What to Use If You Don’t Have Body Wash The Final Takeaway
We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re on vacation and realize you left one crucial bottle in your shower, or perhaps you’re just running low. So you sneak a few pumps of shampoo as a temporary stand-in for your body wash (or vice versa).
But can these quick fixes really do the job of their cleanser counterpart? Ahead, we chatted with board-certified dermatologists Karan Lal, MD, Mona Gohara, MD, and Geeta Yadav, MD, about whether or not you can switch between the two and, if not, what you should use instead. Read on for what they had to say.
How Shampoo and Body Wash Differ
“Body washes are formulated for different skin types and concerns (like dry, oily, or balanced skin),” explains Lal. Because of this, they have a higher pH level than shampoos and tend to contain skin-loving ingredients like glycerin. They also tend to have higher concentrations of surfactants to cut through all the dirt and grime that builds up on our bodies throughout the day, Yadav tells us.
Gohara recommends looking for body washes with barrier repair elements, such as biosimilar lipids and proteins. “Look for gentle, non-soap ingredients that help restore the skin’s natural barrier, such as pro-ceramides, which are known to boost skin’s natural ceramide production,” she says. She recommends the Dove Dry-Cracked Skin Replenish Cleanser ($11), which contains gentle ingredients like glyceryl stearate and 12-HSA. It does have a light fragrance but is hypoallergenic for sensitive skin.
Shampoos, on the other hand, are formulated to clean the hair. To do so, they utilize ingredients that can leave the skin feeling sticky, Gohara tells us.
Can You Use Shampoo as Body Wash?
You can use shampoo as a body wash—but whether or not it is good for your skin is another question.
Lal advises against it as a regular practice. “Shampoos don’t hydrate the skin and have a different pH,” he says. “They remove oils more than body washes which could lead to super dry skin.” Gohara agrees but thinks you can get away with it every once in a while. “Shampoos are cleansers for the scalp as well, and the scalp is skin similar to that on the rest of your body,” she notes, adding that some shampoos might have ingredients that are too tough on body skin. Yadav tells us that others aren’t as potent as body washes; she recommends opting for a clarifying shampoo.
Meanwhile, using body wash as shampoo is a bit tougher. "Body washes will not effectively remove oil and pollutants from your scalp and hair," says Lal. "They may also dry out your hair." Without the hair-specific ingredients, your hair can end up feeling either brittle or greasy post-wash.
What to Use If You Don't Have Body Wash
All the dermatologists we spoke to agreed: If your body wash is unavailable, a face wash or a facial scrub is a better alternative than shampoo. However, shampoo can work in a pinch.
Face washes and scrubs are designed for the skin, so they deliver better results. While using your expensive body scrub on your pits or decollete may feel wasteful, it offers a deeper clean than just a shampoo or face wash. Lal suggests targeting only “your pits and bits” to save product. For a more thorough clean, look for a face wash with acids that eat away at dead skin while you lather, like the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser ($46).
The Final Takeaway
If you have no other option, shampoo will work to cleanse your body, but don't make it a habit. Despite their similar texture and body size, shampoo lacks the skin-specific ingredients in body wash and can leave your skin feeling stripped. If you're in a bind, you're better off grabbing your face wash or facial scrub as a substitute.
