Luxury is defined as the state of great comfort and extravagant living. Love it, but let’s focus on that first half for a moment – the state of great comfort. And what brings the state of great comfort more than a shower? If it isn’t a shower, I’m willing to bet you’d take one to elevate that state of great comfort. Showers help to reduce stress and anxiety, they help you to relax, and they simply feel so damn good! I want to tell you the five best tips that take your shower to a new level, improve the appearance of your skin and give you the most luxurious glow no matter the season. Triple threat.
Relax
This is your most personal time of the day. As you wash away the toxins of the day and cleanse your skin, take the time to inhale, exhale and appreciate that you have the privilege to take one. Warm showers promote relaxation by easing the tension in your muscles and in your body and help you to sleep better in the evenings. In the morning, showers give you a great start to your day, leaving you feeling energized and refreshed. Whatever the time of day, express gratitude for the ability to shower in clean water and take the time to relax.
Exfoliating gloves
Throughout my life, I’ve transitioned from bath towels to loofas, then to brushes, and finally found my home in exfoliating gloves. Exfoliating gloves give me the best and most cleansing feeling. With exfoliating gloves, I feel like I can get more intimate with my body, and because the gloves’ texture is fully encompassing, you can more intimately scrub every crevice of your body in the most detailed way possible. Exfoliating away dead skin in areas that bath towels and loofas are just too soft to address. I mean, scrubbing the fine lines in your kneecaps becomes useful when working on improving your skin’s dark spots. This brings me to my next tip…
Use Skincare
Throughout my childhood, Dove and Lever 2000 were consistent in my household. It wasn’t even a thought, it just was. When I moved out during college, I wanted something different and began exploring other shower gels and soaps, always returning to what I knew. One day, after a breakthrough with a crazy string of dark spots on my face from dirty makeup brushes, I wondered if I could find ways to clear the dark spots on my knees and elbows. Immediately, I decided to switch to using skin care in my shower routine. Instead of Dove, I opted for skincare products like Olay’s Brightening Body Wash with Vitamin C and Urban RX’s Even Tone. Within weeks I noticed that my skin was improving, and my dark spots were fading away. Ever since I’ve been addicted to exploring new body cleansers that work to address skin concerns. If I can do it for my face, why not my whole body? Since consistently choosing skin care as my body wash, I’ve explored different brands like Naturium’s Salicylic Acid Body Wash, their Glycolic Acid Body Wash, and Nola Skinsentials Hyperpigmentation Soap. Major shout out to Nola skinsentials for improving the hyperpigmentation under my arms, on my knees, and on my elbows.
( I do not get a commission from linking these products, they are simply placed within this article for you to research for your own use, should you choose to.)
Use a Pumice Stone
Being that the entire time we are in the shower and are constantly standing in water, the skin at the bottoms of our feet softens. This is the optimal time to address dry skin and callus buildup. I keep a terracotta pumice stone in my shower that quickly and easily exfoliates away dry and thick skin without ever wearing out or collecting bacteria. At least two to four times a week, take the time to gently exfoliate the bottoms of your feet with a pumice stone to maintain soft, smooth feet. Plus, wouldn’t it be great to save that extra $7 on pedicures where they barely give you anything beyond a tickle session?
Lock In the Moisture
Before I step out of the shower and dry off completely, I like to apply body oils to my skin. Playing around with different blends of essential oils further improves the skin after exfoliating and helps to naturally treat the skin concerns I am interested in addressing. Not the high-end luxury body creams with small amounts of vitamin E and vitamin C that show up way down at the bottom of the list, but with a blend that is absolutely nothing but. This is my secret weapon.
Caveat; If I’m planning to go out somewhere and would prefer not to use a body oil blend because it may be too heavy or stain my clothing, I’ll apply a toner and then follow up with a body cream like Rihanna’s Butta Drop or Biossance’s Squalane + Caffeine Toning Body Cream. *chef’s kiss*
These four changes have become essential in my shower routine daily and have completely elevated my experience. I’ve addressed skin concerns that made me insecure, like dark spots, stretch marks, and unevenness throughout my skin tone in different areas of my body. Since being consistent in my new skincare routine, my confidence has improved significantly. I began to notice that my body accepts and maintains moisture far better than it has in the past. My skin feels firm and glows before even applying any oils. If you want to change your shower routine, I would highly suggest any or all of these four tips for an ultra-luxurious experience that transcends the 10+ minutes you spend in the shower. Ten out of ten, five stars – would recommend.
If you’re already using exfoliating gloves, skin care body washes, and body oils in your routine, leave a comment below and let me know how your skin has improved!
What do you think?