Thanks to TikTok, many of us beauty lovers have a pretty solid grasp on what products make up our “everything shower” lineup. One of the biggest trends of 2023, the everything shower gained popularity across social media as influencers and creators everywhere showcased the products they use when they need an everything shower. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s fairly straightforward. Instead of just an end-of-day shampoo and wash, an everything shower covers all your bases—think dry brushing, exfoliation, shaving, hair mask, face mask etc.
But, while the beauty creators on social media have given us a clear breakdown of what makes up an everything shower, the protocol for what happens after is less known. If you’re looking to harness the full potential of your post-shower routine, here are what the experts have to say about what and when to apply after an everything shower.
Featured Experts
- Nerida Joy is a licensed aesthetician and founder of Educate Your Skin
- Ginger King is an expert cosmetic chemist
- Amy Peterson is a medical aesthetician and founder of Skincare by Amy Peterson
What Products Should You Apply Post Shower?
First and foremost, before we get into how to apply your post-shower body products, we need to understand what products should make up a post-everything shower routine. For Ginger King, expert cosmetic chemist, the essential body products post shower are simple: deodorant, body moisturizer and body mist. For aesthetician Nerida Joy, another important addition to the post-shower body-care routine is a body oil. “I really love a light, non-greasy body oil after a shower or bath,” she says. “I love the hydration without the stickiness, and most of all how it makes my skin look and feel silky.” Medical aesthetician Amy Peterson’s after-shower body care consists of multiple body oils, a body cream and a body balm.
How to Apply Body Products: Why It Matters What Order You Apply Body Products In
We all know that when it comes to skin care on your face, the order you apply products in matters. So, does the same go for body products? The short answer: yes. “It is important to apply body-care products in order to optimize the effectiveness of each of the products. Application plays a crucial role in ensuring that active ingredients are fully absorbed and can function as intended,” Peterson explains. “Starting with the lightest formulations, like serums and oils, followed by the thicker formulations like creams and balms enhances the ability of the product to penetrate the skin and maximize hydration. Layering in the correct order can also help to avoid pilling or potential irritation to the skin. It also ensures that each product works harmoniously with the next.” Joy adds that “as with face products, applying your body products onto a clean skin is optimum. The lighter weight serums go first followed by the more nourishing cream or oils to coat, and hydrate the skin.”
Post-Shower Body Care: The Correct Order to Apply
Here is what our experts recommend for applying body products in the most efficacious way post-everything shower.
Body Treatments and Serums
If you’re struggling with textured skin on the body or hyperpigmentation, you’ll want to go in first with body treatments before moving on to hydrating products. “Body serums are a newer category,” King explains, “and if you do use them, you want to use them before body lotion or cream as you should always layer products from thin to thick.”
Body Oil
The next of the lighter formulas you’ll want to apply post-shower are body oils. While they’re thicker than a serum but not as rich as a cream or balm, they make the perfect second layer in a body-care routine. Joy adds that after towel drying, applying a light body oil to skin that is still warm and barely damp will also help with product absorption.
Body Creams
The last step in your body-care routine, much like that of your face, should be a rich body cream or lotion. The thickest of the body products, ending your post-everything shower routine with a luxurious moisturizer is the perfect way to lock in all the skin enriching benefits of the products you layered before while adding just one more boost of hydration.
Body Balms
If you’re still struggling with that after-winter dryness or flakiness across the body, it’s a good idea to add a body balm to your routine after oils and before creams. A thicker product, body balms are a great way to add moisture and lasting hydration to skin that is thirsty and in need of nourishment.
The Best Body Care Products, According to Experts
Now that you’ve gotten the rundown on how to apply your body products after your shower, you’re probably wondering which products you should be adding to cart to create the body-care routine of your dreams. Not to worry, our experts gave us some of their favorite body-care products to help guide your search.
