Do This in the Shower? 10 Bad Shower Habits You Need to Kick Today

Everybody has their own personal hygiene routine, especially when it comes to their shower habits. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who have been practicing bad shower habits for many years.

This list of the 10 worst (yet most popular) shower habits can help you figure out whether you’re one of these people, and how to turn your bad shower habits into your best shower habits!

In this article:

1. Things You Need to Avoid Doing in the Shower
   • #1: Don’t Create Breeding Grounds for Germs
   • #2: Don’t Forget to Rinse
   • #3: Don’t Wash Your Hair the Wrong Way
   • #4: Don’t ignore your feet
   • #5: Don’t Mistreat Your Skin Once the Shower Is Over
   • #6: Don’t Use Too Much Product
   • #7: Don’t Wash Your Face in the Shower
   • #8: Don’t Shave First
   • #9: Don’t Use Loaded Soaps
   • #10: Don’t Avoid Cold Showers

Things You Need to Avoid Doing in the Shower

There are two main reasons to take a shower: to maintain good health through proper hygiene, and to maintain a socially acceptable aesthetic.

But most of the bad shower habits you’re practicing now are counterproductive to those goals. Luckily, we have simple and easy fixes for all of your bad shower habits so that you can stay healthy and put your best face forward.

#1: Don’t Create Breeding Grounds for Germs

Most people, whether they mean to or not, are creating a breeding ground for germs and bacteria in the shower. Without regular cleaning or replacement, soap dishes, loofahs, unwashed towels, and even your showerhead can accumulate buildup where bacteria and funguses thrive. Needless to say, this is counterintuitive to good hygiene!

Do this instead: you should replace your loofah every few months. You should also clean your soap dishes and your showerhead on a regular basis – or replace them altogether if you have the means. Lastly, wash your towels more often! If you use a towel more than three times in a row between washes, it can collect dead skin cells which microorganisms thrive on. This can lead to skin infections or worse if your towels go unwashed for too long.

#2: Don’t Forget to Rinse

You’re probably not rinsing well enough. Yes, you.

A lot of the shower products we use tend to leave a sticky residue, especially when we’re in a hurry to get out of the shower and finish getting ready. This is especially true for shampoos and conditioners, but it can happen with soap and shaving cream, too.

Do this instead: give your skin a second pass, even if you feel like you’ve already rinsed off enough. When it comes to shampoo and conditioner, take an extra minute or two to really massage the shampoo off of your scalp and thoroughly saturate your hair with water as you rinse out your conditioner.

Not only can you go longer in between hair washes with less product build-up, but you’ll have healthier, more radiant skin, too.

#3: Don’t Wash Your Hair the Wrong Way

Speaking of washing your hair, you’re probably doing that wrong, too.

Lots of people stay detrimentally faithful to the same shampoo and conditioner even in the face of seasonal, annual, and long-term changes to the state of their hair.

As your hair transforms, you’ll need different types of shampoos and conditioners to tackle these new challenges. People also have a bad habit of washing their hair too frequently. This makes it difficult to style that perfect coif due to breakage, split ends, and other damage caused by excessive dryness.

Do this instead: change it up! Take this as an opportunity to experiment with those shampoo and conditioning products you’ve been curious about but haven’t had a reason to try (until now, that is).

And stop washing your hair everyday, for goodness sake!

Unless you’re a serious athlete or a hardcore fitness enthusiast, you probably aren’t sweating enough to make your scalp look oily and greasy.

Overtime, less frequent washing can reduce hair damage making it thicker, shinier, more resistant to heat styling, and even reduce problems with dandruff and dry scalp.

#4: Don’t ignore your feet

How often do you scrub the bottom of your feet? Yes, that’s a serious question. The bottoms of your feet are just as capable of collecting germs and bacteria as any other part of your skin, maybe even more so.

But so few people think about them that they often go ignored and create problems like stinky shoes, athlete’s foot, obstinate toe fungus, and more.

Do this instead: take an extra minute to scrub the bottoms of your feet! It’s as simple as that. We’re not sure how much more we can elaborate on the subject.

#5: Don’t Mistreat Your Skin Once the Shower Is Over

Most of us have a bad habit of doing little things here and there in our shower routine which do a little bit more harm than good when it comes to our skin.

If the shower is too hot, if we scrub too enthusiastically with the loofah, and if we rub ourselves vigorously with a towel once we get out of the shower, all of these things can do damage. They can cause uncomfortable dryness and leave our skin vulnerable to the elements – especially if you forget to moisturize after the shower like most people do.

Do this instead: try moderating the temperature of the shower you take, scrubbing more gently, and patting yourself dry instead of rubbing once you get out of the shower. And for the love of all that is dermatological, don’t forget to moisturize!

#6: Don’t Use Too Much Product

Our “bigger is better” culture sometimes tricks us into ignoring the conventional wisdom which tells us that less is more. But the latter couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to your shower products.

Too much body wash and shampoo will dry out your skin and scalp, negatively affecting your appearance and hygiene. And too much conditioner will leave your hair looking like an oily mess.

Do this instead: the next time you take a shower, experiment with using half as much product as you usually do. If you still feel like you got good and clean, then use half of that the next time you shower.

Keep stepping it down incrementally until you find the sweet spot where you’re using just enough product to get clean without it being too much.

#7: Don’t Wash Your Face in the Shower

This feels like it belongs in the skin mistreatment category. However, the fact that it is so much more egregious with your face as opposed to any other square inch of your skin means that it deserves its own honorable mention.

Your skin is exceptionally vulnerable to getting dried out by hot water, which causes all sorts of premature aging and serious skin damage. It can exacerbate acne problems, too.

Do this instead: stop washing your face in the shower. ‘Nuff said! Use cool water from your bathroom sink and make sure to moisturize right after to promote healthy hydration and reduce breakouts.

#8: Don’t Shave First

Men: don’t shave before you get in the shower.
Women: don’t shave at the beginning of your shower.
Everybody: do not shave when you first get in your shower.

It’s difficult to get a close, smooth shave if you’re raking a steel blade over cold, constricted skin and dry, tough body hair. You won’t get a close shave and you may even end up doing extra damage to your skin.

Do this instead: perform other shower tasks first while your hair and skin are getting wet and warm from the steam and water. It’ll open up your skin and soften the hair for a smoother, quicker, effortless shave.

#9: Don’t Use Loaded Soaps

What do we mean by loaded, exactly? We’re talking about those overly complex body washes which promise extra beauty benefits.

Scented soaps, exfoliating soaps, and other soaps that are choc-full of chemicals in order to make good on promises of “moisturizing”, “anti-ageing”, or “giving you a sunkissed glow” can all be considered loaded soaps. And they’re probably doing you more harm than good.

Do this instead: the only thing soap needs to do is wash away dead skin and bacteria so that you can stay clean. You don’t need to make it more complicated than that! And don’t forget to rinse thoroughly and dry your skin completely. Even the most basic types of soap can be abrasive if you don’t use them correctly.

#10: Don’t Avoid Cold Showers

We get it – you steam!

Joking aside, a hot shower is nice and relaxing and oh-so-comfy. But too much of a good thing is usually a bad thing. Hot showers are no exception.

As unpleasant and uncomfortable as it may seem to take a cold shower on purpose, a brief 30 seconds or so of mild cold-water exposure has rejuvenating health benefits and can even help perk you up if you’re feeling sluggish from a poor night’s sleep.

Do this instead: take a cold shower! But don’t try to be a hero or act like you’re the newest member of the Polar Bear Club. Don’t stand in water that’s dangerously cold, and don’t spend longer than a minute under the cold water. But do try it out!