admin Shower gel vs. body wash – it is hard to tell the difference between the two. True, these terms are generally used interchangeably. Although both are liquid cleansers for your body, there is quite a distinction between them. Both are appropriate for different types of skin and textures. This article compares body washes and shower gels, discusses how they differ from bar soaps, and recommends which one to use. Keep reading!
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Differences Between A Shower Gel, Body Wash, And A Bar Soap
Shower gels, body washes, and bar soaps cleanse the skin. However, there is a difference between all three of them.
1. Structure And Texture
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Shower gels have a firm and thick gel-like consistency as they contain a thickening polymer to increase their viscosity. On the other hand, body washes have a thin and runny consistency. They are liquid soaps and have a creamy and lotion-like texture.
Bar soaps, on the contrary, are solid soap blocks available in various shapes, fragrances, colors, and designs.
2. Fragrance Content
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Body washes have mild fragrances, while shower gels have higher fragrance content as they have a higher concentration of ingredients intended to soothe your senses.
Bar soaps contain stronger and long-lasting fragrances than a body wash or shower gel.
3. Skin Type
Shower gels are great for oily skin as they have clarifying properties and can wash away excess dirt and sebum. They are also suitable for anyone who has an active lifestyle, sweats a lot, or spends most of their time outdoors.
Compared to shower gels, body washes have moisturizing properties and are suitable for dry and sensitive skin. They have a creamy consistency and may contain emollients, vitamin B5, fatty acids, panthenol, and other skin-soothing and hydrating ingredients. Body washes cleanse the skin without drying it out.
Bar soaps are alkaline compared to your skin’s pH, so it is better to avoid them for sensitive skin. However, if you have normal skin, you can try using mild bar soap.
StyleCraze SaysYou may look for mild soaps with ingredients like glycerine, goat milk, sodium palmate, sodium stearate, or lauric acid for less skin irritation and better moisturization.Related: Daily Skin Care Routine – 5 Simple Steps For Every Skin Type
4. Exfoliating Effects
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Shower gels often contain exfoliating ingredients like sea salt, oatmeal, and microbeads that help remove dead skin cells from the skin and keep the skin pores clean. Body washes and soaps usually do not contain such exfoliating ingredients unless they are for specific skin issues like acne.
Related: 10 Homemade Body Scrubs For Glowing Skin And Their Benefits
5. Hygienic Packaging
Shower gels and body washes come in hygienic bottle packaging that protects the liquid soap from bacteria buildup, air, and physical contact.
From a hygiene point of view, bar soaps are not an ideal choice as the bacteria accumulate on wet surfaces of the soaps and can spread from one person to another.
StyleCraze SaysYou may keep the bar soap in a soap dish that has holes to drain out the water and dry the soap to prevent bacterial accumulation. It will also make the soap last longer.
Apart from these differences, shower gels, body washes, and bar soaps also differ in their ingredients. Read on to know more about them.
Key Ingredients In A Shower Gel, Body Wash, And Bar Soap
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Shower gels are formulated with six main ingredients These include:
- Water: Shower gels are water-based. It gives the desired consistency to shower gels and functions as a liquid solvent for the other ingredients.
- Detergents: These are surfactants that clean the skin and create the lather.
- Emulsifiers: They are responsible for the foam and also give a gel-like consistency to the shower gel.
- Preservatives: Since shower gels need a long shelf life, these preservatives help keep them safe and prevent microbial contamination.
- Fragrance: Fragrance is an essential element of a shower gel that gives it a pleasant scent. It is best to choose a shower gel with a natural fragrance from plant extracts or essential oils. However, some may contain synthetic fragrances.
The ingredients of body washes typically include humectants, surfactants, emulsifiers, vitamin E, essential oils, and other natural extracts. They may also contain skin-nourishing ingredients like ceramides, plant oils, and antibacterial agents like triclosan.
On the other hand, bar soaps are made of oils, fats, and an alkaline solution through a process known as saponification. They contain sodium cocoate, sodium palmate, sodium tallowate, and similar ingredients. In bar soaps, sodium hydroxide is generally used as lye, while in liquid soaps, potassium hydroxide is used. The oil and lye are heated together to formulate a bar soap.
If you are wondering which one will be suitable for your skin, check out the next section.
Shower Gel, Body Wash, And Bar Soap: Which One Is Right For You?
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- Shower Gel
It is suitable for most skin types, especially oily skin, as it is water-based and cleanses the skin thoroughly.
- Body Wash
If you have dry and sensitive skin and feel tight and flaky after a shower, it is best to use a body wash. It contains moisturizing ingredients that cleanse without drying and coat your skin to retain moisture levels.
Related: 16 Must Know Beauty Tips For Sensitive Skin
- Bar Soap
Bar soaps are suitable for all skin types. However, they may feel a bit drying for sensitive and dry skin. If you are using bar soap, follow up with a moisturizer, irrespective of the skin type.
Whether you are using a shower gel, body wash, or bar soap, always moisturize the skin for proper hydration. Ensure that you apply moisturizer on damp skin to make it soft and plump.
The differences between shower gels and body washes may be confusing. Most of us may think both are the same. However, there is a difference between these two in terms of their texture, structure, fragrance content, the skin types they are suitable for, exfoliating effects, hygienic bottle packaging, and ingredients. Therefore, you must learn more about your skin, understand its type, and what it needs to know which products you should choose to take a bath. As long as your skin does not show any side effects, you can use whichever product you like.
