FOR SENSITIVE, FLAKE-PRONE SCALPS
QUIET SCALP. SOFTER HAIR. EVERY INGREDIENT LISTED.
★★★★★ 4.7/5 | 134,430 reviews
- Cooler tone by wash 3 yellow and brassy tones visibly reduced
- No sulfate dryness cleanses without stripping moisture from bleached hair
- Biotin-supported thickness each wash supports fuller-feeling strands
- Ends feel less brittle rice water amino acids repair dry, damaged fibers
- Scalp stays calm pH-balanced formula does not aggravate a dry scalp
Castor Oil Shampoo Bar for Brittle, Sensitive Hair
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- 30-day guarantee
Description
If your scalp is reactive and your hair snaps instead of bends, this bar was formulated with both problems in mind — not one at the expense of the other. Sulfate-free and built around Longsheng rice water, it cleanses without stripping; the amino acids and fatty acids in the formula are available at the hair strand rather than buried under synthetic coating. The scent comes entirely from essential oils — chamomile and rose geranium — with no synthetic fragrance, not even a masking one, so you can read the full INCI list and find exactly what you're putting on a sensitive scalp. If you're switching from a liquid shampoo, expect 3–4 washes for your hair to recalibrate as the natural oils replace any silicone residue from previous products. Patch test recommended for highly reactive skin, as the formula contains rose geranium, jasmine, and patchouli oils, which are known contact allergens in some individuals.
Ingredients
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Longsheng Rice Water, Cocoa Butter, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, Butylene Glycol (Plant-Based), Stearic Acid, Vitamin B8, Vitamin B5, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Broccoli Seed Oil, Bamboo Extract, Rice Bran Oil, Castor Oil, Rose Geranium Oil, Ho Leaf Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Vitamin E, Cedarwood Oil, Patchouli Leaf Oil, Aloe Vera, Rose Chamomile Flower Oil, Jasmine Flower Extract, Rose Flower Oil
Ingredients Explanations
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate — derived from coconut fatty acids; a mild, sulfate-free surfactant that produces a creamy lather without the scalp-stripping associated with sodium lauryl sulfate. (EWG: 1)
Behentrimonium Methosulfate — plant-derived conditioning agent (typically from rapeseed oil); provides slip and detangling without silicones or harsh quats. (EWG: 1)
Longsheng Rice Water — fermented water from Longsheng glutinous rice; rich in inositol, amino acids, and B-vitamins traditionally associated with strengthening and smoothing the hair strand.
Cocoa Butter — cold-pressed from cacao beans; contributes fatty acids that help buffer dryness at the hair surface without synthetic emollients. (EWG: 1)
Sodium Lactate — salt of lactic acid, typically corn-derived; a gentle humectant that supports the bar's pH balance and moisture retention. (EWG: 1)
Glycerin — plant-derived humectant; draws moisture to the hair shaft and scalp, helping counter the dryness that can accompany brittle hair. (EWG: 1)
Cetyl Alcohol — fatty alcohol derived from coconut or palm; a conditioning emollient, not a drying alcohol — often confused with isopropyl alcohol but functionally distinct. (EWG: 1)
Shea Butter — cold-pressed from the shea tree nut; contributes oleic and stearic acids that soften the hair fiber and help calm a dry scalp. (EWG: 1)
Butylene Glycol (Plant-Based) — plant-sourced solvent and humectant; helps ingredients distribute evenly through the bar and supports moisture delivery. (EWG: 1)
Stearic Acid — fatty acid found in shea and cocoa butter; contributes bar structure and a smooth, conditioning feel on the hair strand. (EWG: 1)
Vitamin B8 (Inositol) — naturally present in rice water; associated with scalp and hair fiber health in the cosmetic literature, where it is noted as a component of healthy cell metabolism.
Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) — provitamin derived from plants; well-studied in cosmetic formulation and associated with improved hair flexibility and reduced breakage in cosmetic ingredient literature. (EWG: 1)
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein — rice protein broken into smaller peptides; associated with smoothing and temporarily reinforcing the hair cuticle in cosmetic ingredient literature. (EWG: 1)
Broccoli Seed Oil — cold-pressed from broccoli seeds; high in erucic acid, which gives it a silicone-like slip and shine without synthetic silicones. (EWG: 1)
Bamboo Extract — derived from bamboo stem; a source of silica, which is referenced in cosmetic literature in connection with hair strand conditioning.
Rice Bran Oil — pressed from the outer layer of rice; contains squalene and ferulic acid, contributing emolliency and antioxidant support to the formula. (EWG: 1)
Castor Oil — cold-pressed from the castor bean; rich in ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid that contributes thickness and slip to the lather and is associated with scalp conditioning in cosmetic use.
Rose Geranium Oil — steam-distilled from Pelargonium graveolens; essential-oil-only fragrance component traditionally noted in cosmetic use for its balancing aromatic profile. Note: a known contact allergen in some individuals — patch test recommended for highly reactive skin.
Ho Leaf Oil — steam-distilled from the leaves of Cinnamomum camphora; provides a light, clean aromatic note as part of the essential-oil-only scent profile. (EWG: 1)
Orange Peel Oil — cold-pressed from orange peel; contributes a subtle citrus note to the essential-oil scent blend; no synthetic fragrance compounds. (EWG: 2)
Vitamin E (Tocopherol) — typically derived from sunflower or soy; an antioxidant that helps stabilize the oils in the formula and is associated with scalp skin conditioning in cosmetic use. (EWG: 1)
Cedarwood Oil — steam-distilled from cedar wood; part of the essential-oil-only scent profile; traditionally used in cosmetic formulations for its grounding aromatic quality. (EWG: 1)
Patchouli Leaf Oil — steam-distilled from Pogostemon cablin leaves; contributes an earthy, grounding note to the scent profile. Note: a known contact allergen in some individuals — patch test recommended for highly reactive skin.
Aloe Vera — gel extracted from Aloe barbadensis leaf; a calming, hydrating ingredient widely used in cosmetic formulations for dry scalp and skin. (EWG: 1)
Rose Chamomile Flower Oil — steam-distilled from chamomile flowers; part of the essential-oil-only fragrance profile; chamomile is widely used in cosmetic formulations for its gentle aromatic character. (EWG: 1)
Jasmine Flower Extract — derived from Jasminum officinale flowers; contributes a soft floral note to the essential-oil scent blend. Note: a known contact allergen in some individuals — patch test recommended for highly reactive skin.
Rose Flower Oil — steam-distilled from Rosa damascena petals; part of the essential-oil-only scent profile; no synthetic rose fragrance compounds. (EWG: 1)
How To Use
1. Wet your hair and scalp thoroughly with warm water — not hot, which can further irritate a reactive scalp.
2. Rub the bar directly between your palms to build a lather, or glide it gently along the length of your hair two to three times.
3. Work the lather into your scalp with your fingertips using light, circular motions — no need to scrub; the sulfate-free surfactants do the work without friction.
4. Leave the lather on for 30–60 seconds before rinsing, especially in the first few washes, to give the amino acids and rice water time to contact the hair strand.
5. Rinse thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water until the water runs completely clear — incomplete rinsing is the most common cause of buildup with bar shampoos.
6. If you are switching from a silicone-based liquid shampoo, allow 3–4 wash cycles for your hair to recalibrate; the bar's natural oils need time to replace the silicone layer before you assess final results. Patch test on inner arm or behind the ear before first scalp use if your skin is highly reactive.
REAL RESULTS, REAL CUSTOMERS
A scalp that finally stops asking for attention.
Three women who read every label — and found one bar they could actually keep using.
"I have straight, fine hair and a scalp that flares at the first sign of synthetic fragrance. I'd been using a drugstore fragrance-free liquid for two years — it kept the itch manageable but left my ends snapping off. Three weeks into this bar, the flaking has quieted down and my hair bends instead of breaks. I patch-tested first. No reaction. That alone felt like a win."
