Taylor Swift gave her fans a little inside info on her showering habits and the hygiene reveal has caused quite the debate on Twitter. Then again, what doesn't cause a massive debate on Twitter these days? Apparently, the way Taylor Swift washes or, er, doesn't wash her legs has people debating on every corner of the internet about what qualifies as an actual cleanse.
Go figure. Last week, the people were up in arms about Kylie Jenner and her walnut scrub and now the latest skin-care discussion is about whether or not shaving cream is a proper substitute for actual shower gel or soap. You just never know what beauty topics will roll out next.
Anywho, let's discuss how this Taylor Swift showering business all came about.
Taylor Swift visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show and played a questionnaire game which is how the hygiene talk began.
“Do you wash your legs in the shower?” DeGeneres asked Swiftly directly during the game. "I do because when you shave your legs, the shaving cream is like soap, right?" Swift responded.
Translation: No. No, Taylor Swift does not wash her legs in the shower. She simply shaves them under the water and prays to the sanitary gods that that is good enough. NBD.
DeGeneres agreed with Taylor Swift that shaving legs in the shower counts as washing them.
Shaving cream is a form of soap, right? It cleanses the body, right? You can use it on your legs and not even wipe it down like the rest of your body. The water is there. The shaving cream is there. The shaver is shaving. It's fine.
Despite DeGeneres and Swift agreeing that shaving gel operates as an adequate body cleanser, much of the internet is leaning a different way.
Here's an exclusive image of the internet's collective response to Swift's showering habit. Much of Twitter is grossed out by the fact that Taylor Swift doesn't directly wash her legs in the shower. Swift has sparked a great debate about what's appropriate shower etiquette and what isn't. To wash your legs or not to wash your legs. That is the huge question on Twitter now. This conversation is not unlike the previous Twitter debate about the right way to put on a bra, minus the sanitary concerns, of course.
Twitter is just undone.
"Taylor Swift is out here existing in the year of our Lord 2019 thinking that shaving cream is soap AND talking about how she shaves her legs every day. GIRL, PLEASE," wrote one critic.
People clearly disagree with Swift and DeGeneres about shaving cream being a proper substitute for actual soap. According to a lot of people, it is not. It will never be and that's that.
One critic pointed out that Taylor Swift is a very leggy girl so her admitting to not really washing her legs is even more interesting.
"Bruh… I'm tayad. Apparently, Taylor Swift thinks shaving cream washes your legs, so she doesn't bother. Homegirl went on to say she shaves her legs every day. She's like 70% legs," the person wrote.
'Tis true. Is it still OK to not really wash your legs when your legs are a major part of our body? Furthermore, when you're part of the long-legged crew, is this showering habit (or lack thereof, in this case) even stranger? Hmm…
Another tweeter feels like Taylor Swift is way too rich to avoid washing her legs.
"Sooooooo … Taylor Swift don’t wash her legs either? With all that big money she got she could hire an official ‘leg washer.’ But nope, she only ‘washes her legs when she shaves her legs because shaving cream is *like* soap’," the person shared.
Meanwhile, the BeyHive just wants the world to know that they believe Beyoncé would NEVER do such a thing.
"So yawl's favorite Taylor Swift don't wash her legs & feet? Substitutes shaving cream as soap when she shaves her legs? Yuck, disgusting. Beyoncé would never," he wrote.
Some Twitter users are siding with Swift.
"Why is everyone freaking out about Taylor Swift not 'washing' her legs in the shower? She uses shaving cream… I do the same. I wash my feet and use shaving cream on my legs…" one person wrote in Swift's defense.
Another Swiftie also agreed with the singer about shaving cream being the same as soap.
"What's all this about @taylorswift13 washing her legs with shaving cream? I myself use men's shaving foam for shaving my legs as it leaves less cuts and it is scented so yeah it doubles as a soap (kinda)," one person wrote.
Anytime the people are in a debate about cleanliness and words like "kinda" or "does that count?" slip into the conversation, then it's time to worry. What say you?
I have a great idea. Anyone want to settle the debate about shaving cream and soap being the same?
I took the pleasure of looking up what the actual purpose of shaving cream is. Famed shaving brand, Gillette, completely broke down the purpose of lathering with shaving cream. The brand names four specific functions which are hydration, lubrication, tracking, and soothing/refreshing. According to Allure magazine, shaving cream also helps you "eke out an extra millimeter or two of hair if you smooth it against the grain as you apply it." In other words, shaving creams and gels are only meant to prepare the skin's surface and the hairs themselves for easier removal. They are not traditionally meant for cleansing and do not always hold cleansing properties.
Most shaving gels and creams do not mention anything about cleansing in their e-commerce product descriptions because of this.
However, if you're committed to those two-birds-one-stone showers, then you could buy a shaving cream that is actually meant to double as a cleanser.
They exist. Philosophy has its Renewed Razor Sharp Cleansing Shaving Cream ($20, philosophy). Sol de Janeiro also has its Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel ($25, Sephora) which the brand specifically notes is meant to double as a shaving cream.
Ultimately though, regular shaving gels are not a substitute for actual cleansing skin-care products. Unless you're using one of these double-duty products, saying that you use shaving cream as soap is like saying you used a moisturizer all over your face so therefore it must be clean. No ma'am. No sir.
