There is something weirdly therapeutic about an Everything Shower.

Not a rushed “wash hair and panic because you forgot conditioner” kind of shower.

I mean the full routine.

The candles.
The exfoliating.
The shaving.
The body oil.
The perfume layering.
The standing in the bathroom for way too long pretending you’re the main character in a skincare commercial.

Honestly? It is one of my favorite forms of self care.

And over time I have learned that the difference between feeling just clean and feeling genuinely expensive, soft, fresh, and put together comes down to the order of the products and the little details most people skip.

This post is my full guide to my personal Everything Bath Routine Checklist.

The products.
The order.
The mistakes I stopped making.
The little tricks that actually help you smell good for hours.

And yes… I’m also sharing the products I genuinely keep repurchasing because they make the whole experience feel so much better.

What Is An “Everything Shower”?

An Everything Shower is basically the deluxe version of a regular shower.

Instead of quickly washing your body and leaving, you turn it into a full routine focused on:

• Hair care
• Exfoliation
• Shaving
• Deep cleansing
• Moisture
• Body care
• Fragrance layering
• Soft skin
• Long-lasting freshness

It is part Body Hygiene, part skincare ritual, part emotional support activity.

I usually do mine once or twice a week because doing it daily would honestly take forever.

A normal shower can take me 10 minutes.

An Everything Shower?

Dangerously close to an hour if I start getting distracted by body scrubs and perfume combinations.

My Complete Everything Shower Routine

Here is the exact order I follow now because after years of trial and error I realized the sequence matters way more than people think.

Step	What I Do	Why It Helps
1	Dry brush	Smooths skin and wakes me up
2	First cleanse with bar soap	Removes sweat and buildup
3	Wash hair	Keeps body cleaner afterward
4	Exfoliate	Softer skin and better shaving
5	Shave	Smoother result with less irritation
6	Second cleanse with scented wash	Makes fragrance last longer
7	Body oil on damp skin	Locks in moisture
8	Body lotion	Prevents dryness
9	Deodorant + glycolic acid	Helps with odor and bumps
10	Body spray + perfume	Smell amazing all day

This routine completely changed how my skin feels.

Especially during colder months when everything starts feeling dry and weird.

Step 1: Dry Brushing Before The Shower

I used to think dry brushing was one of those fake wellness trends people only did for aesthetic Pinterest photos.

But honestly… I get it now.

I use a soft body brush before turning on the water.

I gently brush upward toward the heart.

Nothing aggressive.
Nothing painful.

The first time I did it correctly my skin felt unbelievably smooth afterward.

It also helps exfoliation products work better because you are removing some of the dead skin beforehand.

If you struggle with rough texture on the legs or arms, this step makes a huge difference.

I also think it makes body oils absorb better later.

My Tip

Do not scrub your skin like you are sanding furniture.

Gentle is enough.

People online sometimes act like your skin needs to suffer to glow.

It absolutely does not.

I also like to put on a face mask that I leave on while I dry brush. This one by Lush is a recent favorite.

Step 2: The First Cleanse

This is the part people skip.

But it honestly changed my shower routine completely.

I always do a first cleanse using a bar soap before I use any scented body wash.

My favorite for this is usually a Dove Beauty Bar or the Dove Shower Gel because they are simple and reliable.

Especially the sensitive versions.

I like using an unscented or mild soap first because it removes:

• Sweat
• Sunscreen
• Deodorant buildup
• Dirt
• Oil

Basically all the boring stuff.

Then your fun scented products can actually stick to clean skin afterward.

This made my perfumes and body mists last noticeably longer.

How To Wash Properly Without Overcomplicating It

A lot of people search for How To Wash or How To Have Good Hygiene Down There because nobody really explains it properly.

So here is my honest approach.

Keep it simple.

Use gentle cleansers.
Avoid overly harsh products.
Do not overdo fragrance in sensitive areas.
And do not scrub aggressively.

