There is no doubt we all shower daily. Especially after a hectic day at work and the stress that comes from the scorchy sun, the only thing on our mind when we get home is to jump right into the bathroom under that toasty water and take a fresh shower with that fresh luxury cleanser on our bathroom shelve. But have you ever taken a moment to think about your regular shower gel vs body wash in terms of the result they give your skin?
Which one do you think works well for you, especially for those of you with complicated skin conditions?
Well, today we are going to look at whether or not they are the same, if not, what are the differences and characteristics.
Shower Gel vs Body Wash – The Difference
Many individuals mistakenly harbor this believe that body wash and shower gel are all the same, they are not. As a result, if you try to ask users around you about the main use of shower gel, you’ll get the same answer as for body wash. It is obvious that both products are meant to wash your body when showering, due to their emollients, which help soften the skin, and surfactants, which form a luxurious, bubbly lather.
But there are some significant distinctions or differences between them – ingredient concentration and consistency.
Shower gel benefits
According to Dr. Lefkowicz, (a certified dermatologist who specializes in both basic and aesthetic dermatology), the consistency of shower gel is firm and gel-like, and is typically stronger in fragrance, and can also be applied on the hair based on its formula. She also added that shower gels are beneficial alternatives for those who live in hot, humid areas or have oily skin.
Body wash benefits
Body wash, on the other hand, has a thinner and lighter formula, and turns to mimic the consistency of liquid soap, which gives your skin more moisture and hydration which makes it an ideal choice for people with dry skin concerns.
As a result, the body wash formula is more effective and preferable in harsh and cold weather. It helps to prevent moisture loss from the skin, which can lead to skin injury.
Both products can be applied directly from the container using a pouf to get a generous amount of lather and body coverage. But since their texture concentration differs, they both clean differently.
Which is best – Body Wash or Shower Gel?
Now that you are aware of the fundamental distinctions between shower gel vs body wash, the obvious worry is usually – which one is best for me?
And to others, it is – should I buy both and use them at different intervals, or just stick to one?
Now, to be honest with you, there is just no straightforward answer to this question. Everything comes down to the type of skin you are under. Both shower gels, and physical body cleans, are typically good for males, females, as well as children, regardless of the composition and elements.
Below are some facts to consider taking a look into, when stock in-between choice.
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Consider Your Skin Type
The first thing to do is to know your skin type. Having a good knowledge of your skin type gives you an idea of which one is best for you.
As a routine, whenever you step into the shop to pick up your product set, you always take some time to study the product description to see if the product is actually suitable for oily skin, dry skin, normal skin, or acne-prone skin, and so on, before choosing and buying your face wash or makeup.
This should also be the case with choosing your showering products. So, let’s start with what to first look into, before heading over to the store to start filling up your bag.
To start with, ask yourself these questions –
What skin type or skin concern do you have?
Is it combination, acne-prone or does your skin struggle to stay moisturized all through the day, etc.?
Until you understand your body’s natural tendencies, you won’t be able to find products that will help you out.
If you don’t yet have a good knowledge of your skin tendency, or you are still struggling with understanding your skin, then head over to this link and learn more on how to know your skin type.
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Consider Your Climate
The issue of skin type is just one piece of the bubble. An effective body cleanser also resonates with the climatic condition of your present location. I already mentioned this somewhere, but I thought I should touch on it in a little more detail.
So, if you reside in a tropical location with hot, humid weather, then you should ideally go for a shower gel that is formulated with cooling characteristics, such as cucumber.
But if your location is such a cold and a dry one, then you ideally should consider getting a body wash with hydrating effect. A body wash that will help to lock in moisture unto your skin.
More on that below!
There is an endless number of shower products in the market but you should go for just what will work best for you. Don’t be fascinated by the pool of options available. Know what you want. You can explore the different varieties of fragrances and textures in the market and enjoy a spa-like shower experience, knowing this is what I want.
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Consider Suitability
People with skin conditions such as – Sensitive skin, eczema, acne, or rosacea, should specifically watch the type of cleaning products they use on their skin. Be it shower gel, body wash or even bar soap, it should not be such that will dry or cause irritation to your skin.
