These beautiful Argan Rose Pressed Shampoo Bars were inspired by a popular LUSH product, and I’ve had a ton of fun developing and testing this formulation. It is structured very differently from other shampoo bars I’ve shared, with no melted fatty hardeners like cocoa butter or stearic acid. It also includes water, glycerin, and carrageenan, which all seemed rather novel when I first started working on these, but I’m thrilled with how it’s all turned out. The finished bars lather up incredibly decadently—if there’s such a thing as “too much” lather, this might be it! Rich, silky bubbles for days 😍 I’ve been using this bar as a shampoo and body wash, and I hope you love it as much as I do!
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The bulk of the original bars is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), which is pretty apparent when you look at them—you can straight-up see all the wee little sticks of SLS and see that they’re everywhere. After that, there’s some agar agar gel for binding, water, argan oil, glycerine, and a selection of fragrance/essential oils + some red dye. My hypothesis was that, much like a bath bomb, the idea was to get the water-soluble SLS just wet enough that it could slightly dissolve and then re-form into a solid brick as it dried out. Very cool, and very different from other shampoo bars I’ve made in the past.
I made my first version of this bar last year. I started out by trying to incorporate the carrageenan (used instead of agar agar) into the glycerine and water as you would if you were making a slurry to be dispersed in a larger amount of water. That turned out to be a mistake! Without that larger amount of water, I just made an ultra-thick gelatinous blob that couldn’t do much of anything. Whoops! For version two I tried distributing the powdered carrageenan in with the dry surfactants and then slowly adding the rest of the ingredients to that mixture, and that worked much better. While it seems the carrageenan does help hold the bars together initially, it really kicks in when you start to use the bars in the shower. I can feel its characteristic slimy-slip as I use the bar (it’s really nice, I promise!) and the bar is very sturdy throughout use.
The water will dissolve the solid surfactants a wee bit as it moistens the mixture. I included some moisturizing glycerin solely because it’s in the LUSH bar and I wanted to see what I could learn from their inclusion of it. I’ve experimented with glycerine in shampoo bars before; I made one back in 2018 and another in 2019 that contained glycerin and sea salt (a nod to another LUSH bar) and while I loved them once they were ready to use, they took weeks to get there. Even in my very dry climate, they were slimy/damp to the touch for an incredibly long time. With that in mind, I kept the glycerin concentration a lot lower than it was in those bars and didn’t include any salt. I find these bars are perfectly usable within two days, but if you live somewhere very humid you may want to drop the amount of glycerine down and replace it with more water. In the months I’ve been making these bars our dew point has been around freezing (or lower), so it is drrrrrrrry here! Anyhow, my hypothesis is that the glycerin helps keep the bar from cracking through multiple wet-dry-wet-dry cycles, but that needs some more testing!
A huge thanks to Ariane for this tip on lining the mould with parchment!
Regarding drying times; in 24 hours these bars will lose approximately 2–2.5% of their weight and will feel much firmer. By 2 days, we’re at ~3%, and at 3 to 4 days that number has climbed to ~3.25%. After a full week, it’s hovering around 3.5%. I graphed the data and it drops pretty sharply until about the 50-hour mark, where it starts to level off, so I’d recommend leaving these bars to dry for at least two days before use for the best compromise between time for drying and amount of water loss.
Another thing I’m trying with these bars—there’s only one charge of surfactant in ’em (anionic, or negatively charged). While the original bar uses SLS, I’ve used a blend of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) and Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS), both of which are milder than SLS. Anionic surfactants are very commonly blended with non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants to reduce irritation potential: “To minimize the irritation potential of anionic and cationic surfactants in a cleansing formula, these [anionic] surfactants can be used in small amounts and can be combined with other amphoteric and nonionic surfactants to minimize their irritation potential and negative effects on the stratum corneum… It is assumed that the use of the anionic and amphoteric surfactants results in a milder cleansing formula with a decreased anionic surfactant concentration, decreased skin irritation, and decreased interaction with skin proteins and lipids” (source). I found one pressed shampoo bar currently on offer from LUSH that contains an amphoteric surfactant (Seanik contains Sodium Cocoamphoacetate as one of the very last ingredients), but most of them don’t. I wondered if I’d be able to notice a significant difference between these bars and others I’ve made with an amphoteric surfactant, and I’m not convinced I can. My hair does feel very clean—possibly more clean—with these, but I haven’t noticed any irritation or dryness.
