This is why your skincare routine should always start in the shower

Sometimes doing all the things you know logically that need to happen to have the skin you want (and deserve) can feel like just another chore at the end of a long day, or extra time you don’t have in the morning rush. Which is why this beauty advice from cosmetic and general dermatologist Dr Katherine Armour will have you cheering and your skin glowing.

According to the Melbourne-based dermatologist, starting your skincare routine in the shower has a raft of benefits including time-saving convenience. As Armour says, you’re taking a shower anyway, might as well combine it with your skincare regimen.

Read on for Dr Armour’s guide to skincare in the shower including what products to look for and what to avoid.

What are the main benefits of starting your beauty routine in the shower?

“One of the main benefits of starting your beauty routine in the shower is the convenience.” Dr Armour says, adding “This means that we are more likely to take the time to appropriately look after our skin. We’re getting in the shower anyway! Removing makeup and environmental… pollutants with a double cleanse using a gentle cleanser can easily take place in the shower.”

“It’s crucial to remove makeup and sunscreen at the end of the day to avoid clogging pores. It’s also important to remove pollutants that you may have encountered during the day. Environmental pollutants can contribute to skin ageing through activation of inflammatory pathways and enzymes that degrade our skin-plumping fibres.”

What products should we use in the shower?

“There are a number of gentle cleansers that contain nourishing emollients and soothing ingredients that can help to nurture the skin on both the face and body whilst cleansing [in the shower]. Individuals that suffer from sensitive or dry skin should consider products that contain beneficial ingredients like aloe vera and Vitamin B5 that are gentle on the skin. This ensures that the skin’s oil is replenished and not stripped away.”

Suggestion: Cetaphil’s Ultra Gentle Body Wash

What beauty steps specifically should happen in the shower?

“Use a gentle cleanser or soap-free wash to remove sweat, sunscreen and environmental debris. This will help to avoid irritation of the skin, which can occur if these substances aren’t regularly removed from the skin. These gentle products will clean your skin just as effectively as a conventional soap or body wash, without stripping your skin of its essential oils and barrier lipids.”

“Immediately after your shower is the best time to apply moisturiser to your face and body. Studies have shown that moisturising after bathing significantly increases the skin’s hydration. However, if we skip the moisturiser post-shower, you’ll actually decrease the water content in your skin. Eventually, this will lead to dry and itchy skin.”

Is there any truth to the current thinking that the products we use in the shower should be non-toxic because the warm water makes them penetrate our skin more deeply?

“There is no valid scientific evidence that warm water causes increased penetration of ingredients through the skin. However, most shampoos, cleansers and body washes are formulated to work most effectively in lukewarm water. Washing our face or bathing in hot water can damage the skin’s barrier, which may increase the chance of irritation from any fragrance or preservatives in skin and hair care products.”

What skincare products should we avoid?

“Avoid any exfoliants containing polyethylene microbeads. These synthetic particles have historically been placed into some personal care products to act as exfoliants. However, they… place our marine environment at significant risk. Environmentalists and scientists have discovered concerning quantities of microbeads in Australian waterways. In some instances, these end up being consumed by marine life such as fish. Microbeads can also attract toxic substances and as with most plastics, do not biodegrade. If you’re wedded to using physical exfoliants, opt for natural options such as kernels and seeds.”

Armour adds, “The main ingredients we should all avoid in cleansers, moisturisers, and shampoos is a preservative called Methylisothiazolinone (MI). This preservative was a very common cause of allergic contact dermatitis several years ago. It used to be present in quite a large number of personal care products. [It] has now been removed from most skincare and haircare. [But] as MI/MCI is still occasionally used, I’d recommend reading the labels on any new products you buy so that you can avoid it.”

“Foaming cleansers and soaps are potentially irritating to the skin and are [also] best avoided. Even those with very oily skin do not need to use a foaming cleanser. Foaming cleansers often excessively strip the skin of its essential epidermal barriers lipids which protect us from the environment. This leads to dryness and irritation, any may exacerbate itchy skin conditions such as eczema. I would recommend substituting a foaming cleanser and soap for soothing soap-free washes and gentle, non-foaming cleansers.”

Armour’s final piece of advice?

“Get enough sleep. It’s during deep (REM) sleep that our body regenerates cells and produces the most dermal plumping fibres such as collagen. So, try and get seven to eight hours sleep each night.”

Now that is advice we can all get behind.

This article originally appeared on Vogue.com.au

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