BYO shampoo minis and what do hotels refill their dispensers with?

[RooFlyer]

I've long believed that the shampoo, soap and conditioner pump dispensers are filled with just cheap stuff rather than the 'branded' stuff. That said, not being a buyer of branded stuff, what would I know - its just an assumption on the profit motive of hotels. Or if it is the branded stuff, then the branded stuff itself is just cheap stuff, branded and maybe scented.

This article re-inforces my belief:

Photos Show Hyatt Hotel With DRIFT Bulk Soap On Housekeeping Carts While Guest Room Bottles Display Jonathan Adler Branding - View from the Wing

A reader who stayed at a Hyatt property reports finding DRIFT bulk soap on housekeeping carts while the bottles mounted in their guest room displayed Jonathan Adler branding. The hotel advertises Jonathan Adler as its standard amenity, raising questions about whether the in-room bottles are...

viewfromthewing.com

And this one doesn't do much for my confidence either:

Former Hotel Manager Turned Flight Attendant Reveals Two Things You Should Never Use in a Hotel Room - View from the Wing

A former hotel manager turned flight attendant says there are two things she’ll never touch in any hotel room: the in-room coffee maker and those refillable shower dispensers. Here’s why — and what you should do instead.

viewfromthewing.com

Some cruises I go on (and rarely, hotels) still have individual bottles of shampoo and cakes of soap so I have a stash of those, but they are diminishing and an uncertain future supply.

1. Does anyone know if you can buy shampoo minis and small cakes of soap retail? On longer trips, I take my own standard sizes but for short tips the smaller versions are good thrown in the toiletries bag.

2. Has anyone observed what's on cleaners' carts wrt dispenser refills in Australia?

 

[kpc]

Yeah I hate these refillable bothles of shampoo and body wash...short of bringing your own, what can you do?!

 

[drron]

We always pack a cake of soap and have a large collection of minis. however supermarkets usually have a travel section near the deodorants/shampoos to buy minis.

 

[Quickstatus]

I don't care what brand is used as I just use the cheapest stuff at home.

 

[AuSammy]

Haven’t looked recently (I moved) but the BigW in Queen Vic building in Melbourne always used to have a section not far from cash registers with a wide variety of minis for travel.

 

[VPS]

Chemists and places like Big W will have travel size toiletries

I have bought my own containers and then just refill them because I only use hypoallergenic stuff for my sensitive skin (because I'm a sensitive soul)

https://www.amazon.com.au/Travel-Bottles-Toiletries-Approved-Containers/dp/B0C8266LGY?th=1

 

[VPS]

And these might help - posting from a different thread

https://www.amazon.com.au/BREENHILL-Leak-Proof-Toiletries-Lightweight-Accessories/dp/B0DP3Z8KFZ?th=1

 

[ols]

I get the feeling cheaper hotels just fill up those different dispensers with the same product.
Like an all in one shampoo/conditioner/hand wash/body wash

 

[AuSammy]

I get the feeling cheaper hotels just fill up those different dispensers with the same product.
Like an all in one shampoo/conditioner/hand wash/body wash

I’ve often suspected the three containers on the wall in some hotels all contained the same product

 

[RooFlyer]

I don't care what brand is used as I just use the cheapest stuff at home.

Me too, as long as it’s actually soap etc in the dispensers. See one of the links in the article.

 

[Quickstatus]

See one of the links in the article.

Yes I saw that. The "soap" provided has always been soapy and effective . So I'm uncertain as to the veracity of the claim - seems outlandish.

I would always wash the drinking glasses before using BTW

I’ve often suspected the three containers on the wall in some hotels all contained the same pro

Well, the conditioner is not soapy so it is easy to detect the difference/

 

[Flyfrequently]

Kmart and The Reject Shop have mini bottles @RooFlyer.

 

[elanshin]

At least with ibis they don't claim different products. Same cheap soao for everything.

 

[Steady]

About a decade ago QF had Australian brand Aspar in the J Lounge restrooms, I quite liked it, it was a thick honey coloured liquid soap, then one day I used it and it was a clear runny soap, I took a 5 second video and sent it to Aspar, and long story short I received quite a bit of their product as a thanks in the mail……

Now I take a refillable silicone travel tube and fill it from the dispenser at places where I like the soap, and use it at places I don’t etc

 

[k_sheep]

I just refill the same containers over and over again from my products at home!

 

[zig]

I also use refillable silicone travel size bottles and take my own products with me.

 

[henleybeach]

Appelles do a good travel pack

Nourishing Starter Pack

Our Nourishing Starter Pack is the perfect introduction to the premium APPELLES Nourishing collection.Complete with the Blackseed Shampoo, Tamanu Conditioner, Willow Back Hand & Body Wash, Sea Buckthorn Skin Lotion and Body Bar, this Starter Pack leaves hair and skin beautifully nourished.

appelles.com

 

[rbjhan]

I use expensive shampoo at home...so just fill travel bottles and take them with me.

Having said that, if you use the big public bath in Japan....they tend to have some good stuff. (Not the ones in your room's bathroom).

 

[anat0l]

Mini bottles of stuff are sold quite widely now. Used to be the exclusive domain of chemists (especially those at airports, of course), but supermarkets also have travel sizes of stuff now. Naturally not the best unit prices, but so there.

If you are checking bags in and don't mind, just get the regular sizes of stuff and bring it with you. Even better if it has a lockable pump position or otherwise a screw top or pop up top that can be secured down. Otherwise, get small refillable bottles and refill with what you have at home before you go. If you spot a hotel or airport lounge with decent stuff, fill it up from that.

I think the cheaper hotels tend to just put the same thing in all three containers.... at least some are a bit more "honest" and have only a single bottle. Some of the more premium brands that have separate bottles - smelling each one I'm fairly certain they are different products (or maybe just the same product - e.g. one size fits all cleanser - with different scents).

Never thought about someone putting their own body fluids in the dispensers, though a lot of the bottles are now fixed to the walls and bolted in such a way that you would have to remove the bracket to open the bottle (without obviously just cutting it open). That is, the top of the bracket is usually between the part that unscrews the pump and the pump spout (which usually shortens the pump distance, making it harder to get a lot of soap out quickly). As for the Japanese hotels, well, I'm just relying on the fact that nearly every guest isn't a sicko.