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Shower gel and shower cream -- these two hygiene products are used in much the same way, but they provide drastically different results for a fashionista's skin. Depending on your skin type, one might be better for you than another. When you have to decide which one to grab at the store, your main considerations should be the degree to which you need to moisturize and protect your skin.
Soap Versus Oil
Even though shower gel has some added ingredients such as fragrance, on the most basic level, it's liquid soap. Divas reach for this when they really want to get oil, dirt and other yucky residue off their skin, but soap is typically drying. By contrast, when you pick up a bottle of shower cream, you typically won't find any soap in the ingredient list. Instead, you'll find lots of oils and non-soap cleansers. This product is the better bet when you need to protect your skin against dryness.
Texture and Appearance
Both shower cream and shower gel have a smooth feel and appearance. However, compared to shower gel, shower cream is way thicker -- it can look more like toothpaste -- and feels more slippery to most gals. This is simply because it has such a higher fatty acid content. Shower gel, by contrast is usually pourable.
Fragrance
Although some shower gels have a really strong aroma, fashionistas generally find that the fragrances in a shower cream tend to be a little stronger. This is because scents really need an oil base to work properly. Of course, this depends on the exact fragrance the manufacturer selects, as some fragrances are naturally less potent.
Product Amount and Price
Because shower creams are usually soap-free, they don't lather as much. Subsequently, lots of ladies end up using more cream compared to a shower gel. Shower creams are typically more expensive than shower gels to begin with, so as you go through your hygiene routine, the fact that you have to use more shower cream can mean your purse slims quite a bit.
After-Care
Shower creams are mainly oil-based. That means you might be able to skip applying a moisturizing lotion after your shower. Because shower gels are so drying for your skin, you'll still need to reach for your lotion after you've washed. If you're prone to oily skin, it sometimes is better to have the option to apply extra oils to your skin through a lotion only when you really need it.
