Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar

This week’s post is getting out a little later in the day then I’d like… but what can I say? It’s been a lazy day.

Today I’m reviewing Burt’s Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar. It came in one of the sample kits I mentioned before, from either my mom or my boyfriend’s mom. I’ve been using this bar everyday (I know, I know, it’s not good for your hair to shampoo it everyday…) for the past two weeks.

The Look: I like the paper/wax paper packaging. The bar itself is an ugly looking greenish-brown, with black flecks. Definitly looks natural.

The Scent: For the most part, it smells a lot like ordinary, unscented products. When I hold the bar right under my nose and inhale deeply, I can detect a hint of mint. It’s definitely not strongly scented, and you won’t notice it in your hair after you’ve used it (I certainly didn’t). A customer review on the product’s page of the manufacturer’s website raves about the wonderful smell of this shampoo bar… but I really didn’t notice it at all.

In Action: There were no instructions on the packaging for use. I hopped in the shower and got my hair nice and wet, then lathered up the shampoo bar in my hands, then ran my hands through my hair. I had to lather up twice before I felt I had sufficient shampoo in my hair. I did my regular bit of scrubbing. When I rinsed it out, my hair felt “sticky”, it was hard to get my fingers through, and very squeaky. Following the shampoo with some conditioner fixed that up just fine.
The Burt’s Bees website directs you to just use the bar directly on your hair, and work it into a lather. It also claims the “tingly peppermint” will “stimulate both your scalp and your senses”, but I didn’t experience that. The website says the bar works best on short to medium-length hair, and I do fall into that category.

The Result: I was worried (from the “sticky”, squeaky feelings) that this was a very heavy-duty shampoo that would be horrible for daily use. However, it doesn’t seem to have damaged my hair in the past two weeks of straight use. My hair feels clean… and actually kind of thicker/fuller then usual…

The Verdict: I’m not really sold on getting my shampoo in a bar form. The bar has surprised me by lasting as long as it has. I’ve been careful not to leave it in the shower, and to let it dry out between uses, but I really thought it would dissolve a lot faster. I’m guessing my sample bar has at least another two weeks left in it. I’d prefer a stronger scent, at least while I’m in the shower. I think I’ll stick with my regular bottle shampoo in the future, and pass up on the Burt's Bees Rosmary Mint Shampoo Bar.

Here’s what other people had to say about it (there are some very positive reviews that sound like they know what they're taking about... I don't use a lot of hair products, so perhaps they've had more experience with this sort of thing). One of the reviewers makes the good point that a shampoo bar is a better choice for packing in a suitcase while traveling - no risk of gooey explosions!