If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably come across the viral “everything shower” trend. If not, it’s exactly as its name suggests: a shower in which you indulge in every single one of your cleansing, exfoliating, shaving, and moisturizing routines— basically, the equivalent of spending a few leisurely hours at the spa without ever leaving your own bathroom. While the trend has racked up over 400 million TikTok views, the concept isn’t actually that new: leisurely bathing rituals have been popular since the days of ancient Rome, at least. And, not to brag, but I’ve been doing a version of an #everythingshower since I was a teen—we just didn’t have a name for it back then.
Regardless of its origins, it’s easy to see the trend’s appeal: not only is it an effective way to hit all your beauty rituals at once, it’s also an accessible way to revel in some much-needed self-care. It’s just probably not something you should do everyday. The practice is time consuming and wastes a ton of water, for one, and it might not even be that healthy. “The everything shower seems like a very relaxing, spa-like experience,” Dr. Mamina Turegano, a triple board-certified dermatologist, internist, and dermatopathologist explains. “However, spending prolonged periods in the shower can increase the risk of dry or irritated skin.”
And that’s not all: experts say that showering too long or too often can also disrupt your microbiome and wreak havoc on your hair. For those reasons, they say there are some best practices we should all be following when it comes to taking showers—whether we’re partaking in the latest social media trend or just jumping in for a regular rinse.
The restorative power of a shower
Of course, it goes without saying that bathing regularly is a must when it comes to maintaining good hygiene. But the benefits of showering go beyond simply removing dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, and debris. Showering also offers a host of other feel-good properties: It can stimulate circulation and improve immune function, ease aches and pain, reduce swelling, improve sleep, and lessen fatigue. It can even have a positive effect on brain health, learning, and memory. And—as anyone who has ever craved a restorative shower after a bad day can attest—there are proven mental health benefits as well. Showering can boost our self esteem, ease anxiety, and soothe stress.
How often is too much?
But here’s the thing: we all might be showering way more than necessary. “While most people can tolerate daily showering, many people could actually benefit from showering just three times a week,” explains board-certified dermatologist Deanne Robinson, MD, FAAD. “It really has to do with your skin condition, the products you’re using, and your lifestyle choices.” For example, she says you might need to shower more if you’re engaging in frequent sweaty workouts or are regularly exposed to allergens or toxins outdoors. “But if you’ve had a pretty chill day, chances are you can skip the shower and take one the next day,” she explains.
Dr. Turegano agrees. “I think that showering three to four times a week is plenty for most people,” she says. “We start to see more issues with dry or irritated skin when showering happens more often than once a day.” She says this is especially true for those with already-dry or eczema-prone skin.