Our Shampoo Bar Shines in The Independent: A 5-Star Review

Our Shampoo Bar Shines in The Independent: A 5-Star Review for the Best Low pH and Gentle Wash

We’re thrilled to share some amazing news—our shampoo bar has just received a 5-star review in The Independent newspaper! Recognised for its incredible qualities, it has been crowned "Best Bar for Low pH and Gentle Wash." This is a huge honour, and we couldn’t be more excited to get this recognition.

Why the Review Matters

At An’du, we’ve always prioritised creating products that are gentle on your hair and the environment. Our shampoo bar is specifically designed with a pH balanced formula which, as well as containing post-biotics, help promote the maintenance of your scalp’s natural balance, nurturing healthier hair with every wash. Our sulphate and phthalate free formula sets us apart from many traditional shampoos that may contain harsh chemicals and additives which can strip hair of its natural oils.

What Makes Our Shampoo Bar Stand Out?

• Balanced pH Formula: Our shampoo bar is designed with a pH level that closely matches the natural pH of your scalp. This helps to lock in moisture, reduce frizz, and leave your hair feeling silky and smooth without harsh stripping.
• Gentle on the Scalp: Perfect for all hair types, including sensitive scalps, our shampoo bar provides a gentle yet effective cleanse without irritation. Say goodbye to itchy, dry scalp and hello to nourished hair!
• Contains post-biotics:  having part of our cleanser made via fermentation – the end result is the production of post-biotics – which are known to help support your scalp microbiome.
• Sustainable and Eco-Friendly: We’re committed to reducing plastic waste. Our shampoo bars are not only good for your hair but also for the planet. No plastic bottles here, just a solid, concentrated formula that’s long-lasting and travel friendly.
• Vegan, cruelty free: This has always been important to us and remains a cornerstone of our products.
• Sulphate, silicone, phthalate, paraben & petrochemical free: Why? Read below to see why we elected to leave these out of our bars.

Sulphates while helping the bar lather sulphates can, on some scalps, cause irritation. Read our blog on sulphates here  to find out more.

But in the interim, it’s good to know that our bars give a gentle cleanse and lather perfectly well without them.

Silicone gives an initial shine to your hair but over time can lead to build up. Along with having some coconut cleanser in our bar we have added grapeseed oil and to all of our bars and extra hydrolysed lupine seed oil to our bar for dry hair – all of which give a beautiful shine without the need for silicone.  

Parabens Many of the earlier parabens have now been banned, the remaining parabens allowed are usually restricted in the amount that you can add to your product. They are used as preservatives. It’s hard to get to the bottom of what is safe and what is not, many manufacturers claiming that their paraben containing product is safe, however while we have some scientific background we are not chemists and there are journal articles linking parabens with endocrine disruption – such as this one from Int J Environ Res Public Health . We therefore elected to be paraben free rather than having to defend our use of parabens.

Phthalates have been linked to hormone disruption including contributing to obesity, increasing the risk of diabetes and interference with male genital development.

Petrochemicals Finally exposure to petrochemicals, a biproduct of fossil fuel production, has been linked to health problems including cancer according to the New England Journal of Medicine published 6^th March 2024.  

The Recognition: A Milestone for Us

Being recognised by The Independent is not just a testament to the effectiveness of our product, but also to the countless hours of research, testing, and dedication we’ve put into crafting the perfect shampoo bar. Their review has confirmed what we’ve always believed—that gentle, sustainable hair care doesn’t have to compromise on quality.

What This Means for You

We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us on this journey. If you haven’t tried our shampoo bar yet, now is the perfect time to experience it for yourself! Our 5-star rated shampoo bar is available now, and we can’t wait for you to see why it’s being celebrated by The Independent.

Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting products that are good for you and the planet. Here’s to gentle, effective, and sustainable hair care!

And finally.

We don’t want to boast, but, out of the 17 bars reviewed only 4 (and that’s including ours) got 5 stars. Well may be a little boast!!

So next time you pick up one of our bars – it’s good to know that you are not the only one who thinks that it’s a 5 star bar.

Read the review here and see for yourself  how we do compared to other products, or for those of you who don’t want to click through this is the review below.

An'du back to basics shampoo bar

• Best: For a gentle, low pH
• Sulphate free: Yes
• Vegan: Yes
• Cruelty-free: Yes
• Why we love it
• Delicate on the scalp
• Free from plastic
• Effectively cleanses hair without drying

Founded by a mother and daughter duo, An’du creates haircare products that have as little impact on the environment as possible. Its shampoo bars are free from mica (a mineral commonly included in shampoos, mining for which is associated with human rights issues, including child labour) for a more ethical makeup. Opting for biofermented surfactants (versus a sulfate-prompted lather), An’du shampoo bars are gentler on scalps with a lower pH and boost moisture while minimising dryness.

Using the bar on day three hair, we found it foamed up nicely and was easy to distribute throughout the scalp for a quick and thorough cleanse. What’s more, after drying, we found that our hair looked glossy and smooth, and felt as soft as when using our usual silicone-heavy formulas.