:QUOTE [quotetype:personal] A shampoo bar is not a soap bar used on hair. It is a completely different formulation. Get that right first. :INFO Why Shampoo Bars Are Different from Soap A cold-process shampoo bar uses a different oil profile than body soap. The goal is high-lather, low-conditioning — the opposite of a luxury body bar. High-lauric oils (coconut, palm kernel) create abundant lather and cleansing ability. Castor oil (up to 10%) boosts lather quality dramatically. Superfat is kept at 0 to 3% — too much conditioning oil leaves hair greasy and dull. Sodium hydroxide (lye) is the essential chemical that saponifies the oils. :COUNTER.half 0 to 3 Percent | :COUNTER.half 6 to 8 Weeks :PATH Calculate Your Lye and Water with a Soap Calculato Never estimate — use Soap Calc or SoapMakingFriend for every batch. | :INFO Calculate Your Lye and Water with a Soap Calculator Enter your oil weights into a lye calculator (soapcalc.net or soapmakingfriend.com). Set superfat at 2%. The calculator outputs the exact sodium hydroxide and water amounts for your oil blend. Never estimate lye quantities — errors produce bars that are either lye-heavy (caustic) or over-superfatted (greasy). Print the calculation and keep it with your batch records. :PATH Mix the Lye Solution Safely Add lye to water — never water to lye — in a well-ventilated space. | :INFO Mix the Lye Solution Safely Always add sodium hydroxide to water, never reverse. The reaction is exothermic — the solution heats to 200°F and releases caustic fumes. Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated space with eye protection, gloves, and long sleeves. Stir until fully dissolved. Allow to cool to 90 to 110°F before combining with oils. :PATH Combine Oils and Lye at Trace Blend with a stick blender to trace, then pour into molds. | :INFO Combine Oils and Lye at Trace Melt hard oils (coconut oil) and combine with liquid oils to reach 90 to 110°F. Pour lye solution into oils (not reverse). Blend with a stick blender in short bursts until trace — the batter thickens to a pudding-like consistency where a drizzle holds on the surface. Pour into molds immediately. Shampoo bar batter traces faster than body soap due to the high coconut oil content. :CHECKLIST A Basic Shampoo Bar Formula (500g batch) [ ] 350g coconut oil (70%) — cleansing, high lather [ ] 50g castor oil (10%) — lather booster [ ] 100g olive oil (20%) — conditioning, reduces harshness [ ] Sodium hydroxide — calculated from lye calculator [ ] Distilled water — calculated from lye calculator [ ] Safety: gloves, goggles, long sleeves, ventilation :NOTE Hair Needs an Adjustment Period Switching from commercial shampoo (which contains silicone and sulfate detergents) to a shampoo bar causes a 2 to 4 week adjustment period where hair feels waxy or heavy. This is normal — the scalp is adjusting its sebum production. Rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon per cup of water) as a conditioning rinse to help during the transition period. :QUOTE [quotetype:personal] The bar will work better on week six than on week two. Both the bar and your scalp need time. :LINK https://www.brambleberry.com/learn/how-to-make-shampoo-bars/ Brambleberry — How to Make Shampoo Bars: Cold Process Method