Everything Shower Routine: A Tried and Tested Guide

We first learned about the everything shower from TikTok and instantly thought, “ah, so that’s what it’s called.” Turns out we’ve been having everything showers since our teenage years, we just never knew the name until it became a trend. Back then, we thought we were just being productive in the shower.

Ever since, we’ve been intentional about them and making the most of every one. If you’ve just heard the term for the first time and are wondering what it means, or if you’re looking for a tried and tested routine, keep reading as we unpack everything shower 101.

What is an everything shower?

An everything shower is basically when you do all of your body care in one shower. Exfoliating, washing your hair, deep conditioning, shaving, the lot. It differs for everyone as some people might wash and treat their hair but not shave, and vice versa. There’s no strict rule on what counts. It’s just a shower where you do all the things you wouldn’t normally do on a regular day.

As self-proclaimed everything shower experts, we’ve decided to share the routine that helps us make the most of ours, along with our picks for each step. Feel free to skip the parts you don’t need.

Everything showers are usually done weekly, often on a Sunday or over the weekend. Time it for your weekly bedsheet change so that once you’re done, you’ll be getting into clean sheets.

Choose a playlist or podcast. You don’t want silence when you’ll be spending one to three hours in the bathroom, and the right music helps set the tone. Light a candle for the scent and for the vibes. Choose the right time of day too. It’s best to have an everything shower when you don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day that involves going outside.

Before you start, make sure everything you’ll need is already in the bathroom so you’re not running out mid-shower to grab something.

Neom Candle

Burns cleanly and evenly, with a scent that lingers well after the flame’s out.

£15

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Before you even turn the shower on, this is a good window for the small stuff: an oil cleanse, brushing your teeth, maybe tweezing any stray hairs on your chin, neck or nostrils, trimming your nails if they need it, easier done now than after.

Skin 1004 – Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil

Light enough to use daily, but it still breaks down makeup and sunscreen properly, and leaves skin soft rather than stripped

£14

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Start with a sulphate-free shampoo, then let your hair mask sit while you move on to the body. An African net sponge is a game changer here, it lifts dead skin in a way a flannel never will, especially in the spots that get missed: behind the ears, under the nails, the soles of your feet, between the toes. A cotton bud with a bit of body wash is good for the inside of the belly button too (you forgot about that one, didn’t you?), and another around the outer ear. Face cleanser to finish.

African Exfoliating Net Sponge

Great for exfoliating, stretches easily to scrub your whole back, and dries quickly enough that it never gets that musty loofah smell

£9

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Joico Defy Damage Protective Shampoo

Keeps colour vibrant wash after wash without the usual dryness, and makes your hair feel stronger

£17

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CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Non-foaming, fragrance-free, and gentle enough for daily use. Leaves skin soft and hydrated rather than squeaky-clean

£10

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Amika soulfood nourishing hair mask

Doubles as a daily conditioner or weekly mask. A tiny amount goes a long way and leaves hair soft and silky, not greasy

£27

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Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Wash

Gentle enough for sensitive skin, doesn’t dry it out at all, and a little goes a long way

£7

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Rinse your body and your hair, then apply your conditioner. Let it sit while you exfoliate your skin. We like to exfoliate before shaving because it helps prepare the hair for removal.

Tree Hut Vitamin C Shea Sugar Scrub

Gritty enough to properly exfoliate but doesn’t leave any oily residue, and the scent is genuinely lovely without being overpowering

£19

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Olaplex Nº. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner

Detangles instantly and leaves hair silky smooth without weighing it down, and you only need a small amount so the bottle lasts for months

£24

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Once you’re done exfoliating, it’s time to shave. Your skin is prepped from the exfoliation, and the time spent in warm water has softened the hair, so this is the ideal point in the routine for it.

Rinse out your conditioner, then have a second wash, less intense than the first. This one is more about removing any lingering products from the exfoliating, conditioning and shaving. A quick once-over rather than a deep clean.

Before stepping out, run your hands over your body to shake off the excess water, but leave the skin damp, then wrap your hair up in a microfibre wrap. Face skincare goes first, that way by the time you’re done, your body’s still damp and ready for moisturiser. A rich body moisturiser first, then a body oil to seal it all in.

CeraVe Moisturising Cream

Glides on easily, and leaves skin visibly softer and more supple

£14

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L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil

Pricey, but it leaves skin so soft you could skip the moisturiser altogether, and the almond scent is genuinely lovely.

£43

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If you’re not going straight to bed, let your hair air dry, then finish with your hair oil for shine and frizz control. If you are going to bed, or if you prefer to blow-dry, apply a leave-in conditioner first if you use one, then your hair oil, since it also works as a heat protectant, before you style with heat.

Olaplex Endless Shine Smooth Hair Oil

Genuinely helps with frizz and shine, and gives proper heat protection, without the greasy feel you’d expect from an oil

£22

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Put on a fresh set of cotton pyjamas or clean loungewear. Sink into the sofa, eat something, or get into bed. This is the part that makes the whole thing worth it.