How to Shower Right

Long showers. Loud music. Deep thoughts. 

Your perfect mood elevator for these horrid mid-week blues. Those of you who love a long hot shower, raise your hands!

Apart from the obvious benefits of cleansing & hygiene, a long hot shower is known for reducing anxiety levels, relaxing muscles, and helping get a good night's sleep.

But there are many schools of thought on this (yes, a well-researched topic!) - hot vs cold shower, soap vs gel, scrub vs foam, etc. So here at The Clean Slate, we give you the lowdown:

The ideal water temperature for maximum benefits of shower gel

If you are one of those people who love to step into a super hot shower, it is time to rethink that. Hot showers might seem soothing, but they end up burning your skin and the outer layer, leaving it dry and chaffed. It can also strip your skin of its natural oils. Lukewarm water is the way to go- it refreshes your skin and also helps in getting rid of all the bacteria and germs on your body. 40°C is the ideal temperature for your daily shower.

How to take care of your hair before you shower

It is a good idea to brush your hair before you step into the water. This gets rid of all the tangles beforehand and reduces hair fall to the maximum. Since it is not recommended to brush your hair while wet, doing it beforehand is a small change that has a huge impact. Use a thick bristles brush for this if your hair gets tangled quickly.

Shower tips to keep your hair healthy

• Before washing your hair, it is a good idea to apply a hair mask than rejuvenates those dry roots.
• Steam your hair before your shower: this helps up open those pores on your scalp
• Use a clarifying shampoo: A clarifying shampoo helps you get rid of all the dirt that colludes on your scalp. You can also mix baking powder and water and use it as a DIY clarifying shampoo!

Start from the top: Cleaning your dirty scalp

It is always recommended to start from the top when it comes to a perfect shower routine. Your hair health is as important as your skin health. Therefore, it is important to choose the hair care products that are right for you.

Scalp brushes are a great add-on to your shower routine as not only help remove any sweat and unwanted dandruff from your hair but also removes the dead skin cells and rejuvenates the scalp, allowing healthy hair growth.

Shampoos are cleansing products for your hair- which means you do not need to apply it all over your hair. Shampoos are ideally meant for cleaning your roots and scalp. A clarifying shampoo is a great addition and two washes are enough to get your hair squeaky clean!

Conditioning is an important part of your shower routine, a bit like icing on top of a cupcake - a necessary ingredient to a cupcake! Conditioning helps in retaining the hair shine and moisturizing them. A deep conditioning hair mask can be applied once a week and conditioner should be applied only towards the hair ends. 

All about Face cleansing!

Facial cleansing might seem like a daunting task but we have got your back! Simply start by washing your face with warm water to open up those dirty pores.

Cleanse your face with your face wash and wash it away with lukewarm water. Now, it’s time for exfoliation. Take your scrub and gently rub the product on your skin. Make sure not to over-exfoliate, it might strip your skin of its natural oils, causing pimples and acne. After you are done with scrubbing, you can add a refreshing face mask for some extra glow (maybe Sundays!). Make sure to wash your face with cold water. This will help you close up your pores.

Go for natural shower gel

If you are still using bar soaps in your shower routine, here is why you should switch to shower gels. Body Wash is one of the most important parts of your shower routine and skipping it is like skipping breakfast- the most important meal of the day!

Since you use shower gels on your entire body, it might be a good idea to take a patch test and see which product suits you. It is always a good idea to switch to an all-natural body wash. Using scented and artificial body wash on sensitive skin might cause dryness and damage it over time. 

Over-exfoliation of the body is also a bad idea and one should always keep changing their scrubbing tools like loofah and sponges regularly as they can become a breeding ground for bacteria. 

Post-shower essentials

Your perfect shower routine is still incomplete. It is really important to moisturize your entire body after you come out of the shower to lock in the moisture. It makes your skin soft and nourished in the long run. It is ideal to put your moisturizer on while your skin is still damp.