FAQs

General

Currently we have five signature formulas: Hydrate, Heal, Fortify, Sensitive, and Detox. The purpose and target hair type for each formula is detailed on our Collections and Shop pages, or you can take our hair quiz to determine the right match for you.

If you have any further questions, feel free to get in touch by contacting info@conscia.life. For expert advice, book a live consultation with our co-founder Nicole Brown here.

Saturate your hair with water and wet the stone. Massage your head in a circular motion with the flat side of the stone, covering your entire scalp. Rub the shampoo into a full lather. Leave it in for 2 minutes to maximize the benefits of the extracts. Rinse thoroughly. Repeat as needed.

Wet the stone with warm water, allowing it to sit in the water for up to 1 minute to activate the butters. Rub the flat side of the stone on your palm in a circular motion to create a thin, filmy coat. Rub your hands together and work the conditioner through your hair from the middle to ends of your strands. A little goes a long way, so start with less. Leave it in for at least 2 minutes to maximize the benefits of the extracts. Rinse thoroughly.

One full-size solid shampoo stone is equivalent to two 8 oz. plastic bottles of shampoo. Each stone lasts over 80 washes on average, compared to 28 washes from one liquid bottle — though this depends on your individual wash frequency and how much hair you have. 

One full-size solid conditioner stone is equivalent to two 8 oz. plastic bottles of conditioner. Each stone lasts over 80 uses on average, compared to 28 uses from one liquid bottle — though this depends on your individual conditioning frequency and how much hair you have.

Simply place the stone on a soap dish with drainage for daily in-shower use. Ideally, keep stones away from spraying and pooling water, or store outside of the shower. If the stone is on a flat bottom surface, it will hold standing water and make the stone turn mushy. It’s best to air the stone out in between washes. Soon, we will have our unique vessel ready to share!

Yes!  Natural ingredients have vitamins and nutrients that our scalp needs for a balanced microbiome, which in turn creates healthy hair. Our green chemistry ingredients enhance these natural ingredients to achieve the performance quality of salon-grade formulas, without being harsh on the scalp and stripping it of its own oils, which is what often causes inflammation.

Each Conscia shampoo and conditioner stone is hand-sculpted and one-of-a-kind. Our products are crafted in our small laboratory in Portland, Oregon through an extensive process of mixing, molding, and shaping, with pride and care in every step. Every stone has a wabi-sabi feel, appreciating that beauty is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete in nature.

Conscia packaging is entirely recyclable and compostable—down to the stickers we use. We ship in cardboard boxes made from 100% post recycled paper and no virgin materials. Each stone is wrapped in hemp cloth in the traditional Japanese furoshiki style. Hemp is the most sustainable fabric to produce, and is also antimicrobial, making it safe to reuse to store your stone in when traveling. We are a plastic-free company, so there is no waste; everything is reusable, recyclable or compostable.

For the best results when traveling, air dry Conscia products as much as possible. Pat the stones dry with any cloth, then stow in the hemp cloth you received at purchase. Hemp cloth is antimicrobial, and therefore very safe to reuse.

Ingredients

In typical shampoos and conditioners, water comprises ~90% of the formula and is essentially a filler ingredient.  This dilutes the formula, with a lower concentration of active ingredients. Conscia advocates for the preservation of water resources to ensure the future health of our planet. That’s why we don’t use any water in the making of our products — which also means there is a higher concentration of the active, natural ingredients we select to heal and nourish your hair and scalp. Our shampoos and conditioners are activated by water in your bath ritual, but have no additional water waste. We also recommend shorter showers!

Many other solid shampoos are soap-based. Soap is made out of oil and lye combined and heated, resulting in a chemical reaction called saponification. In soap, the pH balance (or acid-base balance) is around 9, which is alkaline and opens up hair cuticles, letting water in and ultimately weakening and damaging hair.

Our formulations use surfactants made via a Sydnet-based process (short for 'synthetic' + 'detergent') — meaning the surfactants are produced synthetically by combining plant oils with other natural molecules. Our gentle cleansing ingredients are made from plant-based renewable resources (primarily coconut). Conscia products achieve a balanced 4.5-5.5 pH, which means they are extra mild on your hair and scalp and keep your cuticles closed from damage. Our products work equally well in hard or soft water, and are naturally-derived and biodegradable.

All Conscia products are safe for colored or treated hair because they are sulfate free and pH balanced. We use gentle cleansing ingredients that aren’t harsh on hair or color. Being pH balanced keeps the cuticles closed, maintaining color deposits in the hair for long-lasting vibrancy. Our Heal formula specifically targets chemically-treated hair, with specialized ingredients that offer enduring protection and chemical “burn” prevention, helping to promote healthy cuticles. The complex utilizes matrix-style scaffolding which acts like roof shingles on a house, protecting the hair and making it stronger because the formula’s layers bind on top of each other. It’s the ultimate bleach sidekick.

Completely. Our products are derived from natural ingredients and contain botanicals, essential oils, vitamins, minerals, butters, and enhancers that are sourced from local producers and distributors in Oregon. They are 100% vegan and do not contain artificial fragrances, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, or silicones. We don’t use harsh surfactants like other traditional shampoos, which can be damaging to the hair.

No, Conscia products do not contain sulfates, phthalates, parabens or silicones.

Yes, all Conscia products are 100% vegan.

We never test on animals. We follow stringent ethical standards directly and indirectly with our supply chain partners. We use very safe ingredients and only test on ourselves. 

Yes, Conscia products are totally gluten-free.

No, Conscia doesn’t use any artificial fragrances. All of our ingredients are natural and have a distinct purpose. The scents come from pure essential oils which help heal the hair and scalp, protect the scalp from stressors, provide anti-microbial benefits to aid in balancing the scalp microbiome, and offer anti-inflammatory benefits to soothe irritation. Bonus: the aromas also benefit the mind and overall wellness by uplifting mood and inviting calm and relaxation.

No, Conscia doesn’t use artificial color. We use only botanical powder extracts and clays for healing properties, and in return they create the beautiful colors of the stones, with variation from stone to stone.

Our stones contain plant butters and other ingredients that can melt in humid or hot temperatures, making the stones softer. And as Conscia is plastic-free and committed to a low carbon footprint, we don’t use insulation or freezer packs in our shipping. During the summer, it is possible that our stones will soften while in transit. Regardless of season, we recommend that you store your stones as soon as possible in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use them. Please feel free to contact us with any concerns before you place your order.

Our products are not USDA certified organic. However, we use USDA certified organic ingredients whenever possible in all our products.

Mindful hair care with radiant results