How to Optimize Your ‘Everything Showers,’ According to Dermatologists

• A new trend, the "everything shower," has taken over TikTok, earning over 112 million views so far.

• This style of shower includes a variety of tasks, from shampoo and conditioner to lip scrubs and facials.

• Dermatologists note a few key aspects of an "everything shower," specifically water temperature and time spent showering, as important for skin health.

People are leveling up their shower routines, trading in their quick rinse for longer cleanses that touch on all aspects of personal hygiene needs. The trend, dubbed “everything showers,” has exploded on TikTok, racking up over 112 million views and growing.

Everything showers are exactly what they sound like: instead of simply washing your hair and body, you clean everything. Yes, there’s still shaving and shampooing, but there are also deep conditioning masks, exfoliators, and foot scrubs—not to mention pre and post-shower routines.

According to experts, an everything shower is a great way to practice self-care while taking care of numerous body and skincare needs. “While the shower primarily addresses physical concerns, the therapeutic benefits of self-care can also improve mental health,” Brendan Camp, MD, a dermatologist with MDCS Dermatology: Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York, told Health.

How to Take an Everything Shower

If you browse TikTok, you’ll find countless suggestions for your everything shower routine. Many people break their everything shower down into three parts: the pre-shower prep, the shower, and the post-shower routine.

Use your prep time to set the mood. Turn on some music or a podcast, light a candle, line up your hair and skin care products, and start to unwind. The shower itself can include everything from the typical shower time activities—like shampooing and shaving—to face masks, skin exfoliating rinses, hair conditioning masks, and foot scrubs.

“You might consider using a once-weekly cleansing shampoo to remove excess residue and oil, using a nail brush to clean out debris from underneath nails, using a hair mask to provide intense hydration and conditioning, using a foot rasp to remove calluses, and using a body scrub for exfoliation,” suggested Dr. Camp.

While everyone’s everything shower will cater to their specific wants and needs, here are a few items to consider adding to your everything shower to-do list:

• Shampoo and conditioner

• Hair mask

• Shave

• Face wash

• Face mask

• Lip scrub

• Nail file

• Body scrub

• Moisturizing lotion

Rebecca Marcus, MD, a dermatologist with North Dallas Dermatology Associates, emphasized the importance of washing your face last to remove any cosmetic products that may have gotten onto your face during your shower.

And, if there’s one thing to focus on during your post-shower routine, it’s moisturizing (think: lotions, serums, and oils). “Applying moisturizer within two to three minutes of stepping out of the shower will seal the skin barrier and lock in moisture and humidity from the shower,” Dr. Marcus recommended.

Ultimately, the order of your shower tasks doesn’t really matter, noted Vladyslava Doktor, MD, a dermatologist and owner of Skin Center Boston. “It is up to personal preference and what works best for each individual’s routine.”

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Making the Most of an Everything Shower

There are a few things you’ll want to do to ensure your everything shower is more helpful than harmful.

The first step is ensuring you’re using lukewarm water. The ideal temperature is between 98 and 105 degrees, explained Dr. Marcus. If the water’s too hot, it can strip oil off the skin, leaving your skin dehydrated and irritated.

“Using hot water can trigger the release of histamine in the body, which can lead to skin irritation and itching,” Dr. Doktor said. In fact, you might benefit from a cooler rinse. Research suggests that cold showers—even if you just turn the faucet to cold for 30 to 90 seconds—can improve quality of life and work productivity.

Another important note: While you may see some people on TikTok say their everything showers last up to four hours, you don’t actually want to be in the shower for that long. “Spending too much time in the shower can strip the skin of oil,” explained Dr. Camp.

You want to preserve some oil on your skin because it helps keep it soft and moisturized. According to Dr. Camp, the ideal amount of shower time is about 10 minutes. If you have dry skin, you want to pay even closer to how long your everything shower lasts. “You may be wise to limit shower time so as not to over-dry your skin,” Dr. Marcus agreed.

For most people, the sweet spot is taking an everything shower once a week. While the frequency will vary based on each person’s schedule and personal hygiene needs, too many everything showers could become too irritating for your skin, noted Dr. Camp.

Everything showers, in moderation, can be a great way to practice self-care. “Self-care is an important part of nurturing one’s confidence,” Dr. Marcus emphasized, it “[it] translates to beauty that radiates from the inside out.”

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Read the original article on Health.