CURL-DEFINING Shampoo Bar

Thanks so much for your amazing review—and for being part of our journey toward even more sustainable haircare! 💚

To answer your question: yes, our new packaging is still 100% home-compostable and recyclable. Even with the shinier look, we've kept it plastic-free and planet-friendly—just with a little extra sparkle!

And you’re right on the money about styling products too. As we focus on haircare for 2025 and beyond, creating sustainable styling options are definitely on our radar. Thanks again for your encouragement—it means the world to us!

Thanks so much for your detailed review, Isabella—and for being a long-time supporter of our curly hair range. We’re truly sorry to hear how disappointing this packaging and shape change has felt, and we really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience so thoroughly.

The updated bar shape is part of a wider brand evolution we undertook after interviewing over 5,000 Ethique customers across NZ, the US, Australia, the UK and Canada. What we heard was that while many people loved the bars, the range didn’t always feel intuitive—and our shapes and packaging weren’t always working for everyone. So, we took a step back and reimagined how we could make our bars more accessible, easy to use, and recognisable at a glance—without compromising on our commitment to being plastic-free and high-performance.

The new crescent shape was tested extensively with customers—many of whom live with conditions that affect dexterity, like arthritis and peripheral neuropathy. Their feedback helped us land on a shape that’s easier to grip, better aligned with how people apply bars to hair and body, and one that wears down more evenly for most. That said, we completely understand that it hasn’t worked for you—and we’re genuinely sorry for the frustration it’s caused.

Our original In-Shower Container was created more than seven years ago and wasn’t designed with this updated shape in mind. While a new container is in development, we know that’s not helpful in the here and now—and your point about having invested in a functional system that no longer fits is absolutely fair.

We’ve shared your feedback directly with our product team, and we want to thank you again for your honest review. While this new shape has worked well for many, we know it won’t suit everyone—and we’re grateful for the chance to learn from loyal customers like you. 💚

Thanks so much for your review, Lilly—and for your long-term support of the Curl-Defining Shampoo Bar. We’re really glad you like the new shape ergonomically, but we’re sorry to hear it’s created a mismatch with the previous bar holders. We completely understand how frustrating that is—especially when you’ve invested in storage to reduce waste. We’re currently working on updated travel and in-shower containers to better suit the new bar shapes, and we’ve shared your feedback with the team.

As for the lather, the Curl-Defining bar is sulfate-free and has always been a low-lather formula, designed to cleanse gently while supporting curly and textured hair. The new version includes a small upgrade—FiberHance™, a bond multiplier to help strengthen and protect hair—but otherwise remains close to the original formulation.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts. Feedback like yours is incredibly valuable as we continue to improve and evolve. 💚