After a long week, or even my extremely long 50-minute 8 a.m. class, I feel miserable and in desperate need of relaxation. Usually, I unwind with a book, a New Girl episode, and my comfiest oversized T-shirt and cute shorts. However, I can’t find it in me to relax until I’ve taken a shower. Sometimes (well, most of the time) I mean an everything shower.
For me, an everything shower involves oiling my hair an hour beforehand and hopping in the shower to use all my shower products in one whole routine. Here are some of my favorite products I love to use when taking my everything shower.
Pre-Shower Prep
My everything showers don’t start once I turn on the water. Usually, I start by oiling my scalp. One of my favorite products to use is the Fable and Mane Hair Oil. Unfortunately, this oil is on the more expensive side, retailing for $38 a bottle, so usually I put this on my Christmas wish list. However, I only use this once a week, which means one bottle lasts me quite a while. This hair oil really moisturizes my scalp, which makes my hair less greasy.
Then, once I’m done oiling my scalp, I turn on my shower. While the water warms up, I’ll take a dry brush, essentially a paddle brush with coarse bristles, and use it to exfoliate my arms and legs. I find that this product makes my arms feel soft and smooth. After the first time I used it, I couldn’t stop touching my arms. Once I use the dry brush, I hop in the shower.
The Main Event
Growing up, I always used a loofah. I loved the way it exfoliated my skin and made so many bubbles, making bath time fun. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that loofahs harbor a lot of bacteria. I felt I couldn’t recover from this, and bath time was never the same until I learned about the African Net Sponge.
An African Net Sponge is a long exfoliating washcloth that has knots on knots. I love to use the net because it exfoliates my skin extremely well, and it still allows my shower products to really clean my skin. It also completely dries out after every use and is machine washable. I may even argue that it exfoliates my skin way better than the loofah did.
After I’ve fully completed all the steps required of my everything shower (washing my hair, shaving my legs, and singing all the songs in Hamilton), I finish off the whole routine with the L’OCCITANE Shower Oil. I have sensitive dry skin, so sometimes after I’ve used too many soaps, I use this shower oil. I lather it on the net sponge, and it suds up nicely. Yet again, this product is also on the more expensive side, retailing at $29 for the 8.4-oz bottle, so birthdays and Christmas it is. However, I don’t need to use very much, and it lasts me a long time.
Post-Shower Hydration
Once I’ve finished washing up, I immediately start moisturizing. I love to use the EOS Vanilla Cashmere Whipped Oil Butter. I typically use this after applying my usual lotion to ensure I lock in as much moisture as possible. This body cream has one of the best scents I’ve ever smelled, and I’ve gotten so many compliments using this product. Another thing I’ve been doing is spraying a body mist after applying all my moisturizers because scents usually stick to my body when the mist has something to hold onto, making the scents last longer.
Feeling fully reset and recharged, I feel I’m more equipped to take on whatever tasks I need to complete next. However, they may have to wait because, like I said before, New Girl and my couch are calling!
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