The first Solid Shampoo bar I ever tried was Lush's New, a small but powerful red disk that promised shine and radiated warm scents of cinnamon. Since then, I've been hooked.

I've tried Lush's Soak and Float, Montalbano, Godiva, Soak and Float and most recently, Seanik.

Solid Shampoo Bars do seem a bit daunting, but once you get used to them they can transform the way you wash.

Admittedly, I skipped this step when I purchased my first bar. After spending £6.50 on shampoo, I was a little hesitant to splurge an additional few quid on a tin to keep it in.

It'd be fine, right?

Wrong. They do lose their shape after a while, so get a good container, whether it be the specially-made Lush tin, a small Tupperware or glass jar. The steam and humidity in your bathroom will more than likely cause it to disintegrate - not pretty.

Separate your hair.

Naturally, you will wash your hair a bit differently with a shampoo bar.

I thought it was just me at first, but my Lushie friend experienced the same thing. For some reason - possibly because our monkey minds are quite simple - you seem to miss out the back part of your head, towards the nape of your neck.

The solution we came up with is to section your hair into two pigtails and scrub your hairline the whole way around, then down your parting and then massage with your fingertips.

Don't leave it to melt.

My bathroom gets particularly condensated as it's poorly ventilated. If yours is the same, be careful not to let it melt - again, a sealed tin or jar will work wonders.

Also please don't leave your new bar near to a radiator or even in direct sunlight. Sure, when it cools down it'll go solid again, but if you haven't got a trusty container, it'll just melt and reform to its surroundings.

You could even keep it in the fridge if you're not as forgetful as I am, or don't mind doing a naked dash to the kitchen everytime you wash your hair.

Expect it to be a bit different.

As with any new product, expect the process to be a bit different from your usual routine. With a solid bar, you're massaging your head with the bar, rather than squirting a blob into your fingertips.

Perceiver.

One thing I would say is to try a few different types before you completely rule out shampoo bars.

I loved New at the time, but after trying other recipes, it certainly isn't my favourite. I'm also keen to try some non-Lush branded bars and even try my hand at making my own.

You wouldn't rule out all liquid shampoo just because you don't like Head & Shoulders, right?

Have you ever tried a shampoo bar? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.

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