Using shampoo as body wash

[milque]

So I was in the shower when I noticed that I'm running out of my body wash. On a whim I decided to use a shampoo I have that's been lying around for ages because it didn't work for my hair. Lathered up just fine and I'd like to think it got my body pretty clean. The first ingredients are pretty much the same as a regular body wash, mostly surfactants.

I'm really liking this idea because I'm trying to declutter and I have shampoos that just don't work for my hair and I can't give away so this would be a good way to use them up instead of binning them.

So is there any reason I shouldn't use shampoo on my body? Maybe in terms of composition or unique ingredients that are only suitable for scalp and hair?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[ZeppHead]

Yea I would assume the ingredients are pretty similar unless one was say organic or natural and the other was not....in a pinch I would definitely use my shampoo as a body wash why not? I don't think I would do this on a regular basis but I would if I were out of body wash for a few days or something.

[allierat]

There's no reason you can't use shampoo as a body wash if that's what you want to do :)

[hendy]

The only side effect I can think of is that you can suddenly find yourself with body hair that has great volume and shine.. ;)
no, really, no problem to use shampoo. only be careful that it doesn't have menthol - it can cause itchiness

I once had to try the other way around - I was in a hotel and noticed too late that the shampoo bottle was empty and had to use hand wash for my hair. Never again - it really dried it out. And I had no conditioner with me to fix it ...

[Carolyn]

I've done it for years and lived to tell the tale. I bring home the motel shampoo bottles and empty them into a large pump bottle for body wash. You will be fine. Don't worry about it.

[Stellaaa]

On my latest trip, 2 out of 3 hotels didn't have those little bottles of shampoo, they had little packets of "shampoo & body wash" all-in-one. It's the same stuff.

[DreamSheep]

My boyfriend only uses shampoo as soap and hair-wash - so whenever I stay with him I always body wash with shampoo. He is a chemist, and claims all the chemicals used are practically the same.

[lapushka]

Agreeing with everyone who said it's fine. It's all pretty much the same, body wash/shower gel, bath foam, handwash, shampoo, ...

[milque]

Thank you all for putting my mind at ease! :thumbsup:

[Kherome]

I would not do it, simply because a giant bottle of body wash is much less expensive than a bottle of most shampoos. I guess if you're using Suave it might be cheaper, but otherwise it seems like you might be wasting money. Ingredient wise I see no issue.

[mica]

I know some people who do that, most of them are Chilean so maybe that is a thing there? I wouldn't mind to try it some time!

[maskedrose]

I do it all the time. I get a big pump bottle of organic, natural shampoo and use it mostly as a body wash. I think it's gentler than a lot of body washes and actually cheaper than buying gentle, organic body wash most of the time.

[askan]

I sometimes use shampoo as body wash and I use conditioner instead of shaving cream for my armpits and legs. I use pretty cheap silicone free products and it works well. I'm thinking silicones could maybe clog your pores and cause pimples if you use it on your skin too much.

[Nadine <3]

It's fine, I have a bottle of organic shampoo that didn't get my scalp clean enough. I use it for my body and it works great, very gentle! Plus it smells like lavender so it's nice and relaxing :)

[lapushka]

I would not do it, simply because a giant bottle of body wash is much less expensive than a bottle of most shampoos. I guess if you're using Suave it might be cheaper, but otherwise it seems like you might be wasting money. Ingredient wise I see no issue.

Very true! But if you have some shampoo to use up that didn't work out for you, well... I had some pretty "expensive" handwash going about half a year ago. ;)

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I use all my shampoos which don't work for my hair in the liquid hand soap dispenser and my SO's body wash pump bottle. As long as it has something useable in it he doesn't worry about what it is. Not that I have told him it's shampoo.....:)

[MeowScat]

I've used shampoo many times as body wash and it's fine. I've also used conditioner to shave my legs and that works great, too.

[ClassicAim]

I do it all the time and prefer it to body washes because I seem to be more likely to have an allergenic reaction to body wash than shampoo. So I'm using up my stash of unneeded shampoos. I personally have never had any negative effects

[GetMeToWaist]

Yeah its fine. I have a friend who actually uses body wash as shampoo. Same kind of chemicals.

[Imalath]

I also do this all time; it uses up my stash of products that were not a good for my hair and scalp. I don't feel guilty throwing anything away, and it really cuts down on clutter in the bathroom. I also highly recommend using conditioner as shaving cream. I always seem to end up with half a dozen extra bottles of conditioner to each one of shampoo, and using it as shaving cream uses it up fast.

[sourgrl]

Shampoo as body wash is the quickest way to get my wiggly "I don't want to take a shower" 5 year old clean. Works like a charm ;)

[DarleneH]

I've done it to use up a shampoo I didn't like in my hair. I've also filled my sink soap dispensers with shampoo to help get rid of it.

[Unicorn]

They're more or less the same thing. I tend to buy large bottles of bath foam which I use as body wash, hand wash and sometimes even to clean the bath and sink. From time to time I use it as shampoo on the days when I find I've no shampoo in the bathroom after I've stepped into the bath or shower. (I store new bottles in a kitchen cupboard)

Likewise if I find I've forgotten to fill by bath foam dispenser, I use the shampoo to do all those things if I've already stepped into the bath or shower before noticing I've run out.

Bath foam is cheaper and shampoo is mostly a tiny bit more concentrated. Apart from that no significant difference.

Unicorn

[SleepyTangles]

Shampoo works much better as a body wash than body wash works as a shampoo ;). Usually shampoos are full of detanglers and smoothing ingredients, my skin quite likes them.
(another person who had too many shampoos)

[Edelweiss]

I've already done it and it doesn't matter at all, it's the same thing.
But I wouldn't do the opposite to be honest hahah

[DarleneH]

.... and sometimes even to clean the bath and sink...

I mix baking soda in it to make a version of Soft Scrub for cleaning tubs and sinks.

[Unicorn]

I mix baking soda in it to make a version of Soft Scrub for cleaning tubs and sinks.

Ah, that's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that. That could be one less cleaning product to buy.

Unicorn

[vanillabones]

I do it all of the time at my Dad's house with suave clarifying shampoo. I bought the use bottle to clarify weekly and it works two-in-one as a body wash for me... that's my rough body and hair cleaning since I have very sensitive skin and need to be careful with what I use as body wash. However, my hair still loves the sulphates as per usual :rolleyes:
To get rid of your stash shampoo as body wash is a great alternative, as well as conditioner as shaving cream but I would apply baby oil as well during and after shaving to avoid razor bumps and get a closer smoother shave (sensitive skin here)! The baby oil alone gives me a better shave than solely using conditioner.

[melusine963]

I often use my (cone-free) conditioner in place of shower gel. It works just fine. I use Suave Naturals, so it's probably cheaper than most shower gels I could buy.

[emilia1992]

I guess for the body it would be fine, but not for the face - I did this once (holiday, tiny suitcase, huge shampoo bottle......you get the idea), and I ended up with great big blocked pores!

[Lis]

Since going so/nw I've been using up shampoo as body wash and conditioner to shave my legs. Works great!