After two or so days of drying these fragrant, bubbly bars are ready to use and utterly lovely. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
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Argan Rose Pressed Shampoo Bars
Primary phase
49g | 49% Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) noodles
37.99g | 37.99% Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) (USA / Canada)
4g | 4% iota carrageenanSecondary phase
0.01g | 0.01% Red #40 (CI 16035)
2.75g | 2.75% distilled water
1.75g | 1.75% vegetable glycerine (USA / Canada)
0.25g | 0.25% 50% citric acid (USA / Canada) solutionTertiary phase
3g | 3% argan oil (USA / Canada)
0.5g | 0.5% rose fragrance oil
0.5g | 0.5% lemon slices fragrance oil
0.25g | 0.25% Liquid Germall Plus™ (USA / Canada)Put on your dust mask and a pair of nitrile gloves. Make sure both fit well; a tight-fitting dust mask does a much better job of keeping powdered surfactants out of your airways, and well-fitting nitrile gloves are much nicer to work in than ones that are sloppily big or too tight.
Weigh the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS), and carrageenan (the primary phase) into a bowl. Mix with your hands to combine.
Add the secondary phase and mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the tertiary phase, and blend again. You could add the secondary and tertiary phases at the same time if you wanted to—I split them up to encourage/force more mixing for a thoroughly blended product! Whatever you do, be sure the carrageenan is well distributed before you get water anywhere near it to avoid creating a solid blob of glop in the middle of your mixture.
Now it’s time to press the bars! I used the cube mold with my bath bomb press, pressing 50g of the shampoo bar mixture into each bar. I set the regulated pressure to 55psi. Please watch the video to see this in action. If you don’t have a press you could try hand-pressing the mixture into a firm mold (I don’t recommend silicone as the sides tend to bow out if you really try to compress a mixture in one, and this bar needs some serious squishing). I’ve also heard good things about moon cake presses!
Carefully un-mold the bars (they’re quite delicate directly after pressing, much like bath bombs) and leave them to dry for at least 48 hours before using.
To use, massage the bar into wet hair (or a wet loofah, for body washing) to work up a rich lather. From there on out it’s just like using any other shampoo or body wash. Enjoy!
When made as written, the pH of these shampoo bars comes out to ~5, which is great.
Shelf Life & Storage
Because this cleanser will regularly come into contact with water, I recommend including a broad-spectrum preservative to ward off microbial growth. That said, I have been testing a preservative-free one, and it’s been fine in the shower for a month—it’s promising, but I don’t feel that’s enough data to say it definitely doesn’t need one. Solid shampoo bars have a few “things” going for them that make microbial action challenging, the first being that high concentrations of anionic ingredients inhibit microbial growth (this one in particular is 87% anionic surfactants). Solid shampoo bars also dry between uses, and only a small portion (the outside) of the bar gets wet. I’ll be doing more testing, but LUSH does not preserve their similarly-composed shampoo bars.
Substitutions
As always, be aware that making substitutions will change the final product. While these swaps won’t break the recipe, you will get a different final product than I did.
- As I’ve provided this recipe in percentages as well as grams you can easily calculate it to any size using a simple spreadsheet as I’ve explained in this post. As written in grams this recipe will make 100g (two 50g [1.76oz] bars).
- To learn more about the ingredients used in this recipe, including why they’re included and what you can substitute them with, please visit the Humblebee & Me Encyclopedia. It doesn’t have everything in it yet, but there’s lots of good information there! If I have not given a specific substitution suggestion in this list please look up the ingredient in the encyclopedia before asking.
- I don’t recommend swapping out the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) or Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) (including the formats, like choosing a powdered version instead of the little sticks) unless you want to possibly re-develop the formulation.
- You can use a different fragrance or essential oil.
- You could try a different gum instead of the iota carageenan, or a different type of carageenan (kappa or lambda are the ones you’re most likely to find)
- The dye is optional; replace it with more Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) if you decide to eliminate it
- If you live somewhere very humid I would reduce or eliminate the glycerine, replacing it with more distilled water
- You could use a different liquid oil your hair loves instead of argan oil
- If you’re like to use a different preservative, please review this page.
- If you’d like to learn more about the surfactants used and compare them to ones you might already have so you can make substitutions, check out this page.
- Make the citric acid solution by combining equal parts (by weight) citric acid and distilled water.
Gifting Disclosure
The bath bomb press and cube mould were gifted by The Bath Bomb Press. The Red #40 (CI 16035) was gifted by YellowBee.
HI, thank you for the shampoo bar, how much in ml of the citric acid solution (50%) you used in the formula? I wonder because when I used SCS Iw always High pH.
I didn’t measure it using mL, I used grams—the amount is noted in the formula 🙂
Hi Marie. Is the Red 40 dye the same as the one that is considered to possibly be a carcinogen? Thank you! I can’t wait to try these, with or without the Red 40!
I haven’t found anything that would have me concerned about Red 40 at 0.01% in a wash-off product, but you could definitely use a different red dye if you wanted to 🙂 You can learn more about the FDA regulatory requirements for Red 40 here.
