Why do women use so many different products in the shower, and men use the "all in one" so to speak?

Question

Many men I know have one item that they use in the shower. At the very least, I like shampoo and a separate conditioner. I usually have a shower full of products. Why is their such a difference among the genders?

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Accepted Answer

Part of it is marketing, part of it is knowledge.
Marketing is more effective on us than we’d like to admit. Engagement rings are now a die hard tradition because of a VERY successful advertising campaign by a jewelry company, for example. And those who work in marketing know that if you make two versions of the same product and market one to men and one to women, consumers will buy twice as much than if you just sell it as a unisex product.
As for knowledge, women will know a lot more about hair and skin care than the average man because of a whole litany of reasons that can all be attributed to the fact that we live in a patriarchal society but I’d rather not get pissy by going into too much detail. The short version is women, for various reasons, take greater care of their overall appearance and so will go to make sure they have good quality products to ensure a good quality appearance to the world at large and that usually involves research, effort, and the knowledge of what conditioner is and why it’s so important for your hair, not to mention having products with different specialties. For example, I’ve been dying my hair fashion colors for the better part of 5 years (pink and purple mostly) and my conditioner works to help retain that color by working as a kind of mini dye process. My shampoo can’t and won’t do that so I need to have separate products.

Noredcarpet · Accepted Answer

I think girls has been more taught on how to treat the body, hair with produkcts than with guys they are taught they do not need that kind. It should be simple, fast, to the point, over and out with them, lol. I have bought products to guys that just sit there or they use them wrong, I give up at this point, they are not used to it. Go what for? I think if I was a doctor and told them if you do not use this THIS (something bad) will happen to you they just might but I think it takes them getting there first before considering it.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

That's funny.
My wife has a rack full of stuff hanging on the shower door, and as much stuff as will fit on the shower shelf.
I use a bar of lavender soap from Trader Joe's with bits of lavender in it, and a pump bottle of shampoo. My wife is a hair stylist and is into healthy, natural products, so she hasanother bottle of conditioning shampoo for me in the rack on the door. So I wash my hair first with my shampoo, then wash it again with the stuff she bought me.

Aside from that, I just use soap on my body and scrub with a rough towel thing to exfoliate.

God only knows what she uses all her products for. But I approve of the results.

I'm glad that women take such care of their skin and hair.

4ngelic · Answer

most of men's products are all in one. if you go look at their products in the supermarket you'll see. it's like that because i think men care less about how they look (or at least they're expected to), so they wouldn't want to bother with buying loads of products and spending more shower time putting them on. some men could feel a bit gay if they use multiple products as well. also for men who care, they aren't that well informed on beauty products, like how those all in one products aren't the best at all if you want to look good, it just does the job of cleaning.

while us women tend to care about how we look, and we're expected to anyways. companies love milking that. they would lose revenue if we bought 5 in 1 stuff. we know that shit isn't good for looking cute either.

molonski2 · Answer

In a word it's pure marketing particularly in this particular market segment , the actual products do little , it's about want creation..
Made em think it's " needed " ..
Same with creams etc , used to work in the catogery , the actual " stuff " ( products ) have not improved in 20 years.

Lady shave catogery is higher margin also and vastly increased range , so retailers are all into the expansion.

Like most things when you scratch the surface , all perception , rather than function.

OneViewpoint · Answer

I use a shampoo, conditioner, and body wash but I've wondered why I need more than just a good shampoo. I mean soap is soap right, a foaming surfactant. Why can't I just lather up my hair and then use that to scrub my body too?

OK, a conditioner is a different product meant to stay in your hair. So why can't I get by with a shampoo and conditioner or a body wash and conditioner. The Every Man Jack brand sells a full body wash / everything in one bottle product. I've used it. It seems to do the job.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Market, culture, tradition, market, culture, tradition, market, culture, tradition. Rince and repeat.

Though, since you're 45, you may have noticed that, over the years, men shelf of supermarkets features less and less all-in-one products. There's a market realizing that men don't buy enough cosmetics and such, there's a way to persuade them they need more. Slow but steady infiltration until it becomes as normalized as it is for women. I find these "new" vintage shaving toolboxes to shave like your grand'pa are particularly funny to look at.

DishLady · Answer

Guys don't necessarily use just one "all-in-one" product. Some guys can't used the combined shampoo-conditioner, for example, bc it can cause dandruff and other issues. But other guys have finer hair and feel that they don't need so many products.

Unycorn · Answer

The chemicals in many products do more harm than good. Perfume, silicones, etc. are not good. I use regular curd soap for my body and pH-neutral shampoo. That's all you need, and you save so much money! Of course, advertising tells you what you need. Shea butter and what you should smell like. It's all nonsense—they want big sales, not our health! Keep that in mind. Manufacturers don't care about our health!

aaron-98 · Answer

I tried that just last few months, my hair kinda get too dry after showering, and I didn't to get a shampoo that doesn't cause hair to dry with another conditioner, i felt it's not masculine, i felt like getting too much product is a feminine thing, so I was upset of getting much products and i wanted a shampoo that was 3 in 1 like shampoo and a bodywash and a conditioner and it was made specifically for men , but i couldn't find it was out of stock , so I ended up buying SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus which is ironically a product that mostly used by women 😁😁 , anyway each guy have his reasons why he used all in one , for me it just felt less masculine to use many products

Kabluie · Answer

One thing is they probably haven't showered with women enough in their lifetime. I have my mom's hair and always use beauty parlor shampoo/condition products, the amount of women who get turned on and notice i use moroccanoil or tree tree oil is high. Not only does it smell great for most of the day, the body and moisture is worth the sticker price.

