Wisconsin Dermatologist Checks Into Hotel. Then She Sees The Soap And Hair Care Bottles In The Shower: ‘You Know The Rules’

After a long hard day or even just a sweltering experience on a vacation, all many hotel guests want to do is take a shower and relax. A Wisconsin dermatologist has a warning—avoid the shampoo, conditioner, and regular soap inside large bottles that many hotels now stock in bathrooms.

Dr. Mary McDaniel, a licensed dermatologist who posts regular skincare content, posted a video urging people to stay away from these complimentary products.

“In case anyone has forgotten, you know the rules,” she says, pointing at containers of what appear to be shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in a shower. “Eww, do not use.”

She says that, while it’s often seen as a plus in most hotels, these items can be bad for your skin and hair. She recommends that instead you bring the products that you know work for you.

Dr. McDaniel didn’t respond to an email and direct message sent via TikTok.

Are Hotel Hygiene Products Bad For Your Skin and Hair?

More and more hotels have switched to refillable shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotions. In California, single use shampoo bars and soaps are outright banned to prevent waste. In other areas of the country, hotels have opted to use the refillable containers as a way of saving money and increasing sustainability.

These changes, though, are not all for the better. These products aren’t ideal for every skin and hair type.

Hotel shampoos are often made from incredibly alkaline shampoos that strip hair of its natural oils. These products usually contain a large amount of sulfates, which create an artificial “deep cleanse” while drying out your hair.

Other additives like silicones, artificial fragrances, and parabens can also be found in many hotel shampoos. All of those ingredients can be disastrous for your hair. 

Additionally, washing the skin with the cheap, alkaline soap available at many hotels can break the skin barrier. Even single use bars of soap at hotels can be somewhat damaging for those with sensitive skin. That’s why many licensed dermatologists recommend a switch to a skin cleanser that doesn’t contain an abundance of alkaline ingredients.

Soaps made for hotels are also some of the cheapest skincare products on the market. While they’re generally better than not washing, they contain the same artificial fragrances and harmful ingredients that make hotel shampoo and conditioner bad for your hair.

What Are The Downsides Of Hotel Products?

Dr. McDaniel made another interesting point in the caption of her TikTok. She says that if a bottle of soap in a hotel isn’t locked down, it may have been tampered with. Hotels generally don’t replace these bottles. They’re also not opening soap containers to check if the contents match what’s supposed to be in there.

“More importantly, if products haven’t been locked, there’s risk they’ve been tampered with. Not worth that risk,” she says in her video.

There’s also concerns about refillable dispensers, as these can be breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.

Research conducted by the University of Arizona found that, out of a sample of 82 refillable soap dispensers, 100% had bacterial contamination. Of those, 76% had bacteria quantities that exceeded the Food and Drug Administration’s safety recommendations. Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of virology at the University of Arizona, specifically warned that shampoo and soap dispensers—like the kind in hotels—can be hotspots for bacterial activity.

So if you are concerned about bacteria or what these products might do to your hair and skin, you may want to eschew complimentary products at hotels.

Many of the people who commented on Dr. McDaniel’s post weren’t convinced.

“I travel all the time. I have never seen an unlocked container in the shower. I seriously think this is overkill,” wrote one.

Another agreed, “What could happen? Watered down shampoo?”

A few were on the same page as the dermatologist, however,

“I use only what I bring from home unless it’s sealed,” one person said.

@drmarymcdaniel Most of the products in hotels aren’t great for the skin and hair (exceptions exist of course). More importantly, if products haven’t been locked, there’s risk they’ve been tampered with. Not worth that risk. And of course, don’t shower barefoot – hello warts and toenail fungus. #hotelroomtour #medtok #publicsafety ♬ original sound – Dr. M 🤓