How to Shower Now: The 3-Step System For a Better Shower

THREE-IN-ONE cleansers. Body brushes that quickly scour every part of yourself. Waterproof speakers that blast the headlines in 60 seconds. Why are we all in such a rush in the shower? Maybe it’s time to slow down with a little something we’re calling the Everything Shower. Born out of lockdown and popularized on TikTok (we’re talking millions of views), this super suds-down is the body maintenance equivalent of meal prep. Trim, cleanse, shave, refresh, and restore for the week, all in one go, while enjoying what might be the only 20 (or 30!) minutes you have to yourself all damn day.

When you start to dig into it, it’s not surprising that this trend has gained—and maintained—so much traction on TikTok. One Everything Shower is effectively an at-home spa day that’ll leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated before even leaving the house. So if you’ve got a few extra minutes or are in need of a physical reset, it’s the perfect option for revitalization. Not to mention, it’s pretty easy to achieve once you have the steps laid out, which we have, of course, done for you. Below, three steps to help you enjoy an Everything Shower right now and take your bathing to the next level.

There’s a reason every athlete has a pre-workout routine. If you want to get the most out of a gym session, you have to properly prepare your body for the exercise, and the same is true for skincare. To get the most out of any product, you must first set your body up to integrate it successfully. This is your prep, in the shower stall, without the water on, and will later require the rinse of the shower itself.

Stage One

If you manscape (trim but not wet-shave), apply baby powder to the area to soak up excess moisture and lift hair away from your skin. Dry hair is easier to cut; wet hair can appear longer, so you risk over-trimming. If you have a beard, trim it now, too.

Read More: Best Electric Razors

Recommended Tools: For body grooming, the Manscaped Lawn Mower 5.0 is an interchangeable trimmer with foil-blade heads that make everything look even, and never patchy. For the money maker, Panasonic’s beard trimmer will help bring a similar precision to your face.

Stage Two

Now it’s time to prepare your scalp. Apply a pre-shampoo scalp serum to exfoliate dead skin cells, product residue, and other gunk that accumulates throughout the week. This is a step often forgotten during the bathing process. Remember, serums promote a healthy scalp, while shampoo cleans.

Recommended Tools: Have to go with the Living Proof Scalp Care Exfoliator here. With its exfoliating acids, which help remove build-up, and the bottle’s tapered head for accuracy, it’ll have your face readier than it has ever been for a wash.

This is the bulk of your experience, what we’ve been working towards—the actual shower. Embrace the steam and take it in, this is when things start to really feel nice. As a rule, start from the top and work your way down so that everything washes off.

Stage One (Hair)

Rinse the serum (if you used it) and then work in a shampoo formulated to deep-clean your hair and scalp. Clarifying shampoo is a power washer for your hair but can cause dry-out, so use it only once a week. Then rinse and condition, and leave the conditioner on for a few minutes before rinsing to allow it to penetrate.

Recommended Tools: L’Oréal Paris EverPure Clarify Shampoo blasts buildup without parabens, sulfates, or dyes. Similarly, the K18Hair Damage Shield Protective Conditioner replenishes and smooths hair while also protecting it from environmental damage, such as UV rays.

Stage Two (Face)

Use a facial scrub to exfoliate. If you prefer to shave in the shower, do it now. We recommend this because washing and exfoliating clears dirt and debris for a closer and less irritating shave. Also, if you have time, deep-clean your pores with a clarifying mask. Just be sure to keep your face out of the water while it sets.

Recommended Tools: The Atwater Skin Armor Face Scrub Cleanser combines jojoba beads and salicylic acid for a thorough clean, while The Shop Shave Cream is ultra-rich and soothing on skin and rinses super easily. Then using the Blue Lagoon Skincare Silica Mud Mask will excavate grime from pores without leaving your face feeling tight or dry.

Stage Three (Body)

Now use a scrub to exfoliate the rest of your body. If you wet-shave anywhere, post-exfoliation is the best time to do it. You’ll have cleared the dead skin cells that cause razor drag. Next, use a body wash to hydrate your skin. Then rinse well.

Recommended Tools: Versed Buff It Out AHA Exfoliating Body Scrub uses finely ground pumice plus alpha-hydroxy acids to ensure smooth skin. The Philips Norelco OneBlade Intimate is designed to shave sensitive areas with minimal nicks—and it’s waterproof. California Naturals Super Moisture Body Wash is made from soothing and hydrating ingredients.

Let us pause to acknowledge that, yes, this is a lot, but you will also look and feel at least 250 percent more awesome. Thankfully, post-shower is when this feeling will really start to kick in so it should establish enough good vibes to get you through the final stages, which are just as crucial but easy to forget.

Finishing Stage

Think of this as your body’s victory lap. Apply a lightweight body gel or lotion from the neck down to lock in moisture. Then, use a balancing scalp serum directly on your scalp and massage it in to help soothe itchy, dry, or irritated skin. Finally, moisturize your face. If you’re Everything Showering in the morning, don’t forget daily sunscreen.

Recommended Tools: Malin+Goetz Eucalyptus Smoothing Body Gel is a lightweight gel serum that deep-moisturizes and has staying power. Act+Acre Microbiome Cooling Scalp Serum will help balance your scalp’s microbiome and reduce any itchiness. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream is packed with hydrating hyaluronic acid and never feels greasy or filmy, even on sensitive skin.

You’ve reinvented yourself with a power shower. Now do the same for your bathroom. While these aren’t essential to completing an Everything Shower, they will certainly enhance one—or any showering for that matter. For example, the Canopy Filtered Showerhead will help combat and restain any chlorine, heavy metals, or other gunk from your water that’s trying to make its way onto your skin.

Then, a solid buffy towel like this one from Renee Rouleau will help you clean hard-to-reach areas of your back without resorting to yoga moves. Not to mention, it also gently exfoliates. Of course, if you’re going to be in the bathroom for 30 minutes, you might want something to listen to. This waterproof Bluetooth speaker from JBL can be hung directly below your showerhead so you can complete the spa vibe with soothing music, or catch up on podcasts. To fully empower your shower, add these additional tools to your space.

Hair Thickening Shampoos | Shampoos for Hair Growth | Scalp Treatments | Shampoo Bars | Hair Conditioners | Hair Clays | Hair Products | Natural Shampoos | Beard Shampoos | Bar Soaps | Natural Soaps | Biodegradable Soaps | Face Wash | Moisturizing Body Washes |

Prop styling by Miako Katoh

This story appears in the September-October 2024 issue of Men’s Health.

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