An everything shower is the shower where you finally tackle the extra steps you don’t necessarily do every day: washing and treating your hair, exfoliating, shaving, moisturizing, and taking a little more time with your body care.
But when you’re doing several things in one shower, the order matters.
Should you exfoliate before or after shaving? Should you wash your body while your conditioner is sitting? And when should you rinse your hair so you’re not leaving conditioner all over your back?
This everything shower routine takes you through the process from head to toe, including what to do before, during, and after your shower — plus how long each step should take.
You don’t need to do every optional step every time. Think of this as your master everything shower order and customize it according to your hair, skin, products, and preferences.
Everything Shower Order: The Quick Version
Here’s the routine at a glance:
Before the shower:
Prepare everything → detangle hair if appropriate → apply pre-shampoo treatment if using one
Hair:
Wet hair → shampoo → shampoo again if needed → apply conditioner OR hair mask
Body:
Cleanse → exfoliate if needed → shave if desired
Final rinse:
Rinse hair treatment thoroughly → rinse or cleanse away any hair-product residue
After the shower:
Pat dry → body lotion → deodorant → leave-in hair care → facial skincare → clean clothes
Now let’s go through each step properly.
BEFORE THE SHOWER
1. Gather Everything You Need
Time: 2–3 minutes
Get your products, towel, and clean clothes ready before you start.
Depending on your routine, you might need:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner or hair mask
- Pre-shampoo treatment
- Body wash
- Exfoliating product
- Razor and shaving product
- Clean towel
- Body lotion or cream
- Deodorant
- Leave-in conditioner or hair serum
- Your usual facial skincare
- Clean pajamas or clothes
You don’t need every product on this list.
The point is to avoid discovering halfway through your shower that the one thing you need is sitting in another room.
2. Detangle Your Hair — If That Works for Your Hair Type
Time: 1–3 minutes
If your hair does well with dry detangling, gently work through knots before getting into the shower.
Start near the ends and gradually work upward instead of pulling a brush from the roots straight through the lengths.
But this isn’t a universal rule.
Curly, coily, or easily tangled hair may be better detangled while wet and conditioned. If that’s how your hair responds best, skip this step for now.
The goal isn’t to follow a rigid routine. It’s to make the washing process easier for your particular hair.
3. Apply a Pre-Shampoo Treatment, If You Use One
Time: Follow the product directions — often around 5–20 minutes
Pre-shampoo treatments can include products such as pre-wash masks, oils, scalp treatments, or bond-care products designed specifically for use before shampooing.
If you’re using one, apply it according to its instructions before getting into the shower.
While it sits, use the waiting time to do something else:
- Remove makeup
- Brush your teeth
- Choose your clothes
- Prepare your towel
- Quickly tidy the bathroom
Most importantly, follow the instructions on your particular product.
If the label says to leave it on for five minutes, don’t assume 30 minutes will make it six times better.
IN THE SHOWER: START WITH YOUR HAIR
4. Wet Your Hair Thoroughly
Time: 30–60 seconds
Let your hair become completely saturated before applying shampoo.
Instead of quickly splashing it with water and immediately reaching for the bottle, give the water enough time to move through your hair.
This makes shampoo easier to distribute and helps you avoid using more product than necessary.
5. Shampoo Your Scalp
Time: About 1–2 minutes
Apply shampoo primarily to your scalp and roots.
Using your fingertips, gently massage around:
- The hairline
- Crown
- Behind the ears
- Back of the scalp
Avoid aggressively scratching your scalp with your nails.
As you rinse, the shampoo will travel through the lengths of your hair, so you generally don’t need to pile all of your hair on top of your head and scrub it.
Rinse thoroughly.
6. Shampoo Again — Only If You Actually Need To
Time: About 1 minute
A second shampoo is optional.
It can be useful when you have noticeable oil, sweat, or styling-product buildup and the first cleanse doesn’t feel sufficient.
If your scalp already feels clean after one shampoo, move on.
Double shampooing doesn’t need to become another beauty rule you follow automatically.
7. Apply Conditioner OR a Hair Mask
Time: Usually around 2–10 minutes — check your product
After shampooing, gently squeeze excess water from your hair.
Then apply your conditioner or hair mask according to the product directions and your hair type.
For many people, that means concentrating the product through the mid-lengths and ends rather than applying a heavy layer directly to the scalp.
Now comes the useful part:
Let your hair product work while you move on to your body routine.
You don’t need to stand under the shower waiting for five minutes doing absolutely nothing.
And unless the products you use specifically instruct otherwise, you don’t automatically need both a mask and conditioner in the same routine.
NOW MOVE TO YOUR BODY
8. Cleanse Your Body
Time: About 2–3 minutes
While your conditioner or hair mask is processing, wash your body with your preferred body wash or cleanser.
