The Ideal Shower Routine for Healthy Skin

Last Updated on July 24, 2024 by Prissila Murillo

Who doesn’t love a good shower? The shower is a wonderful place to relax, soak in the suds, and take care of your skin, hair, and overall health. And while hygiene should be the primary focus of a shower, there are so many other opportunities to enhance the rest of your body! Haircare definitely figures prominently in our daily shower routines, but here we’ll just focus on having an amazing shower skincare routine. We’ll both go into the individual steps as well as the top product recommendations from our beauty editor.

Pre-Shower: Start With a Face Mask if You Can

While we all have times that we need to quickly get in and out of the shower, treating yourself to a face mask beforehand can be really beneficial. Face masks are formulated for a variety of skin concerns, so be sure to pick one that works best for you. Think of them as a primer before you really get into your routine. Among the top benefits are cleansing excessive oil and dirt, hydration, and smoother skin.

These are some of our favorite masks for your morning shower routine!

• Sand and Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask
• Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask
• Clinique Acne Oil Control Cleansing Mask

While You’re in the Shower: Cleansing and Shaving

It should be noted that showers should not be taken for too long nor at temperatures either too warm or too cool. Showering for more than 10 or 15 minutes continuously can dehydrate your skin by stripping it of too many natural oils, while hot water can also do the same thing (lukewarm works best).

Cleansing

When it comes to choices of cleansers, you need to start with a dedicated facial cleanser. There are so many excellent ones available in the market from many different brands, so choose one that best suits your skin concerns. These choices will greatly differ for oily, mixed, normal, or dry skin. Also, choose a high-quality pH-balanced body wash that gently cleanses your body without irritating it (as with your face, different skin surfaces will react differently).

Exfoliating

A quick word on exfoliators and toners: exfoliators do a great job removing dead skin, and we would definitely recommend using them once or twice a week. However, you absolutely don’t need to use them more than that, as they’ll irritate the skin. So as long as you’re not using it too frequently, go ahead and smooth in that exfoliator after the cleanser. After that, regardless of whether you’re exfoliating or not, it’s a good idea to apply a bit of skin toner, which closes pores and restores your skin’s pH after cleansing or exfoliation. Look out for those containing rose water, which is in some of the best toners.

Shaving

Finally, we come to shaving. Shaving should be done at the end of the shower, as the hair follicles have had the most amount of time to soften up with hydration. Start with shaving cream, gel, or foam that uses natural oils as its base, as that will act as both a lubricant and protectant while you shave. Choosing a good shaving razor as well ad remembering to change your blades often enough is key to preventing irritation. After you’re done shaving, remember to apply a soothing balm to heal your skin, as shaving induces tiny cuts throughout the skin’s surface.

These are some of our favorite cleansing and shaving products for your shower routine!

• Schick Intuition Razor
• Tree to Tub Ph balancing Body Wash
• CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser

What to Do Out of the Shower: Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Moisturizers

It’s no secret that showering removes your body’s natural oils, so a quality moisturizer for at least your face (if not your body) is key. Start with a good eye cream and facial serum to add a lubricating layer to the base of your skin. Here there are tons of choices, so it really depends on what suits your skin the best. After that, a quality moisturizer will help seal in the moisture and keep your skin glowy throughout the day.

Sunscreen

Finally, choose a good quality sunscreen or SPF product to top it all off. Be sure it doesn’t contain potentially harmful ingredients – the EWG has a list of these as well as product recommendations for protective, non-harmful sunscreen. SPF products are essential to protect the skin from UV radiation, which can cause premature aging. Note that the sun emits UV rays in all climates and weather conditions, so it’s a good idea to apply an SPF product whenever you’re outdoors (if not indoors).  Also, remember that sunscreen must be applied properly and reapplied every few hours for optimal protection.

Lip Scrub

And before you forget, don’t forget to protect your lips! A good lip scrub will keep your soft, plump, and moist throughout the day, while some quality lip balm with SPF will keep your lips from getting chapped or dehydrated in any kind of climate.

So does this sound all too complicated to you? If you’re a beginner, the good news is that you can add these things into your shower routine incrementally and see what works for you! If you’d like to see more of our beauty care suggestions, check us out on Instagram @successible-life, or if you’d like to share your own suggestions, tag us with #SuccessibleBeauty for a chance to repost. Either way, we’d love to hear your thoughts!

These are some of our favorite facial and body moisturizers as well as sunscreens!

• CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
• CeraVe Rough and Bumpy Skin SA Lotion
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream