Does Shower Gel Make Bubbles?

LuxeLuminous is reader supported. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Do you love showering with loads of lather? We can’t help but enjoy the luxurious bubbles!

And if you want to relax a little bit more, you might opt for a bubble bath. Who doesn’t love to soak in a bathtub full of bubbles?

Bubble bath products are designed to produce lots and lots of bubbles. If you don’t have one on hand, can shower gels be a substitute?

Does shower gel make bubbles? Well, shower gels can make bubbles but the number of bubbles that they produce will vary from one product to the other because of the ingredients used. 

As for using a shower gel as a substitute for bubble bath solutions, well some can readily be a substitute. But there are also some that may not be ideal as a bubble bath solution. We’ll get into details as to the reasons why below.


Contents

Why Does Shower Gel Make Bubbles?

Shower Gel

Shower gels are cleaning products. It is quite common for people to think that the more bubbles the product produces, the better it is at cleaning — more soap!

However, the bubble formations don’t define the ability of products to efficiently clean the skin. 

To fulfill the demand of the masses for foams or lather, companies add foaming agents that produce lots of bubbles. These are surfactants, or foaming agents, that help create and maintain the bubbles. 

Generally, there are two kinds available today. The synthetic surfactants and the natural surfactants. 

Some examples of synthetic surfactants are sodium lauryl sulfates, sulfosuccinates, and betaines. Examples of natural surfactants would include glycerides, lactylates, akyl polyglucosides, and acyl glucamides.

Those that are best at producing bubbles are those that contain synthetic surfactants. They usually contain a mixture of sodium lauryl sulfates and other betaine substances. 


Differentiating Shower Gels And Bubble Bath Solution

Shower Gel

Shower gels  and bubble bath solutions are made of similar ingredients. They have ingredients that help clean the body, produce bubbles and make you smell great. 

Even if you read the ingredients list, you will find that there are some that have the same ingredients. That’s a reason why most people can use them interchangeably. So you can definitely use your shower gel for a bubble bath or vice versa. 

There are even products that are labeled as both  shower gel and bubble bath soak or bubble bath foam.

These products are really foamy and are able to create lots of bubbles. That’s because people expect them to be bubbly for their bath. It’s pretty relaxing to soak yourself with a lot of bubbles!

If you take a look at the consistency of the products, the bubble bath products may appear thicker and more concentrated. Additionally, some may have a stronger fragrance so the scent can stick and linger on your skin. 


Tips To Substituting Bubble Bath Solution With Shower Gels

Substituting bubble bath solutions  with shower gels is possible. In fact, many are already doing it. Just remember that using shower gels may not be as satisfying as using bubble bath products  because they may not be as bubbly.

If you want to use a shower gel for your bubble bath, here are a few tips to remember:

Select 2-in-1 Products

Sale
philosophy Cabana Girl Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
  • Item Package Length: 16.256cm
  • Item Package Width: 6.858cm
  • Item Package Height: 6.858cm
  • Item Package Weight: 1.15 lb

Today, there are many products that don’t only cover one function. They can be versatile. One of those products is the shower gels that could also be used as bath soaks. You will know this immediately because they would be labeled as a shower gel and a bubble bath solution. 

These are quite sudsy and can give satisfaction to the bubbles you want to create and play with while soaking in the tub. 

Choose Gentle Shower Gels

Bliss Soapy Suds Body Wash - Lemon and Sage - 17 Fl Oz - Gentle and Hydrating for Supremely Soft Skin - Paraben Free - Vegan & Cruelty Free
  • SOAPY SUDS BODY WASH: Bliss' silky...
  • KEEP SKIN HYDRATED: Cleanse, condition...
  • GREAT FOR DAILY USE: Packed with a blend...
  • ICONIC LEMON & SAGE: Make your daily...
  • HOW TO APPLY: Apply to wet skin, lather...

Shower gels are meant to be used on the body then rinsed off after a few minutes. When you use them as soaks, you’d be prolonging the exposure of your skin with the ingredients. 

Although they will efficiently remove dirt and oils, they could be drying if you soak on them for too long. In that case, it is best to use shower gels with milder formulas  when using them as bubble bath soaks. 

Add Other Nourishing Ingredients

As we’ve mentioned, shower gels will efficiently clean your skin of dirt and oil. So efficient that it could leave your skin feeling dry. To prevent that, you can add other nourishing ingredients to moisturize the skin. 

Honey and coconut oil  are great as they act as moisturizers. Both also have antibacterial properties. They will help prevent dryness of your skin during your soak. 

You can also add natural essential oils for fragrance. These are best added when you use unscented shower gels. In this way, the aroma you smell is from natural products and not synthetic fragrances that could also be drying or irritating to the skin. 


Conclusion

Shower gels are efficient cleansing products and you can use them as a substitute for your bubble bath products. They typically produce the satisfying bubbles and foam that we love during our bath. 

One thing to note is that they may not be as bubbly as those that are specifically marketed as bubble bath products. However, there are some shower gels that are also formulated to be very bubbly because they serve dual purposes. 

Cabana Girl  is a great example of one of these dual products.

Sale
philosophy Cabana Girl Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
philosophy Cabana Girl Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Item Package Length: 16.256cm; Item Package Width: 6.858cm; Item Package Height: 6.858cm; Item Package Weight: 1.15 lb
$21.37 Amazon Prime

See also:

Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).