Clean does not mean irritated.

I personally avoid heavily fragranced products for intimate areas because my skin gets annoyed very quickly.

Mild products work best for me.

Step 3: Hair Wash Comes Before Body Care

This changed everything for my back and shoulders.

I used to wash my body first and then rinse shampoo and conditioner afterward.

Terrible idea.

Now I wash my hair early in the shower so all the shampoo and conditioner residue gets removed before my final body cleanse.

For shampoos I rotate between products depending on what my hair needs.

One product I genuinely enjoy is Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo from Lush because it makes my hair feel soft without making it feel coated.

And for cleansing the scalp I sometimes use Aqua Marina Cleanser nearby afterward if my skin feels oily around the hairline.

I also try not to use extremely hot water anymore because my hair becomes dry instantly.

My Hair Wash Routine

1. Shampoo twice if my hair is oily
2. Conditioner mainly on lengths
3. Leave conditioner while I exfoliate
4. Rinse everything thoroughly

Simple.

I used to buy into complicated routines with ten products.

Honestly my hair improved more when I stopped overwhelming it.

Step 4: Exfoliation Makes Everything Better

This is probably my favorite step.

There is something deeply satisfying about using a body scrub after a stressful week.

Especially vanilla scented ones.

I love using:

• Rub Rub Rub from Lush

• Vanilla sugar scrubs
• Gentle exfoliating gloves
• Scrubee (also from Lush). I recommend this one if you want to smell like white chocolate. It’s a solid exfoliator in the shape of cute bee that as you use, it “loses” its layers and shows their soft exfoliating grains.
  • Plus: it will make your bathroom have a constant pleasant smell. I LOVE it. Tip: use the Lush tin open to leave it or a soap dispenser with ventilation so that it dries out after using.

Exfoliation helps with:

• Smoother skin
• Better shaving
• Softer texture
• More even self tanner application
• Less flaky skin

But again… gentle matters.

Over-exfoliating made my skin angry before.

Now I exfoliate only one or two times a week.

My Honest Opinion On Sugar Scrubs

Some sugar scrubs smell incredible but leave this weird greasy film afterward.

Others smell nice for two seconds and disappear.

I personally like scrubs that rinse clean but still leave the skin soft.

The really oily ones sometimes make me feel like I accidentally basted myself like a turkey.

Step 5: Shaving Without Destroying Your Skin

Shaving used to feel like an Olympic sport for me.

Tiny cuts.
Dryness.
Missed spots somehow behind the knees.

Now I prep properly and it makes a massive difference.

I shave after exfoliating because the skin is softer.

I also stopped using dull razors for way too long.

A fresh razor genuinely matters.

My favorite razor continues to be the Gillette Venus original.

My Shaving Tips

• Use a sharp razor
• Shave near the end of the shower
• Use shaving cream or a creamy wash
• Rinse the blade constantly
• Moisturize afterward immediately

I also noticed that shaving too quickly is what usually causes irritation for me.

When I slow down, my skin looks much better afterward.

Step 6: The Second Cleanse Is The Fun Part

This is where the shower starts feeling luxurious.

After all the exfoliating and shaving, I use a scented body wash.

This is the part that makes the bathroom smell like a dessert shop.

Some favorites I genuinely love:

• The Olive Branch from Lush

• Happy Hippy

• Vanilla body washes
• Sol de Janeiro

• Dove Shea Butter washes
• Yog Nog

• Sticky Dates even though it is VERY sweet

I personally think fragrance layering starts here.

The scent underneath your perfume matters more than people realize.

Step 7: Hair masks at least once a week

Remember to use a nice hair mask at least once every week so that your hair can recharge. I also like to damp my hair in oils (such as this camelia oil one) 1 hour before hair shower day so that it gets more hydrated.

Leave your mask for at least 5 minutes.

You can leave it on while you shave.

My current favorite hair treatments that I use as masks are:

Gisou Hair Mask

A honey infused mask that has amazing packaging and also delivers.