"I live in a hard-water area in the Pacific Northwest and I was terrified of the transition period — I'd tried a different bar years ago and the waxy buildup was unbearable on my reactive scalp. For me, it lathered cleanly from wash one. By wash four, my scalp felt calmer than it had in months on the medicated dandruff shampoo I'd been relying on. Every ingredient is listed. No surprises. Individual results will vary — I patch-tested before committing."
"My hair is wavy and dry, and anything with synthetic fragrance — even the 'unscented' ones with masking agents — gives me a headache and a scalp flare by day two. The scent here is light and fades quickly; it's rose geranium and chamomile, not a fragrance department. My scalp has been quiet for six weeks. That's the longest stretch I can remember. Note: I patch-tested first — the essential oils are real, so if your skin is highly reactive, that step matters."
VERIFIED REVIEWS FROM SENSITIVE SCALPS
QUIET SCALP. SOFTER HAIR. NO SECOND-GUESSING.
Verified reviews from people with sensitive, reactive scalps and straight or wavy hair — filtered for flaking concerns and essential-oil-only fragrance preference.
THE PROBLEM
The Label Never Tells The Whole Story.
You have done everything right — read every INCI list, avoided sulfates, switched to 'unscented' — and your scalp is still not quiet.
'Unscented' Still Isn't The Same As No Synthetic Fragrance.
Some drugstore shampoos marketed as unscented may contain masking agents — compounds used to neutralize odor rather than add scent, which don't always appear as 'fragrance' on the label. Your scalp may still find them.
Medicated Shampoos Can Feel Like A Trade-Off.
The medicated dandruff shampoos that manage flaking often do it aggressively — and for some people, that means a scalp that calms down but hair that feels stripped in the process. You shouldn't have to choose between the two.
Bar Shampoos Feel Like A Gamble.
The waxy buildup period, the pH uncertainty, the ingredient list that looks short until you realize you don't recognize half of it — switching to a bar feels like a high-stakes experiment when your scalp already has a long memory for bad reactions.
THE ANSWER
One Bar. Every Ingredient Listed.
The Castor Oil Shampoo Bar is sulfate-free, preserves your scalp's quiet, and carries a full INCI list — no synthetic fragrance, not even a masking one.
Where medicated dandruff shampoos strip and drugstore fragrance-free liquids hide masking agents in the fine print, this bar does neither. Every ingredient is disclosed: Longsheng rice water and hydrolyzed rice protein to help fortify brittle strands, cocoa butter and shea butter to cleanse without the sting, and a scent profile built entirely from essential oils — rose geranium, chamomile, cedarwood, jasmine, patchouli, ho leaf, orange peel, and rose flower — nothing synthetic underneath. Castor oil contributes ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been studied for its role in scalp comfort; no growth or circulation claims are made here, only what the label shows. The sulfate-free, pH-balanced formula means reactive skin isn't caught between cleansing efficacy and comfort. If you're switching from a silicone-coated liquid shampoo, expect 3–4 washes to recalibrate — that's not a flaw, it's the bar replacing a coating your scalp never needed. Patch test recommended for highly reactive skin.
See the full system
Backed by the science
WHY IT WORKS
Three ingredients, three mechanisms — each one doing a specific job on a reactive, brittle scalp.
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Castor Oil Calms the Scalp
Castor oil's dominant fatty acid, ricinoleic acid, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may help reduce the scalp irritation and flaking that drive the itch-scratch cycle on sensitive skin. Research also supports its role in improving hair fiber hydration and elasticity — the physical flexibility that brittle strands lose first. That's a different mechanism than surface conditioning: it's working at the level of the strand and the scalp environment simultaneously.
PMC Castor Oil Dermatology Narrative Review 2025 -
Shea Butter Rebuilds the Barrier
Shea butter's fatty acid profile — oleic, stearic, and linoleic acids — works by reducing transepidermal water loss and reinforcing the skin barrier that harsh sulfates and synthetic preservatives erode over time. In an in vitro model of skin barrier function, shea butter application was associated with a meaningful increase in measured hydration levels; in a separate small clinical study, shea butter used as an emollient was associated with notable improvement in eczema severity scores over one week with no adverse events reported — though that study examined shea butter as a standalone ingredient, not this finished formula. For a scalp that has been stripped repeatedly, barrier restoration is the first thing that needs to happen before anything else can work.
