The Scientific “Everything Shower”: A Step-by-Step Protocol for a Total Weekly Reset

Let’s look at the data: The average person spends about 10–15 minutes in the shower daily. But once a week, that isn’t enough. Enter the “Everything Shower.”

This isn’t just a TikTok trend. With over 327.7 million views on TikTok, the everything shower has become Gen Z’s signature self-care ritual and a key driver in a global bath products market that hit $51.78 billion in 2023. Beyond the viral hype, it is a hygienic efficiency model. By consolidating your most time-consuming grooming tasks—deep exfoliation, hair masking, and shaving—into one optimized 90-minute block, you significantly reduce daily grooming time throughout the rest of the week.

For our readers in Nigeria, seeking effective self-care ideas for Nigerians that work with our climate is key. This routine is critical for dealing with high humidity, city dust, and hard water, which require a more aggressive reset than a standard rinse can provide. While popularized by women, an everything shower for men is equally effective for dealing with rough skin, back acne, or ingrown hairs.

Editor’s Note on Testing: I tested this routine weekly for 3 months using products sourced directly from Shoprite Ikeja and Balogun Market. The protocol below reflects what actually worked for my 4C hair and combination skin in Lagos humidity, filtering out the viral trends that didn’t hold up to our climate.

Below is the upgraded, data-backed guide to the Everything Shower, optimized for maximum absorption of products and stress reduction.

The Physiology of the Reset: Why It Works

Before we get to the steps, here is why your body actually needs this (beyond just “feeling clean”). As James Hamblin, author of Clean, notes, “the ritual aspect of showering…wasn’t always just to look or smell good.” It serves a deeper physiological function.

1. Physical Reset: The Stratum Corneum

Your skin cells turn over roughly every 28 days. However, dead cells often cling to the surface (the stratum corneum), creating a dull appearance and blocking your expensive lotions from absorbing. A weekly mechanical and chemical exfoliation accelerates this turnover.

2. Mental Reset: Cortisol & Creativity

Immersion in warm water (approx. 37°C–40°C) triggers a hyperthermic action that activates the parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” mode). A randomized controlled trial published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that warm water bathing significantly reduced tension-anxiety, depression, and anger-hostility scores compared to shower-only bathing.

If you often find yourself asking “why am I always tired?”, the cortisol-reducing power of this hydrotherapy method is essential. If you are looking for 15 ways to relieve stress quickly at home, this routine is one of the most effective tools in your arsenal.

Beyond stress relief, the “mind-wandering” state induced by showering has been linked to problem-solving. Researchers at the University of Virginia refer to this as the “shower effect”, suggesting that this solitary time aids creativity, allowing your brain to make new connections. As researchers note, “When your mind is wandering almost randomly, that’s when you hit upon unusual or creative ideas that you otherwise would have ignored.”

The Neuroscience: Professor John Kounios of Drexel University explains that insight moments occur when the brain experiences a “brain blink”—becoming “momentarily less aware of your environment” to allow subconscious connections. Showers create ideal conditions: “mild sensory deprivation…the white noise of the water…warm water so you can’t feel the difference between your skin and the air.” This sensory restriction functions as an extended brain blink, priming you for creative breakthroughs.

The Psychological Control Element: Beyond stress relief, showers offer something rare in modern life: complete isolation. As the Quinnipiac Chronicle notes, “Showers are one of few things in life where you can be completely isolated from the world and feel like you are in complete control.” This sense of agency—choosing your products, controlling the temperature, setting the pace—contributes to the anxiety-reducing effects.

Important Distinction: The NIH study showing mood benefits specifically tested immersion bathing—sitting submerged in 40°C water—not standing showers. The researchers noted that “immersion bathing exerts hyperthermic action that induces increased blood flow and metabolic waste elimination”.

For Nigerians without bathtubs, the closest equivalent is the bucket bath method during the “Marinate Phase”—sitting with warm water contact provides similar benefits. Standing showers alone showed smaller improvements in the study.

3. The “Hard Water” Detox

In many Nigerian cities (especially Lagos/Lekki), tap water has high mineral content (calcium and magnesium). This buildup blocks hair follicles and causes dry skin. The Everything Shower is your weekly chemical intervention to remove these mineral deposits.

