Buttery soft, healthy and radiant glow - are these your major body skin goals? Then it's time to rethink your shower routine.
Just like your facial skincare regimen, a perfect shower routine also has certain techniques that can help you achieve supple and flawless body skin.
Read on for quick and simple tips that will help you start your shower routine the right way.
Highlights:
Steps To Take A Perfect Shower
Before Shower:
1. Dry Brush
Brushing your skin while it is dry is often considered an effective exfoliation process. You can opt for a dry brushing [1] session just before going for a shower. Dry brushing helps to remove dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin, increase blood circulation, and unclog your skin pores.
Use a soft bristle, long-handle shower brush that can help to reach your back. Start from your feet and move upward in long fluid strokes and circular motions.
Don’t exert too much pressure on the brush, instead use gentle strokes. Also, don’t brush one particular area for very long. Otherwise it can damage your skin’s health and cause irritation or bleeding.
Dry brushing is great for those with dry skin, but people with sensitive skin may want to avoid it.
2. Face Mask
If you are someone with dry skin, use a face mask before you go for a shower. This will help open your skin pores and let the ingredients absorb into your skin. The choice of face mask completely depends on your skin type and condition. Know your skin better to choose the right products for your skin.
During Shower:
1. Use Lukewarm Water
While washing your body, opt for lukewarm water that will help clean your skin without making it dry. Avoid taking showers in boiling hot water as it tends to strip away your skin's natural oils, leading to dry and flaky skin [2]. If you have a habit of taking long showers, then too much hot water can seriously damage your skin.
Keep the water at a temperature that is comfortable for your skin and warm enough to open your skin pores. Switch to cold water when you are finally rinsing your body so that your pores close up.
2. Body Wash
Choose a pH-balanced body wash to restore your skin’s natural oils. Focus on your underarms, feet and pelvic region as those are more likely to get dirty. For best results, use a loofah to apply body wash to your body. This can exfoliate dead skin cells from the surface of your body.
Apply a small amount of body wash on the sponge, add some water, and then rub all over your body. Don't scrub too hard, use it gently.
SkinKraft Tip:
Do not use the same loofah for a long time. Loofahs, if kept in a moist area for a prolonged period, can breed bacteria, moulds and yeasts. Clean them every week or change them once in a month, if possible.
3. Shaving During Shower
The best time for shaving your body hair is towards the end of your shower. By then, your hair follicles soften. Use shaving creams that are formulated with natural ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin e. They keep your skin soft.
Use a good quality razor and rinse the blades. Don’t forget to apply a soothing lotion or moisturizer post shaving.
After Shower:
1. Moisturizing
Moisturizer is a must after you are done with your shower. Apply a moisturizer on damp skin
to lock in the moisture and keep your skin hydrated .
How Often Should You Shower?
There is no ideal frequency for taking showers. What really matters is your personal hygiene.
Too much frequency of showering can lead to itching and flaky skin, and can also aggravate skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Whereas, showering too little can give rise to infections.
Your showering frequency also depends on the changing environmental conditions and your lifestyle choices. [3] If you reside in cold weather countries, you may not want to shower frequently. But the frequency will naturally increase if you are in hot and humid places.
Remember that too much water can affect your skin and make it dry. Also, If you have psoriasis, showering more than once a day may worsen your skin condition. So, even if you are in a humid region and have a habit of showering every day, limit it to one time.
How Long Should You Shower?
Studies suggest a healthy shower ideally lasts for 8 minutes [4]. However, depending on your routine, try shortening your showers. Follow a proper shower routine that can take 5 to 10 minutes on an average.
What Are The Common Showering Mistakes?
1. Using Wrong Soap
Chemical soaps can be harsh on your skin. It can strip off the natural oils from your skin and may cause irritation. Try using mild, fragrance-free soaps, choose gentle cleansers and shower gels with added moisturizers. It will not only save your skin from unwanted irritation, but also hydrate it. If you have skin conditions like eczema, use doctor-recommended soaps.
2. Washing Your Hair Frequently
Avoid washing your hair too often if your hair is coarse or coloured, or if you have undergone any chemical treatment. If your daily routine consists of heavy exercise or swimming, you may want to have a daily hair wash routine. However, too much frequency can make your scalp dry and your hair may lose shine.
3. Using Soap On The Entire Body
Do not use soap all over your body unless you are too sweaty. Apply soap to your armpits, groin and feet as these parts of your body accumulate more sweat.
Avoid using soap on your face. The skin on your face is softer than the rest of your body. Use a face wash or face cleanser to wash your face.
Also, do not use any soap on your private parts as it may harm your skin’s pH level and affect the natural bacteria. Use a product that is particularly made for the skin of the private region of your body.
4. Not Switching On The Exhaust Fan
Your bathroom may turn into an extremely humid place during a shower. The moisture inside your bathroom tends to ruin the walls, which makes room for moulds and bacteria. Turn on the exhaust fan in your bathroom to vent out the moisture and control the humidity.
5. Leaving The Shower Curtain Dirty
Shower curtains may turn into a feasting zone for bacteria. If soap scum keeps accumulating in your shower curtains, it leads to bacteria invasion. If you have a strong immune system you may not contract any disease. However, it is better to clean your shower curtains once a month to avoid any kind of unwanted health issue.
6. Unclean Shower Head
Similar to your shower curtains, your showerhead is a hiding place for bacteria. Bacteria love to stay hidden in the small, dark and damp holes of the showerhead. It is a very risky scenario as these bacteria can enter your body through the water running down from the showerhead.
Clean your showerheads with warm water to kill bacteria. You can also turn on the geyser and keep the hot water running for a few minutes. It will kill the majority of the bacteria and you can shower peacefully.
What Is The Best Time To Shower - Day or Night?
During summer, the humidity in weather rises, due to which your skin is most likely to stay hydrated irrespective of what time you shower. Even multiple showers are also fine during hot seasons. So, you don’t need to choose between day or night, you can shower any time.
But starting your day with a shower can make you feel energetic and boost your efficiency to work the entire day. Similarly, a pre-bed shower helps you fall asleep soon. Your normal body temperature starts dropping in the evening and stays low when you are asleep.
During day time, your body temperature is a bit high as you are involved in different physical activities. When you shower before going to bed, your skin heats up for a short period. Immediately you rinse off the water with a towel which evaporates the moisture, making your skin cooler. Most experts suggest taking a night shower because it relaxes your body and gives you a sound sleep.
6 Effective Shower Routine Tips
- Comb your hair before using shampoo. It will save you from unwanted tangling and hair fall.
- Do not leave your hair conditioner for more than the required time.
- Avoid sharing your bathing tools like bar soap, loofah or brush etc.
- Limit your scrubbing to once or maximum twice a week.
- Try to use cold water for hair wash.
- Apply moisturizer on damp skin for long lasting hydration.
Wrapping Up
Your shower routine does not have to be complicated. Instead, it can be a simple one with effective steps. Having a proper routine for your shower will not only keep your skin healthy, but will also help in conserving water and electricity. Along with a proper routine you would need skin care products that deal with your individual skin concerns. Together, you can optimize the look and health of your skin!
Recommended Products
Was this Article helpful?
- Least helpful
- Most helpful