Nilla’s Sandalwood & Honey Syndet Shampoo Bar

A small-batch solid shampoo bar made with Nilla’s dehydrated goat milk.

When we decided to make a shampoo bar, we did a lot of research into handmade solid-shampoo formulas and the purpose of each ingredient. We wanted a formula that stayed as simple and thoughtfully selected as possible while still cleansing well, lathering nicely, holding together as a solid bar, and feeling good to use on hair.

That is why this is a syndet shampoo bar rather than a traditional soap bar. Instead of relying on soap for cleansing, it uses carefully chosen surfactants and conditioning ingredients designed specifically for a solid hair cleanser.

Why we chose these ingredients

• Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI): Our main cleanser. SCI is a mild solid surfactant that produces a rich, creamy lather and makes it possible to create a true solid shampoo bar without using traditional soap as the cleansing base.
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine: A secondary cleanser that helps boost lather and works alongside SCI to create a gentler, more balanced cleansing system.
• Cetyl Alcohol: This is a fatty alcohol, not the drying type of alcohol people often think of. It helps give the bar structure while adding slip and a smoother, more conditioned feel.
• Jojoba Oil: Chosen as a lightweight emollient to add slip and conditioning without making the bar excessively heavy.
• Vegetable Glycerin: A humectant that helps attract and hold moisture in the formula.
• Cocoa Butter: Adds richness, helps condition the hair, and contributes firmness to the finished bar.
• Nilla’s Dehydrated Goat Milk: Our homestead ingredient. It contributes naturally occurring milk fats, proteins, and sugars while letting us incorporate milk from Nilla, our Nubian goat, into a product beyond traditional soap.
• Beef Tallow: Used in a small amount as an emollient to add richness and conditioning feel while supporting the solid structure of the bar.
• Sandalwood & Honey Fragrance: Added for the warm, soft scent of the finished bar.
• Optiphen (Phenoxyethanol & Caprylyl Glycol): A preservative system included to help protect the formula from microbial growth, which is especially important in a bathroom product that is repeatedly exposed to moisture.

We did not choose ingredients simply because they sounded trendy or “natural.” We chose them because each one has a job to do. Our goal was a practical, small-batch shampoo bar made with a short, purposeful formula and as many familiar, homestead-friendly ingredients as we could use without sacrificing the performance and safety a shampoo bar needs.

This round syndet shampoo bar is finished with a warm sandalwood-and-honey scent.

Goat: Nilla — Nubian
Product: Syndet shampoo bar
Scent: Sandalwood & honey

Formula: SCI 65%, cocamidopropyl betaine 10%, cetyl alcohol 8%, jojoba oil 4%, vegetable glycerin 3%, cocoa butter 3%, dehydrated goat milk 3%, beef tallow 2%, fragrance 1%, and Optiphen preservative 1% (phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol).

Price: $12 per bar