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Author
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chloeishere
Member
Registered: October 2007
Location: St. Louie, Louie
Posts: 600
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Review Date: Fri March 7, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $6.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Wide variety of choices, gentle but thorough cleansing, natural products, sulfate free, silicone free, minimal packaging
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Cons:
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Adjustment period, Necessity of acid washes unless you have soft water, only available online unless you live nearby.
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I have been using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars for about 7 months, and after an adjustment period of about a month, I have loved my hair for the majority of that time.
The gentler cleaning method leaves my hair feeling clean, but very healthy and happy, even right after I wash, before I've even applied conditioner. I get great shine, and extremely soft hair, with the Chagrin Valley bars. Some bars do not work well for me, though (see my list, below).
Generally, using shampoo bars is different for everybody, so the remainder of this review is based, and mostly discusses, my personal experiences.
The adjustment can be rough (but not all people have adjustment periods)-- first, your scalp has to adjust to producing less oil; before switching to shampoo bars, I was using shampoos containing sulfates, which are harsh detergents that strip your hair and scalp of natural oil. Because your hair and scalp are no longer getting stripped, your scalp needs to "learn" to produce less oil. In the end, gentler cleaning methods mean less oily hair, and generally less frequent washing is needed. However, the transition period can be a pain, since it takes a while for your scalp to stop producing lots of oil. Also, because the cleanser itself is more gentle, it takes more physical rubbing and lathering to get clean hair.
In my case, I initially did not want to use vinegar rinses; unfortunately vinegar rinses are not optional for me, as I live in a hard water area. Using some conditioner (which are generally slightly acidic) afterwards did help to reduce the "waxy" feeling I initially got. Eventually, I started using vinegar rinses, with great results. However, the scent of vinegar did not go away for me when my hair dried (the scent dissapears for most people), so I started using citric acid rinses, instead (about 1/2 teaspoon per 3 cups of tap water). Either of these options work really well for me, but the citric acid smells immeasurably better.
I have relatively fine (to medium) wavy hair, so my hair gets weighed down easily. My scalp was once oily, but is not any longer. My hair likes both protein and oil treatments.
The shampoo bar that works best for me is Chamomile & Citrus. Gentler cleaners for me are Nettle, Mud 'n' Clay, and Summer Sunshine (I prefer Chamomile & Citrus to Summer Sunshine). Extra Honey, Beer, and Egg works well (however, contains protein from the egg, so I don't use overly often).
Other bars that I have tried that did not work for me: Babassu & Marsh Mallow (too moisturizing), and "normal" honey, beer and egg (waxy, stiff hair). I have not tried any other formulations (I have a mild allergy to lavender oil), though I will continue to experiment in the future.
I continue to use a small amount of conditioner after using a citric acid rinse.
A big positive to this product, for me, is that it has a minimum of packaging-- and most of that packaging is biodegradable. The shampoo bars come in a small paper bag with a label (see attached images), that allows the soap to breath (and scents drawers quite nicely!); such minimal packaging also works out well for the environment.
Unfortunately, as I do not live near Chagrin Valley (where they sell their products at farmer's markets in the summer), I must order their products online. In my opinion, it is worth the minor inconvenience of ordering online, and they ship quickly, and provide wonderful customer service.
The bars are also an excellent value; I ordered 4 shampoo bars and a sample shampoo bar in early October of last year; as of March, I still have about 2.5 shampoo bars left, total.
I highly recommend Chagrin Valley shampoo bars (their soaps are also wonderful, but that is outside the scope of this review) for those who wish to switch to a more natural, gentle, and healthy hair routine!
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SweetPea88
Member
Registered: September 2007
Location: SC
Posts: 592
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Review Date: Sat July 5, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $6.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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natural ingredients, cone free, sulfate free, sample sizes, cost effective, wide variety, good customer service
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Cons:
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online only, may require adjustment period
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I absolutely love Chagrin Valley shampoo bars! The products have left my hair noticeably fuller, healthier, and full of shine. I love that these bars are a completely natural product which contain oils and herbs that are very beneficial to hair health. There is a wide variety of choices to select from and the website details full information on each of them, such as the ingredients and benefits of each bar. I have tried 6 different bars to date and this is a little description of them:
-Babassu & Marsh Mallow: great lather but extremely moisturzing
-Mud & Clay: good lather, added great volume, cleaned thoroughly without stripping hair, very strong smell
-Extra Honey Beer & Egg: nice smell, very nice lather, added good body and lightness to my hair, too moisturizing to use on a regular basis
-Nettle: one of my favorites, more of a cleansing bar, gives good volume and boosts my waves
-Summer Sunshine: another favorite, clean citrus smell, leaves hair feeling very soft and bouncy
-Cafe Moreno: another favorite, lovely strong clove smell (not at all like coffee!), creamy and smooth lather, moisturizing
For my routine I constantly switch between bars, lathering twice, and follow with an herbed vinegar rinse.
Please keep in mind that these bars vary greatly from person to person! I would recommend by ordering the bars you like in sample sizes and do not decide after one wash if you like it. Also, I recommend clarifying before you make the switch to these bars from commercial products with harsher ingredients. You will more than likely need to do a vinegar rinse (it is explained on the web site and on the thread here) and that also takes time to play with. I was lucky to not experience a transition period but do not be worried if you do not take to these bars right away! When you find the right routine they are absolutely wonderful and worth it!!
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