Selling when people shower less after Covid lockdowns

[Garden Gives Me Joy]

Has anyone noticed significant changes in demand for natural soap (and other personal care products) after the lockdowns?

I have not yet begun to sell but found the following articles noteworthy. They suggest that people in the US and UK have begun showering less than pre-pandemic times. Isn't it interesting too that some people reportedly think that showering less is more eco-friendly and others think it is beneficial for the skin. Does this correlate with a greater demand for soap that is 'natural', hand-made or of a particular type?

As a consumer, I have also begun to shower less. My skin is moderately dry and would usually be happy with bastille or even castille soap for daily use. However, I find that when I shower less these days, I prefer my more cleansing soaps, even when I am not too active physically. Anyone else observing the same for themselves and or customers?

US: The pandemic has made some Americans rethink the daily shower.
UK: Is showering over-rated? It seems people are bathing less during the pandemic

 

[Tara_H]

I can't say from the supply side, but my personal care regime has certainly changed to being less "performative" (is it obvious to the people I meet that I showered, washed my hair etc. recently) and more about what my skin, hair etc need to be healthy, which I'm realising more and more are very different things.

 

[earlene]

It has for a long time been suggested that the elderly don't need to shower as frequently. In nursing homes, as well as recommendations by personal physicians to private patients who are not confined.

When I am more active, and when in highly humid environments, I bathe more frequently. This has always been true for me. Since retiring, bathing frequency is less because I don't have to go to work everyday. But my level of activity still dictates frequency, rather than going out in public.

The pandemic has made no impact on bathing in my household. I retired long ago and Hubby still works & showers daily. But I do believe my husband probably washes his hands more often than before the pandemic, and hopefully so are the majority of the population.

And yes, I have always believed showers can waste just as much water as baths, so that's part of the reason. My brother & SIL have a water collection system that reclaims grey waste water from their home, which is then utilized for gardening. My bother is an engineer, so that's kind of his thing. I like the idea, but at my age, that's not something I'll be getting around to installing in our home.

And just as an aside, we do conserve water fairly well in our home, as evidenced by our water meter readings which according to our water company are very low compared to other homes of our size in our area. But that's from a combination of other factors as well.

 

[Relle]

In Oz, water is precious, you can still have a 3 minute shower. Try using a timer and save water.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Personally Post or Pryor to covid I do engage in my Daily Shower' & wash my hands more often daily then Post Covid. I've learned to make it quick cause we are on a septic system water usage is very conservative.
On a business level I sale very little & it seems like it slowed down a little.

 

[earlene]

In Oz, water is precious, you can still have a 3 minute shower. Try using a timer and save water.

I remember the arguments I used to have with my nephew about his 20 minute showers when he lived with us. Just getting him to agree to cut it down to 10 minutes was a strugle. I have to admit, I was tempted more than once to just flush the toilet or run the hot water in another room to get him to shorten his shower.

 

[KimW]

I remember the arguments I used to have with my nephew about his 20 minute showers when he lived with us. Just getting him to agree to cut it down to 10 minutes was a strugle. I have to admit, I was tempted more than once to just flush the toilet or run the hot water in another room to get him to shorten his shower.

Ok...I did this to our son... FYI: It worked, though some remedial training was required now and then. Great minds.

Funny related story. When we moved to the country we discussed better water conservation with our son since we were now on a well and septic. Son used an electric toothbrush with a 2-minute cycle. I thought I'd heard it running while the shower was running so I had Hubs listen at the bathroom door to see if he could tell if son was at the sink or in the shower. HE WAS AT THE SINK. When he finished brushing, Hubs knocked on the door and when he opened, steam literally came bellowing out - and he was still fully dressed! Well, at least we figured out we didn't need a new hot water heater...

 

[cmzaha]

My hubby is going to have to learn to cut his showers down when and if we ever get our new home built since we will be on a well and septic system. Still looking like it is going to take over a year to get it built. Since I retired from selling last year I do not know how the market is going although I still get quite a few calls for soap.

 

[ImpKit]

I remember the arguments I used to have with my nephew about his 20 minute showers when he lived with us. Just getting him to agree to cut it down to 10 minutes was a strugle. I have to admit, I was tempted more than once to just flush the toilet or run the hot water in another room to get him to shorten his shower.

I am SO very glad I live in a major city so that I'm on city water and in an area without any water issues. Shower time is relaxation time for me. 20 minutes is a standard shower and upwards of 40 is not unheard of. >_> I CAN do short showers when there's a pressing need (strapped for time, multiple people in a space and one bathroom, etc.) but I definitely prefer my longer showers.

 

[Relle]

I remember the arguments I used to have with my nephew about his 20 minute showers when he lived with us. Just getting him to agree to cut it down to 10 minutes was a strugle. I have to admit, I was tempted more than once to just flush the toilet or run the hot water in another room to get him to shorten his shower.

Running the hot water in the kitchen sink doesn't work - I tried. I choose to save water and use it on the garden in hot weather. While I live in a large city and on city water, the water authorities have us on water restrictions in summer. I can't understand why people let the tap run while brushing their teeth, there's no need to do that, let alone the cost for the water bill. Paying my bill today of $190 for the last quarter and we use under the recommended for the same households.

 

[earlene]

Paying my bill today of $190 for the last quarter and we use under the recommended for the same households.

Wow, if my water bill was that high, I'd have to start some serious modifications. I was quite envious of my brother's installation of a on-demand hot water heater. Perhaps someday we will need to replace our hot water heater and go that route. Besides saving water, it saves on heating bills as well. But in my brother's house, they pretty much don't have any electric bills, because they are on solar and sell back their excess to the power company.

 

[Relle]

Just noticed the water rates are going up in July, so will be dearer and I didn't even water the garden because it rained so much.

 

[TashaBird]

I just shaved my legs for the first time since covid started. THAT was a long shower!!!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I just shaved my legs for the first time since covid started. THAT was a long shower!!!

Thats funny.

@cmzaha
You'll learn to consume on water, Its a eye opener how much water we waste when not mindful. Like letting the sink water run as your busy doing something else' or filling up the sink completely to hand wash dishes or not using the dishwasher to conserve' short showers & such. Ive had to have my Septic drained cause its old & the ground only soaks up so much which is costly. My Washing Machine is pipped so water drains on our property not in the septic tank.

 

[Quilter99755]

I just shaved my legs for the first time since covid started. THAT was a long shower!!!

Try living in Alaska...you shave in the spring! LOL Not much use in shaving when you are wearing long handles under your jeans. We hauled water for way too many years, so learned to live without running water when you wash your hands or brush your teeth. Took saunas and rigged it so it had a shower base and could quickly rinse off. I still find it hard to spend any time in the shower, but hubby Loves his 20 minute showers. I just learned to time things so I don't have to follow him and end up with cool water by the end of mine.

Our shower routines now that we are retired depend on activity rather than anything else...are we getting out of the house? have we done something to work up a sweat? Summers around here get to triple digits, so that usually means daily showers. And of course our soap usage goes up or down depending on that. Our daughter in Hawaii uses lots more soap...but with the humidity there I couldn't live without a daily shower either. Since she is on a catchment system, the showers in her house depend on the rain. They always have enough water for some kind of showers, but the length depends on how much rain they are getting.