How to Use Shower Gel

If your skin becomes dry and tight when you use a bar of soap, try cleansing with shower gel, instead. Many shower gels include ingredients that lock in skin's moisture and leave your skin smelling light and fresh.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Use shower gel sparingly to get the most for your money. Shower gel is typically more expensive than soap, but you need very little to create a generous lather.
2. Apply shower gel to a loofah, pouf or washcloth and agitate it to create suds before applying cleanser to your entire body (except face). Rinse thoroughly with warm water after cleansing.
3. Avoid washing your face with shower gel, as it can be drying for delicate facial skin. Instead, use a gentle face cleanser applied with your fingertips or a washcloth. Check out The Body Shop for their Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser, created to calm and moisturize sensitive skin (see Resources below). If you have oily skin, consider their Tea Tree Oil Daily Foaming Cleanser, which helps control shine and deeply cleanse skin.
4. Lather legs and underarms with shower gel before shaving. Shower gel lubricates the skin so you can avoid cutting or nicking yourself. Don't forget to rinse your razor blade thoroughly after shaving to avoid build up of shower gel residue.
5. Try a natural product like Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk and Shea Butter Body Wash or Kiss My Face Organic Sudz Shower Gel (see Resources below). Formulated without artificial ingredients, added colors or animal products, these product lines were created to cleanse and moisturize skin without harsh chemical additives.
6. Make your own shower gel from natural ingredients and essential oils. For a list of cleanser recipe ideas, visit Essortment.com (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• If your skin is ultra-sensitive, purchase an unscented shower gel. Visit SpaSentiments.com to purchase Natural Shower Gel, which is free of paraben, petrochemicals and fragrances (see Resources below).
• Do not use a loofah to apply cleanser to your face. Loofahs tend to hold bacteria after prolonged use, and the bacteria can be transmitted to your body through the eyes and nose. In addition, most loofah pads are too harsh for sensitive facial skin.