4. The Microbiome Reality

Physician James Hamblin notes that “the vast majority of products we use on our skin do no good at all in beating back the trillion or so microbes on our bodies.” The goal isn’t sterility—it’s balance. Your skin’s helpful bacteria keep it healthy, which is why the weekly (not daily) frequency matters. Over-washing disrupts this ecosystem, leading to issues like eczema and acne.

Time Commitment: How Long Does This Take?

Unlike the “4-minute shower” aimed at water conservation, this is a scheduled event best done once a week or bi-weekly.

Duration	The Vibe	Best For
45 Minutes	The “Efficient” Reset	Weekly maintenance. Rapid shaving while mask sits.
90 Minutes	The Standard	Full exfoliation, hair treatment, and careful shaving.
2 Hours+	The Spa Day	Adding dry brushing, multiple masks, and slow pacing.

Efficiency Note: It sounds long, but it saves time later. By batching your shaving and hair treatments on Sunday as part of your Sunday reset routine checklist, you only need quick rinses for the rest of the week.

Medical Backing: The American Academy of Dermatology warns that over-washing can lead to dry, itchy skin and worsen conditions like eczema. This is precisely why the everything shower works as a weekly ritual—it gives your skin’s barrier time to regenerate between deep sessions.

The Nigerian Reality: Managing Power & Water

Let’s be practical. In Nigeria, long showers can mean burning through fuel or prepaid units. Here is how to adapt the routine for efficiency.

Everything Shower on Generator Power

You don’t need the generator running for the full 90 minutes. Optimize your fuel consumption by splitting the routine—knowing how to stay focused during power outages extends to managing your self-care time effectively too:

1. The “Wet” Phase (Gen ON – 20 mins): Do your initial rinse, shampoo, and deep scrub while the pressure pump is running.
2. The “Marinate” Phase (Gen OFF/Inverter – 45 mins): Apply your hair mask and face mask. Turn off the shower. Step out or sit in the bathroom. Use a bowl of warm water for shaving your legs. You don’t need running water for this long stretch.
3. The “Rinse” Phase (Gen ON – 15 mins): Turn the water back on for the final rinse and cold blast.

The “Water Heater vs. Kettle” Method

Running a water heater for an hour can eat up your prepaid meter units fast.

• The Heater: Great for convenience, but high cost.
• The Kettle Method: For a truly cost-effective reset, boil two full kettles. Mix them in a bucket with cool water to reach the perfect 40°C. This guarantees you won’t get hit with a cold shock if NEPA takes light mid-shower, and it saves significant electricity costs compared to keeping a 3000W heater active.

The Golden Rule: The Correct Order

Crucial Data: Conditioner contains cationic surfactants and heavy silicones (like Dimethicone) meant to coat hair strands. If these drip onto your back and are not washed off, they can clog pores, leading to “bacne” (folliculitis).

The Only Correct Sequence:

1. Hair (Cleanse & Treat)
2. Face (Cleanse while hair mask sits)
3. Body (Exfoliate & Shave)
4. Final Body Wash (Removes hair product residue—Critical Step)

The Ultimate 15-Step Protocol

Phase 1: The Dry Stage (Pre-Shower Prep)

Don’t turn the water on yet.

Step 1: Lymphatic Dry Brushing Use a stiff boar-bristle brush.

• Technique: Brush starting at your feet and moving in long strokes toward your heart.
• The Benefit: This stimulates the lymphatic system to drain fluid retention (reducing puffiness) and mechanically loosens dead skin cells so water can wash them away later.

Step 2: The Scalp Pre-Treatment

• The Problem: Sebum and product buildup clog hair follicles.
• The Fix: Apply a Rosemary or Castor oil treatment to the scalp.
• Massage: Use a silicone scalp massager for 3 minutes. This increases blood flow to the hair follicles, delivering oxygen and nutrients.

Step 3: Pre-Shower Face Mask Apply a clay or charcoal mask now. The steam from the shower (Phase 2) will keep the clay from drying out too fast and help draw out impurities.

