Long skincare routines are nothing new, especially in the social media era, even though simple regimens often do the trick. However, they’ve seemingly gone next-level with the “everything shower” trend. The hashtag #everythingshower alone has nearly 65K posts on TikTok, with short videos detailing elaborate routines that seemingly span hours. What is an everything shower?
“An everything shower is the opposite of a shortcut shower — essentially, you are doing all the things you can do from head to toe in the shower,” said Dr. Maya Thosani, MD, a dermatologist at Modern Dermatology.
Ironically, if you’re intimidated, experts share a shortcut to the everything shower. Still, many of the tens of thousands of TikTok videos are done by women. Make no mistake: Dudes can take the everything-but-the-bathroom-sink approach to showers, too. In fact, skin care professionals say they can make a few tweaks to get the most out of one. Skincare experts revealed an everything shower routine, shortcuts, and mistakes to avoid.
What is an everything shower?
An everything shower is way more than a shower.
“An everything shower is a comprehensive grooming session that goes beyond an everyday rinse,” said Shantani Smith-Pannell, a licensed esthetician and educator at Ogle School. “It’s a full-on ritual: Cleansing, exfoliating, shaving, moisturizing, and sometimes even a little light manscaping. It’s not just about hygiene. It’s about resetting, recharging, and walking out of the bathroom feeling like your best self.”
It may sound dreamy, intimidating, or a mix of both. Let’s peel back the layers (without exfoliant) on what happens during an everything shower.
What do you do during an everything shower?
In a word, and as the name implies, “Everything,” said Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, a dermatologist. “From nail care to full body exfoliating, shaving, to extra credit treatments like grooming, along with all of the hygiene basics, the everything shower is the ultimate, although time-consuming, at-home spa day. “
Smith-Pannell said an everything shower typically includes:
- Washing and conditioning your hair
- Deep-cleansing and exfoliating your face
- Scrubbing your body to remove dead skin
- Grooming facial hair or shaving
- Optional body hair maintenance
- Post-shower skincare (moisturizing, applying beard oil, deodorant, and cologne)
How long is an everything shower?
There’s no set-in-stone length for an everything shower, but you’ll want to carve out some significant time for the experience.
“The best part about an everything shower is that there is no right length,” said Dr. Sarah Higgins Cheng, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, the head of clinical at Pinch. “Some may complete the process in 45 minutes, while others stretch it to a few hours with music and candles or catching up on their favorite podcast.”
Everything shower routine: A step-by-step from skincare experts
Everything showers start before you even step foot in the shower and continue as you towel off. The precise routine varies based on your needs, budget, and, frankly, time to spend. However, skincare experts can serve up a menu of steps to take as you develop the version of an everything shower routine that epitomizes your definition of “pure bliss.”
Pre-everything shower routine
Your pre-everything shower routine combines practical tips and treatments. The goal is to set yourself up for success.
- Devise a plan. Dr. Chacon suggests stepping into the shower with a plan — what steps from the below are you going to take? What do you plan to skip? Write it down if it helps you hit all your must-dos.
- Gather supplies. Raise your hand if you want to get into the warm shower and realize you forgot something. We thought so. “Get all the supplies needed in the shower and set yourself up with a fresh towel for after,” Dr. Chacon said. “You don’t want to be running in and out of the shower getting the floor wet to grab something you may have forgotten.”
- Vibe out. Set a relaxing stage. “Don’t forget to set your vibe with candles or music to suit your mood,” Dr. Cheng said.
- Prep the face and body. Dr. Cheng suggested cleansing the face and body with an all-over oil-based cleanser. “Use a gentle brush to smooth the oil into the skin and stimulate circulation,” Dr. Cheng said.
- Prep hair. Dr. Cheng recommended applying a pre-shower beard and/or hair mask for hydration.
- Trim. You’ll do more with the hair (as applicable) during the shower. To start, Smith-Pannell suggested that you, “Trim your beard, edge up your neckline, or tackle any body hair. It’s cleaner and easier before you hop in the shower.” While you’re at it, Dr. Chacon suggested trimming fingernails and toenails.
What to do during an everything shower
While the in-shower experience isn’t everything, it’s essentially the meat and potatoes — the core of the everything shower. The routine is customizable, but Dr. Chacon stresses it’s best to go from head to toe.
Here are many steps you can take during an everything shower if you’re feeling fancy.