Redken Extreme Strenght Builder Plus

A mask for the very damaged hair.

Homenuka Bijin

My current favorite, it’s technically a hair treatment. Good for thick hair.

My Favorite Scent Combinations

Body Wash	Lotion	Perfume Style
Vanilla	Warm vanilla lotion	Gourmand perfumes
Citrus	Fresh lotion	Clean perfumes
Honey scents	Creamy lotion	Cozy perfumes
Coconut	Tropical mist	Beachy perfumes

This is honestly the easiest way to smell expensive without using tons of perfume.

Step 7: Body Oil While Skin Is Damp

This step changed my skin more than expensive lotions ever did. PS: I made a post about the best body lotions I have tried, check it out here.

I apply body oil immediately after turning off the shower while my skin is still damp.

Not soaking wet.
Just damp.

The difference is huge.

The oil locks in water and makes the skin feel soft for hours.

Some oils I love:

• Johnson’s Baby Oil
• Weleda Arnica Oil if you have muscular tension.

• Weleda Citrus Body Oil.

• Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

I especially love body oil on the legs because it gives that healthy glowy look without glitter.

The Mistake Most People Make With Body Oil

Using too much.

You do not need to marinate yourself.

A little goes a long way.

Otherwise you end up sliding around your room like a penguin.

Step 8: Body Lotion For Soft Skin

I never skip lotion anymore because I noticed my perfume lasts much longer when my skin is moisturized.

Dry skin eats fragrance immediately.

Some lotions I genuinely enjoy:

• EOS Vanilla Cashmere
• Vanilla Bean Noel lotions
• Let The Good Times Roll Body Lotion

• Warm vanilla lotions from Bath & Body Works

I personally prefer thick lotions at night and lighter lotions during hot weather.

Basic Skin Care Routine For The Body

People focus so much on face skincare that they completely ignore body care.

But honestly your body skin needs care too.

My Basic Skin Care Routine for the body is:

• Gentle cleansing
• Exfoliation
• Moisture
• SPF when exposed to sun

Simple routines usually work best for me.

Step 9: Deodorant And Glycolic Acid

This combination helped me more than I expected.

I use deodorant normally, but I also sometimes use glycolic acid on areas prone to rough texture or bumps.

My current fav natural deodorant is Salt & Stone Neroli and Basil. Smells fresh and elegant. Check out my other natural deodorant recommendations here.

The one from The Ordinary became really popular online for this reason.

It can help with:

• Rough texture
• Strawberry skin appearance
• Underarm odor

But I personally do not use it right after shaving because my skin gets sensitive.

I wait until the next day.

Want to try a more natural approach? I sometimes use clove water. Learn more about its many uses here.

My Thoughts On Natural Deodorants

I wanted to love natural deodorants.

I really did.

But some of them made me smell like I lost a fight with the summer heat.

A few work nicely.
Many do not.

I personally think it depends heavily on body chemistry.

Step 10: Body Spray And Perfume Layering

This is the final step that makes the whole routine feel complete.

And yes… I absolutely overspray body mist sometimes.

I am not sorry.

I love:

• Vanilla body sprays
• Cozy warm scents
• Marshmallow perfumes
• Sweet skin scents
• Soft musky perfumes

Some products I genuinely enjoy:

• Let The Good Times Roll Body Spray

• Victoria’s Secret body mists

• Vanilla perfumes (Chloe Lumineuse is soft, airy and sweet)

• Kayali fragrances
• Victoria Secret Bombshell is a good choice, always. Fresh, light, delightful.

I spray body mist on clothes and perfume mainly on pulse points.

And yes, the Vaseline trick really does help fragrance last longer for me.

My Favorite “Clean Girl But Cozy” Fragrance Combination

This combo gets me compliments constantly:

• Vanilla body wash
• EOS Vanilla Cashmere lotion
• Warm body mist

• Glossier You (solid perfume)

It smells clean but still cozy.

