Are You Making Any Massive Mistakes in the Shower? ...

I absolutely love a hot shower, but it's probably one of the most common mistakes you're making in the shower. While the heat feels good on cold mornings or on achy muscles, it's horrible for your skin. When the water's too hot, it strips away the skin's natural oils and leaves you more vulnerable to dry, flaky skin. Try either taking a shorter hot shower or better yet, use warm water instead. A good rule of thumb is if you see steam, it's probably too hot.

Don't get me wrong, exfoliation is a good thing. It helps get rid of dull, dead skin cells. Most of us use a daily exfoliating scrub or brush while we're in the shower. Too much of a good thing is bad for our skin. Daily exfoliating causes the skin to produce excess oil to hydrate the skin which leads more bacteria and dirt. I've changed my routine to two to three times a week and my skin actually looks better.

Your skin isn't the only thing that hates hot water. Even if you use a deep conditioning treatment, rinsing your hair in hot water strips it of the moisture it needs to be strong and healthy. While cold water is recommended, I usually opt for luke warm water instead. If you don't mind a burst of cool water, you'll love the added shine you get. This goes for both shampoo and conditioner.

Believe it or not, it's okay to have a little oil in your hair. It's healthy for the scalp. Unless you sweat profusely every day, you don't need to wash you hair every day. Between washing and drying daily, you dry out the hair and your scalp. The oils your scalp produces are vital to a healthier scalp and stronger locks. Try skipping a day between washes or even go two days if possible.

No one really likes a dry shave. It just leaves you with extra razor burn. However, sometimes the first thing we tackle in the shower is shaving our legs. The longer you wait, the smoother shave you'll get. The warm water helps to open up the hair follicles and even softens the hair. This makes shaving much easier. I save shaving until last and I get a closer shave and rarely have razor burn.

Okay, so I never did this one personally, but apparently, many women try to multitask in the shower. The shower isn't the right place for brushing your teeth or plucking your eyebrows. When you try to multitask, you only do things half way. For instance, you might not give your teeth the full two minutes they need to get clean. Trust me, you'll save time if you just do things one at a time.

I know most of us are guilty of this one at least sometimes. Using the same loofah for weeks at a time without replacing it is a very bad thing. Your loofah accumulates oil and skin cells over time. Using it for more than a month could mean you're putting bacteria back on your body. Washing the loofah in hot water with an antibacterial wash does help extend the life, but spending a few dollars for a new one each month is even better.

Try breaking some of these bad habits and you will notice cleaner, healthier skin and hair. I couldn't believe changing how I shower would make a difference, but it has. If nothing else, start with just one and see how it goes. Which of these mistakes are you most guilty of?