Showering daily is a must, but your efforts are washed out if you don’t know how to shower properly. No, we’re not suggesting that you never got your showerer’s license (if there was such a thing), but rather than most people have never actually been walked through a smart shower routine. There is an order to things, and reason for maintaining some structure while bathing.

If you’re still thinking “impossible, my showers are perfect as is”, then we hope you’ll at least scroll through our tips—maybe there’s one thing you could be doing slightly differently. And, if you’re thinking “maybe there’s one or five things I could be doing slightly differently”, then, well, keep reading, because you’re in the right place.

1. Shampoo 2-3 times weekly

You probably don’t need to shampoo every day. Even if you have an oily scalp, a simple daily rinse (on the in-between wash days) will keep hair from getting too greasy. Most hair styling products these days are water soluble, so they’ll rinse away clean. The less frequent use will  also prevent the head and hair from getting too dry, too. That being said, you should still cleanse the hair and scalp regularly, and every second or third day is optimal. 

Choose a nourishing shampoo for this—something that promises to support scalp health in addition to hair vitality. Cardon’s Strengthening Shampoo has a vitamin-rich and protein-packed formula (fueled by niacinamide and yeast) to create optimal hair-growth conditions all around the dome.

2. Condition after shampooing, and sometimes on “off days”

Every time you wash your hair and scalp, you should follow it with a conditioner, to pump nutrients and moisture back into the strands, and to further fortify the scalp. Conditioners don’t build latehrs quite like shampoo, so you’ll want to carefully massage it into damp hair in order to distribute properly. Let it set for a couple minutes, to fully revive the hairs. (Compared to skincare, think of shampoo like a powerful cleanser and conditioner like a frequent moisturizer.) 

You can also use conditioner on the in-between shampoo days, while rinsing. This can help flush away excess sebum and grime while further fortifying the strands (especially during colder, drier months or after sleeping in an air-conditioned room).

3. Wash and condition hair first

Since you need to let the conditioner set for a couple minutes, do yourself a favor and wash your hair first thing in the shower (if it’s a wash day). Follow with the conditioner, then let it set while you wash your face and body. This way, you won’t hastily rinse it out at the end of the shower, like if you had saved it for the last step.

4. Take shorter, cooler showers

Hot water dries out your skin and hair, by stripping it of all of its natural oils. Ditto for water in general; for these reasons, limiting your showers to 5-8 minutes and turning the temperature down (something mild, or even on the cooler side—it doesn’t need to be cold, though; we at least want you to enjoy he shower).

6. Cleanse twice daily, and exfoliate twice weekly

Regardless of when you prefer to shower, you need to wash your face first thing in the morning and again before bed (preceding your skincare regimen for both the day and night). If you sweat excessively during the day or need a simple refresh, it’s perfectly fine to cleanse again, so long as you use a gentle, nourishing option (like a clay cleanser or toning wipes), and follow it with a moisturizer.

It’s also important to exfoliate regularly, in order to lift or dissolve dead skin cells at the surface of the skin. This prevents clogged pores and promotes smoother, brighter, firmer, more youthful complexion, too, since it accelerates cellular turnover and brings the healthiest, younger cells to the surface. How you choose to exfoliate is up to you—with a physical, gritty product or device, or with a chemical “peeling” option. Just don’t do it more than directed (which is probably every few days), to prevent irritating skin from over-exfoliation. Only exfoliate after cleansing, or simultaneously if the cleanser offers dual benefits.

7. Filter hard water, if needed and able

If your shower has hard water, it can be detrimental to your skin and hair health. You should know, based on whether it leaves mineral deposits on your walls and products, or a simple Google search regarding your city’s water supply. Hard water can leave a film on the hair strands, hindering the penetration by moisture and nutrients. It can also severely dry out the skin (including the scalp). For this reason, it’s wise to install a simple shower-head hard-water filter, if your shower allows. (It’ll take some investigating, as to whether or not the shower head screws off and can be extended with a grenade-like mineral filter.) Once installed, be sure to swap out the filter every six months in order to keep it working efficiently and effectively. (In addition to salvaging your skin and hair, you’ll save lots of time on washing residue off the glass, porcelain, and tiles.)

8. Pat hair dry, or use microfiber towels

Rubbing a towel through your hair can cause frizzing, breakage, and accelerated hair fall. For this reason, it’s important to dry the hair with a patting method, or to swap in a gentle microfiber towel, which will absorb the hair’s moisture much more quickly, and in turn ensure better hair days for months to come.

9. Wash towels and bath mats weekly

If you keep reusing the same towel, then you run the risk of bacterial accumulation. Imagine that dirty towel being rubbed all over your freshly cleansed face and body; immediately you’ve got an increased risk for acne (and immediately after cleansing, no less). So, just as you (should) wash pillow cases weekly, add your shower/bath towels to the same load, and toss in your hand towels and floor mats for the same reason (to again combat acne, and pedi-maladies like athlete’s foot).