A check-the box hygiene staple no more, showering is now in-Vogue...literally (Valenti, 2022).

Like many things that were once uncool (country music, letting your roots grow out, and mom jeans) the lowly, primitive, utilitarian shower has been elevated into an opportunity to practice self-care. But wait - I was talking about self-care showers before they were cool! I mean, there were always people like Gwyneth Paltrow with their familiar battle cries of dry brushing this, or kale chips that…but lately, showers have gotten A LOT of clout. While I normally approach any trend with an abundance of side eye, I happen to be the freaking mascot of the therapeutic shower fan club. Oh yeah. I’m currently accepting sponsorships from local water authorities and plan on contributing articles to the National Water Census. (not really) But I do consider myself to be a shower enthusiast, and as such, have cultivated, through incredible trial and error, a self-care shower routine statistically proven to de-stress even the most anxious of individuals. Behold, your fail-proof guide to shower success:

1. Temperature
   Now I prefer a shower to be HOT. As hot as the Sahara on sweltering summer day, just to be specific. Having a clear, concise temperature that you prefer is a good start -none of this wishy-washy lukewarm business.  For a shower to be therapeutic it should be hot OR cold. No in-between. I’m told by some individuals that a cold shower can be “rejuvenating”. Perhaps these people also enjoy root canals, wet socks, or the smell of burnt hair. Either way, stand firmly on either side of the camp.

2. Scents
   My next tip is to add-in a relaxing scent. Essential oils can take the experience up a notch. If you’re looking for a good beginner essential oil, you might use lavender. For me, it really depends on my mood. I enjoy peppermint and eucalyptus when I’m feeling a bit under the weather, and things like sandalwood, patchouli or vetiver when I want to feel like I’m at a spa - does this sound too “pick me”? There are also these things called shower steamers that melt in the shower and perfume the air with aromatherapy. You can buy them, but I prefer to DIY it.

3. Shower Accoutrements
   While we are challenging the formally “uncool”, I can’t tell you how much I use and love and cherish shower caps. Not to be confused with “The Everything Shower” where we finish our time looking like freshly groomed pup – A therapeutic shower for me usually involves not having to get into the rigmarole of washing, blow-drying, and styling my hair. As a busy mom, trying to hornswoggle enough time to do my hair adds to my overall stress, directly conflicting with all the things self-care should be. Apparently someone at Elle magazine feels the same way, and wrote an entire article dedicated to evaluating, analyzing, and ranking only the best of shower caps. Nerisha, thank you for this beautiful contribution to society. There is also a lovely little invention called a shower drain hair catcher or a foot step that sticks to the wall for those of us who choose to shave.  Some more distinguished or, as the young people say, “swaggy” individuals might acquire a waterproof blue-tooth speaker rather than just using a playlist and leaving their phone on the bathroom counter. Whatever floats your rubber duck.

It should be noted that there are different ways to apply water to skin to alleviate dirt and debris. This article is not a how-to on Maximalist Showers, or Everything Showers. I won’t take you on a deep dive of all the chemicals and contaminants, pesticides and birth control in our good old every day tap water. But as always when discussing self-care, find what works for you. To wrap things up, some things will always be cool, like taking the time to treat yourself nice. And some things, will be open to interpretation. Like Nickelback.

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