I've tried an embarrassing amount of shampoo in my lifetime.

Cheap shampoo, expensive shampoo, salon shampoo, "clean" shampoo—basically, my scalp has been through some sh*t.

But one thing I'd never tried?

Shampoo in bar form.

I don't know why, but rubbing what looks like a bar of soap on my head just felt like something I was specifically taught not to do.

Needless to say, I was skeptical. Mostly because I couldn't wrap my head around how this little bar was supposed to lather, clean my long, thick hair, and somehow replace the bottles I've relied on my entire life.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Humby Organics’ haircare.

What I really didn't expect was to like these little bars enough to start questioning why I've been buying giant plastic bottles all these years.

Spoiler alert: Humby surprised the hell out of me.

But first, who is Humby Organics?

Humby Organics started, apparently, the way many good ideas do:

two women ranting over coffee.

Co-founders Harriet and Robyn say the idea for Humby came from a conversation about beauty standards, the ingredients hiding in conventional haircare, and the ridiculous amount of plastic packaging that comes along with it.

Harriet also had a more personal reason for caring about haircare. As an everyday surfer, she dealt with damaged hair, split ends, brassiness, and frizz—and the two wanted to approach haircare a little differently.

From that coffee-fueled conversation, they built Humby around three main ideas: challenging unrealistic beauty standards, creating products with minimal environmental impact, and making genuinely high-quality haircare.

According to Humby, those early goals eventually became products made in the USA, using cold-pressed oils and natural ingredients, packaged in zero-waste packaging, and containing no water or fillers. The company also says its warehouse is solar-powered.

Their overall philosophy is basically that beauty shouldn't be about trying to look younger, thinner, or like somebody else.

Humby describes true beauty as being happy, healthy, and authentically yourself.

And frankly, as far as company philosophies go?

I can get behind that.

Of course, a great mission statement doesn’t automatically mean a great shampoo bar. Saving the planet is wonderful and all, but I’d also like my hair to look good while we’re doing it.

So, the real question is…

Is iT eVeN wOrTh bUyInG?!?

Well, there was only one way to find out.

Before trying Humby Organics, I had never used a shampoo or conditioner bar. Shampoo has always come out of a bottle in my world, so I genuinely had no idea what I was getting myself into here.

I think somewhere in my brain I had already decided that a solid shampoo bar probably wasn't going to lather very well. Why? I have absolutely no scientific explanation for you. Apparently, my brain just associates a bottle with bubbles.

So when I started using the Peppermint Shine Shampoo Bar, it immediately worked into this

beautiful, rich lather; I was genuinely surprised.

This wasn't some sad little collection of bubbles that made me question whether I'd actually washed my hair.

It lathered.

And more importantly, my hair felt clean afterward. Like, actually, thoroughly clean without my scalp feeling completely stripped in the process.

That's a pretty big deal for me because my scalp tends to run dry, and I have tried a fiscally irresponsible amount of shampoos and conditioners trying to find something that cleans my hair without making my scalp hate me.

I've bought the expensive stuff—Pureology, Redken, Moroccanoil, It's a 10—and I've worked my way through plenty of more affordable brands like Hairitage, Aussie, and Native, too.

I've given both ends of the shampoo aisle plenty of chances to impress me.

Humby did.

I used both the Peppermint Shine Shampoo and Conditioner Bars, and the conditioner definitely had a steeper learning curve.

Unlike the shampoo, I had a harder time feeling like I was getting enough product into my hands to actually condition all of my hair (I have a lot of hair—long and thick).

Eventually, I basically said screw it and started running the bar itself directly through my wet hair a few times.

There we go!

Funny enough, I read the box afterward (typical me)and discovered that running the conditioner bar (the shampoo too) directly through your hair is literally what the instructions tell you to do.

So, apparently Humby had already solved my problem. I just needed to read the directions.

Once I figured that out, the conditioner absolutely delivered. My hair came out so freaking soft.

Not coated, heavy, or greasy—just genuinely soft, smooth hair that still felt clean. My scalp felt hydrated, my hair was noticeably shiny, and I was honestly shocked by how good everything felt afterward.

It stayed clean for about two to three days, which is pretty normal for my hair, so I'm not going to pretend this magically gave me a week between washes.

What impressed me was how my hair and scalp felt during those days. My hair felt clean without feeling dried out, and my scalp wasn't screaming at me afterward. It just gets so itchy!

And then there's the smell.

When I saw Peppermint Shine, I expected that strong, sharp peppermint smell that practically clears your sinuses from across the bathroom, which is what I was used to when using Pureology's hydrating shampoo and conditioner.

This isn't what I expected.

There's peppermint, but it's much sweeter and softer than I expected, while still smelling incredibly fresh and clean.

And I was obsessed with it.

Like, repeatedly picking up the bar just to smell it again because apparently that's who I am now.

The packaging was another immediate win. Instead of another plastic shampoo and conditioner bottle to eventually throw away, the bars came in recyclable, paper-based packaging.

Since Humby's whole philosophy centers on reducing waste, I appreciated seeing that philosophy reflected in the product sitting in my bathroom.

There's also the longevity factor.

Humby says its bars can last for 75+ washes, which changes how I look at a solid little bar of shampoo or conditioner.

At first glance, it might not look like you're getting much product compared with a big bottle sitting in your shower, but if I can actually get anywhere near 75 washes out of one bar, that's a lot of hair washing packed into a pretty tiny package.

Obviously, I haven't personally washed my hair 75 times with these yet, so I can't verify that number—but I'll absolutely be paying attention to how long they last.

I went into this expecting bar shampoo to be a slightly weird adjustment that I'd tolerate for the environmental benefits.

Instead, I wondered why the hell I had never tried it before.

I've spent a lot of money over the years trying shampoos and conditioners at practically every price point, and Humby Organics genuinely outperformed most of them for me.

I'm not saying that because it's organic, because it's packaged nicely, or because the company's mission sounds good on paper.

I'm saying it because my scalp felt good, my hair looked good, it smelled freaking fantastic, and I actually looked forward to using it again.

Hands down, this is one of my favorite hair products I've tried.

And considering how many shampoos have taken up temporary residence in my shower over the years, that's saying something.

IMBHO- HELL YES!

With Love & Gratitude, IMBHOMom 🩶

Help Me Try More Products So You Don't Have To

Ditch the Bottle. Try the Bar. Click here!

Now I need to know: are you Team Bottle or Team Bar? Have you tried shampoo bars before—or does rubbing a bar on your head still feel mildly illegal? 😂 Drop your verdict in the comments below!