I Tried SheaMoisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar for Frizz

We put the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

It doesn’t look like your typical shampoo, but the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Rhassoul Clay Shampoo Bar still promises to properly cleanse and deliver soft, shiny hair. Especially ideal for thick and curly hair types, this shampoo cleans without using sulfates, and the brand is cruelty-free.

The unique bar form makes it easier to travel with and requires less plastic and other waste to package compared to traditional shampoo bottles. The formula is designed to remove impurities from the hair, resulting in a fresh, clean feel and hair that’s soft and healthy. Plus, its unique shape gets shampoo right to the roots, where it can remove excess product, oil, and sweat from the scalp.

Curious about how this shampoo bar works, I tested it on my own hair to see if its claims translated to reality. Keep scrolling to read my full review.

About My Hair: Straight and frizzy

My hair is mostly straight, but it's far from sleek. I have a lot of frizz around my part, and since errant grays have started popping up all over, I periodically dye my roots. I still haven’t quite figured out how to tame frizz, but a solid care routine has gotten me far in terms of improving the health of my hair and keeping it manageable.

Currently, I use Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner. I’m happy with them both; however, neither has completely solved my hair issues—and they are pretty expensive, too. I wanted to see how a more affordable shampoo, like the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Clay Shampoo Bar, might work for my hair.

The Feel and Scent: Suds up fast

The first thing I noticed was how good the shampoo smells—like a warm tropical vanilla. However, the scent isn’t incredibly strong, and it doesn’t stick around long after use.

The instructions say you should section off hair and apply the bar directly to the scalp. Though it has an ergonomic shape to facilitate doing so, I ultimately found it was easiest to suds up in my hands before applying to my hair. It doesn’t produce a large amount of foam, but it was enough to spread through my hair. I had to keep going back to the bar to grab more shampoo for each section of my scalp, so it took longer to wash my hair than it does with liquid shampoo.

After I rinsed out the shampoo, I couldn’t run my fingers through my hair—it was like it was squeaky clean to the extreme. It didn’t feel great, but after I applied conditioner to the ends of my hair, it felt smoother.

Ingredients: Organic and hydrating

What ingredients make this shampoo bar work so well? Like its namesake, it uses shea butter to moisturize, which is made up of beneficial fatty acids that contribute to optimal hair health. Meanwhile, coconut and hibiscus both nourish hair. Rhassoul clay (listed as "Moroccan lava clay" in the ingredient list) aids in cleansing hair while making it soft and smooth. The shampoo bar also uses bentonite clay, which has similar benefits. The brand is cruelty-free, and some of the ingredients are organic, too.

The Results: Clean, soft hair

Even though my hair felt squeaky-clean immediately after using the shampoo, it still felt nourished and healthy, not stripped. Once my hair was dry, it felt cleaner than I expected. I sometimes find that bar soaps leave my hair still oily, but that wasn't the case with this shampoo bar.

It didn't ease the frizz in my hair, but it didn't add to it either. And given the price of my usual hair products compared to this shampoo, I call that a win for SheaMoisture.

The Value: About average

The bar sells for around $10. You can find more affordable shampoos at the drugstore, but for a product with organic, fair-trade ingredients, the price makes sense. When compared to other shampoo bars, the price is on par with the other options out there.

Similar Products: Co-wash and other options

Lush Avocado Co-Wash Shampoo Bar ($19): Lush's Avocado Co-Wash Shampoo Bar is designed for co-washing (which shampoos and conditions at the same time) and can be great for keeping curly hair clean without frizz. It’s more expensive for an ounce less than you’ll get with SheaMoisture, but you’ll be getting the benefits of a conditioner, too.

Davines LOVE Shampoo Bar ($25): The Davines LOVE Shampoo Bar can give coarse or frizzy hair a softer, silkier texture. It smooths hair using olive extract (from Italy, of course), but it’s the most expensive at $25 for 3.5 ounces.