Not too intense.
Not too sugary.

Finish up with a nice spray of rose water on your face to give yourself a nice hydration boost.

Fast Shower Routine Vs Everything Shower

Obviously I do not do this whole routine every single day.

Sometimes life is chaotic.

Sometimes I just need a Fast Shower Routine and survival mode wins.

My Quick Shower Version

• Quick shampoo
• Body wash
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Leave

Done.

Five to ten minutes.

No emotional support sugar scrub involved.

My Biggest Shower Routine Mistakes

Here are the things that made my skin worse before I figured things out:

Using Water That Was Too Hot

It dried out my skin and scalp badly.

Warm water is much better.

Over-Exfoliating

I thought more exfoliation meant smoother skin.

Wrong.

It just made my skin irritated.

Applying Lotion On Completely Dry Skin

Damp skin absorbs products so much better.

Mixing Too Many Fragrances

At one point I smelled like vanilla citrus shampoo coffee marshmallow flowers.

Not ideal.

Routine Tips That Actually Help

These are the little things that made the biggest difference for me:

• Wash pillowcases often
• Replace razors regularly
• Use separate towels for hair and body
• Apply lotion immediately after showering
• Drink enough water
• Do not ignore body SPF
• Clean loofahs and brushes frequently

Honestly some hygiene problems are not even about products.

Sometimes it is just forgetting to wash the things touching your skin constantly.

My Favorite Products For An Everything Shower

Here are some products I genuinely enjoy using repeatedly:

Category	Favorites
Body Wash	Happy Hippy, Yog Nog, The Olive Branch
Exfoliation	Rub Rub Rub, Vanilla Sugar Scrubs
Hair Care	Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo
Lotion	EOS Vanilla Cashmere, Let The Good Times Roll Lotion
Body Spray	Let The Good Times Roll Body Spray
Cleanser	Aqua Marina
Deodorant	Dove spray deodorants
Body Oil	Johnson’s Baby Oil, Vaseline Oil Gel

I think the key is finding products that make you excited to actually do the routine.

That matters more than buying the most expensive thing online.

My Personal Philosophy On Bath And Body Care

I honestly think Bath And Body Care affects mood more than people admit.

When I feel clean, moisturized, and put together, I feel calmer and more confident.

Even if I am literally staying home all day.

There is something grounding about routines.

Especially little routines that make ordinary days feel nicer.

FAQ

How Often Should You Do An Everything Shower?

I usually do mine once or twice a week.

Daily would honestly be exhausting for me.

What Is The Correct Shower Skin Care Order?

My preferred order is:

1. Dry brush
2. First cleanse
3. Hair wash
4. Exfoliate
5. Shave
6. Second cleanse
7. Body oil
8. Lotion
9. Deodorant
10. Perfume

What Should You Do In The Shower First?

I personally like starting with cleansing and hair washing before exfoliating or shaving.

Does Body Oil Go Before Lotion?

Yes.

I apply body oil first on damp skin, then lotion afterward.

How Can I Smell Good All Day?

Layering helps a lot:

• Scented body wash
• Matching lotion
• Body mist
• Perfume

Moisturized skin also holds fragrance longer.

What Is A Good Fast Shower Routine?

A quick version can simply include:

• Shampoo
• Body wash
• Deodorant
• Lotion

That is enough for most normal days.

Are Expensive Products Necessary?

Honestly no.

Some of my favorite products are affordable Dove products and simple body oils.

Technique matters more than price.

Final Thoughts

I used to think shower routines online were exaggerated.

But after creating my own version, I completely understand why people love them.

An Everything Shower is not really about perfection.

It is about feeling reset.

Soft skin.
Fresh hair.
Clean sheets afterward.
A good body mist.
That weird sense of peace after doing every little step properly.

Tiny luxuries honestly matter more than people think.

And once you figure out your ideal routine, regular showers never feel quite the same again.