Madison Burgess
The 'everything shower' might not be the effective self-care ritual you think it is.
In recent years, the concept has popped up and gained popularity on social media, that a once-a-week deep clean will have you ready for whatever the next seven days throw at you.
It's a viral routine where you basically have one longer-than-usual shower and cram in all of the beauty practices and self-care bits you need to do.
We're talking exfoliating, fake tanning, moisturising, double-shampooing, shaving, hair masks and serums, a face mask, skincare, and everything else you can possibly think of.
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The idea of an 'everything shower' doesn't come with a specific list of things you have to do; it's more about the concept itself, so you just do the things that are in your own shower routine.
It's also not something you do every night and is instead preserved for a day when you have the whole evening or morning free, as it can take hours.
Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow have even hopped on the trend - but, how good actually is an 'everything shower' for you?
Well, dermatologist Jenny Liu told Allure that from a skin health perspective, any shower 'consistently longer than 15 to 20 minutes can become excessive, especially if the water is hot'.
Sorry to break the bad news to 'everything shower' lovers.
The expert explained: "Prolonged exposure strips the skin of its natural lipids and disrupts the barrier, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and flare-ups of conditions like eczema.
And for those who love a hot shower, the bad news keeps coming as Lui affirmed that 'shower water should feel comfortably warm, not steamy or stinging'.
The dermatologist outlined that ideally, a shower should last between five and 10 minutes, and if the temperature is high enough to make your skin turn pink or red, it’s too hot.
Meanwhile, family medicine physician Janna Assar warned Banner Health that your skin and health may end up paying the price for over-the-top routines.
The doctor said, "The skin is your body’s largest organ. When you overload it with harsh products, strong fragrances, and chemicals, you can damage its natural balance and even absorb ingredients that may affect your hormones.
“Hot water opens up your pores. And in a steamy shower, you’re also inhaling these chemicals, which may affect your hormone levels."
The publication outlined the signs you may be overdoing it with too many products. These are:
However, when it comes to the actual mental health benefits of an 'everything shower', psychotherapists have explained how it's more about the power of ritual and self-care than the products that you use.
So, you can still have one, just don't overdo it on hundreds of different lotions, serums, and shampoos.
Ali Ross, psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), told Healthline: "This ritual encourages us to take our time, be attentive and responsive, and it has the potential to be a deeply self-compassionate, meditative practice. It allows you to slow down, gather yourself, and understand where you’re at in your day/week/life."
While clinical hypnotherapist and psychotherapist, Tania Taylor, added: “Rituals, routines, and habits have long been known to have a positive effect on our well-being because they support us in feeling safe, confident, and comfortable.
"We thrive from knowing that the behavior we exhibited previously resulted in no danger, and so we strive to repeat behaviors that we perceive as being beneficial to us, whether this be relating to self-care or just the way in which we switch off the lights and lock the door when we leave our home.”