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You have decided to go to solid shampoo but you don't know how to make this transition? Or you have already taken the plunge and yet your hair is dull, sticky, oilier or on the contrary drier than usual ? Don't panic, it's completely normal, you are in the middle of the hair transition period! This is the time when you start using natural products and it's all new for your hair. Like any novelty, they will need time to adapt. Time for your hair to get used to this new hair routine.

In this article we will see what is the time it takes for the hair to adapt to a solid shampoo. Then in a second step, we will give you tips and advice for switching to solid shampoo and better live the period of hair transition to natural.

How long does it take to adapt to a solid shampoo?

To achieve soft, shiny, and healthy hair naturally when switching to solid shampoo, it is important to understand that hair takes time to adapt when changing its routine. Indeed, switching to solid shampoo amounts to completely modifying their functioning in terms of washing and care. They're sort of undergoing a detox. Most commonly, this period of capillary transition can lead to sticky hair et gras. But switching to solid shampoo can also cause many other concerns. This is due to their composition which differs practically at all at all: 

• Liquid shampoo is mainly composed of water (between 50 and 80%), surfactants (also called sulfate) and thickeners (texture agents). This formula represents 90% of it. The remaining 10% constitute the active ingredients, such as plant extracts for example. Conventional shampoos are therefore composed of toxic surfactants and many chemicals, among them silicone. The latter acts like a lure on your hair! It feels like hair is smoother, shinier and disentangled when in fact it simply covers the hair with a transparent film, and ends up suffocating it. In the long run, the hair, which nevertheless appears healthy on the surface, is damaged in depth. 

• Solid shampoo is as much as to him completely devoid of water. It is made from mild surfactants derived from plants (often coconut oil), vegetable butter, ayurvedic or vegetable powders and / or some vegetable or essential oils. Depending on the quality of the solid shampoo, it contains no or very few synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, sulphates, silicones and other polymers. If the shampoo is organic, it's even better!

This change in ingredients explains why switching to solid shampoo will take time. We will see that there is an adaptation time for the hair. So, how does hair adapt and experience this hair transition period?

What are the different phases of a hair transition to switch to solid shampoo?

You should therefore know that when you switch to solid shampoo, it takes time to adapt so that the hair detoxifies from previous harmful products. This capillary transition can last several weeks or even several months. and has several phases. 

• First phase to switch to solid shampoo. Can go from 2 weeks up to 2 months. You have hair that appears less soft, more damaged, duller, rougher, more oily, sticky or drier ... Sometimes even itching and dandruff appear. It is normal, the hair undergoes little by little a detox of the chemicals. They are purified from the silicone, but the smoothing effect of the latter also disappears, revealing the condition of your hair. Sometimes the scalp is irritated, it becomes sensitive and itchy. This is due to the modification of the PH shampoo. You are in the midst of the difficult period of hair transition.

• Second phase to switch to solid shampoo. In most of the cases after 2 months maximum, the hair has gradually become accustomed, it regains its shine and especially their natural health! You are almost done adapting your hair to the solid shampoo.

• Third phase to switch to solid shampoo. Able to take up to 6 months, your hair is healthier than before, it is nourished, hydrated and naturally beautiful. You have definitely switched to solid shampoo and you successfully passed the hair transition period!

How long does it take for your hair to adapt to its type by using a solid shampoo??

Depending also on your hair type, switching to solid shampoo can be faster or slower. : 

• If you have fine, fragile, damaged, brittle or split hair, it is unfortunately already too late for your hair. Know that a damaged hair cannot be repaired! The only solution is to cut the forks. The promises sold by the big brands to repair your hair will not come true, or even on the contrary ... Very often, repairing shampoos are even more provided in silicone to give this smooth effect. And bingo, we prevent our hair from breathing twice as much! The adaptation time for already fragile hair will therefore be longer than for healthy hair. It can go from 2 weeks up to 4 months. It will then be necessary to take his pain patiently and assume to have some time the hair less shiny than usual. After a few weeks of hair transition period, thanks to the natural benefits of solid shampoo and having eliminated the chemical agents that dry out your hair, the latter will again be intensely nourished and hydrated and you will find healthy hair. 

• If you have the thick, healthy hair, without split ends, your hair will have less difficulty going through solid shampoo. In general, It takes no more than 1 month for healthy hair to get used to the solid shampoo. But each hair is different, do not hesitate to persist for a while if the results are longer in coming!

Note that each hair is different. These adaptation times are averages to give you benchmarks. It may be that for some people the hair transition is almost nonexistent. While for others, go to solid shampoo, or longer and more laborious. Remember that everyone's hair is unique and that you shouldn't expect a uniform result. Indeed, products / actions that have worked for some will not necessarily work for others. 

For better live this period of hair transition and switch more easily to solid shampoo, discover our advice in this second part. If you have sticky hair from the solid shampoo you can also read our more specific article on the reasons why your solid shampoo makes your hair sticky.

How do I switch to solid shampoo?

