Let's Get Real About Taking "Everything Showers"
Self-care for the body and mind.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever spent two or more hours in the shower, cleansing your body from head to toe. If so, you’ve taken what TikTok creators have dubbed an “everything shower.” This experience consists of a full body maintenance routine including skincare, bodycare, shaving, exfoliating and washing your hair.
Influencers have shared their takes on the elongated cleansing session by showcasing their most beloved products as well as the order in which they conduct their “everything shower.” Creator Mila Jaye shared a post stating that the superior order is to wash your hair twice, add conditioner and place your hair into a bun to avoid potentially clogging your pores and getting back acne while moving on to the next steps. Next, she recommends to shave or do a few minutes of Gua Sha, followed by rinsing out the hair conditioner. Then you’ll move on to cleansing the body with bar soap or shower gel and using a sponge or net to exfoliate the skin if you don’t want to use a body scrub. Lastly, Jayve advises that you finish by lathering your skin in a combination of lotion or cream and body oil.
Aside from upholding personal hygiene, many “everything shower” lovers deem the experience a form of self-care and a way to spend uninterrupted time alone to love on themselves. Some consider the routine therapeutic, and a 2022 study revealed that in “stressful moments, the act of cleaning ourselves can reduce the anxiety we’re experiencing.”
In fact, the research shows that heat from a hot shower signals the brain to release oxytocin, a hormone that helps alleviate anxiety and reduce stress. Meanwhile, cold showers can help decrease your blood pressure and cortisol levels, which may be raised due to anxiety and stress as well. A long shower regardless of your temperature preference is truly a way to bring order back into your mind and body, cleanse the day away and have a momentary escape. It’s also a confidence boosting process as the result is soft, clean hair and skin that smells delectable.
While there is no denying that a shower that lasts two or more hours leads to a massive increase in water usage, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the mental and physical benefits of an “everything shower.”
For more beauty news, check out our coverage of Evian’s three new facial mists.
