7 Personal Hygiene Products Women Pay More For Than Men (And How To Save)

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It costs a lot to be a woman. Societal pressures to wear makeup, dye our hair and paint our nails are one thing, but we literally pay more for the same products that men also use. Thanks to the “pink tax,” some personal care products can cost up to 13 percent more for women, while men pay more budget-friendly prices.

In recent years, studies have found that it’s hard to attribute the difference in prices to gender bias. However, the price is pretty clear, and it’s sitting on the shelves and in our carts. To expose this trend, we looked at seven personal hygiene products on Google’s Shopping page to determine the differences in price for men and women. Plus, here are some ways to save so you can stick to your budget regardless of your gender.

1. Razors

We searched for “women’s razors” and “men’s razors” on Google and filtered the shopping results to look at the lowest priced items in both categories. For women, there was only one result for a razor that cost less than $1, and it was still 99 cents. For men, there were four options for a razor that cost less than $1, and they were all 94 cents or less. Razors are cheaper for men than women.

How To Save: Women can use men’s razors — we’ve also heard that they give a closer shave. Consider buying a male-oriented brand in order to save a few bucks.

2. Shaving Cream

Flickr/Karolina Mis

Again, we searched Google for the lowest priced items in “women’s shaving cream” and “men’s shaving cream” and the results were not surprising. Men have 15 options that are all less than the lowest priced women’s shaving cream of $1.49. Eight of the men’s shaving cream products were less than $1.

How To Save: Like with razors, women can use male-oriented brands, so switch to a brand like Barbasol in order to save some money every month.

3. Shampoo

Figuring out which shampoo costs more took a little more research, but women may be paying more than men. For the same brand of shampoo — in this case, we looked at Suave Professionals since it was the most affordable full-size brand — women pay more for the same-size bottle. Our Google search showed us that cheapest price for a women’s 12.6-ounce bottle of Suave shampoo is $2, while a men’s bottle of the same brand and size is just $1.82.

How To Save: Don’t buy shampoo without a coupon and keep an eye out for sales. Discount stores like Dollar General often offer lower prices on name brands than bigger chains. Shop on weekdays rather than weekends, too, as stores tend to offer more sales and larger discounts on days when there are less people shopping.

4. Body Wash

Unsplash/Johnny Caspari

Body wash is a personal hygiene product that costs more for women because it comes in smaller sizes. We found that Suave body wash for women cost as little as $1.60, but only for 12 ounces. The men’s version by Suave also cost only $1.60, but it came in a 15-ounce bottle. For a 12-ounce bottle of a different brand, men also pay less — just $1.19.

How To Save: Stock up on freebies when you travel. Don’t pack personal hygiene products like body wash, shampoo and conditioner — hotels and even Airbnbs will have them for you. If you didn’t use the products during your stay or still have some left, bring them home. If you’re on the road a lot, you’ll have more than enough body wash before you know it.

5. Deodorant

As with body wash, deodorant is deceiving. At first, it might look like women pay less than men for deodorant, but once you realize what you’re getting for your money, you can see the difference. Our Google search resulted in lower prices for women’s deodorant, which came in smaller sizes. Google served us women’s deodorants in 1.4 ounces, 1.6 ounces, 1.7 ounces and 2.6 ounces. When we searched for men’s deodorant, we saw sizes like 2.7 ounces, 3 ounces and even 3.8 ounces. So even though women may be paying less, they’re getting less product, which may result in more purchased over time.

How To Save: Buy in bulk online. If you’re going to have to buy more deodorant over time, you should at least save a few pennies by buying multiple sticks at once. Stocking up can save you money in the long run.

6. Face Moisturizer

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The cheapest face moisturizer we could find on Google for men was less than half the price of the cheapest one we could find for women. Men can get a 1.7-ounce tube of face moisturizer for just 83 cents while women have to pay $1.95 for a 2-ounce bottle.

How To Save: Consider switching from a face moisturizer to an essential oil. It may cost a little more upfront, but you may find yourself using a lot less with each use. This helps stretch the life of your skincare products so you spend less over time.

7. Body Lotion

For this one, we looked at the same brand and size to compare women’s and men’s body lotions. Vaseline Intensive Care Body Lotion for women costs $3.69 for 20.3 ounces, whereas Vaseline Men Healing Moisture Body and Face Lotion cost $3.29 for 20.3 ounces. The kicker? The men’s version says it can be used for their faces, too, which saves them from buying one more product if they so choose. The women’s one doesn’t imply that.

How To Save: Keeping your skin moisturized is super important, especially during the winter months. Instead of buying lotion, you can try making your own at home. Coconut oil is a great option and you can even whip it into a body butter. Buying this type of oil in bulk also saves you money and could end up costing just $2 a jar.

Don’t let the “pink tax” and the cost of personal hygiene products cause your wallet any pain. Stock up and save on your fave products, switch to a men’s brand or try making your own at home. You’ll save money and still smell great.

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