PISRT Open Journal of Chemistry — Shea Butter Skin Barrier In Vitro Study 2025 -
Sulfate-free cleansing preserves moisture in porous hair
Bleached hair is highly porous — it absorbs and loses moisture faster than untreated hair. Sulfate-free cleansers remove buildup and oil without disrupting the lipid layer that keeps moisture locked inside the shaft.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology — sulfate-free formulations and hair moisture
Our Story
THE STORY BEHIND THE BAR
From the rice terraces of Longsheng to your shower — the most powerful, clean haircare you have ever used.
How To Use Videos
WHAT MAKES VIORI DIFFERENT
Everything you want to know — answered in 30 seconds or less.
Build Your Bundle
BAR, DUO, OR THE FULL SYSTEM.
Start where your scalp needs you to, and add only what it can handle.
The Single Bar
One ingredient list to read, one variable to test.
- Sulfate-free cleanse with no synthetic fragrance, not even a masking one
- Essential-oil-only scent: rose geranium, chamomile, cedarwood
- Patch test first — one product, one commitment
- Every ingredient listed, no surprises mid-wash
The Duo
Shampoo bar paired with a matching conditioner — same fragrance philosophy, same short ingredient list.
- Cleanse and condition without introducing a new fragrance profile
- Both steps formulated to work gently together — no synthetic fragrance in either formula
- Formulated for the label-reader who wants fewer products, not more
- Soft hair that doesn't come at the cost of a flare
- Patch test recommended for highly reactive skin — essential oils are listed in full
The Full System
Shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment — every step vetted, every ingredient listed.
- Three-step routine built around a reactive scalp's tolerance threshold
- Essential-oil-only scent profile across all three products — patch test recommended for highly reactive skin
- A scalp that finally stops asking for attention, wash after wash
- No synthetic fragrance, no parabens, no phthalates at any step
FAQ
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY.
It tones. The cool-toning pigment neutralizes yellow and brassy tones the same way a traditional purple shampoo does — the difference is the delivery system. Because the formula is sulfate-free, it corrects the tone without stripping the moisture that bleached hair can barely hold onto. Most people notice cooler, less brassy color within the first few washes.
No. Sulfate-free cleansers do not disrupt the lipid layer that keeps moisture inside the hair shaft. The Longsheng rice water in the formula adds amino acids and inositol that repair dry, porous fibers with every wash. Most customers with bleached, brittle hair report noticeably softer ends within the first week.
Most purple shampoos use sulfates to open the cuticle and deposit pigment. On bleached hair, that means solving the tone problem while making the dryness problem worse. This bar delivers the same toning result in a sulfate-free base, and adds rice water repair and biotin support — so you are not trading one problem for another.
For most people with bleached hair, 2–3 times per week works well. If your hair is very porous or has visible brassiness, you can use it at every wash. If you find the tone going too cool (slightly violet), reduce to once or twice a week and alternate with a moisturizing bar.
The shampoo bar cleanses and tones. The conditioner bar seals in the moisture and amino acids from the rice water and protects the cuticle between washes. For bleached hair — which is porous and loses moisture quickly — using both gives you the full repair benefit. The shampoo bar alone is a meaningful upgrade over a sulfate purple shampoo, but the duo is where the real difference shows.
Yes — most people need 2–3 washes for their hair to adjust from liquid shampoo to a bar formula. During that time your hair may feel slightly different as it clears out residue from previous products. Bleached hair typically adjusts faster than untreated hair because the cuticle is already more open. Stick with it past the first wash.
Each bar lasts 60–80 washes, which is the equivalent of 2–3 bottles of liquid shampoo. The bar stays dry between uses when stored on a bamboo holder with airflow drainage, which extends its life significantly. If you are washing 2–3 times a week, one bar typically lasts 5–8 months.