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When the everything shower trend took over TikTok last year, millions (and millions!) of people finally collectively acknowledged there isn’t just one “type” of shower. Some days it’s a quick 60-second rinse, other days it’s a 60-minute ordeal of head-to-toe sudsing and shaving—an everything shower, so to speak.
Personally, there’s a place for both versions (and the regular five- to 10-minute cleanse) during my week. When I visit my family, my mom cracks up every time I “announce” the shower I’m about to take. “I’ll see you in an hour, I’m taking an everything shower,” I’ll tell her on a Sunday afternoon. Or, “I’ll be right back, taking a quick body shower,” as I shut the bathroom door before rushing to a workout on a Tuesday morning.
The former approach is rarer because of the time investment, yes, but also because of the amount of energy required (shaving your legs with precision while letting a hair mask marinate calls for strategy and commitment). But it’s probably for the best that I’m not participating in everything showers daily: dermatologists don’t recommend taking them more than one or twice a week, lest you over-exfoliate or strip your skin of its natural oils. But when we Allure editors do decide to pamper ourselves from head to toe, we have our favorites: Nécessaire The Body Wash (specifically in the woodsy Hinoki scent), Briogeo’s scalp treatments, and L'Occitane’s famed almond-scented oil all have a place on many of our bathroom shelves.
Ahead, get the inside scoop on nine Allure editors’ routines, including their everything-shower MVPs (that’s short for most valuable products).
Jessica Cruel, editor-in-chief
With a hair routine that requires almost an hour in the shower, I am trying to create a vibe. It all starts with the Bath & Body Works Shower Steamers. These are bath bombs for the bath-less. A few seconds under the spray of the water and aromatherapy scents from the steamers, like lavender or eucalyptus, fill my tiny shower stall. I even pack these in my toiletry bag because they are a great way to relax after a long flight.
In the background, I have the volume turned up on my Sony XB100 Wireless Speaker. Podcasts about finance or Megan Thee Stallion dance hits (what can I say, I contain multitudes) are the soundtrack to a very lengthy routine that includes scrubbing my scalp with the Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Clarifying Scalp Scrub, then shampooing with Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Shampoo, followed by the Cécred Reconstructing Mask. This protein-packed treatment has to sit for 15 minutes so I typically get out of the shower and put a heat cap on to really let the hair strengthening happen.
Once I hop back in the shower, I apply the Cécred Deep Conditioner and detangle with the Pattern Wide Tooth Comb. While I let that sit for five minutes, I move on to my body. I use the Grown Alchemist Smoothing Body Exfoliant then the Flamingo Razor. Around the 45-minute mark, the water starts to chill so I rinse everything and step out with smoother strands and skin.
Talia Gutierrez, associate special projects manager
I live in New York City and public transportation is how I get around, so if I leave my apartment, I’m taking a quick shower when I return. It helps me relax and unwind—but it’s my weekly everything shower that really helps me reset my mind and body.
After setting the mood with a freshly lit candle, I double-shampoo with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo. The bottle is so large and affordable that I can spare a few extra squeezes of product to really scrub the crown of my head and wash away stubborn build-up. I follow up with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Conditioner, raking it through my strands with my fingers, and then tie up my hair on the top of my head as I begin my body care routine.
I do a speedy touch-up shave almost every day—I swear my legs get stubbly in less than 24 hours—but when I have the extra time, I prep my legs with few pumps of Malin & Goetz Eucalyptus Hand+Body Scrub and a pair of exfoliating gloves to smooth away any dead skin and get a closer shave. Candidly, I’m pretty lazy with shaving (because it feels like I’m always doing it) but nothing beats the feeling of slathering on the L'Occitane Almond Delicious Shower Cream all over my silky smooth legs. The cream has the same sweet almond scent as the brand’s famous Almond Shower Oil, just in a different, creamier form.
After that, I wash my body with Necessaire The Body Wash in Hinoki. Initially, I was drawn to the exfoliating benefits, but its rich lather and luxe cedar scent are what keep me reaching for it every time I step foot in the shower. Before turning off the water, I’ll slather L'Occitane Almond Delicious Shower Cream on my chest and shoulders (really to be closer to my nose) before rinsing it off lightly.
