By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 9/12/25 – For over four decades, J.R. Liggett’s has been quietly revolutionizing the way we think about haircare. What began as one man’s curiosity and a nod to family tradition, joined by his wife and co-founder Diane Miller, has grown into a global brand beloved by eco-conscious consumers, allergy sufferers, and everyday people seeking a more natural approach to shampoo.
Founder James “JR” Liggett didn’t always plan on being in the shampoo business. With a background in advertising, he was immersed in the world of marketing before rediscovering his great-aunt’s soap-making notes from the late 1800s. Inspired, he began experimenting in his own kitchen.
“From a small kitchen in New Hampshire to shelves across the globe, we’ve built more than just a shampoo bar—we’ve created a legacy,” Liggett reflected. “Long before eco-friendly was a buzzword, I was handcrafting all-natural alternatives that would go on to define a generation of sustainable beauty.”
That “something” became J.R. Liggett’s Old-Fashioned Bar Shampoo, now celebrating 43 years of growth, with his stepdaughter Jamie Miller helping lead the next chapter from their farm in Cornish, New Hampshire.
At the heart of J.R. Liggett’s success is its commitment to simplicity and sustainability. Unlike many liquid shampoos loaded with harsh chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, J.R. Liggett’s bar shampoos are crafted from natural ingredients that cleanse without irritating skin.
Liggett explained, “Sodium lauryl sulfate is in virtually every liquid shampoo, soap, bubble bath, and toothpaste, it’s terrible for your hair. Our shampoo helps people with allergies who can’t use other products. We’ve had customers tell us it’s the only thing they can use, even to wash their clothing.”
He recalled a moving letter from a customer with severe allergies who had to live in a highly restricted environment: “She told me, ‘I wanted to let you know that I use your shampoo, it works beautifully for me, and I even wash my clothing with it.’ That’s when I realized this was making a real difference.”
The brand’s journey has been filled with memorable stories, including one about Audrey Hepburn, who had used J.R. Liggett’s shampoo during her travels. “We later received a handwritten letter from her,” Liggett recalled with a smile. “She said she liked the shampoo very much but didn’t want her name used to advertise it. That was really remarkable.”
Liggett has seen countless other moments of delight from first-time users. “You can use a bad product once, but you’ll never use it again,” he said. “If you have a good product, you’ll just keep getting it over and over. People try our shampoo and see a noticeable difference in their hair, it’s healthier, shinier, and easier to manage.”
With Jamie Miller stepping into a leadership role, the future looks bright for this American legacy brand. Liggett summed up his journey in one simple but powerful sentence: “It is refreshing and unusual to have something that you have come up with yourself, brought to life from zero, and affects so many different people in a positive way.”
Today, J.R. Liggett’s is available worldwide through Amazon, Walmart, and their website (JRLiggett.com), and their reach continues to expand across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Yet the company has never strayed from its roots in craftsmanship and authenticity.
For Valerie Milano and The Hollywood Times, the conversation marks the start of a broader collaboration: product reviews, YouTube features, and editorial coverage designed to introduce J.R. Liggett’s to even more households.
As Liggett reflected, “We’ve been doing this for over 43 years, long before bar shampoo was trendy. There’s only one reason we’ve lasted that long: people really like our shampoo. It works well for them.”
Enjoy our interview with Liggett here:
