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Who knew there was a right way and a wrong way to take a shower? Well it turns out there are some common shower mistakes you might be making.
Showers are lovely. They’re warm, and they make us feel clean and refreshed. But not everything about showering is actually great for the body. Here are some common shower mistakes that you might be making.
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Hot water feels great on your muscles, but it’s not actually very good for the skin. Hot water can strip the natural oils from your skin, which you need to avoid dryness. Additionally, that redness you experience after a super hot shower can actually lead to other inflammation, like itchiness. Water that's too hot is one of the most common shower mistakes and you need to cool off ASAP.
Showering for too long is another way to zap the natural moisture out of your skin. Plus, let’s be honest, long showers are a bit of a drain for the environment as well. Try to wrap things up within 10 to 15 minutes to avoid overdoing it.
Grabbing an antibacterial soap sounds productive for your health, but the ingredients in those can be a bit harsh for overall skincare. Sticking with moisturizing body wash is actually be better for your skin. Some ingredients to look out for and avoid include fragrances, parabens, and sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate.
Exfoliating poofs, gloves, and other tools are very helpful for exfoliating. But they need to be replaced regularly to avoid the bacteria and mold that can grow quickly in a damp environment. Allowing these tools to air dry outside of the humid shower can help as well. A good sign that your loofah has passed it’s expiration date is if you’ve been getting infected hair follicles.
By now you’ve probably heard that you don’t actually need to be washing your hair everyday. Doing so can strip the oils that are there to keep it moisturized and smooth. You don’t want your hair to be too oily, but most people can get by with just a couple washes a week.
There are many different types of shampoo to choose from, and what’s right for one head of hair won’t be right for the next. But avoiding sulfates is a good idea for everyone. The hidden ingredient can over dry your hair which is the opposite of what you actually want.
Technically razors can continue shaving for quite some time, but that doesn’t mean that you should overuse them. They get dull over time and when they do it can make it more likely that you’ll cut yourself or even spread around bacteria to your open hair follicles.
If you wait too long after a shower to start moisturizing your skin, you will simply miss out on some of the moisture that you had in the shower. Some people suggest lotioning up while you’re still in the shower, but within three minutes or so is a good rule of thumb.
When we shampoo our hair, we mostly focus on the roots. But when we condition, we should mostly be focusing on the ends. The roots of the hair are naturally oily so they don’t need that moisture boost. The ends of the hair can get pretty thirsty though.
Sure you can hop into the shower and wash off your makeup with some general cleanser, but you might not be cleansing as deep as you think. Removing your makeup ahead of time and then washing your face allows the ingredients in your face wash to really penetrate the skin and do their job well. This is especially true if you’re using a face wash with anti-acne or anti-aging benefits. Might as well allow it to its job, right?
