Terrorists Of Beauty | Hair Soap Application

Application Tips for Hair Soap from Terrorists Of Beauty

∴ How do I properly wash my hair with bar soap?

Soap consists only of water and oil that have been saponified together. The result – natural soap – has a gentle cleansing effect. However, this fat-dissolving effect is weaker than that of synthetic surfactants in shampoos. This means you simply have to put more effort into washing: unlike shampoo, natural soap should not be used sparingly. More is better! Especially if you are still new to the washing routine. The hair must be thoroughly wet, and the soap bar should also be wet. Then you rub the bar directly on your head. Everywhere, including under the top hair, at the back of the head, and on the ends. Once the entire scalp area is soaped, put the soap bar aside and lather the soap film very thoroughly with the help of some additional water until a large, creamy, fluffy foam mountain forms (we often read that hair soap doesn’t foam – that’s not true and simply shows the ignorance of journalists and bloggers writing about it). You then knead the foam you created and rinse it out extremely thoroughly with pleasantly warm water – not too cool, as that makes rinsing more difficult. All this sounds exhausting but is not so bad and is the most important part of using hair soap. Poorly lathered soap "sticks" to the hair and is very difficult to rinse out. Residues remain on the scalp, the hair feels sticky, gummy, or coated, and some sections remain greasy. When this effect occurs, many immediately think of lime soap, often mentioned in the media as a horror story – but in most cases, it is just poor or too timid washing technique.

∴ What is the difference between liquid shampoo, solid shampoo, and hair soap?

Commercial shampoos clean using surfactants. These synthetic surfactants dissolve dirt and fat deposits from hair, skin, and scalp and produce lots of foam. This makes them popular ingredients not only in shampoos or shower gels but also in household or industrial cleaners. This means they have a fairly aggressive cleaning effect that can disrupt the skin’s natural balance with regular use. Additionally, shower gels and shampoos made with synthetic surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), or coconut- or sugar-based surfactants almost always also contain silicone, film formers, microplastics, thickeners, texture agents, gelling agents, preservatives, or emulsifiers. Many shampoos that claim to be silicone-free actually contain special plastics (microplastics) such as polyquaternium, polyvinylpyrrolidone/PVP, polyacrylates, polymers, and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymers, which have the same film-forming effect – gradually coating hair and scalp. This applies not only to liquid shampoos: SLS and SLES are also hidden in solid shampoo bars. Solid shampoo is nothing more than regular shampoo with the water removed. Often, these solid shampoos contain significantly more sulfates (= surfactants) than liquid shampoos and are therefore even more aggressive on the body. Besides the drying effect of synthetic surfactants, all additives contained in the shampoo accumulate on hair and scalp over time and cause buildup. The result: allergic reactions, dry scalp, dandruff, or overreactions like excessively oily hair. Additionally, all these substances enter our groundwater. The pH value of shampoo and solid shampoo is acidic, which further increases the body's acidification: instead of excreting acids through the skin, more acids are applied externally, preventing a balanced acid-base balance.

Natural soap, on the other hand, consists of water and oil saponified with the help of lye. The cleansing effect of the resulting natural surfactants is much gentler than that of synthetic surfactants. Natural soap is biodegradable, and the natural glycerin produced during saponification nourishes skin and hair. Due to its alkaline pH, natural soap helps the body return to a neutral pH. In making our soaps, we only use high-quality cold-pressed oils and natural ingredients specially tailored to the specific needs of skin and hair. Because our soaps are made using a gentle cold-process method, the nourishing effect of the ingredients is preserved. Skin and hair are cleaned and cared for in the most natural way.

However, switching from shampoo to hair soap regularly causes problems – but this is not due to the soap! Years of shampoo use have caused many additives to accumulate on the hair. These are only gradually removed by washing with soap. The condition of the hair that then emerges over time is simply the unvarnished (and often damaged) natural state of your own hair. The hair is basically going through withdrawal and can look very frizzy and "unkempt." This adjustment period can last 2-6 weeks. Once all residues are removed and the hair has adapted to the new care, the nourishing effect of natural soaps can really take hold, and the hair will look better with each wash.

∴ How do I master the transition to hair soap? My hair doesn’t look satisfactory even though I’ve been using your soap for several days!

First, it’s important: do you have the right soap? For most hair types, block 001 or 003 is the right choice. Only for very curly or very dry hair do we recommend block 004.

Second, the right washing technique is crucial: our natural soap consists only of water and oil saponified together. The result has a gentle cleansing effect. However, this fat-dissolving effect is weaker than that of surfactants in shampoos. This means you simply have to put more effort into washing: unlike shampoo, natural soap should not be used sparingly. More is better – especially if you are still new to the washing routine. The hair must be thoroughly wet, and the soap bar should also be wet. Then rub the bar directly on your head. Everywhere, including under the top hair, at the back of the head, and on the ends. Once the entire scalp area is soaped, put the soap bar aside and lather the soap film very thoroughly with the help of some additional water until a large, creamy, fluffy foam mountain forms (we often read that hair soap doesn’t foam – that’s not true and simply shows the ignorance of the reporting journalists and bloggers). Massage the foam you created further into your hair and then rinse extremely thoroughly with pleasantly warm water – not too cool, as that makes rinsing more difficult. All this sounds exhausting but is not so bad and is the most important part of using hair soap. Poorly lathered soap "sticks" to the hair and is very difficult to rinse out. Residues remain on the scalp, the hair feels sticky, gummy, or coated, and some sections remain greasy. When this effect occurs, many immediately think of lime soap, often mentioned in the media as a horror story – but usually, it is just poor or too timid washing technique.