- Rinse. You’ll move from head to toe after you rinse any pre-shower cleanser and mask remnants off your face and body, Dr. Cheng said.
- Wash the scalp. Ideally, Dr. Thosani said you’ll get going by washing your scalp to prep the hair for what’s to come. Dr. Chacon recommends using a shampoo that matches your hair type, applying it to your hair, rinsing it off, and repeating.
- Condition. Dr. Thosani suggests leaving the conditioner on the hair for a few extra minutes (you can take other steps, like shaving, while you do) for maximum moisture restoration and strengthening.
- Shave. By now, Dr. Thosani said the facial skin should be soft enough to shave. “To prevent razor bumps, mix benzoyl peroxide face wash with the shave gel, and shave with the grain to prevent ingrown hairs,” Dr. Thosani said. When you’re done, rinse the conditioner off.
You’ve completed four steps, but there’s still a bit to go (if you want).
Dr. Thosani says you can move on to other aspects of your face and body. By waiting to wash until after you’ve rinsed conditioner, Dr. Thosani says you’re helping prevent “backne” from product that can clog pores when it runs down your back.
- Face. Smith-Pannell recommends using a cleanser designed for your skin type on the face. “I would avoid using body wash on your face as it can be too harsh for your skin,” Smith-Pannell said.
- Exfoliate. Dr. Thosani doesn’t recommend daily exfoliating — once per week is generally a sweet spot for many men to prevent excess build-up and aid in skin cell turnover. “This can include using a facial polish, a body scrub/loofah, and a pumice stone for the bottom of the feet,” Dr. Thosani said.
- Final rinse and optional cold blast. Rinse your face and body thoroughly so no product builds up and irritates the skin. “If you don’t mind changing the temperature of the water, finish with 30 seconds of cold water to help invigorate skin and reduce inflammation,” Smith-Pannell said.
Post-everything shower
Nope, you’re not done. Once you step out of the shower, you’ll move into the third block of the everything shower experience, which will help you seal all the luxe benefits.
- Lock in moisture. Cheng suggests using a generous amount of serums and moisturizers in the hair and on the skin to lock in hydration and enhance skin glow.
- Beard oil and hair product. If you’re styling, Cheng says these products can help.
- Basics. Dr. Chacon reminded guys not to forget SPF (unless your everything shower is right before bed), and Smith-Pannell said deodorant is a daytime must.
Everything shower shortcut
An everything shower may sound blissful in theory, but you may be too busy to make it your reality. Disappointing? Maybe (and understandably). However, Smith-Pannell said it’s possible to dip your toes into an everything shower without doing it all.
“You can streamline the process without skipping key benefits,” Smith-Pannell said.
For instance, Smith-Pannell said you could:
- Use multi-tasking products (like a face cleanser with gentle exfoliation).
- Skip the full body scrub and exfoliate key areas (shoulders, chest, feet).
- Trim your hair the night before to save time in the shower.
“This express version can get you refreshed and polished in about 15–20 minutes,” Smith-Pannell said.
Everything shower mistakes and risks
Everything showers may look blissful, but you may find your skin doesn’t agree. Dr. Chacon warned that:
- Scrubbing and spending copious amounts of time in hot water can irritate and dry skin when done too often
- Some product ingredients can irritate sensitive skin
- Hot water and products can also dry out the hair
To avoid these risks, Dr. Chacon suggests:
- Not doing everything showers too often and considering them a treat
- Using products that work for your skin type
- Ensuring you have all of your supplies and a plan in place so you’re not running in and out of the shower, putting yourself at a higher risk for slips and falls
Bottom line
Everything showers are multi-step regimens that can take anywhere from 45 minutes to hours to complete. They’re all-encompassing self-care rituals. You can set the mood with candles and music or a favorite podcast, and it’s best to gather supplies and devise a plan beforehand so you’re not interrupting the vibe by needing to dig out a desired serum. You may cleanse and perform facial hair maintenance before hopping into the shower, when you’ll work from head to toe, starting with shampoo. You’ll shave, exfoliate, cleanse, and eventually get out and lock in the moisture with serums and moisturizers. Everything showers can feel blissful, but doing them too often and applying so many products can irritate and dry out the skin and hair. Use products that work for your body, and nix the routine if it doesn’t work for you. Remember, self-care is about what nourishes you, not a TikTok influencer.