I am afraid I have made a batch of these and they did not turn out correctly. I am sure I made a mistake somewhere but I am not sure how to correct it. The bars are not hard enough after 4 days. They crumble when squeezed and get crumbly and doughy when used. I am thinking I need to add more distilled water, mix them better and then use a different press. I used a moon cake press this time. Is that what you would recommend? I would like to try to save them because I made a batch multiplied by 4 which could be where I made my mistake. I appreciate any ideas you may have.
I did some research and decided to add 5% sodium lactate to the batch. It worked like a charm.
Glad to hear it!
I just want to share that I got some hand presses from The Makers Shop on Etsy (based out of Jupiter, Florida) and they are AWESOME. I purchased the 2.5 inch circular “professional” plastic mold and I love it. I am planning on buying another set with a smaller diameter to make thicker bars. I’ve used my hands to squish and also a large shop clamp and had good results. The mold was only about 30 bucks! Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for sharing, Betsy!
Hi! Can I substitute carageenan with xanthan gum or unflavored gelatin?
It’s definitely worth a try! Let me know how it goes if you try it 🙂
Hi! I just write to thank you, this recipe is wonderful. I didn’t substitute the carageenan. Because of the cost I used almond oil instead of Argan oil. The shampoo bar was great for my dyed hair! My hair never had been so soft after shampoo. I will make more shampoo bars like these.
Regards!
I am so thrilled to hear it! Thanks for DIYing with me, and happy making 🙂
Hi can I know what is the purpose of adding carrageenan?
While it seems the carrageenan does help hold the bars together initially, it really kicks in when you start to use the bars in the shower. I can feel its characteristic slimy-slip as I use the bar (it’s really nice, I promise!) and the bar is very sturdy throughout use.
Can I purchase these bars from you or whomever?
Since they’re LUSH-inspired, I’d go with their original if you don’t want to DIY 🙂 I don’t sell anything—more info on that here and here.
Hi, Looking forward to trying this! Where can I get the water soluble red dye in the US?
TKB Trading has it!
I don’t have a bath bomb press
What kind of mould could I use
From the post: ” If you don’t have a press you could try hand-pressing the mixture into a firm mold (I don’t recommend silicone as the sides tend to bow out if you really try to compress a mixture in one, and this bar needs some serious squishing). I’ve also heard good things about moon cake presses!” 🙂
These look so much better for my greasy hair than your other ones that I can’t wait to try them (never could get those to work for me). If I want to reduce or eliminate the oil (again super super greasy hair) what would I swap in for it?
Hmm… maybe more water, or a super lightweight oil that your hair does like? I would really recommend making them as-written ’cause they’re very cleansing that way—if it doesn’t work for your hair, that bar will make a beautiful body wash and you can revisit the formula with less oil for shampoo 🙂 Happy making!
Wow. These pressed shampoo bars look so pretty and argan works really well for smoothing my hair. Thanks for the tutorial!
Hello, I did some experiment with shampoo bar for my friend’s bridal shower. lol. But when I used whole surfactant in noodle form, it won’t last really long. They will crumbly and break if I don’t use it gently. I wonder if this recipe is will be last, like lush does?
Are you using a press or hand-moulding the bars? Are you using this formulation, or is this more of a general comment about your own experiments? 🙂
What is the pH of this bar? It seems like it would be a tad high for hair with the SCS and no pH adjustment down. Thoughts?
The pH is noted right in the formula 😉
Do you have a list of equipment you like? I’m especially looking for a handheld emulsifier that doesn’t allow a lot of air in like my current stick blender. Thanks!
I’ve got a whole blog on it here 🙂 Happy making!
This will make just two bars is that correct?
From the post: “As written in grams this recipe will make 100g (two 50g [1.76oz] bars).” :). Happy making!
I see that now! Thank you so much!!
Hi Marie! Long time follower and DIYer. I am hung up on trying to make my shampoo bars and conditioner bars “chemical free”. Is that just impossible? If I don’t use the surfactants in a recipe, is it then just a bar of soap? I appreciate your feedback.
Hey Irene! It really is—give this a read for more information. Soap is also made of chemicals, and it’s also a surfactant (an anionic one). One of the biggest benefits of surfactants like the ones used here is the ability for them to be acidic, which we can’t do with soap, which tends to be better for the hair and skin 🙂 I’d really encourage you to give it a try and see what you think 🙂 Happy making!
Hi! I was so excited to try this recipe but unfortunately I bought the SCI in powder form. After mixing everything, the recipe was still very powdery so I ended up adding more water and fragrance oils to make it more to a paste and be able to mold/press it. Is there anything I can do using the SCI powder so I don’t have to purchase the noodles now?