Before a towel comes near my body, I hydrate even more with the First Aid Beauty After-Shower Nourishing Body Oil. I pat the oil onto my semi-damp body to lock in moisture. The slightly citrusy scent of mandarin is a refreshing end to my body care. After carefully stepping out of the shower and onto my mat while everything is still absorbing into my skin, I continue with lotions and potions… but that’s for another story.
Annie Blay, associate beauty editor
In the shower, the concept of time stops. After cranking the knob to a temperature just short of scalding, I wet my African net sponge—a long, netted piece of nylon that my mom often brings me back from Ghana—and lather it up with my favorite body wash of the moment, which is currently Necessaire The Body Wash in Santal. After gently scrubbing my whole body, I grab my Gillette Venus Deluxe Smooth Sensitive Razor and, if I’m in a fun mood, Athena Club Whipped Shaving Cream, which has a whipped, foamy texture, or Eos Cashmere Shaving Butter if I want something more toned down but equally fragrant. I shave my legs and pits then rinse off, letting the vanilla scent fill my shower.
I follow up my shave with the Dove Brown Sugar Exfoliating Body Scrub which smells like deliciously sweet brown sugar cubes and does a great job of exfoliating my body. Lastly, I go back in with the body wash, lathering in my hands and rubbing all over my body to reinforce the scent. By the time I exit my shower, my skin is baby-smooth with a soft, smokey vanilla smell.
Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
I'm a notoriously fast showerer, so even my everything showers aren't that intensive.
I rarely shave my legs—no judgment, just not my thing—so a luxurious shower is when I get to add a couple of extra body-care steps that usually get cut on days when I'm rushing. A nicely-scented body wash is non-negotiable, and I love how soft L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil makes my skin when I massage it after cleansing.
And I've been a fan of the Soft Services Buffing Bars for years. I previously wrote a story on my love letter to this low-maintenance solution to keratosis pilaris. A couple of swipes of this bar across my KP-affected areas left my skin softer and more even-toned for days at a time, with minimal effort added to my shower routine. The new Green Banana scent reignited my obsession with this easy-to-use KP treatment. That’s it!
Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
When I know I'm about to do an everything shower, the first thing I do—hours before I even step foot in my bathroom—is load up my scalp and hair with rosemary oil so it has time to soak in. Once it's time to shower, I wash that out first with Briogeo Rice Shampoo Concentrate. As its name suggests, this reparative formula is much thicker than your average shampoo; it has a consistency like petroleum jelly. I squirt out a quarter-sized amount, lather it up in my hands, then gently work it through my roots before rinsing and doing it all again. Then I slap on some conditioner before throwing my hair back in a claw clip while I take care of the rest of my business: exfoliating, shaving, doing one last final rinse, and moisturizing, in that order.
To exfoliate, I use an African Exfoliating Net Sponge, which is a long piece of net held together by tiny knots, which provide major exfoliation when rubbed against the skin. I received mine as a gift from a friend who bought it from a local Black-owned beauty boutique, but if you're going to buy one online, for the love of God, go directly to an African-sourced brand like Bellanomi if you want to ensure your net is authentic. Once I get it nice and lathered with Nécessaire The Body Wash in Santal and scrub my whole body, I shave with my end-all, be-all Billie Razor. I have a Billie subscription that gets me four razors a month, so I always have fresh blades for a smooth finish. Post-shave, it's time to rinse the soap and my conditioner off, after which I pat dry and apply body oil to trap the moisture in my skin.
Kassidy Silva, social director
The newest addition to my everything shower is a dry brushing session with the Joanna Czech The Dry Massage Body Brush. My skin can get very flaky and look a bit dull, so a good brushing session takes off some of my flakes and stimulates blood flow before getting into the shower. It took a while to get used to the coarse brush, but after four or five uses, I was comfortable with the sensation and it’s become the kick-off to my routine.
Step one of my body wash routine is in constant rotation, but it’s currently the Salt & Stone Body Wash. The scent I love right now is Santal & Vetiver—it feels so luxurious while also giving my skin a good scrub. Other times, I grab the Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash which leaves my very dry skin feeling hydrated. (It’s the one product my husband and I will fight over.)
As for shaving, the Flamingo Razor is the most aesthetically pleasing razor I’ve ever owned. The blades give a clean, close shave and my razor heads last for ages.
