:00 PM more reviews by ilasik

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I felt like all the reviews were too good to be true. If bar shampoos were indeed superior to regular bottles they would be way more popular. But since it is hard to beat the iherb.com deal when the bar comes out practically free decided to try it.
I can't imagine that I am the only one with this problem. My hair looks OK the first day but I usually shampoo every other day which is not a problem with every other product I use. However, with this bar my hair looks greasy and stringy on the second day. No one else has this issue??
The way hair looks the first day does no justify the inconvenience of having to shampoo daily.
I am going back to regular bottles
EDIT: My husband, however, fell in love with this. He says that it really helps with dandruff but I think he follows it with another more traditional shampoo and just uses the bar as a pre-wash

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

iammew on 4/10/2009 9:52:00 AM more reviews by iammew

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I'm using the dry hair version and after washing my hair with this it leaves that squeaky feeling you get with body soap - but in your hair. But after towel drying and combing, which is easy, my hair is cleaner, has more body and looks better. It's has a little more static which is easily controlled by serums and styling aids. And I love leaving the plastic bottles behind! Also, after reading an article from NPR about not washing your hair so often, I've started using this less frequently and either rinsing on off days if needed or just using a shower cap. I used to wash my hair every day and if I woke up late for work I would be in trouble 'cause I'd be a grease pit if I didn't have time to wash my hair. Now I'm pushing the limits to washing twice a week and might push it further as the grease subsides. My hair really does look clean and not greasy for a few days at a time between washings now. I love this shampoo!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No