Phase 2: The Wet Stage (The Shower)

Step 4: Temperature Control Start with warm water, not scalding hot. Dermatologists warn that hot water strips the skin’s lipid barrier, while lukewarm water preserves the delicate skin microbiome.

Step 5: The “Hard Water” Detox (Shampoo) If you live in an area with hard water, a regular moisturizing shampoo won’t work.

• The Product: Use a Chelating Shampoo (Ingredients: Disodium EDTA or Tetrasodium EDTA). These bind to minerals and strip them from the hair shaft.
• Method: Shampoo twice. Wash 1 breaks down oils; Wash 2 cleans the scalp.

Step 6: Deep Conditioning (The Protein/Moisture Balance) Squeeze excess water out of your hair before applying the mask. Water-logged hair acts like a full sponge and cannot absorb product.

• Timing: Leave on for 7–10 minutes. Clip it up to keep it off your back.

Step 7: First Cleanse (Body) Do a quick wash with gentle soap to remove surface dirt/sweat so your exfoliation works on the skin, not the grime.

Step 8: Facial Cleansing (The 60-Second Rule) While the hair mask sits, wash your face. Dermatologists recommend massaging cleanser for a full 60 seconds to break down SPF and makeup effectively.

Step 9: Body Exfoliation (Chemical vs. Physical) Choose your weapon:

• Physical (Sugar/Salt Scrubs): Sugar is humectant (hydrating) and better for sensitive skin. Salt is abrasive and better for tough heels.
• Chemical (Glycolic/Lactic Acid): Best for “strawberry legs” (Keratosis Pilaris).
• Nigerian Pro-Tip: The African Net Sponge (Sapo) is superior to loofahs. It is non-porous (holds less bacteria) and provides excellent mechanical exfoliation.

Step 10: Shaving (The Science of Friction) Shave now, not earlier.

• Why: After 10+ minutes in steam, hair follicles soften and the hair shaft swells, making it easier to cut and reducing resistance.
• Technique: Shaving with the grain first helps prevent ingrown hairs. Rinse your razor after every stroke.

Step 11: Second Body Cleanse Crucial Step: Use a moisturizing, pH-balanced body wash to remove all traces of conditioner, shaving cream, and scrub residue. This prevents clogged pores.

Step 12: The Cold Rinse Rinse your hair and body. If you can handle it, finish with 30 seconds of cool water to seal the hair cuticle and impart shine.

The Science: Dr. Peter Bongiorno, president of the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians, explains that during cold water exposure, “the body conserves heat and replenishes the brain and vital organs with fresh blood” via vasoconstriction. This 30-second cold blast essentially deep-cleans your brain while sealing your hair cuticle.

Phase 3: The Damp Stage (Post-Shower)

Step 13: The 3-Minute Moisture Window (TEWL) Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) accelerates rapidly as water evaporates.

• The Rule: Dermatologists recommend applying moisturizer within minutes of stepping out, while skin is still damp, to trap water molecules effectively.
• Technique: Pat skin until it is 80% dry but still damp. Apply lotion immediately to trap water molecules.

Step 14: Face Care Apply your toner and serum immediately. Damp skin absorbs active ingredients more effectively than dry skin, so don’t wait until you are fully dry.

Step 15: The Layering Technique (Body) For maximum glow:

1. Hydrate: Water-based lotion (Glycerin/Aloe).
2. Seal: Occlusive oil (Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter).

• Note: In Nigeria’s heat, stick to lighter oils like Jojoba during the day, and heavier Shea Butter at night.

The Tool Kit: What You Actually Need

You don’t need luxury brands, just the right ingredients available locally. In fact, creating affordable spa treatments at home often works better with simple, pure ingredients.

Methodology Note: Prices verified December 2025 at Lagos retailers. Your location may vary.

