8 Ways You Could Be Showering Wrong

1. Showering at the Wrong Temperature

Very cold showers may not be the friendliest type. They’ll likely wake you up but won’t help you relax. On the other hand, a scalding-hot shower isn’t the answer, either. “Hot water causes your body to lose its natural oil, leaving skin dull, dry, and itchy,” says Friedler — somewhere in the middle is usually best. The National Eczema Association (NEA) recommends a lukewarm temperature for bathing to keep dry skin issues, like eczema, at bay.

Choose a temperature that’s comfortable, not steamy.

2. Showering for Too Long

Standing under a warm stream of water may feel good, but staying in there for too long can be detrimental to your skin. “Just as with hot water, a longer shower causes skin to lose more oil and, thus, moisture,” says Friedler. If you notice you’re having dry skin problems, back off your shower time, capping it at 5 to 10 minutes, advises the NEA.

3. Washing With a Pouf or a Washcloth

Bath poufs are a great way to minimize the use of your body wash: You can definitely get away with using less product and still lather your entire body, says Doris Day, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and clinical associate professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. However, they can act as a reservoir for bacteria without proper care, and they can also irritate sensitive or dry skin. Similarly, washcloths can, too, especially if you don’t clean them thoroughly. Friedler recommends soaping up using your hands.

4. Using a Harsh Cleanser

If you’re worried about germs, know that regular soap — including antibacterial soaps, nonantibacterial soaps, natural ones, shampoos, and any other soap product that sudses you up — will kill most viruses, says Friedler. There’s no reason to reach for anything harsher.

A mild, lipid-rich cleanser proved better for skin health — across a range of shower temperatures and rinse-off times — compared with a regular body wash, according to a study. (The research was sponsored by Unilever, a company that makes personal care products.)

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5. Not Scrubbing Your Whole Body

Grandma was right: Don’t forget to scrub behind your ears, between your toes, and in your belly button. Not doing so could alter your skin microbiome — the careful balance of bacteria on your skin — and possibly increase your risk for skin conditions such as eczema and acne. That’s what researchers of a study published in 2023 found when they swabbed different areas of their skin (the calves and forearms, which they treated as control factors because these areas tend to get washed more often, and the aforementioned moist and oily areas, which they called hotspots) and then studied their bacterial differences through DNA sequencing. The researchers found the areas that tend to get washed more thoroughly had a greater diversity of bacteria than the hotspots, which is associated with a lower risk for skin conditions.

6. Soaping Up Before You Shampoo

To prevent acne and skin irritation, Dr. Day recommends the following regimen: “Shampoo, rinse it off, apply conditioner, wash your body, and then rinse off the conditioner and body wash at the same time.”

Following this order in the shower means the wash helps remove any conditioner and leftover shampoo from your skin. As for shaving, if you save it for last, your hairs will be softer from the heat, water, and steam — and easier to remove.

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