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Nothing beats an Everything Shower, am I right? (Well… maybe except a glance from your class crush which definitely means they’re obsessed with you—it’s ok to be delusional sometimes.) Anywho… freshly washed hair, smooth moisturized skin, and the luxurious aroma after showering instantly washes away all fears and doubts of the world for a single moment (yes, it’s that transformative). I feel anew. Reborn, you could say.
So how does one accomplish this feeling? I will tell you: a basic shower routine consisting of only shampoo and body wash is not enough, at least for me. The motto I go by is, be high maintenance to be low maintenance. Embrace giving yourself a princess treatment, because us college girls deserve it!
Here is the high maintenance shower routine I swear by:
- Pre-shower: Hair Oiling
Before I step into the shower, I apply jojoba oil throughout my hair and on my scalp to prevent dry hair. I have low porosity hair, which is prone to frizz and dryness so this works wonders for me. Plus, some shampoos can strip your hair of moisture, so applying oil beforehand can protect your hair from damage. I specifically use jojoba because it works best for me—but everyone is different, so use an oil that is most suitable for your hair type. My hair used to fall out a lot, but as I started using the hair oiling method, it now falls out way less than before.
Hair Oil: Cliganic Organic Jojoba Oil ($10)
- Shampoo: Detox Shampoo Followed by Your Daily Use Shampoo
Once I step into the shower I immediately grab my detox shampoo. I live in Davis, California, which has extremely hard water (the water in the dorms was the worst my first year). If you live in an area with hard water, you must use a detox/clarifying shampoo. These shampoos remove buildup caused by oils, minerals (from hard water), hair products, and dirt that dulls your hair. You should ideally use this once a week! After my hair is purged of all that yucky stuff, I follow up with a regular shampoo, because you always want to shampoo twice.
Detox Shampoo: L’Oreal Paris Ever Pure Sulfate Free Clarifying Shampoo ($9) or OUAI Detox Shampoo ($14)
- Hair Gloss Treatment: An Added Luxury
Hair glossing for me is an absolute necessity because without it, my hair is frizzy and hard to maintain. Glossing adds shine and smoothness to my hair. I love the L’Oreal Elvive Wonder Water because it’s easy to use, affordable, and gives me amazing results. After shampooing, apply the gloss and let sit for a good 10 seconds. Then rinse it out thoroughly. I swear by this because it makes my hair so easy to brush and work with.
Hair Gloss: L’Oreal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Flash Hydration Wonder Water Lamellar Rinse Out ($11)
- Hair Masks
As I mentioned earlier, I have low porosity hair, which means the structure of my hair doesn’t easily allow absorption of moisture. A simple conditioner just isn’t enough to moisturize my hair. If you don’t have low porosity hair, hair masks are still nice to use because they deep condition your hair which a regular conditioner can’t do. I recommend using hair masks once or twice a week.
Hair Masks: Shiseido Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask ($12) or Tsubaki Premium Repair Mask ($14)
- Body Wash Tip: Use a Shower Oil!
If you have dry skin, use a shower oil! Shower oils deeply nourish your skin and prevent dryness. It’s also a simple way of incorporating extra moisture to your skincare routine.
Shower Oil: L’Occitane Cleansing & Softening Almond Shower Oil ($12)
- Exfoliation: Hand Gloves Are Your New BFFs
The only real way to get buttery skin is to EXFOLIATE. Exfoliating hand gloves are an easy and effective way to slough away dead skin cells.
Hand Gloves: Evridwear Exfoliating Dual Texture Bath Gloves ($8)
- Body Lotion or Body Butter
Self explanatory. You should ALWAYS moisturize after showering. Try the Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion for supple, silky skin.
Lotion: Olay Hyaluronic Nourishing Body Lotion ($10) or Jergens Ultra Healing Dry Skin Moisturizer ($10)
- Body Oil
My life changed when I started using body oil. My skin became softer, glowier, and more moisturized. If you don’t want to buy shower oil, buy body oil instead! Like shower oil, it adds an extra layer of moisture to your skin, leaving it feeling like it drank from the fountain of youth. I use the Aveeno body oil because it’s easy to apply and doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy. You’ll look and smell like a vanilla glazed donut afterwards!
Body Oil: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Mist With Oat Oil and Jojoba Oil ($10)
- Leave In Conditioner + Hair Oil
Once my skin is moisturized, it’s time to add leave-in conditioner and hair oil to keep my hair luscious and silky. This also protects it from heat damage caused by hair dryers or styling tools. Leave-ins aren’t necessary for everyone but those with frizzy, low porosity hair types should invest in one. Nevertheless, everyone should use hair oil because it softens and moisturizes your hair! Make sure to apply to the ends of your hair rather than the roots to avoid a greasy scalp. Again different hair types will be suited for different oils so make sure to do some research!
Leave in Conditioner: Moroccanoil All In One Leave In Conditioner ($15)
Hair Oil: OGX Coconut Miracle Oil for high porosity hair ($7) or Verb Ghost Oil ($19) for low porosity hair
College, without a doubt, is draining and as a result, we neglect self-care. I implore you to take a night to fully pamper yourself, because trust me, you’ll be feeling like a hundred bucks—or should I say, like a 4.0 GPA?