Beauty Review: Ethique Pinkalicious Shampoo Bars

Shampoo bars. Are they as great as everyone says? The Bondi Beauty team tried them out – here are their thoughts.

Ethique, a haircare brand launched out of Christchuch, NZ, were amongst the first to release ‘shampoo bars’ in the beauty space, in 2012. Their aim was to address ongoing ethical and sustainability concerns surrounding plastic and product waste, overconsumption, and ethical manufacturing, as well as providing affordable and effective products. 

The team at Bondi Beauty received their Reviving ‘Pinkalicious’ Shampoo Bar for Balanced Hair. The product is aimed at people with normal hair types, looking to address dullness and promote a ‘bouncy, restored look.’ 

The ‘uplifting’ bar is soap free and pH balanced and is scientifically formulated with creamed coconut and cocoa butter to ‘deliver soft, shiny tresses.’ The bar is hot pink, with scents of grapefruit and vanilla and states to be safe for colour-treated hair. 

Whilst creating an effective shampoo, Ethique also aimed to tackle ethical concerns within the beauty and haircare space. They’ve created and manufactured their products without palm oil and with biodegradable products, making the product is climate positive. 

It’s also not tested on animals and is packed within a cardboard box, without plastic. The entire product, packaging included, is biodegradable, compostable and recyclable. Each bar purchased saves three plastic bottles and over 2570 millilitres of water, making the product one of the most . 

Ethique released two sizes of the bar available for purchase: the ‘full’ bar, a 110g bar which will be useable for around 80 washes. The second is their ‘mini’ bar, a 15g bar used for 10 washes. The full bar costs $22 AUD, so per wash, it costs less than three cents. An Ethique survey found that 92% of users were satisfied with their hair after using the bar, finding their hair to be softer and more manageable. 

The Bondi Beauty Team tried and reviewed the product on hair ranging from curly and thick to fine and straight. Here are their thoughts: 

“This was my first time using a shampoo bar and I am impressed. Not only were the results great on my very fuzz prone hair, smoothing out curls (which is a first for a shampoo to do this), the smell was incredible and I loved how easily it removed build up on my hair with just one wash (I still washed hair twice though, to remove any left-over product).

Overall, I think I will be making the switch to shampoo bars and I am also keen to now try conditioning bars to see how they work in smoothing my hair even more so, especially with summer around the corner. Hello frizz.

Though not a new concept, I think the whole concept of washing hair with a bar is great. And not just for the planet. I love the idea that I don’t have to worry about dealing with empty bottles afterwards.

 I would absolutely purchase again. I am keen to try the rest of the range by Ethique as well. I’ve heard their skincare products are just as revolutionary. 10/10.”

“This is an incredibly unique shampoo, as it is in a form of a ‘bar’. The texture feels good and lathers when wet but the application is not practical.

I really loved the result that it gave to my hair. It left my hair so smooth, soft and smelling great. The packaging is really cute and feminine too, with the pink colouring. 

The product is really fragranced and smelt beautiful, like flowers. 

I would rate the product 7 out of ten 10 due to the impracticality of the product. Whilst I liked it, it did get messy whilst using.”

“While this shampoo bar smells amazing, it wasn’t the right fit for my oily hair. It effectively cleanses but only lasts about 2 days before my hair feels damp, compared to my usual 3-4 days of freshness with other shampoos.

The packaging is appealing and informative, clearly showing the ingredients and usage instructions. 

The most unique aspect of this product is its longevity. I appreciate that it claims to last for up to 80 washes, which is a great value for the price.

My hair responded positively during the wash, feeling smooth and soft. However, within 2-3 days, it became damp and lifeless, which isn’t ideal.

I will rate it 7/10.”

“The Ethique Pinkalicious Shampoo Bar is a great product concept – sustainably made, ethically sourced with a strong positive impact on the environment. 

Whilst I love this about the product, my dry, curly hair didn’t respond well to the shampoo. It lathered well and became creamy in texture which made my hair feel smooth and soft during my wash, yet after drying my hair felt a bit brittle and my curls didn’t form as well. 

Whilst I wouldn’t use this product again, I would certainly recommend it to someone with normal, finer hair than my own. Its ethical impacts really are a huge advantage, as well as its cost-per-use rate, which is significantly more affordable than some other similar options. 

7/10.”