The Everything Shower: How to Try the Trend Without Drying Out Your Skin

If you've spent any time on TikTok or Instagram, you've probably seen the "everything shower." People show off long, slow showers where they wash, scrub, shave, mask and moisturize from head to toe, often with candles and music going.

I love anything that gets people to slow down and take care of themselves. But as someone who makes bath products by hand here in Arizona, I also have some honest thoughts. Here's what the trend is, where it can go wrong, and a simpler way to try it that's kind to your skin.

What Is an Everything Shower?

An everything shower is a shower where you do all the extra steps at once, not just the quick wash. It usually has three parts:

• Before: setting the mood, getting your products out, and maybe brushing out your hair.
• During: washing your hair, cleansing your body, exfoliating, shaving, and caring for your face and lips.
• After: moisturizing your body, face and lips while your skin is still a little damp.

The idea is simple: give yourself one shower that feels like a fresh start. And honestly, that's a sweet idea.

Where the Trend Can Go Too Far

Here's the part I want to be honest about. More steps don't always mean better skin.

• Long, hot showers can dry you out. Hot water, and lots of time under it, can pull away your skin's natural oils. Many skin doctors suggest keeping your time under the water short, around 10 minutes. That matters even more here in the desert, where the air is already so dry.
• Too much scrubbing is too much. Exfoliating feels lovely, but doing it hard or every day can leave skin feeling tight and raw.
• Every new product is one more thing for your skin to get used to. If you add five new things at once and your skin gets upset, you won't know which one did it.
• It's a lot of water. A very long shower uses a lot of it, and that's something I think about, living in Arizona.

So my take is this: an everything shower is a treat, not an everyday thing. Once a week is plenty for most people.

My Simple Everything Shower (About 10 Minutes Under the Water)

The trick is to do most of the slow, relaxing parts outside the water. Here's how I'd do it.

1. Get ready before you turn on the water

Set out everything you'll use, so you're not hunting for things while the water runs. Put on some music. Brush out your hair. This is a great time to slow down and just breathe.

2. Start the steam

Set one of our Aromatherapy Shower Steamers on the shower floor where it gets a light splash of water, not the strongest spray. As it melts, the essential oils fill your shower with scent. They come in Eucalyptus Mint, French Lavender, Orange Patchouli Mandarin, and Sea Salt & Lavender, so you can pick your mood. (Shower steamers are made for the shower, not the bath.)

3. Hair first

Wash your hair first, so any conditioner rinses off your body before you clean it. If you use our shampoo and conditioner bars, there's no plastic bottle to throw away when you're done.

4. Wash your body gently

Use warm water, not hot. Our Whipped Shea Butter Body Wash & Shaving Cream is soft and fluffy, turns into a creamy lather, and is sulfate-free, so it won't strip your skin. It comes in a glass jar, too. Prefer a bar? Every one of our soap bars has shea butter, coconut milk and kaolin clay in it.

5. Exfoliate (lightly!)

This is the "extra" step most people love. Use a small scoop of our Nourishing Sugar Scrub on damp skin and rub in soft circles, mostly on rough spots like elbows, knees and heels. When you rinse, it turns creamy, so your skin feels soft, not greasy. Go gentle. You're polishing, not sanding.

6. Shave last, if you shave

Shaving after you exfoliate means your hair is softer and your skin is smooth. Our whipped body wash doubles as a shaving cream, so you don't need one more product.

7. Face, then turn off the water

Wash your face near the end, so you rinse away anything left from your hair products. Then turn the water off. That's it for your time under the water.

The After-Shower Part (No Water Needed)

This is where you can slow down as much as you like, because the water is off.

• Pat, don't rub. Pat your skin with a soft towel and leave it a little damp.
• Moisturize right away. Put on a body butter or lotion while your skin is still a bit damp. It helps hold in the water your skin just soaked up. Our hand and body butter comes in a glass jar now.
• Care for your lips. If your lips feel dry, a little Velvet Kiss Lip Polish, then your favorite lip balm, is a nice finish.
• Rest a minute. Drink some water. Sit down. Enjoy feeling fresh.

How Often Should You Do It?

For most people, once a week is a good rhythm. On the other days, keep it simple: a quick, warm shower, a gentle wash, and moisturizer after. You can also spread out the extras, like using a scrub once or twice a week, and a lip scrub when your lips feel dry.

If you have very sensitive skin, or a skin condition like eczema, please talk with your doctor before adding new steps like scrubs. Every person's skin is different.

Why I Like This Trend (With a Few Changes)

At its heart, the everything shower is about taking a little time to care for yourself. I think that's a good thing. We all need a quiet moment, and I'm grateful for small, simple blessings like a warm shower at the end of a long week.

You don't need ten products or an hour under the water. You need a few good things, warm (not hot) water, and a little patience with yourself.

A little about us: I'm Gracie, a third-generation soap maker. My grandmother started our family's soap making, and I'm proud to carry it on. We're a small, faith-centered family business in Waddell, Arizona, and we make everything by hand in small batches.