What Makes our Shampoo Bar Better than the Competition?
Soap is great for washing your body, but it's not great for washing your hair!
Let me explain.
When we were developing our shampoo bar, I heavily researched the competition, inspecting the ingredient panels on the other bars I could find at my local health-food store. What I found were a lot of "shampoo bars" that were formulated just like a soap — a combination of fats and oils, mixed with lye, and formed into a hard bar.
I've got bad news...this isn't going to be great for your hair!
Soap-based shampoo bars sit at pH 9–10 — completely wrong for your scalp. FATCO's Shampoo Bar is formulated at pH 4.4–5, matching your scalp's natural chemistry for a gentler, healthier cleanse.
How Do I Know If a Bar Is Formulated Like a Soap?
Here's where it gets a little bit tricky. When making soap, a manufacturer technically is not required to list lye within the ingredients list. This is because once the chemical process is completed, there is technically no longer any lye in the finished product. BUT, some manufacturers choose to include it for full transparency.
When checking to see if a shampoo bar is formulated like a soap, look for "Sodium Hydroxide" or "lye" in the ingredient list. If you find it — or if the entire ingredient list is composed strictly of oils and fats — it's likely soap-based and not safe for your hair.
But Why Tallow in a Shampoo Bar?
Tallow has been used for centuries as an all-natural moisturizer and skin conditioner. It's rich in vitamins A and D and contains essential fatty acids that help protect against environmental damage. You'll find the same grass-fed tallow in our Body Butta and Fat Stick — tallow that's biocompatible, nutrient-dense, and nothing like the synthetic ingredients found in conventional products.
But did you know that tallow is also great for hair? Vitamins A and D help strengthen hair follicles and prevent breakage; essential fatty acids keep your scalp healthy; and its natural moisturizing properties keep your scalp hydrated so it doesn't dry out or become too oily.
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Video Tutorial
New to shampoo bars?
We walk you through exactly how to use our Shampoo & Conditioner Bars — from lathering to rinsing — so you get the best results every wash.
▶ Watch the Tutorial
