The “everything shower” is the most exciting and yet dreaded time of the week. It takes up an obscene amount of time, and it feels like you’ve just run a marathon, but you end up feeling like the softest, most luxurious, prettiest princess ever. But the “everything shower” isn’t just thrown together haphazardly. It’s an art form. You might be thinking, “Oh, it’s just an ‘everything shower,’ so I basically just do it all, and I’m done.” Sure, to an extent, that’s correct. But it’s not just about getting everything (washing your hair, shaving your body, and exfoliating everything) done, but more about how you get it done.
While we were being taught useless things in school (like math and science), we were missing out on the real important lessons in life: how to take the ultimate “everything” shower. So, to give us a full breakdown, we enlisted the help of board-certified dermatologist Dr. Carmen Castilla.
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1. Shampoo Your Hair
A good everything shower begins at the top — yes, we’re talking about your hair. “This helps ensure any hair products are fully rinse off your skin,” Dr. Castilla says. “For some residual hair products left on the skin can lead to acne breakouts.”
The key here is double shampooing. First, you want to use a clarifying shampoo to remove any product buildup from the week, and then you want to use a hydrating shampoo. But if you’re someone with dry hair, you can skip the clarifying shampoo as it can further dry out already dry hair.
2. Use Conditioner
After shampooing, you want to use a conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, avoiding your scalp. After you leave the conditioner for a bit and wash it out, Dr. Castilla recommends following up with a hair mask.
“You could also use a hair mask as part of a pre-shower routine,” she recommends.
3. Exfoliate Your Body
Now, you can move on to your body, but you want to exfoliate it first. But instead of reaching for that loofah or those washes with those little beads in it, Dr. Castilla recommends sticking with a chemical exfoliant, like a glycolic body wash. She suggests products like the Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash or the SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.
4. Shave It Off
If you’re someone who shaves regularly, you want to do this immediately after exfoliating so that you’re getting a smoother shave. “Use shaving cream as well for this step, and make sure you are changing your blades,” Dr. Castilla says.
And you don’t just want to change your blades; you also want to make sure you’re storing them in a place where they can dry, so inside your bathtub might not be your best bet. “Damp, wet blades can rust or dull and breed bacteria,” she says.
5. Wash Your Body
Then comes the main event: washing your body. Dr. Castilla recommends using washes like the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash or Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash. And, of course, please don’t just use your hands to wash your body. We’re adults — get a washcloth.
6. Moisturize
You’re doing an “everything shower” right when it doesn’t just end in the shower. It’s the products you use after you’re out of the tub that really set in all of the pampering you just spent a ridiculous amount of time doing. But you want to first make sure you’re making the atmosphere as inviting as possible.
“Make sure your bathroom is warm; stepping out of a warm, relaxing shower into a cold space can be a bit jarring,” Dr. Castilla says.
Other than that, light some candles and play some music because we are not done just yet. For the final stretch, it’s time to lather yourself with your favorite post-shower products.
“After the shower, you can apply moisturizer to your body and leave conditioners or oils on your hair,” Dr. Castilla says. She recommends moisturizers like La Roche Posay Lipikar AP or Avene XeraCalm AD for your body and Neutragena Water Cream or ColorScience Barrier Pro Essential Moisturizer for your face.
Then, put on your favorite silk pajamas, wrap your hair or tie it into a protective style, and get ready for another week. Thank God you don’t have to do this again until next week.
