Viori vs Kitsch: Shampoo and Conditioner Bars Compared

Viori and Kitsch both make syndet shampoo bars built on Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, both state pH-balanced formulas, and both are Leaping Bunny certified and made in the USA. The main differences are in the rice water story, the conditioner bar base, the certifications each lists, and the size of each range. Here is how they line up, using only what each brand states on its own website.

Bar format and cleanser

Viori shampoo bars are syndet bars, not soap. The cleanser is Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), a mild coconut-derived cleanser.

Kitsch also describes its bars as syndet bars. Its site says the bars are "synthetic detergent, not saponified oils" and names SCI as the primary surfactant. Its Rice Water shampoo bar ingredient list starts with Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin and Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate. So on format and main cleanser, the two brands take the same approach.

pH

Viori formulates its bars to stay between 3.5 and 6.5 pH. Kitsch product pages call its bars "pH balanced," and a Kitsch article states its syndet bars sit in the 4.5 to 5.5 range. Both brands present their bars as color-safe.

Rice water

Rice water is the center of the Viori line. Every bar is made with fermented Longsheng rice water, prepared the Red Yao way in a process that takes 7 to 10 days. Viori buys the rice directly from the Red Yao women of Longsheng, China, at a premium 2X markup, and gives at least 5% of profits back to Red Yao communities. Viori uses a lower concentration of rice water and a low concentration of rice protein, and says its bars are safe for daily use.

Kitsch offers rice water as one collection among several. Its Rice Water shampoo bar lists Hydrolyzed Rice Protein on its ingredient list. The Kitsch site does not describe a fermentation process or where its rice comes from.

Conditioner bars

Viori conditioner bars are built on BTMS (behentrimonium methosulfate, from the colza/rapeseed plant), cocoa butter and cetyl alcohol. The lather is a paste, not foam. Viori says the bars can also be used as a deep conditioner or a leave-in.

The Kitsch Ultra Sensitive conditioner bar lists Coconut Oil first, then Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Sunflower Seed Oil. Kitsch sells that bar as a "Conditioner & Shave Bar." Both brands use behentrimonium methosulfate as a conditioning ingredient. The oils and butters around it differ.

Free-from claims

Viori bars are sulfate-free, silicone-free, paraben-free and gluten-free, with no synthetic preservatives. Kitsch product pages state its bars are "Free of parabens, phthalates, silicones, & sulfates." The Kitsch Ultra Sensitive bars are listed as fragrance free. Viori's fragrance-free option is Native Essence, which has no added fragrance.

Certifications and company

Viori is certified Vegan (Vegan International, since 2022), Leaping Bunny cruelty-free (since 2021), Fair Trade and CarbonNeutral®. Viori Beauty is a public benefit corporation.

Kitsch product pages describe its bars as vegan and cruelty-free and state that Kitsch is Leaping Bunny certified. Kitsch also lists 4ocean certification on its bar pages.

Packaging and where they are made

Viori packaging is plastic-free: recycled paper, and bars ship in a bamboo steamer. The bars are manufactured, stored and shipped from Utah, USA.

Kitsch says its bars ship in recycled paper packaging and calls the bar system plastic-free. Its product pages say the bars are "Made in the USA from Globally Sourced Ingredients."

Product range

Viori focuses on rice water bars: shampoo bars, conditioner bars, body wash bars and dry shampoo. Scents are matched to scalp type, such as Citrus Yao for oily scalps and Terrace Garden for dry scalps.

Kitsch has a wider hair care catalog. Its bar lines include Rice Water, Rosemary and Biotin, Tea Tree and Mint, Castor Oil, Argan Oil, Shea Butter and Ultra Sensitive. Kitsch also sells liquid shampoos and bar bags.

Who each one suits

Viori suits shoppers who want a line built entirely around fermented rice water, a traceable rice source with a community give-back, and a conditioner bar based on BTMS and cocoa butter. It also suits people who want Fair Trade and CarbonNeutral® certifications next to vegan and Leaping Bunny. Picking a bar is simple: Hidden Waterfall for most hair types, Citrus Yao for oily scalps, Terrace Garden or Native Essence for dry to normal scalps.

Kitsch suits shoppers who want many ingredient themes in one shop, such as rosemary, tea tree or castor oil, or who want bars and accessories from the same brand. Its Ultra Sensitive bars suit people who want a short, fragrance-free ingredient list.

How to switch to any shampoo bar

Wet your hair well. Rub the bar between your hands or glide it over your scalp, then work the lather through. If your hair is color-treated, lather in your hands first. Follow with a conditioner bar on the lengths and ends. Let bars dry between uses. Hair can feel different for the first weeks, so give a new routine 2 to 3 months before judging it.

To try Viori, start with the Hidden Waterfall Shampoo Bar and the Hidden Waterfall Conditioner Bar .