Before, my hair was super flat. I always wished it would have more volume but could never figure out how to get it. I’d basically given up on this dream.

Within two washes of using this shampoo and conditioner bar, my hair was totally different. I was so excited I posted on TikTok about it in January 2021.

Before 2021, my hair was always flat at the roots, and it didn’t feel super healthy. I wanted to have longer hair, but worried about split ends and dryness, so I didn’t feel confident in growing it out.

At the start of 2021, after making the switch to shampoo and conditioner bars, my hair felt so clean, soft, and healthy that I actually felt excited to let it grow out. Now, my hair is about halfway down my back, and no split ends or dryness in sight.

There are a few different bars on the market, but I bought solid bars from a company called The Earthling Co. (I thought their scent options were the most fun – I liked the sound of Vanilla Coconut and Citrus Sun.)

To my surprise, I immediately noticed a difference in my hair after two washes.

My flat roots were gone. I instantly had more volume, and my hair actually felt fully clean for a change. I hadn’t even realized that the liquid shampoos and conditioners were leaving a heavy film on my hair until I stopped using them.

Aside from how long my hair has gotten, I also think my hair is healthier, thicker and softer than it's ever been.

According to the brand's website, the bars can last between two and six months, or 50 to 75 washes, depending on how frequently you wash your hair.

I used to wash my hair every day. Since switching to the bars, I have been able to go longer between hair washes. Now I only have to wash two times a week, so my bars end up lasting around 6 months.

This means I only have to buy them twice a year. Far less often than when I was previously buying plastic bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

The Earthling Co. says its packaging and shipping materials are all recyclable or compostable. The shampoo and conditioner come in little paper boxes that are really sturdy, and it’s nice to be able to put them directly into paper recycling.

The bars are also way more compact than big plastic bottles of liquid shampoo, and it feels good to receive a small compact paper box which has a lower carbon footprint getting to my door.

At $15.99 per bar, they are more expensive than the shampoo and conditioner bottles I'd previously buy at the drugstore.

That said, they are right in line with competitors: other brands like Ethique and Lush also sell bars starting at $15.

Big picture I think I’m still saving money in the long run, because I’m also buying the bars only twice a year, whereas every time I walked into Target to buy shampoo, I’d also be throwing some other unnecessary things in my cart (you know how it goes at Target).

I used to always be so frustrated at how flat my hair was, and how I’d always get split ends when I tried to grow it out. I felt like I’d tried every possible kind of shampoo, conditioner, and hair products that claimed to make hair healthy, shiny, and soft.

Like I said, I’d basically given up on the idea that I’d ever be able to have the volume, length, and health that I wanted.

It wasn't until testing out these bars in early 2021 that I finally felt like my hair was soft, shiny, and growing in more healthy and strong than it ever had, allowing me to grow out my hair longer without needing to constantly trim off split ends. Shampoo and conditioner bars are definitely a different experience – but for me, the effects have been so positive, I don't see myself going back to liquid products ever again.