• Since upgrading from childhood bath time to full-on adult showering, there’s a 99%
chance that you’ve been doing it all-wrong.
• The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem;
• So here are 15 ways you’ve been royally screwing up your shower experience.
15 – One of the most common shower problems starts at the bottom…
• Your feet.
• Since the beginning of the Internet, debates have been had over whether there’s a need
to spend time on washing your feet while in the shower, or if the soapy runoff alone is
capable of cleansing those toes.
• The verdict is in, however, as The Institute for Preventative Foot Health recommends washing
and drying your feet every.single.day.
14 – Long showers are luxurious, but they aren’t ideal for your overall skin health.
• Spending too much time under the faucet isn’t only detrimental to the environment;
it also robs your skin of vital moisture.
• Staying in the steam and warmth is tempting, but in doing so, the layer of your skin that
produces protective oil for your body takes a beat down.
• Shorter showers preserve that oil layer, and save you money on moisturizers.
13 – Speaking of moisturizers…
• You need to use them right away!
• While lounging in a bathrobe in front of your open window, hoping that cute new
neighbour will catch a glimpse is tempting; it’s ruining your optimal moisturization
time.
• Experts advise applying the product while your skin is still damp and can lock in the
H2O.
• Go now!
12 – Paraben products are destroying your sex drive.
• Parabens are a fancy chemical family used in loads of household products; including
shampoo and body wash.
• What’s the downside to these fun chemicals you ask?
• They act like estrogen (that lady hormone), so when your body absorbs them through the
skin, it then thinks it’s okay to drop your testosterone levels.
• Less testosterone means a lower sex drive, fatigue, and sometimes depression.
Check your labels; nobody is about that life.
11 - Washing your towel needs to happen.
• Your college roommate will try and justify that mildew-ridden rag he currently has hanging
on the back of your door by saying, “your body’s clean when you use it, so why wash
it?”
• Because skin cells are gross, and they like to grow and multiply.
• An unclean towel can clog pores, breed bacteria, and in general just smell awful.
• Wash that towel every 3-5 uses for optimal cleanliness and general well being.
10 - You’re holding in the pee that you want to let flow so badly
• Everyone’s had that moment of panic, when you realize you’ve gotta go, gotta
go, gotta go number one RIGHT now!
• Turns out, peeing in the shower is actually beneficial.
• Urea, the main component of your urine, can actually help hydrate your skin and relieve
itchiness.
Let it flow!
9 - Cold showers are for winners.
• While most people spend all of their time under warm flowing water, it’s actually
better for you to get a blast of Antarctica while naked.
• Showering in cold water has been shown to have a cornucopia of benefits; from higher
alertness levels to depression relief.
• Next time you’re enjoying that steamy sauna you’ve created, try switching it to
colder temps for a few minutes before getting out.
8 – Shaving should be saved for your shower finale
• It’s tempting to immediately rid yourself of all body hair as soon as that water hits
the skin.
• But in this case, patience is a virtue.
• Your pores need some time to warm up to the idea of an aggressive blade forcibly removing
the hair that they worked really hard to grow!
• Waiting until the end of a shower to shave will save you a future riddled with ingrown
hairs and razor burn.
7 – Washing your hair every time you clean the rest of your body is overdoing it.
• That is, unless, you’re one of those unicorn-esk humans who only showers once a
week.
In that case, keep washing that hair every time you’re in the shower.
• If you aren’t a unicorn, and shower every day like the majority of humanity, you
should only be washing your hair 2-3 times a week to keep those essential oils rocking
• If you’ve learned anything so far, it’s that oil can be a good thing
6 - Loofah’s are germ-ridden cess pools of doom.
• The loofah could once have been deemed a girl’s best friend when it came to cleaning
time.
• Not anymore.
• From day one, those dead skin cells you scrubbed off with your fun sponge toy are
now sitting in your shower and breeding continuously.
• Every use thereafter is rubbing advanced bacteria on your skin.
Stop it.
5 - If there’s no fan involved in your shower process right now, you might already be dead.
• Damp areas are a breeding ground for mold, and without proper ventilation your shower
is just a step away from a call to the EPA.
• To avoid growth, keep your fan on both before and after your shower to dry out the
area.
• Remember kids, only you have the power to prevent forest fires.
And black mold.
4 – Exfoliating is a privilege, not a right.
• Exfoliation is great, in the right amounts.
• Do it too often, and rather than just getting rid of dead skin cells you’ll also
be getting rid of some skin that you need.
• When it comes to abrasively scrubbing yourself, less is more.
Use in moderation.
3 – Filter your water.
• Unless you’re a resident of an island that has access to a hot spring, it’s likely
that your water is considered “hard” • Hard water has high mineral content, and
can be harmful to your skin and hair.
• By adding a filter to your showerhead, you can avoid getting pelted by hard water
altogether.
2 – Don’t forget to look back at it.
• It’s easy to disregard the entire back of your body, since, ya know, you don’t
see it.
• Make sure that you’re spending some quality time cleaning the sweaty nook in the
back, or else risk infection, embarrassment, and an ever-increasing demand for new underwear.
1 - Your exit probably needs work.
• The end of the shower is arguably the most important step, and there’s about a
98% chance that you’re doing it wrong.
• Towelling off should be a pat down process, rather than the aggressive shake down you’ve
become accustomed to.
• Next time you hop out of the shower, use a nice fluffy towel to pat down all the parts.