Thank you for your time 🙂
It sounds like you did exactly what needed to be done! Powdered SCI will have more surface area than the noodles, so it’ll need more moisture to get it to the same point. Excellent troubleshooting! Most of the formulas I’ve shared using Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) don’t use the noodle form, so you’ll be well set up to make those 🙂 Just look it up in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (https://www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/) and then scroll down to the bottom of the entry for a bunch of formulas. Happy making!
I wonder if it smells strong?
I recently create my own shampoo bar, using capri olivo fragrance oil (it’s strong in cold process soap) And I add about 3 %. But the shampoo doesn’t hold the scent really well. And the smells is very light in my hair. Before capri olivo I use another FO but it still smells so light. I wonder why..
Anyway my recipe, using btms 50, cetyl alcohol, butter, sci powder mixed with needle form, since I don’t have press machine. I had experiment with all needle and they’re just break apart.
It does have a strong, lingering scent—soap is very different from other projects due to saponification, so it typically needs much higher concentrations of fragrance oils and essential oils to have a strong smell 🙂
Hi, can i only use SCI ? Can’t find SCS here in Brazil.
The maximum allowable usage rate for Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) in wash-off applications is 50%, which is a big part of why I don’t use just Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI). Please give this a read for help choosing an alternative 🙂
I’m so excited to make these, and I’m anxiously awaiting my SCI & SCS noodles to arrive in the mail! I’m curious though, I read that iota carrageenan (and kappa too) need to be heated to 160 F in order to actually form a gel. In these bars, do we not need it to actually gel up?
There’s no need to heat it here—I’m not even sure how you would, really—toast it in a skillet? There’s nowhere close to enough liquid in here to make a workable solution that could be heated… I tried, lol. It immediately seized and I had to chuck it out and try a different method (as seen here). Happy making!
Oh gosh, I love this bar. No kind of issues what so ever. It’s my new favorite! I cutted few chips/ bits off with knive afterwards to form it more slick and a bit smaller. I think leftovers are easy to crush/ cut, moisten with liquid and form into new small bar (I did it by hands, just a tip for other readers).
Hi Marie,
My SCI was powdered too but I made this, thanks to Karla’s tips and your hard work, few minutes ago. I used a bit more liquid + oil as it felt too dry. I pressed it by hands (heavy handed) which worked fine. Pressing / forming it in small amounts 30-50 g was much easier. I used argan oil, pre-diluted rose eo (10 %, for easier measuring) + rose geranium. Oh, I used carmine for color as that what I had. I accidentally added too much, so it reminds me of strawberries. 😀 I’m suprized all in all how well this process worked for me! I hope it lathers like crazy. I’m not a bar person but this seems rather cool. Thanks Marie.
Hello. Awaiting my ingredients before I try all the bars. My question was there is no refattening agent in this. Do we need it for the smoothness? Thanks
Argan oil is a re-fatting agent 🙂
Ok! Thank you for replying!
Hi Marie! Thank you so much for make all this contend available!
I have a question that need some experience, so I would like your opinion:
In my country we can’t find the SLSA to buy, so I have been researching about the SCS, but I have found some people saying that is bad for sensitive skin (as well as Cocamidopropyl betaine that causes allergies, so I prefer to don’t use it too), so it is worst to use only SCI or to use both with this risk (I would like to commercialize in the future)?
Honestly, the best advice I can give is to try it. Remember that people can be allergic to anything, and also that looking at reactions to ingredients in isolation is not the same as looking at them in the context of a full formulation. Imagine chili peppers evaluated for safety in pure form vs. in a soup, for instance!
I absolutely love how these turned out! I made one batch following the recipe subbing fragrance oil for essential oils and I don’t think I used quite enough because the scent isn’t very strong- have some new fragrance oils to try so I’ll stick to F.O. next time.
For my second batch I removed 1% sci and added 1% zinc pyrithione which is the active ingredient in head and shoulders dandruff shampoo.
I love everything about this recipe! Thank you!
Hooray! Thanks for DIYing with me, and happy making 🙂
Hi Marie, is it possible to substitute SCS in this recipe with the same amount of SLSa? SCS is nowhere to be found here. Thanks.
Hey! That question is covered by this point in the substitutions list: “I don’t recommend swapping out the Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) or Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) (including the formats, like choosing a powdered version instead of the little sticks) unless you want to possibly re-develop the formulation.” Happy re-formulating 🙂
Hello Marie, hope you are well!
I searched the blog but didn’t find any info about your pneumatic press. Where did you find the smallish one you have?
I am in the US, and haven’t had much luck. Thank you!
I added a link to the instructions 🙂 It was linked in the gifting disclosure but another link seemed prudent. Happy making!