If your hair still looks greasy, frizzy, or dull despite this careful washing technique, you are in the middle of the adjustment phase: your hair has become dependent on shampoos over the years; your hair structure and scalp must first be freed from shampoo residues (see the previous point) and get used to the new care without synthetic aids. This takes a few weeks – for some even up to 1.5 months. During this time, the results, let’s be honest, are often unsatisfactory – but you have to get through it! Eventually, the day will come when skin and hair return to a healthy natural balance and become more and more beautiful:

• Dry, brittle, and flyaway hair is gently re-oiled and cared for

• Curls and waves gain more definition and bounce

• Oily hair can normalize because the scalp is not stripped as aggressively during washing

∴ Do I need an additional conditioner?

No. If you have trouble combing your hair after washing, you can brush your hair under the shower while the soap is still in it. Then rinse thoroughly. If you feel your hair is excessively rough after washing, we first recommend a good amount of cold water (of course, after rinsing thoroughly with warm water). If that’s not enough, do an acidic rinse to help the hair cuticles lie down better. If your scalp or hair ends are dry, we recommend an oil mask. How to do both is explained in the next sections.

∴ Do I need an acidic rinse?

An acidic rinse is not necessary with our products but can be useful especially at the beginning or with very hard tap water. Also, if you feel your scalp is drying out or your hair is too frizzy, the rinse helps. The acidic rinse helps dissolve soap residues better from the hair and smooths the hair’s surface structure.

If you want to do an acidic rinse, add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to one liter of water. We recommend preparing the rinse in a glass bottle before showering. Ideally, use cold water to smooth the hair cuticle even better. After applying it to your head, you don’t have to rinse it out again, but you may. The acidic rinse can be used after daily washing, weekly, or simply as needed.

∴ My hair looks straw-like and is hard to comb!

Hair washed with soap feels different when wet compared to hair washed with shampoo. Natural soap contains no agents to improve combability. The feel is therefore a bit dull or stiff. However, this usually changes as the hair dries: you can imagine the surface of a hair like a pine cone. When the cuticles lie close together, the hair looks smooth, supple, and shiny. Each wash causes these cuticles to stand up – this happens even with warm water alone. Natural soap intensifies this effect due to its alkaline pH. As a result, hair may initially look straw-like after washing. This is not a problem because hair is designed so that the cuticle layer naturally lies back down again. If you regularly use hair soap, your hair will become more and more trained to lay the cuticles down quickly. Long-term soap users know that "soap hair" often only looks really nice a few hours after washing. If you don’t want to wait those hours, often just cold water after the warm and thorough rinsing of the soap is enough to lay the cuticle. A soft, fine brush can also help soothe your hair cuticles.

If your hair is still very straw-like and dry and you have basically passed the adjustment phase (see the previous point), this is a sign that your hair needs an extra treatment. If you naturally have dry hair or notice over time that your roots or ends need more care, we recommend an oil mask once a month or every two weeks. You can make this yourself from pure oil: for example, use olive oil or argan oil. Apply 3-4 tablespoons of oil to your hair or scalp. Massage it in, wrap a towel around your head, and let the oil work for several hours – ideally overnight. Then rinse everything out thoroughly with your hair soap, washing multiple times if necessary. You will see that your hair will have a great shine the next day – completely without conditioner.

∴ My scalp is dry! What am I doing wrong?

If your scalp reacts with itching or even dandruff, it means you probably don’t lather your soap enough and therefore don’t rinse it out sufficiently. Read more about washing technique in the section "How do I properly wash my hair with bar soap." To be sure you rinse out possible soap residues better, you can also do an acidic rinse with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice after washing: add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to one liter of cold water and rinse your hair with it. Then rinse with clear water.

Alternatively, you may be over-caring for your scalp: due to the gentle alkaline cleansing by soap, your scalp produces less sebum, which also means you need to wash it less! Break old habits: wash your hair less often now or in between only with water – that’s enough! To soothe the skin, try an oil hair mask: buy olive oil or grapeseed oil. Apply 3-4 tablespoons of oil to your hair or scalp. Massage it in, wrap a towel around your head, and let the oil work for several hours – ideally overnight. Then rinse everything out thoroughly with your hair soap, washing multiple times if necessary. You will see that the dryness disappears within 1-2 days. You can use the hair mask as needed, once a month or weekly.

∴ Can I use your hair soap on colored or sensitive hair?

We never give a guarantee. Every body is different, every hair is different, every skin is different. Generally, however, we have many customers with colored or very sensitive hair who still get along very well with our soaps. Some hairdressers are also successfully using our soaps in their salons. But beware: it takes time! Especially if you have very sensitive or heavily chemically treated hair, the adjustment may take longer. Read the section “How do I master the transition to hair soap” to understand how to approach this well.