1

Take Off Your Makeup: Be sure you take off your makeup before you get in the shower or as soon as you do unless you’re doing a morning shower and removed your makeup at night. The steam of the warm water will open pores and soften your skin, and you want your skin to be clean so those enlarged pores can breathe.

2

Set Correct Water Temperature: Hot water can strip skin’s natural, good-for-you oils, leading to dry skin after your shower. Extra-hot water can also burn skin so it’s best to stick to lukewarm water. Be sure it’s room temperature or cooler for the majority of the time you’re under water.

3

Time Under the Water: The average shower should take 5 to 10 minutes, but shorter cooler showers are generally better for your skin. However, spending 30-60 seconds just standing under the water making sure it’s totally soaked will help results. The water has serious de-stressing powers, and products like shampoo and conditioner work best on hair that’s fully saturated. And if you’re shaving, the prolonged exposure to water will help soften the skin and hair. Also close the door to the bathroom to capture the steam and increase the humidity.

4

Shampoo and Condition Your Hair: Use the smallest amount of cleanser to wash the skin. On days when you choose to wash your hair, make sure it’s one of the first things you do. Not only will doing it first allow for some extra time for the conditioner to sit in your hair and work its magic, it will also ensure that when you wash your body, you’re removing any falling hair products from your skin that could cause breakouts if not washed away.

5

Exfoliate & Shave: If you’re going to exfoliate & shave, do it now — it’ll give the conditioner you just applied some time to sink into your follicles. First, exfoliate your legs (and the rest of your body if needed) to remove dead skin. The few minutes you’ve already spent in the steam will have softened the hair, making it less likely to tug against the razor. When you’re done, be sure to thoroughly rinse the conditioner out of your hair before you move on.

6

Wash Your Body: Waiting until the near-end of a shower to wash your body is crucial. There are ingredients in hair products that are great at repairing damaged strands but not great keeping skin blemish-free. Hold off washing your body until all the conditioner is fully rinsed out of your hair and down the drain. If not, you risk letting it sit on your skin all day or overnight because you washed too soon and didn’t cleanse it away.

7

Finish Cleansing Your Face: Wait until the very end of your shower to wash your face to remove not only the remnants of the day, but also any shampoo or conditioner that may still be lingering around your hairline and on your face.