Zack-Bann · Answer

It’s mostly about upbringing

When you’re a young boy your mom will get you one shampoo bottle and tell you to scrub

When you’re a young girl you get trained into the “routine” approach that turns hygiene into a full on science experiment

And habits are hard to break as an adult

But as a guy I’m glad I recognized the benefit of carefully managing hygiene. It does make a difference

HawkPerception · Answer

I don't shampoo often (less than once a week). I try to exfoliate my scalp as much as I can and then I use coconut oil after as a leave in conditioner. It's healthier for your hair to not shampoo often.

As for women, they've been sold a lie over many years... that they need product for their hair. And fake-up for their face. That's why they put so much shit in their hair which damages it.

MrOracle · Answer

I only use shampoo, but given that I never allow my hair to exceed 1.5" long (and by then I'm a week overdue for a haircut), I don't need conditioner. I completely understand that maintaining long hair is going to be more work and needs more products.

That said, do women REALLY need 12 types of "wash"? I get by just fine with a bar of soap and a wash cloth.

ManOnFire · Answer

It's true. I use one soap for hair and body. All the women I've known used multiple different products. I think one reason is because it's easier to convince women that they need all those things, hygiene companies make millions off of women alone. Most men just need one soap and one lotion for just about all parts of the body.

Tarifa · Answer

I think we are just more practical. It doesn't mean we don't care, but once we find a specific product we like (be it shower gel, shampoo or shaving cream), that's the brand I'll stick with. No need to have 3 shampoo bottles in the shower.

Where we are nor practical is in our choice of car or motorcycle. It's not meant to get us from point A to point B, that's secondary. But that's a completely different topic.

bowenw · Answer

It could be that women are led to believe they need to use all those products to make them look like the models in the commercials. It may also be that women are better at caring for their bodies.

McLlovin · Answer

I dont do that anymore specially for things like soap, shampoo and conditioner. I found out dudes sometimes go bald not because of genetics but not taking care of your scalp. Some hair products are bad and end up making you go bald. Taking care of yourself isn't high maintenance its smart.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Because in general guys aren’t into skin care products. Or makeup.

Spencer10 · Answer

Its a double standard... lets face it when it comes to appearance women are held to a higher standard.

exitseven · Answer

that is a good question. I have 1 bar of soap and 1 bottle of shampoo. My wife takes up the whole shower seat with stuff. .

Anonymous · Answer

I am a one product guy. I use a combined shampoo and conditioner for my hair and as soap for my body. I think the answer to your question is... women are FAR more susceptible to marketing for health and beauty products. Some companies have tried to get men to buy more specialized products but with very little success. I think most men, like me, can't be bothered.

Tigress1039 · Answer

More pressure for women to be beautiful for mate selection and a lot of feminine traits is tied to cleanliness so we indulge in the process feeling great by perceived link between clean and beauty

BadGirlRebellious · Answer

because women need more but we should go more natural

WonderingManII · Answer

I think a Woman's skin and hair are more delicate, than a Man's. Longer hair needs more care.

dislikesmath · Answer

I think girls just care more, I find it nice attractive all I use is head n shoulders and deep cleansing bar soaps. never lotions or nothing of that, no perfume, cologne.

Chrytina84 · Answer

Probably some of it is conditioning from what I can remember, if I had to guess. My hair probably needs more care. And how does our skin look?

boundless · Answer

I guess you like chemicals...

Awesomesauce2005 · Answer

Because it's all a sales pitch geared toward women. They could use all in one but they don't sell all in one women's soap lol

RavVid · Answer

Women buy hopium, men don't. Women think only the top 5%tile are good looking anyway so it is not going to do us any good anyway. :)

beenherebefore · Answer

Men are simple and women a little bit more complicated LOL.

AviatorTom · Answer

Marketing. Women are more prone to fall for marketing and product placement than men are.

UrLoveMocha · Answer

It’s crazy because most of the men I know have amazing hair and skin. 😂

Raydergman26 · Answer

Due to woman like to smell good and look good all the time even when they go out

pinkfluffyunicorn91 · Answer

Not every man has the all in one. There would be some out there using more than one product in the shower.

Some would be using beard wash or just like women they be using a separate shampoo and conditioner.

Anonymous · Answer

Women have a thousand hair products too and wash their hair once a week lol. Meanwhile men tend to wash daily.

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

you really don't know the answer to this question? Men and women are different, we are not the same. Women's hygiene and appearance upkeep requires a lot more effort than men's does. We can enjoy our hygiene products too

Anonymous · Answer

they take advantage of a woman's desire to be beautiful to profit

msc545 · Answer

I suspect that women are much more susceptible to product advertising than men are.

ABC1x1x · Answer

Woman are gullible and susceptible to salesman. en know clean is clean

Nikki1989 · Answer

Bad habits or laziness.

Anonymous · Answer

Because women have to overcomplicate everything. It's in her DNA.😆

Anonymous · Answer

Because women are suckers for marketing crap propaganda

Miristheiss · Answer

High maintenance.

Alex-Snow · Answer

Just shampoo and a body wash for me

blackeagle007 · Answer

Do you have an example of an all in one?

Anonymous · Answer

I prefer just one because it's cheaper.

Why do women use so many different products in the shower, and men use the "all in one" so to speak?

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Why do women use so many different products in the shower, and men use the "all in one" so to speak?

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