Pay attention to easily rushed areas such as:
- Underarms
- Under the breasts
- Belly button
- Skin folds
- Feet
You don’t need aggressive scrubbing to get clean.
A thorough but gentle cleanse is enough.
And don’t worry — we’ll do a quick final cleanse or rinse after the hair product comes out so conditioner isn’t the last thing left sitting on your back and shoulders.
9. Exfoliate — Only When Needed
Time: Depends on the product and method
If exfoliation is part of today’s routine, do it after your initial body cleanse and before shaving.
But exfoliation does not need to be part of every everything shower.
If you’re using a physical exfoliant, avoid treating your skin like you’re sanding furniture. More pressure isn’t necessarily better.
Different exfoliation methods also have different instructions and recommended frequencies, so this is one step where a separate routine makes much more sense than squeezing everything into a few paragraphs here.
Read next: How to Exfoliate Your Body Properly Without Overdoing It
That guide covers exfoliation methods, frequency, common mistakes, and how to avoid doing too much.
10. Shave, If You Want To
Time: About 3–10 minutes
Shaving is completely optional.
If you do shave, doing it later in the shower gives the hair and skin some time to be exposed to warm water first.
Apply a suitable shaving cream, gel, or other shaving product, then use a clean, sharp razor.
Take your time and try to avoid repeatedly passing the razor over the same spot.
If you don’t shave, simply skip this step.
An everything shower means doing the things that belong in your routine — not completing every grooming task that exists.
FINISH WITH A THOROUGH RINSE
11. Rinse Out Your Conditioner or Hair Mask
Time: About 1–2 minutes
Once your product has been on for the amount of time recommended on the label, rinse your hair thoroughly.
Pay attention around:
- Hairline
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Upper back
Hair products naturally travel over these areas as they’re rinsed out.
This is exactly why we’re not ending the shower immediately afterward.
12. Do a Final Body Cleanse or Rinse
Time: About 30–60 seconds
After rinsing your hair product, give your neck, shoulders, chest, and back a final rinse.
If you prefer, use a small amount of your gentle body cleanser again on areas where conditioner has run over the skin.
This keeps your hair treatment from being the last product sitting on your body before you step out of the shower.
Then rinse everything thoroughly.
Now you’re done with the shower itself.
AFTER THE SHOWER
13. Pat Your Skin Dry
Time: About 1 minute
Use a clean towel and gently pat your skin instead of aggressively rubbing it.
You don’t have to wait until your skin feels completely dry before moving on to moisturizer.
Leaving it slightly damp can make the transition to body lotion easy.
14. Apply Body Lotion
Time: About 2–3 minutes
Apply your body lotion, cream, or moisturizer shortly after getting out of the shower.
Focus especially on areas that tend to become dry, including:
- Legs
- Arms
- Elbows
- Knees
- Hands
- Feet
You don’t need an elaborate collection of body products.
A moisturizer that feels good enough that you’ll actually use it consistently is far more useful than six beautiful jars sitting untouched on a shelf.
15. Apply Deodorant
Once your underarms are clean and dry, apply your usual deodorant or antiperspirant.
That’s it.
This step doesn’t need its own complicated ritual.
16. Apply Your Leave-In Hair Products
Time: About 1–3 minutes
Now finish your hair routine.
Depending on your hair type and styling plans, you might use:
- Leave-in conditioner
- Detangling spray
- Curl cream
- Styling cream
- Hair serum
- Heat protectant
Choose what your hair actually needs.
An everything shower isn’t a reason to suddenly layer every hair product you own.
17. Finish Your Facial Skincare
Follow the facial skincare routine that already works for you.
For some people, that may simply be moisturizer and daytime sunscreen.
For others, it may include additional products they already use regularly.
You don’t need to add extra skincare steps just because today was an everything-shower day.
How Long Should Each Everything Shower Step Take?
There isn’t one universal timing for every product, but this gives you a useful starting point:
| Step | Approximate Time | Important Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gather your products | 2–3 min | Do this before starting |
| Detangle hair | 1–3 min | Skip if dry detangling doesn’t suit your hair |
| Pre-shampoo treatment | Often 5–20 min | Follow the product label |
| Wet hair | 30–60 sec | Saturate thoroughly |
| First shampoo | 1–2 min | Focus mainly on the scalp |
| Second shampoo | ~1 min | Optional |
| Conditioner/hair mask | Often 2–10 min | Follow the product label |
| Body cleanse | 2–3 min | Gentle, thorough cleansing |
| Exfoliation | Varies | Follow your product/method |
| Shaving | 3–10 min | Optional |
| Hair rinse | 1–2 min | Rinse thoroughly |
| Final body rinse | 30–60 sec | Remove hair-product residue |
| Body lotion | 2–3 min | Apply soon after drying |
| Leave-in hair care | 1–3 min | Depends on your routine |
The product label always wins over a generic timing recommendation.
