Difference between shower gel/handwash/bath foam?

Flirtini_2

Morning all!

This may be a slightly silly question but I've been googling and am not really sure;

What's the difference between shower gel, shower creme, bath foam and handwash? Are they somehow specially formulated to be different and work best on different areas?

Basically I'm looking at how I can get the obsene amount I spend on toiletries right down! And looking at say the Boots essentials range -
Essentials white shower creme, 250ml, 59p
Essentials white handwash, 350ml, 59p
Essentials softening handwash 500ml 69p,
Essentials softening bath creme 750ml 89p

So to me, this all looks like it is essentially the same product, maybe slight differences - but ultimately could you say use the bath creme as a shower gel as it's cheaper? Or would that not be a very good idea? Does the shower gel in fact actually work better as a shower gel and I should stick to that?

Anyone who can help with actually knowing whether there is a difference between the products and what that difference actually is would be a godsend!

Thanks in advance

(If there are any other savvy money-saving on toiletries tips too, please share! I am currently working my way through various old threads on cheap but good products etc, but every little helps!)

xx

shelly

I can't really comment on your main question as I only use Avon naturals shower gel and bodyshop shower gel, they are my only luxury so I stock up when on offer


I can offer a ms tip though on handwash. I currently buy tesco value baby bath and use it as handwash. It smells lovely, is cheap at less than 15p for 500ml and leaves my hands lovely and soft. It lathers up quite well too so maybe use as a shower gel?

Bronnie

To be honest, I wouldn't be too worried about which does which job, if you're trying to save cash, just buy the bath creme!

If you're going down the one product-for-all-washing route, Sainsbury's Basics Baby Bath is 11p per 500ml and the Basics Baby Shampoo is only 9p for 500 ml (could be used for handwash). Has anyone tried these, wonder how dilute they are and whether there would be enough lather there for normal use?
I don't know, but at that price worth a try!

Usual suspects in the ingredients list of course, no worse than any others, but is described as mild and gentle.

Flirtini_2

Thanks Shelley! Will definitely try that for handwash if nothing else as it's about half the price of my current 'cheap' finds :-)

xx

Flirtini_2

Thanks Bronnie, will have a look at that too! x

shelly

Flirtini wrote: »

Thanks Shelley! Will definitely try that for handwash if nothing else as it's about half the price of my current 'cheap' finds :-)

xx

Oops! Just realised my mistake so have edited previous post. The value baby bath is 500ml, not 250ml.

jenniewb

Well I don't know about anyone else but I notice a difference!

I find hand washes tend to have anti-bac additions to them I'd rather not risk on intimate areas, I also find they tend to be more drying as hand washes are designed for the grime and oils hands pick up (just day to day touching things, cleaning things: housework, stroking pets, picking up litter from small children...etc etc) I find body washes tend to have more oils or scents in them, have more moisutising qualities and don't tend to get as much dirt off- I'd also wonder if they get rid of anywhere near the same amount of dirt.

I suppose this is just what I look for in a body wash and maybe there are those that do what I'm saying my body washes don't. If I'm looking to get rid of sweat and grime from my skin (which as I wash daily I don't tend to put so much of an emphasis on) I look for a scrub, St Ives are great and as a luxuary the breakfast scrub by Soap and Glorey is fantastic but when it comes to hand wash, I'd use either basics soap (or even the Body Shop if I can get a good deal) or Dettol hand wash which has anti-bac properties before cooking. I'd never swap one for the other as they just wouldn't do the job I wanted from them- maybe thats just me!

Maybe also part of it is in the area of feeling these things are a treatment or luxuary, sort of 'me time' and I like to use special things to wash and clean myself, not only because its otherwise quite a dull and boring job but also because I just find its something to look forward to after a horrible day/long hard workout/cleaning my home for hours and then having to cook...etc guess it depends what your values and needs are.

Catslovelycats

Sorry. No idea. But I often use shower creme as bubble bath and don't notice anything amiss.

RightyTightyLeftyLoosey

I normally buy the Waitrose 'Cinnamon Cakes' bath foam (about £1) and use it as showergel and handwash. It all appears to be the same.

pollypenny

Shower gel and handwash are also very good for handwashing delicates, things that should be dry-cleaned or woollens.

Waffle_On

I have made my own before, and the recipes I used were more or less the same ingredients in varying proportions for the various purposes. They are all interchangable, but they may not do such a good job as a product intended for the purpose. Bubble bath will clean your hair, but it won't leave it feeling very nice!