Lather, rinse, and repeat – these might have been the words of your mother when she taught you how to shower for the first time. Well, it’s not as simple as it sounds! We didn’t even know that the simple mistakes we make could be the causes of dryness and irritation of our skin.

So, what could be the ‘shower-mistakes’ that are harming your skin? Let’s check them out.

1. Taking Hot Showers:

A steamy and warm shower is surely one of the ways to cheer yourself up on a lazy morning or to relax after a tiring workday. However, it isn’t good for the skin at all. Period.

Hot water actually weakens the skin barrier and dries out the skin by stripping the natural oils and increasing the generalized itching of the skin.

Maintaining a warm or a tepid temperature while you are showering is what I would suggest for a healthy and glowing skin.

2. Showering For Too Long:

It’s too tempting to spend a long time in the shower around soothing hot water. But many experts say that spending just about 10 minutes in the shower is more than enough.

Long showers strip the moisture off your skin.

3. Using Body Washes That Give More Lather:

The more foam a body wash has, the more it contributes to stripping the natural oils from your skin. Surfactant is the chemical that is the main cause of lather; it attracts both water and oil. Consistent exposure of such ingredients to the skin makes it rough and dry.

4. Leaving Soap Over Your Body:

Heading out of the shower without rinsing the soap completely just happens almost all the time. And if I’m not wrong, you just wipe it off with your towel.

However, doing that can cause dryness and irritation to your skin.

5. Washing Your Hair Daily:

How many times do you wash your hair in a week? Daily? Or every alternate day?

Experts say that someone with thin and delicate hair must avoid shampooing frequently – twice a week is more than enough!

And if you have curly hair, try shampooing once a week as natural curly hair takes a longer time to establish a good amount of natural oils.

6. Towel-Drying Roughly Instead Of Pat-Drying Gently:

Once we’re done with our shower, all we want to do is wipe down fast and get dressed ASAP. However, how you wipe your body dry is as important as how you bathe.

To prevent your skin from drying off, gently pat dry your skin with a soft towel.

7. Applying Face Masks Post- Shower:

Many of us prefer to cleanse our face during a shower and then apply a facial mask. But it’s time to change this habit. Anything you apply after a shower will be absorbed rapidly. You must always apply the facial masks before washing the face as it may cause too much dryness to the skin.

After-shower products must always be the ones that add moisture back and seal it, and not the ones that cause dryness!

8. Not Replacing Your Puff:

Avoid using loofahs unless you put them in your washing machine and clean them between each shower (but who has time to do that?). As loofahs are moist, they form a perfect atmosphere for bacteria to reside, and when you rub them, you create micro cuts on your skin that become an entry path for bacteria. This leads to skin infections. Hence, using the same puff for too long is again a big no-no and must be replaced within an interval of four months.

After a shower, water evaporates from the skin quickly and leaves the skin dry. Immediately apply a moisturizing cream or lotion to your body and restore your skin’s natural moisture levels.

Step ahead and enjoy the best shower of your life!

The post You Are Showering The Wrong Way – These 8 Mistakes Will Tell You Why appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Jyotsana rao via STYLECRAZE