As much as possible, go for something hypoallergenic that doesn’t have strong fragrances and will not deplete the natural oils in your skin.
Their Main Ingredients or Substances
- Water- This is what makes these products uniquely uniform and also serve as a solvent allowing other ingredients to produce optimal results.
- Chemicals – The chemicals used in these showering products enable them to have long-life serviceability while keeping the product safe and making it capable enough for any microbial aggressions.
- Emulsifiers – This is the ingredient that enables the products to form. It is the reason for the gel-like texture of these showering products.
- Surfactants – This ingredient is more focused on the skin layer to enable the product to lather up and do its magic on the skin.
- Detergent – This is where the product takes its cleaning power to work on the skin. It is more like the soap that is used to do the work.
- Scent – This is exactly what makes the use of downpour or gel-like showering products an exciting experience. The scent of these products comes from a fine blend of plant extracts and vital oils.
Ingredients to Avoid When Choosing Your Bathing Products
It’s best to avoid products with parabens and phthalates, based on Dr. Lefkowicz’s advice, especially those of you who have had bad reactions to soap previously. She also recommended keeping a close watch on products with strong perfumes or colors, as these might irritate some people with sensitive skin.
Microbeads, which are commonly found in exfoliating cleansers are another element she recommends avoiding because they might be damaging to your environment.
On the other hand, she advises that it is preferable to look for products that contain ingredients that are moisturizing, rather than just hydrating. You should use a body cleanser that helps your skin to improve with time, rather than harming it.
Body cleansing products that contain Petroleum jelly, hyaluronic acid, and ceramics always work well.
Antioxidants in Bathing Products
Antioxidants are important in bathing products and at the same time, they are not. You must lather up with a body wash or shower gel for at least one minute to experience the benefits.
Dr. David Bank, M.D., declared that applying cleansers for shorter durations doesn’t enable beneficial components in the product to fully adhere to the skin. On the ingredient list of a shower gel or body wash, the following beneficial and antioxidant ingredients should be included – Goji – Acai super fruits – Coffee – Mangosteen – Green or white tea – Pomegranate.
Some body cleaning products even contain beneficial and skin conditioning ingredients that will benefit your skin after long use –
- Glycolic or lactic acid
- Retinol (vitamin A)
- Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
- Panthenol (vitamin B5)
- L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and
- Tocopherol (vitamin E)
Choosing Your Products According to Your Skin Concern
Though body wash and shower gel have very competing names, it’s unclear where that leaves the person who is interested in body care products that best meet their unique needs.
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Normal & Dry Skin Concern
For people who experience dry skin in especially problem areas such as the knees, hands, and elbows, a mild body wash will likely be the best choice. You can equally go for mild bar soap.
Unless you have been prescribed a medicated soap by your doctor, hypoallergenic products will do well for you or any skin condition.
Best Body Wash Recommendation!
Our #1 body wash recommendation for people with dry skin would be
Dove DermaSeries Body Wash
This body wash was formulated with the best sunflower oil, which helps to form a barrier on the skin that prevents moisture from escaping, as well as humectant that gives the skin the ability to absorb water into the skin’s upper layer.
It is a mild body wash that will work well for both severely dry and itchy skin. It is soap-free, fragrance-free, and hypoallergenic as well, and will suit your wallet.
#2 recommendation will be the –
Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash
This product will clean your dry skin without depleting the skin of its natural moisture. It contains a rich composition of essential oils such as – (sandalwood, lavender, and lemon), as well as an ingredient called Panthenol, which is good for moisturizing the skin. Can equally be used to take a bubble bath.
#3 recommendation –
OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Body Wash
The body wash contains copious amounts of rich coconut oil, tiare essence, as well as vanilla bean extract, making this body wash ultra-hydrating. This is a creamy, yet rich, tropical-flavored body wash that will helps your skin retain moisture for hours. It is paraben-free and sulfate-free, which makes it equally suitable for sensitive skin conditions.