Standard Product List

Product	Brand Options in Nigeria	Price Range	Where to Buy
Clarifying Shampoo	Cantu Apple Cider Vinegar, ORS Olive Oil	₦3,500–₦8,000	Shoprite, Jumia, Instagram vendors
Deep Conditioning Mask	Shea Moisture, Aunt Jackie’s	₦5,000–₦12,000	Supermart, Konga
Body Scrub	Tree Hut (imported), DIY sugar + coconut oil	₦4,500 or ₦800 DIY	Slot, local markets
African Net Sponge (Sapo)	Handwoven varieties	₦500–₦1,500	Balogun Market, Yaba Market

Budget Everything Shower: Under ₦15,000 Total

Short on cash? You can still get the glow. Here is the local market breakdown:

• Tool: African Net Sponge (Sapo) — ₦1,000
• Cleanse: Dudu Osun or Tura Soap Pack — ₦1,200
• Hair: VO5 Shampoo/Conditioner (Market Stalls) — ₦4,500
• Exfoliate: DIY Sugar Scrub (Ingredients below) — ₦1,000
• Moisturize: Vaseline Cocoa Radiant or Local Cocoa Butter — ₦3,500
• Shave: Bic Twin Lady Razors (Pack) — ₦1,500
• Total: ~₦12,700

DIY Scrub Recipes (Market Prices)

Why buy imported scrubs when our local markets have the ingredients?

1. The “Mile 12” Glow (Sugar & Palm Kernel Oil)

• Ingredients: 1 Cup Granulated Sugar (₦800/kg) + 1/2 Cup Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) or Coconut Oil (₦1,500/bottle).
• Why It Works: PKO is naturally antibacterial and deeply moisturizing. The sugar dissolves as you scrub, preventing over-exfoliation.

2. The Honey Polish

• Ingredients: Brown Sugar + Local Honey.
• Why It Works: Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture into the skin while the sugar scrubs away dead cells.

Important: Chemical Safety Warning

Product Safety Note: Dr. Janna Assar of Banner Health warns that hot water opens pores, increasing absorption of ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates found in some products. Research has linked these chemicals to disruptions in estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid function. “We don’t always know how these ingredients interact with each other,” she notes. When possible, choose fragrance-free or naturally-derived products like the DIY options listed above.

When to Scale Back (Signs of Skin Overload)

According to Banner Health, if you notice these signs, your “Everything Shower” might be doing too much:

• Skin feels tight or itchy after showering
• Redness, bumps, or flaky patches appear
• Breakouts in unusual places
• Products that used to feel fine now sting or burn
• Skin stays dry even after moisturizing

7 Mistakes to Avoid (How to Shower Properly)

1. Showering with Scalding Water: It damages the skin barrier. Keep it warm.
2. Washing Face Last: Residue from hair products will clog your clean pores. Wash face before the final body rinse.
3. Using Old Razors: A dull blade causes micro-tears and razor burn. Replace after 5–7 uses.
4. Over-Exfoliating: Scrubbing too hard creates micro-fissures in the skin. Let the product do the work.
5. Ignoring the Towel: Rubbing aggressively causes frizz and skin irritation. Always “Pat Dry.”
6. Missing the Moisture Window: Waiting until you are fully dry to lotion makes the lotion significantly less effective at trapping hydration.
7. Dirty Loofahs: Synthetic loofahs breed bacteria within weeks. Switch to a Sapo (Net Sponge) or washcloths you wash daily.

Environmental Considerations

Everything showers use significantly more water. According to EPA WaterSense data, a standard showerhead flows at 2.5 gallons (approx. 9.5 liters) per minute. A 90-minute everything shower can use significantly more water than the WHO’s estimated 200 liters for a standard 10-minute shower. To mitigate this:

• Turn it off: Stop the water while shaving or letting the mask sit.
• Capture the warm-up: Collect the initial cold water in a bucket for household cleaning or plants.
• Limit Frequency: Stick to the weekly schedule. Dermatologists at Banner Health warn that product overload and chemical absorption can disrupt the skin’s microbiome, leading to irritation rather than a glow.

Conclusion

The “Everything Shower” is more than just a trend; it is a deliberate act of maintenance for your body and mind. By optimizing this routine, you save time during the week and ensure your skin and hair can withstand the Nigerian climate. Studies show that cleaning behaviors can reduce anxiety during stressful events, so whether you are using high-end store-bought products or our budget-friendly market hacks, the goal remains the same: a total reset. For a broader approach, learn how to plan a reset day for stress relief that centers around this ritual.