Switching to solid shampoo is therefore not easy. For many of us, this hair transition takes a long time, a long time, sometimes even too much! Many of us get discouraged and revisit the classic liquid shampoo! However, as we have seen, if you persist for a while it is very likely that your hair will thank you! They will come out only stronger and more beautiful. So it's worth it to wait and hang on a little longer… And for that, we are going to help you to better live this period of transition! So, how do I switch to solid shampoo?

Your hair should get used to your new hair routine. To try to'' speed up the adaptation time, there are tips to better manage this natural transition. Here are some tips for a successful hair transition from a solid shampoo.

Choosing the right solid shampoo for a successful hair transition

• Attention from take a solid shampoo that matches your hair type to better experience the transition capillary. Indeed, solid shampoos have different compositions which correspond to types of hair (oily, dry, colored, thick, fine hair, etc.). Each hair requires particular and personalized care with very distinct properties. Some natural shampoos will be more nourishing than others for example. It is important to respect your nature to have beautiful healthy hair. Otherwise, you risk having drier, duller, more sticky hair ... Even after respecting the adaptation time!

Discover our article on the best solid shampoos to find the right solid shampoo for your hair type.

• Choose a solid shampoo with a gentle washing base for a better transition to a solid shampoo. Natural shampoo is made up, in part, of surfactants which wash your hair. Use a shampoo with mild surfactants, which wash the hair gently. They do not attack your hair and therefore allow pass more easily to solid shampoo. Here are the main mild surfactants that you will find in solid shampoos. Sodium Cocoyl Isethioniate: it is the surfactant which has the best ratio: washing effect + little aggressive , Sodium Coco Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Lauryl Methyl Isethionate, or Decyl Glucoside.

Use nourishing products to switch to solid shampoo easily

• Use a conditioner or masks (once a week) in your new natural routine to make it easier to switch to solid shampoo. Indeed, the natural bar shampoo being devoid of smoothing and detangling chemical agent, your hair will tend to tangle during the first shampoos. For facilitate styling, masks will help you relax and style the lengths. You can also make natural moisturizing masks before shampooing (coconut oil masks for example to moisturize). 

• Use a moisturizing and nourishing oil for the hair (coconut oil, jojoba, castor oil, etc.) to better switch to solid shampoo. Often times, when you switch to solid shampoo, your hair looks dull and drier. Ideal for nourishing your lengths and facilitating the disentangling of your coarse hair, oil will be your best ally during this period of hair transition. Indeed, these oils make it possible to compensate for the silicone of your old cosmetics. Unlike they really nourish and protect the hair, without luring and without suffocating it. So your switch to solid shampoo will be easier and the adaptation time will be shorter. Be careful, however, if you have hair that greases quickly or thin hair, simply apply a small amount of product on all of your ends and lengths. In any case, do not especially apply on the scalp. 

Take the right steps with your solid shampoo to facilitate your hair transition

• First of all, make a clarifying shampoo to detoxify your hair from all the hair products from your old cosmetics. Indeed, this allows to remove the layers of products which accumulate on your hair and which end up suffocating them. You can buy it or make it at home thanks to baking soda.

• At first, you can alternate between a solid shampoo and a liquid shampoo so that the hair has time toaccustom to the new composition. In this way, the adaptation of your hair and the transition to solid shampoo will be more gentle. You can start with shampooing every two for the first two weeks, then shampooing every three after 3 weeks, etc. until you only use the bar shampoo. Choose an organic liquid shampoo. It would be silly to switch to natural shampoo and remove the effects by stripping everything afterwards with your chemical industrial shampoo, right?

• Adopt a correct washing method for better experience the hair transition. To avoid drying out the hair, only wash the scalp. The ends and the lengths are washed when the shampoo is rinsed by flowing it along the hair.

• Adopt a correct flushing method for switch more easily to solid shampoo. Lather it in your hands, not directly on the scalp. You risk damaging your hair and scalp. If you feel like there is not enough shampoo, avoid adding more product. Or just add a small amount. It is best to re-wet your hair lightly so that the solid shampoo foams again. Then distribute the product on your scalp. Then make delicate circular movements, leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly. To learn more about the right rinsing methods, we invite you to read our article on How to rinse your solid shampoo well.

• The solid shampoo is used daily. So in the long run, no need to alternate between the two shampoos. Yes your hair does not seem to go through the hair transition period, or if you see the appearance of split ends, it may not correspond to your type of hair. If after a few weeks (four months maximum), your hair is still not habitue to your solid shampoo, it's time to change it. Indeed, just like liquid shampoos, some solid shampoos may not be right for you. Sometimes you have to try several to find the solid shampoo that suits you best. It is not because one product does not work that another will not work, so we do not give up at the first failure!

If you want to switch to solid shampoo and you make your first shampoo yourself, do not hesitate to read our article on our manufacturing guide and 5 recipe ideas.

To switch to solid shampoo, it is therefore necessary to be patient and to respect a period of adaptation. This involves learning about your hair and especially taking it on natural ones! There are no miracle products, just a hair transition to respect.