The Ultimate Shower Routine

If your idea of a shower is standing under hot water for 30 minutes and throwing in some soap somewhere in the mix, then please, you need to read on. Showers are probably the most important part of your day, they affect your hair, your skin and your overall cleanliness. But what if I told you, you were doing them wrong ? This blog breaks down everything you need to know about having the perfect shower.

The Shower Routine Outlined in this blog should take you no longer than just over 5 minutes. It's essential to understand the negative effects that a prolonged amount of water has on your skin, as well as water wastage. To avoid this, a shower should take you no more than 10 minutes. 

Now onto the routine... 

Set-up 

All good showers start with a good set up. First, your temperature. When it comes to the temperature of your shower we suggest having a cold one in the morning and a hot one at night. The reason for this is because the benefits of both correlate better to those times of the day. A cold shower will shock your body and make you alert/ready to crush the day and a hot one will relax your muscles, relieve stress and is perfect to wind down after a big day. 

Next, your organization. You want to be organized before you get into the shower. That means, having your towel ready so you're not dripping all over the place after to grab it and your products nicely organized, so you have a clean environment to bathe in (ah the irony). Tooletries is a great way to organize your bathroom and make it look the part. Their products are also reusable and eco-friendly. 

Beard (Step-One)

While you should be shaving after the shower, if you're someone who likes to trim your beard, then in the shower is the place to do it. While you're waiting for the water to heat up grab your hand mirror (all good groomers should have one) and trim away. Your bathroom sink, and your partner, will love you for it. We recommend the Muhle SP1 Shaving Mirror,  this stand-alone shaving mirror with a chrome-plated frame offer 1x and 5x magnification.

Hair (Step-Two)

A pivotal part of the routine is your hair. While you shouldn't wash your hair every day, Haircare is extremely important.

Shampoo: It's crazy to think that a task done so frequently is done so wrong by many. When shampooing your hair you want to make sure the product coats each and every one of your hair strands. Do this by first lathering the product into your hands and then running your fingers through your hair. It's important to massage the product into your scalp, this will avoid any dandruff and itchiness. Be gentle when you apply your product though, your hair follicles are extremely fragile when wet (especially in hot water), so applying vigorously will cause hair loss.

Conditioner: You know what's next, Conditioner. I can't stress how important it is to condition after you shampoo. When you shampoo, all your natural hair oils are stripped (hence why you should only shampoo 2-3 times a week) and your hair becomes dry. Conditioning acts as a hydration agent and applies moisture to your hair. To condition properly, only apply the product to the middle/ends of your hair (the weakest part). If the conditioner touches your scalp, it can clog your hair follicles and slow down hair growth/increase oiliness. 

Let the conditioner sit in your hair for 3 minutes so the active ingredients can do its thing. While you wait for this process, move onto the body...

Body (Step-Three)

Your body is responsible for a lot of unwanted odours, hairs and acne. So it's a must to take care of all these in your routine. It's not enough to just use any random soap and run water over yourself. You need more than that. Use a quality men's body wash that will not only wash away any dirt, but will take the odour away and have you smelling fresh (We recommend Baxter Invigorating Body Wash Citrus and Herbal Musk). For you people who suffer from chest and back acne, then 'Lucky Tiger Acne Soap' is one of the best soaps on the market. 

Apply your body wash and always use a loofah (replace every 3 months or so) this will make sure your body is perfectly lathered as well as exfoliate all the dead skin cells. While you're all lathered up, proceed onto your manscaping. Now rinse (and don't forget about the conditioner). 

Face (Step-Four)

Now lastly, onto that charming face of yours. The skin on your face is less tough than on your body, so you want to use a more formulated and less intense men's face cleanser (Menscience Daily Face Wash is very popular). Apply the cleanser and rinse, don't let the water directly touch your face, especially if hot, because it can damage your skin cells. Continue with the rest of your face routine, and you're done...well not just yet.

Post Shower Tips

Post shower is a time to take advantage of, and besides, this wouldn't be the ultimate shower routine if we didn't supply you with some post-shower tips.

Drying yourself: When drying yourself, we suggest you do it in the shower to avoid getting water everywhere, and please don't do that thing where you brutally rush the towel back and forth across your hair to dry it quick. Your hair's fragile after a shower, and that's the quickest route to hair loss.

Shave: Your skin is relaxed, hair follicles are soft and your pores are open after a (hot) shower. This makes it the perfect time to start your shaving routine as it's easier for a razor to glide over your skin.

Moisturise: This is a must. After a shower you need to moisturise, your skin has been stripped of all its oils and will become dry. So finish off your skincare routine and apply a moisturiser (We like the Anthony All Purpose Facial Moisturizer, it hydrates and nourishes skin, while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles). 

Nails: Like your skin, your nails are also relaxed and soft, making this the perfect time to get those nail clippers out for an easy cut.  

Styling Your Hair: Use a hairdryer and comb to dry your hair faster and lay the groundwork for your desired style.

The Wrap

Showers are at the core of how you groom. They can and do reflect/affect one's lifestyle, whether it be health or looks. Showers should not be just a random intermission in your day but instead, a time to turn up or wind down, to improve yourself and your hygiene and to refresh and reset.