The 30-Minute Everything Shower
Don’t have an hour?
You don’t need one.
Here’s a streamlined version.
Before — 5 Minutes
Minute 0–5:
Prepare your products and use a quick pre-shampoo treatment only if you have one designed for a short processing time.
Hair — 7 Minutes
Minute 5–7: Wet and shampoo
Minute 7–8: Second shampoo only if needed
Minute 8–12: Apply conditioner or mask and let it process
Body — 10 Minutes
While the hair product sits:
Minute 8–11: Cleanse your body
Minute 11–14: Exfoliate if needed
Minute 14–18: Shave if desired
If you’re skipping exfoliation or shaving, your shower becomes even shorter.
Final Rinse — 2 Minutes
Minute 18–20:
Rinse your hair thoroughly, then rinse or quickly cleanse your body again where needed.
After — 10 Minutes
Minute 20–21: Pat dry
Minute 21–24: Body lotion
Minute 24–27: Hair products
Minute 27–30: Deodorant, facial skincare, and clean clothes
Done.
No 90-minute influencer bathroom marathon required.
Everything Shower Checklist
Save this order for the next time you need it.
BEFORE THE SHOWER
☐ Gather products, towel, and clothes
☐ Detangle hair if appropriate
☐ Apply pre-shampoo treatment if using one
HAIR
☐ Wet hair thoroughly
☐ Shampoo scalp
☐ Shampoo again only if needed
☐ Apply conditioner OR hair mask
☐ Let it process while doing body care
BODY
☐ Cleanse body
☐ Exfoliate if needed
☐ Shave if desired
FINAL RINSE
☐ Rinse conditioner or mask thoroughly
☐ Rinse or quickly cleanse away hair-product residue
AFTER THE SHOWER
☐ Pat skin dry
☐ Apply body lotion
☐ Apply deodorant
☐ Apply leave-in hair products
☐ Finish facial skincare
☐ Put on clean, comfortable clothes
Common Everything Shower Mistakes
Trying to Do Every Step Every Time
An everything shower doesn’t mean you have to exfoliate, shave, deep-condition, clarify, and perform every other beauty task in existence every single time.
Use the master routine and choose the steps you need that day.
Leaving Products On Longer Than Directed
Longer isn’t automatically better.
A mask designed to work in five minutes doesn’t necessarily become more effective because you left it on for half an hour.
Follow the instructions for the product you’re actually using.
Rinsing Conditioner and Immediately Leaving the Shower
Your conditioner or hair mask can rinse over your neck, shoulders, chest, and back.
A final body rinse — or quick gentle cleanse where needed — takes less than a minute and makes more sense than leaving that residue behind.
Scrubbing Your Skin Too Aggressively
Your skin doesn’t need to feel squeaky, tight, raw, or sore for your shower to have “worked.”
Be thorough without being aggressive.
Using Uncomfortably Hot Water
Very hot water can leave some people’s skin feeling dry or uncomfortable.
Keep the temperature comfortably warm instead of turning your bathroom into a steam room.
Forgetting What Happens After the Shower
You did all that work. Don’t abandon the routine at the bathroom door.
Keep your moisturizer somewhere easy to reach so body lotion becomes an automatic final step rather than something you remember 45 minutes later.
How Often Should You Take an Everything Shower?
There isn’t one schedule that works for everyone.
Your regular showers can remain simple, while an everything shower can be the time when you combine several grooming and self-care tasks.
But those individual tasks don’t necessarily belong on the same schedule.
For example, you may wash your body frequently while exfoliating, shaving, using certain hair treatments, or doing other optional steps less often.
Instead of asking:
“How often should I do an everything shower?”
A more useful question is:
“Which of these steps does my hair or skin actually need today?”
Use the routine as an order — not an obligation.
The Easiest Way to Remember the Right Order
You don’t need to memorize 17 individual steps.
Just remember:
PREP → HAIR → BODY → FINAL RINSE → MOISTURIZE → FINISH
Prepare everything first.
Wash and treat your hair.
Take care of your body while the hair treatment processes.
Rinse your hair and remove any residue from your body.
Moisturize.
Then finish your hair and facial skincare.
That’s the entire everything shower routine in one line.
Final Thoughts
A good everything shower isn’t about using the most products or spending the longest time in the bathroom.
It’s about doing the steps you actually need in an order that makes sense.
Use this head-to-toe routine as your base, follow the instructions on your individual products, and skip anything that doesn’t belong in your routine that day.
Once you know the order, the whole process becomes much easier:
Prep. Hair. Body. Final rinse. Moisturize. Finish.
And you’re done.
Next: Exfoliating today? Read How to Exfoliate Your Body Properly Without Overdoing It for the complete body-exfoliation routine.