#4 recommendation –
CeraVe Body Wash for Dry Skin
It’s a soothing, hypoallergenic cleansing gel that’s ideal for both dry, dehydrated, and skin sensitivity. With this body wash, dirt and sebum are effectively and completely removed. It ensures that the hydrolipidic layer of your skin is restored, and the skin is deeply moisturized, but it does not produce bubbles. It is equally parabens-free, fragrance-free, and soap-free. It also contains hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
#5 recommendation –
Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash
It will deeply cleanse your skin, and at the same time, exfoliate dead skin cells leaving you with soft and supple skin.
More recommendation –
- Eucerin Skin Calming Body Wash
- The Seaweed Bath Co. Body Wash, Citrus Vanilla
- Raw Shea Butter Body Wash by Shea Moisture for Unisex
They are all good choices for dry and troubled skin and will give your skin the same result.
Tips For the Best Result:
After your shower, in order to obtain daily skin cleansing needs of dry skin, you should follow up with Rosemary Lave & Tropical Lave body cleansers from Epicuren Discovery. They are all mild formulas and smell like spa.
Some skins are so stubborn that they still get dry. If that is the case with you, and after-shower moisturizer like the Kukui Coconut Moisturizer is an effective option for restoring moisture. It is specifically formulated to help lock in moisture and keep the skin fresh and hydrated.
Oily & Blemish-Skin Condition
Those who have acne or oily skin are already aware that even with the best, most thorough cleansing approach, rarely keeps their skin clean for more than a day. Ideally, a shower gel will be the best choice for you.
This cleansing product is ideal for people with oily skin because they contain clarifying properties that help to remove extra oil from the skin. Chapped skin conditions can also be alleviated with emollient shower gel, that has skin-calming ingredients like Vitamin E.
Thereafter, using a moisturizing product that gives the skin the right amount of moisture, however, can help reduce the level of oil your skin produces, helping to keep the pores clear as well as reducing the amount of acne you get.
Use Coconut Hydrating Milk from Epicuren Discovery. It is a professional hydrating lotion for daily moisturizing, following your daily cleansing process for long-lasting moisture. It is also good for all skin types.
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Sensitive Skin Condition
Because the level of pH in body washes is relatively low, it will be a great choice for people with sensitive skin.
Essential oils like sandalwood, lemon, or lavender, as well as moisturizing agents like panthenol (a chemical that comes from pantothenic acid), fatty acid (that cleanses without drying the skin), and vitamin B 5, are commonly used in body washes.
And if you are a victim of keratosis pilaris (a skin condition that causes tiny bumps, dry and rough patches on the skin), then a body wash containing glycolic acid will help to exfoliate dead skin cells.
Our #1 body wash recommendation for sensitive skin –
Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash
This body wash was formulated with 8.8pfav glycolic acid. It will deeply cleanse your skin, and at the same time, exfoliate dead skin cells leaving you with soft and supple skin. Glycolic acid is a powerful chemical exfoliant that helps to soften rough patches, bumps, and uneven skin without irritating your skin.
If you are having Keratosis Pilaris, this will be a good choice for you. It is also good for people with dry skin concerns.
Tips For the Best Result:
The use of bar soap is commonly practiced in our society these days but for someone with sensitive skin, it is advisable to completely avoid them. This is because they contain alkaline, which is the opposite of your skin’s natural pH level.
Best Scent for Your Showering Product
Whichever showering product you end up picking, finding the right scent that actually invigorates and relaxes your skin in the morning at work, or at that night party, is another experience you don’t want to miss.
Below is listed some beautiful scent you may want to consider as do your selection –
- Wild Red Cherry
- Nouveau Rose
- Vanilla Sugar
- Fresh Citrus
- Lavender Chamomile
- Luscious Lemon
- Ivy & Lily
- Coconut Crème
The Right Way to Use Your Shower Gel or Body Wash
First, using neither product is not new to you, I’m pretty sure. There are just some alternative ways to do so that may be more economical and hygienic to your product and skin concern.
New bathing procedures just keep coming up on a regular basis.
Because, after doing a great job of choosing some of the greatest shower gel or body wash from a beautiful body care store shelve—whether you chose one that foams, one with a floral aroma, or one that provides enough hydration—there is still the need to know how to go about using it the right way.
