Frequently asked questions
Hopefully you will find what you are looking for on this page, but if not don't hesitate to drop us a question in the contact form here.
Getting started with bars
New to shampoo and conditioner bars?
They work a little differently from bottles, but once it clicks it's easy. The short version: shampoo cleans your scalp, conditioner treats the lengths. Full walkthrough on our How to Use page.
How do I use the shampoo bar?
Wet your hair and the bar, lather it in your hands, massage into your scalp (not the lengths), rinse, and repeat if needed.
How do I use the conditioner bar?
Glide it down the lengths of your hair,not the scalp, then finger through and rinse. It feels like barely any comes off; trust it, it's enough.
My hair feels strange since switching, is that normal?
Completely. That's the adjustment period while your scalp recalibrates. Give it a week or two; a weekly diluted apple-cider-vinegar rinse helps in hard-water areas.
How long does a bar last?
That really comes down to how often you wash your hair. Usually longer than a bottle. The drier you keep it, the longer it lasts.
How should I store them?
Somewhere they can dry out between uses, a draining dish, out of the water's path, otherwise you run the risk of them going mushy.
Are they suitable for my hair type?
They are suitable for normal todeywr hair types and we have had a lot of feedback that they are good for curls too.
How should I store them?
Somewhere they can dry out between uses, a draining dish, out of the water's path, otherwise you run the risk of them going mushy.
Are they good for travelling?
Very, solid bars mean no liquids to declare and nothing to leak. Our travel sizes are made exactly for hand luggage or to pop in your bag when you're off to the gym.
Ingredients & honesty
Is this "clean" beauty?
No. "Clean" is a marketing word with no legal meaning. We're transparent instead, every ingredient listed and decoded in plain language.
Do they contain sulfates?
Not the harsh ones (SLS). Our cleansers are mild, coconut-derived isethionates, chosen to clean gently.
Are you cruelty-free?
Cruelty-free, yes, like every brand selling in the EU, because animal testing's been illegal here since 2013.
Are you vegan?
Yes, by default, we only use plant-derived ingredients. No animal-origin ingredients are used in any of our products.
Why don't you have certificates?
Because a lot of them are more about revenue than your skin, and there's always a compromise. We prioritise the mildness of your skin and so we forgo the natural certification. Cruelty-free certification doesn't make sense as long as well in the EU only. If you're interested to learn more, get in touch.
Is there fragrance in them?
Yes we use essential oils, fully disclosed, including the naturally-occurring components EU law asks us to name. No mystery "parfum." and the essential oils are carefully chosen to add function and not just smell.
Ingredients & honesty
Are the bars really plastic-free?
Completely. Paper and cardboard, a paper hygiene seal, no plastic anywhere, not even in the glue of the packaging tape.
Where do you source your ingredients?
Within the EU wherever possible, and locally in Germany where I can. More on the Sustainability page.
Orders, shipping & returns
Where do you ship, and how much?
Germany only for now (the new EU packaging rules make shipping further too costly for a one-woman brand just yet, hopefully in October they'll let little business off the hook). Costs depend on parcel size, which depends on how much you order and are always shown before you pay.
How long will my order take?
Packed within 1–2 working days, then usually 2–4 days to arrive, but thats dependent on the postal service.
Can I return my order?
Within 14 days, yes, unless the hygiene seal is broken, in which case we can't take it back. We cover return shipping. Full details on Returns.
Something's wrong with my order.
Email info@dontbemean.care with your order number and a photo, we'll sort it within 4 working days.