After shampoo and conditioner, a body wash is probably your most preferred item for the bathroom. Let’s face it, the soothing feeling of cleansing away the dirt and pollution of every day from your body is a wholesome experience. To make it more exciting, you need to keep a body wash at hand that matches your preference and skin condition.
Although a body wash and a shampoo are two very different products, you might have heard people saying that they use their body wash to cleanse their scalp and hair. So basically, they are leaving the shampoo bottles right on the store shelves and also saving extra bucks in the process. But the question is, how efficient is this method?
Using a body wash as shampoo may sound quite interesting, but have you ever wondered if it actually works? Well, we did the research and figured out the whole thing. And this is why in today’s article we are going to answer your question and take care of the dilemma for good!
So keep reading ahead to learn more.
Contents
What is the Purpose of a Body Wash?
Body wash basically dissolves the dirt sitting on your skin that you get from everyday activities, and it provides you with a clean and refreshed body.
However, body washes are actually made keeping your skin concerns in mind. They are great for giving your skin a soft and amazing feeling. If you choose a body wash that contains nourishing ingredients, you will be doing your skin a great favor!
Most of the body washes available on the market help to treat different skin conditions. You will find specific body washes for dry skin and skin that are prone to eczema, while some will work to hydrate and exfoliate your skin. You just need to pick the one that will satisfy your needs.
Body washes are made up of primary and secondary surfactants, which clean the skin as well as minimize discomfort and irritation respectively. It’s always advised to avoid body washes with harsh ingredients that can cause damage to your skin because the goal is to get clean and refreshed, not the opposite.
Shampoo vs Body Wash: What’s the Difference?
Well, the headline itself represents that these are actually two very different things made for taking care of different parts of our body.
The main thing that shampoo does is clean your scalp and hair to get rid of dirt, oil, and buildup. Many shampoos are also specifically made to treat conditions like dandruff and hair fall, and the variety of shampoos will literally leave you baffled.
While shampoo is used for keeping your scalp clean, body wash keeps the rest of your body clean. It’s true that both shampoos and body washes are basically made based on different wants of their consumers, but they are actually quite different in nature.
The main ingredients of shampoos are sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate working as the surfactant, and cocamidopropyl betaine in water working as a co-surfactant. But the scenario is completely opposite when it comes to your body wash. These are the ingredients that you need to avoid completely before choosing your body wash in order to save your skin from getting ruined.
Both of these products also vary in pH level. The ideal pH for your shampoo is 3.6 for hair and 5.5 for the scalp, and your body washes generally have a slightly lower pH. So, it’s necessary to choose these products accordingly so that your skin and hair remain in their best condition throughout the years.
Is it Possible to Use Body Wash as Shampoo?
The short answer is, no. you shouldn’t be willing to wash your hair on a regular basis with your body wash. This is because shampoos are specially formulated to clean the scalp and hair.
Body washes are generally milder in nature because you will be using them on your skin. So in no way you can expect your body wash to work as well as your shampoo to clean the dirt and pollution away from your scalp. And if your hair doesn’t end up being clean, what’s the purpose of using all that amount of product?
However, there might be situations when you don’t have access to a bottle of shampoo and your hair feels unclean. In those rare cases, you can opt for using the body wash as your shampoo, but do not make it a habit to save some money! And never forget to use your conditioner if you do end up using your body wash to clean your hair.
Can I Use Shampoo as Body Wash?
Just like you cannot switch to body wash entirely for cleaning your hair and skin, using shampoo instead of a body wash is also not recommended.
The ingredients of shampoo will not be beneficial for your skin, and you may end up facing dryness and irritation after using shampoo on your skin instead of a body wash.
However, just like body wash, exceptions can be made in urgent cases and you don’t have to worry much about that.
It’s best to use products made for specific parts of the body separately because they are formulated keeping the needs in mind. Plus, there are many affordable and good-quality options available on the market if you are too worried about the budget. The main thing is you don’t want to ruin either your hair or skin, so choose wisely!
How to Use a Body Wash Properly?
The most important thing you need to pick for making the best out of your body wash is a bath loofah.
Once you get into the shower, wet your hands and take your body wash on your palm. Rub your hands together to create lather. Only a small amount of lather will be created in the process.
After that, grab your loofah, wet it in the water, and rub the loofah in between your palms to transfer the body wash to it. You will notice that a great amount of lather has been produced compared to the earlier process.
Just a little amount of body wash will do the job perfectly, so you don’t have to use it a lot. Plus, your skin won’t dry out if you use your body wash following this process.
As you can see, a body wash is mainly formulated to take care of your body’s skin. Using it regularly as shampoo is not on the table, thus, avoiding it will be the best thing you can do!
Final Words
So, it has been established that your body wash should be used just for the purpose of cleaning your body, and your shampoo for cleansing your scalp and hair. Replacing one product to serve the purpose of the other won’t be a good choice for the long term, so sticking to your lane is the wisest option.
We hope this simple guide has answered your question. Make sure to pick the proper products according to your skin’s concerns so that your body and mind remain at ease after a shower. Once that’s achieved, you will be good to go.