When it comes to my hair, my scalp can get very oily due to my psoriasis treatments, so cleansing my scalp is a must. On wash day, I use Bread Beauty Clear Wash: Detox Clarifying Shampoo in two rounds—letting it sit for seven to 10 minutes each—to thoroughly clean my scalp. When I’m not doing a psoriasis treatment, I will only go in with one round, otherwise it can be a bit too stripping. The secret to my shiny, ultra-long hair has been weekly treatments using the Oribe Gold Lust Hair Mask. I apply the hair mask thoroughly all the way to my ends and let it work its magic.
Jesa Marie Calaor, senior editor
My everything shower is a sacred experience. I tell my husband our bathroom is off-limits for at least 45 minutes as I smear and slather my body with my most indulgent body-care products. I start by working the hyper-moisturizing Briogeo Scalp Revival Rosemary Pre-Wash Scalp and Hair Oil from my scalp through the lengths of my long hair. I leave it in—letting it soften my skin and strands—as I exfoliate my body with the Soft Services Exfoliating Buffing Bar. (I give extra attention to the bumps on the back of my arms.) Then, I work the Nécessaire The Body Wash in Hinoki—which smells earthy and clean—into a lather with my hands and sweep it across my skin, prepping it for a close shave.
Once that’s done, I glide the Schick Hydro Silk TrimStyle Razor across my legs and underarms (this is probably the most arduous and time-consuming part of my routine). As everything washes down the drain, I apply a decadent body moisturizer (lately, it's been the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream) and take time to massage it into my skin.
Okay, so I take back what I said about it taking 45 minutes…it definitely takes way longer.
Bianca Richards, social media manager
My everything shower routine has elevated my body care rituals. I am drawn to aromatics in every step and kick things off with the Bath & Body Works Shower Steamers in the eucalyptus and spearmint scents to help me unwind. It’s almost like hanging eucalyptus leaves from my shower head—but I find the scent lingers even longer.
I've always been drawn to Tree Hut Exotic Bloom Shea Sugar Scrub to help smooth my skin. The affordable formula is super effective at buffing away dead skin without feeling too abrasive. And the scent reminds me of the feeling of settling into your sheets after spending a long day at the beach.
Lastly, I reach for D.S. & Durga I Don't Know What Body Soap, which was love at first pump. The hydrating wash lathers so nicely and the bergamot fragrance lingers on my skin and fills my bathroom with a refreshing aroma.
Sarah Kinonen, associate digital beauty director
My husband likes to joke that my Sunday night everything shower routine “takes an hour,” and… he’s not wrong—I’ve clocked it. I’m not in the shower the entire time (more like three to five minutes), but I am completing most of the activities outside of the tub, and… there are a lot of steps.
I take a solid 60 seconds to double-cleanse with my favorite cleansing balm, the Youth To The People Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm, before I even turn the water on. I rub off all of my makeup and grime with the sensitive skin-friendly yellow paste and then rinse everything away with a second scrub session using a gentle facial cleanser once I’m in the shower.
While the face wash is marinating (I let it sit for at least a minute), I double shampoo with the Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo, and then once it’s fully rinsed out, I coat my mid-lengths to ends with my absolute favorite hair mask, the Pureology Strength Cure Superfood Treatment Mask. I leave it on for a couple of minutes, a.k.a. as long as it takes me to shave both of my legs with the Gillette Venus Deluxe Smooth Sensitive Razor. I have really reactive skin (inflames easily, is allergic to fragrance, etc.), so even my razor has to be sensitive skin-friendly.
Once I’m done shaving, I rinse out the hair mask and wash the rest of my body with the fragrance-free (and Best of Beauty-winning!) iota Supervitamin Body Wash+. And as soon as I’m out of the shower, I quickly towel-dry and then apply my favorite, can’t-mess-up self-tanner, the St. Tropez Gradual Tan Classic Daily Firming Lotion, from the neck down, making sure to fully rub it in to avoid any streaking. I could go on with the rest of my routine (told you, it’s a lot), but I’ll save us both and end here.
Read more on shower care:
- Upgrade Your Shower Routine With These Body-Care and Hair-Care Treatments
- Yes, There Is a Correct Order for Everything You Do in the Shower
- The Best Bath Towels on Amazon to Upgrade Your Bathroom Setup
Now, watch Brooke Shield's ten-minute routine for hair care over 40:
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