Is there really a difference between a shower gel and a shampoo?

Our body is enveloped in nearly 2 m² of skin, representing 4 to 10 kilos in adults. It's not an easy task to take care of it! It is the largest organ in the entire human body, which helps protect our body from contamination and parasites. It is made up of three layers providing us with triple protection:

• the epidermis, outer layer in direct contact with the environment. At its top, we find the stratum corneum, made up of dead cells which serve as a shield against external organisms;

• tHE dermis, a little deeper, where we find nerves and the sweat glands (which secrete sweat) and sebaceous glands (secreting sebum);

• the hypodermis, deep in the skin, where the hair roots are located and where we find veins and arteries.

In addition to a physical barrier, the skin has built up an army for its protection: the bacterial flora which develops there allows a balance essential to good health. This population of harmless and naturally present bacteria in fact makes the skin inhospitable to parasites and pathogenic bacteria present in the environment. It's all about the balance between strength and the dark side!

But now, this flora can quickly turn against us if we do not regulate it or if we disrupt it. This is why it is essential to pay attention to the cosmetic and hygiene products we use. A shower gel or shampoo that is too aggressive could destroy this protection and open the door to much less friendly parasites. Not using soap is not the solution either, since it is important toeliminate and renew sebum, this fatty substance naturally produced by the body which forms a hydrolipidic film of protection and hydration, evacuated through the pores, as well as dead skin cells. Without this little touch of cleanliness, the skin suffocates and the hydrolipidic film, a real skin barrier, is disrupted.

The skin is a complex organ with very heterogeneous characteristics, varying depending on the location of the body, the environment and the individual. Its elasticity, its rate of sebum secretion, sometimes even its pH and its porosity will be differentiating factors. If we add to this the variation in hair growth and distribution of nerves, we obtain an organ that undeniably varies depending on the area and the person.

The skin of the skull, which is not very mobile, is covered with hair (for the lucky ones) and has very few sensory nerves. It is the skin of the skull that will allow us to regulate our body temperature.

The skin of the body is more mobile than that of the scalp. It generally has more nerve endings (depending on the part of the body) and also allows us to evacuate perspiration and sebum while providing a barrier against attacks, whether blows and cuts, or solar radiation. or even foreign organizations that do not necessarily wish us well.

Not much difference in skin composition, between the head and the body! But then, why are there a proliferation of hygiene products, all specific to one part of the body?

A shampoo is made up of several ingredients:

• some water, of course, mostly to dilute the other ingredients;

• washing agents, surfactants, which trap and remove dirt, sebum and dead skin. Be careful with their concentration: too many surfactants in a hygiene product can lead to redness, too intense secretion of sebum, loss of radiance of the skin or hair, etc.

• of the additives, such as texturing agents, preservatives, perfume and active ingredients for a product with specific properties.

And what about the composition of the shower gel? Well, it's the same! Of course, sometimes the concentration of this or that additive can vary, to achieve a silkier effect on the hair or a protective film on the skin, but the basis is the same. Surprising, no ?

There difference in additive concentration will strongly influence the choice of shower shampoo gel. Remember, when you forgot your shampoo when going to the swimming pool, and you washed your hair with your shower gel... And suddenly, the hair is dry, heavy and difficult to comb! Well it's normal, it's precisely the additives in the shower gel, so good for your body, which are not appreciated by your hair. To switch to a multi-use hygiene product, you must therefore choose one with as few additives as possible !

A time of adaptation may also be necessary: ​​our hair is used to products containing waxes and ingredients that will make it shine effortlessly. Over time, the hair has adapted and when that is taken away, it's a hair tragedy! But don't panic, they quickly get used to the absence of occlusive waxes or fatty substances, and they will even thank you, allowing you tospace out your shampoos ! The pores of your skin will no longer be choked by waxes and fatty substances, and the skin's moisture balance will be maintained. You can space out shampoos and have soft, well-hydrated skin, naturally.