So, keep reading to learn more!
1. Use Your Hands
Using your hands to apply your shower gel or body wash is the most convenient and cost-effective alternative amongst all. Simply squeeze a tiny quantity of your product into your palm while in the shower, regardless of the product you’ve chosen. Proceed as usual, to apply to your skin for proper cleansing, after rubbing your hands together to lather up a bit.
Scrub vigorously every inch of your skin in a circular motion – afterward, thoroughly rinse with water to remove all traces of the scrub.
2. Use a Loofa
The second option of using a loofah would be a good choice for people who need to exfoliate in the dry winter months when your skin is dry and needs extra pampering, or such as when you are going to shave. Adding loofa into your routine can give you a spa-like showering experience.
Loofahs are typically made of a thin plastic material that can be used to exfoliate and pull dead skin cells off the surface of your body with your shower gel or body wash.
Simply pour a small amount of shower gel or body wash into the sponge, then take a few seconds to run the brush under the facet, and then scrub your whole body for proper cleansing.
But don’t scrub too hard, of course, you don’t want to be too hard on yourself. It should be sudsy and very relaxing.
NOTE: I must say this, do not keep your damp sponge in the shower. Doing so will call for bacteria. So, on a regular basis, always wash your loofa after using it. And remember to replace it before it is gross.
3. Use a Wash Cloth
The absence of the above options does not equal the absence of options.
NO!
Of course, you can still use your hands, but an old washcloth is another option you can equally explore. Simply moisten your washcloth under the faucet, dispense a small amount of your body wash or shower gel onto the cloth, massage it together to make suds, and proceed to scrub your body. The washcloth also exfoliates like the loofa. So. do have a good time.
4. Use a Body Brush
Showering can be a chore, especially when the only thing on your mind is to snuggle into bed after a stressful day, but there are ways to improve your shower experience, even just by changing the way you bathe your body.
Washing up with a body brush feels fantastic on the back and can also help your scrubbing to reach regions that are usually difficult to reach with your hands.
Using the body brush is simple. Just apply a small amount of your product to your body brush, wet it under the faucet, and begin scrubbing.
Over to You!
Now, you should remember to always be gentle with all of the above-mentioned techniques, especially with the last one, to avoid ending up with artificial ruddy skin. A skin looking red as a tomato. Because the idea here is just cleansing and exfoliating the skin including areas not easily reachable with the hand.
So, beware of your use of these methods, any wrong use may end up with irritation and that is not good for your skin.
How to Follow up After Showering
Now, this is something most people don’t know, or even misunderstand.
You should apply a body moisturizer shortly after you get out of your shower, while your body is still slightly damp, it will help your skin to stay as hydrated as possible. I know you will think it is counterproductive, rather it helps to lock in moisture.
Is shower gel body wash or shampoo?
Well, shower gel and body wash are almost the same things but with slight differences in the area of their ingredients as well as other natural factors. You can read more about this from the beginning of this post.
But none of the above are shampoo. Yes – it is true shower gel can be used on the hair as a shampoo, but as an alternative, and not as a shampoo in and of itself. If you want to experience a complete shampoo result, then get a shampoo. But in the absence of shampoo, you can use your shower gel.
Because they all have their unique roll each for which they were produced.
Shower Gel vs Soap
Bar soaps are good for teenagers and younger people. But as you grow older, it is advisable to switch to a shower gel or body wash that soothe your skin. Whichever one you choose, it should be gentle and moisturizing, such that will make your skin healthy with time. This will give your skin a softer, smoother, and healthier texture that will last for long.
Final Thought
I believe you now have a good knowledge between shower gel and body wash. But in case you are overwhelmed by information overload, then keep this in mind. Before choosing your bathing product, the first thing to take note of is your skin type and skin condition, next – the weather condition of your location, and suitability and make sure you check the ingredient list carefully.
There is also no problem getting both, and using each at different intervals, but you should know when to use which one. As you use it, you should pay attention to how it reacts to your skin, so you don’t end up with a different result.