Product:- Seanik Shampoo Bar

Purchased From:- Lush

Cost:- £4.53

Advantages: Small and great for lightweight storage

Disadvantages: Doesn't deliver the same results as a liquid based conditioner


*****The Product*****
Shampoo bars are essentially a solid shampoo compacted into a small circular - no liquid bar. The Shampoo bar should provide the same number of washes as the equivalent of 3 250g bottles of a liquid based shampoo. I was initially attracted to the bar due to its size and the potential to de-clutter my bathroom by using the shampoo bar instead of my regular bottled shampoo. Shampoo bars are an ingenious invention and especially suitable for use when traveling due to its small compact size. The Seanik bar is marketed on the premise that it's a shine and nourishment enhancer for your unruly locks and due to my frizzy, curly locks desperately lacking in the shine and lustre department. I opted for the Seanik bar.

*****Packaging & Appearance*****
I browsed the Lush Shampoo bar range and the beautiful deep turquoise blue of Seanik beamed at me with it's deep hues which appealed to me as I imagined a beautiful turquoise sea upon a far away island. The bar itself fitted neatly into the palm of my hand and was quite course in texture with some small dark seaweed slithers embedded into the bar. I found that the bar is very compact and didn't disintegrate or crumble when dry. The bar itself looks almost like a multitude of small worms have been entwined and bound together and coated in a beautiful turquoise with seaweed pieces cascaded throughout. Appearance wise - the bar is highly inoffensive and small enough to be stored in the smallest of bathrooms without creating any clutter. The Bar didn't possess the usual strong scent that I have discovered with most Lush products. There was a slight citrus tinge to the bar, but when dry there wasn't much of a scent associated with the product.

Lush always ensures that all of their packaging is recycled and recyclable.

*****Product Usage*****
I tentatively took out my Shampoo bar and proceeded to lather the bar directly onto wet hair. I massaged the through the roots of my hair to the tip and discovered that there was a good lather being generated which convinced me that my hair was being sufficiently cleansed. The bar became slightly soggy but remained rather compact and there was little if any crumbling.

The scent appeared to intensify once the bar was massaged into wet hair, once again I discovered that the citrus scent was the immediate olfactory sensation, but there was a slightly musky scent too. As with other Lush products which I have tried which contain seaweed. E.g. Sea Vegetable soap, the seaweed slithers could be a little sharp at times. During the shampoo stage the bar lived up to expectations and performed as a liquid shampoo generally would. But... after thoroughly rinsing the shampoo bar out of my hair and using my standard conditioner and leaving my hair to dry, the shampoo bar disappointed me. My hair was definitely not shiny and bouncy but felt very dry and not a trace of shine was to be found anywhere. My hair felt course, dry and my natural curls were more akin to limp waves.

I thought that this may have been due to over- shampooing or the combination of my conditioner and the shampoo bar, so being a fan of Lush products. I had another go the following morning and this time used less of the bar and no conditioner. Sadly, the result was the same if not worse. My hair felt as though it had been blasted with a hairdryer for hours on end and looked as though it had been stripped of any nutrients.

Perhaps the shampoo bar just isn't the right one for me. But I have been a little put off trying another one.

*****Ingredients*****
Here's the science bit...
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Irish Moss Gel, Perfumr, Nori Seaweed, Fine Sea Salt,Lemon Oil, Mimosa Absolute, Orange blossom Absolute, Jasmine Absolute. Cocamide DEA, Colour 4205.,

Irish moss is used as a skin softener in commercial cosmetic products and lotions. When Irish moss mixed to body lotions, it helps to turn your dry, rough, patchy skin into smooth, silky, hydrated, glowing skin. It moisturizes and treats even the most unmanageable skin problems, including eczema, psoriasis, rashes and sunburns. Vitamins A, B, C, D help nourish the skin. Source:- http://www.bewellbuzz.com.

Nori Seaweed - seaweed and sea vegetables are becoming increasingly popular as a dietary aid and also in skincare products. Sea Vegetable products are reputed to contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes and also work as potent antioxidants with a lot of skin healing and rejuvenating properties. The phytonutrients present in ocean vegetables also help increase blood flow at the surface of the skin, hence making it supple, smooth and radiant. Seaweed is also reputed to help draw out toxins from the body and actually release nutrients into our pores.

Fine Sea Salt - Sea salt is another ingredient that is imbued with excellent toxin removing properties and would also act as an exfolliant for the hair and scalp.

Mimosa Absolute Oil is noted for it's astringent, relaxing, antiseptic and calming properties. Due to it's astringent properties the oil is generally very useful when dealing with oily skin and in this instance the oil would help to assist in the over production of oil in the hair shaft (this may be why I found the Shampoo bar had a drying effect upon my hair).

Orange Blossom Absolute Oil (Neroli) is anti-bacterial, digestive, anti-depressive, anti-septic, a deodorant and an aphrodisiac; it is used to treat depression, shock, anxiety, hysteria, insomnia, fatigue, colitis, varicose veins and hypertension. Orange Blossom is also very useful in skin care; it rejuvenates the complexion and improves very dry or mature skin.

Jasmine Absolute is a great oil to use in any skincare cosmetic due to it's luxurious and elastin promoting properties. Jasmine has a very soothing and balancing effect upon the skin as it tones dry, greasy, irritated and sensitive skin, increases elasticity and is often used to assist with stretch marks and to reduce scarring. Jasmine is also considered to be very soothing and calming oil.

There is an impressive array of natural ingredients, but this is interspersed with some chemical ingredients and for this reason I would advise that anyone with sensitive skin avoids the Sea Vegetable Soap and opts for one of Lush's more natural soaps. Lush is commendable in the fact that it has ethical principles and sticks to them and there is a definite commitment to using natural products as much as possible and chemicals only when necessary.

It is worth noting that Lush is also completely against animal testing and uses human volunteers to test their products.

*****Value for Money*****
The Shampoo bar is excellent value for money as I gave the bar to my Mother who had no problems and loved the product and she is still using the same bar after 2 months.

*****Company Info*****"Lush is a handmade cosmetics company headquartered in Poole, Dorset in the UK. There are more than 600 stores in 43 countries. Lush produce and sell hand-made products from face masks, soaps, bath ballistics, hand, hair and body lotions & treatments. The first Lush store opened on 1994 in Poole by husband and wife Mark and Mo Constantine. Source:- Wikipedia

Advantages:- Great idea, compact and space saving and good value for money.
Disadvantages:- The drying effect that the Shampoo Bar had upon my hair..

Summary: I wouldn't use the product again and it didn't suit me personally but may be a great product for anyone else.