You’ve probably been showering on your own since before puberty, so you’ve got the entire process down to a science—turn on the water, hop in, and scrub yourself clean. Simple, right? The reality is there are a lot of other things that happen in the 15 minutes you’re behind the curtain, from shaving your legs to exfoliating your body.
To make the entire process more efficient and better for your skin, there are a few healthy shower habits to live by. The tools you use, the water temperature, and even your choice of body wash can have an effect on your skin. So, I asked top dermatologists to share the most common faux-pas that occur under the shower head.
1. You’re taking extremely hot showers.
Hot showers feel so good, but they aren’t too hot for your skin. “Hot showers open the pores, strip the skin of natural oils, and wick much needed moisture away from the skin,” Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip, M.D., director of cosmetic dermatology at South Shore Medical Center, tells SELF. Experts agree that a lukewarm shower—about the temperature of a heated swimming pool—is better than a steaming hot spray.
2. You’re showering too often.
Hopping into the shower two or more times a day can dry out the skin because you’re constantly rinsing away your body’s natural oils and moisture. Many derms even believe that once a day is too much. Unless you’re someone who likes to work out and get sweaty every single day, you really only need to shower a few times a week at most.
3. You’re using products with irritating ingredients.
You might love your tropical, pineapple-and-mango-infused body wash, but unless you’ve read the ingredients label, you probably have no idea what’s really inside that bottle.
4. You’re not filtering your water.
This might sound like an unnecessary luxury, but, depending on where you live, hard water could be having a negative effect on your hair and skin. Unfiltered water can contain minerals like calcium and magnesium. “These can leave residue on the skin and hair causing build-up, dryness, and irritation.
5. You’re re-using yesterday’s washcloth.
matter what fabric your washcloth is made of, you shouldn’t be reusing the same washcloth two days in a row without throwing it in the laundry.
6. You’re leaving your loofah in your shower.
It makes sense to store what you use in the shower in your actual shower, right? But experts warn against this, as the hot and steamy environment is a breeding ground for bacteria. “Using a bacteria-infested product for exfoliation would make you more prone to infections,” explains Engelman. “Unless your loofah is super dry in between use and bleached regularly, you are risking more damage than good.”
7. You’re overdoing it with the scrubbing.
Exfoliating is one of those self-pampering skin-care musts. It helps get rid of dead skin cells that sit on your skin’s surface, leaving your skin looking dull. And, while you should certainly stick to a regimen of exfoliating both your face and your body two to three times a week, any more than that is overkill.
8. You’re shaving in all directions.
You might not always have time for the perfect shave, but when putting razor blade to skin, derms recommend trying your best to stick to shaving in the direction of which your hair grows.
Most of us become a bit too attached to our trusty razor, leaving the same blades on for months at a time, but experts say this quickly leads to infections like folliculitis. Folliculitis is inflammation of the hair follicles that can be accompanied by bacteria filled pustules. Not fun. Razors create teeny, tiny microscopic tears in the skin. So, if you’re using a dull or dirty one, you’re introducing all sorts of bacteria deep in there. For this reason, it’s best to replace your razor blade between every five to seven shaves, or once a month, depending on how frequently you shave.
10. You’re not moisturizing immediately after you shower.
Studies have shown that moisturizing immediately after bathing gives significantly better hydration compared to delayed moisturizing or not moisturizing at all. This is even more important when you’ve just shaved your legs in the shower.
11. You’re not wearing shower shoes at the gym.
Remember freshman year of college when you showered in a communal bathroom alongside dozens of other students? You probably (hopefully) wore flip flops to protect your feet. The same safety precautions should be used at the gym. Any time you’re rinsing off in a public shower, cover your feet.
