My daily shower is my time, a slice of the day that I guard jealously. It’s become a few minutes of the day where I can truly unwind in a deliciously toasty, steamed up bathroom. And lately, with a host of new beauty products, the shower has become.. the new spa. These little beauty tricks have helped me step up my weekly beauty routine without much effort or additional time.
1. Double Mask
During the winter, I use a hair mask every single day instead of conditioner, which does wonders for dryness. I shampoo as soon as I step into the shower, then apply a hair mask and tie up my hair in high bun for the mask to penetrate – the steam is your friend.
Make P:rem’s In-shower Face Mask has changed this order for good. Now I cleanse my face first thing in the shower, then generously apply the mask. The drip-free formula is designed to ‘hug’ the face while one goes about their showerly business. I’ve worked this into my routine 2~3x a week (even if I choose to use a sheet mask after showering) and I find it makes my skin softer and brighter with relatively low effort.I still use a hair mask daily as well for some head to toe pampering 🙂
2. Emulsify your oil cleanser
It’s amazing to see so many of you adopt our 1 + 1 double cleansing method (one minute of massaging in a cleansing oil, then 1 minute of gently massaging with the foam cleanser), which we feel strongly is the foundation to a solid K-beauty routine.
We still get a lot of questions on how one can best emulsify an oil cleanser, which is a critical part of double cleansing to make sure that skin is prepped for the foam cleansing step. Personally, I like to massage my skin (always in an upwards motion) with an oil cleanser, then step into the shower for a thorough emulsification with warm water – it’s easier to do a mess-free job in the shower then over the sink. If properly emulsified, the oil should become milky on the skin as you wash it off, and skin will feel soft and refreshed, without greasiness.
3. Finish cold
It’s easy to yearn for a steaming hot shower on cold days, but always keep the shower temperature closer to warm then hot. Like clothes that have been in the hot wash & dry cycle too many times (ie. lank and stretched out), prolonged exposure to heat can also dry the skin out and impact elasticity. And as a last step to keep skin toned, when I step out of the shower, I splash a little cool water on my face over the sink and then immediately spritz on a hydrating mist.
4. Splash Away
I’ve used a weekly splash mask in the shower for over a year now – and it’s been an easy way to get a gentle re-texturizing acid on skin. In Korea, I used to visit the bathhouse almost weekly with my mother and grandmother and one of our routines (between eating chilled rice drinks and dipping in hot baths) was splashing cold milk on the skin. I didn’t know it at the time, but the lactic acid in the milk helped to leave skin softer – and the splash mask is the accelerated cousin of this time honored tradition. A tip for easier use in the shower? Pour a capful of the liquid out and use just half a capful at a time to splash and pat all over the face.
5. Scrub a dub dub
Exfoliating in the shower has always been one of my habits as skin is more plumped and less prone to micro-tears or irritation due to the humidity of the environment. It’s also easier to go all out on messier (read: fun) treatments in the shower. Using gommage peels (like this makeup remover, peel, foam cleanser and toner-in-one) are amazing for the skin, but not so amazing when I’m trying to avoid getting the ‘pilling’ on my shirt…which is a non-issue in the shower.
Another is the Squish and Bubble Mesh Mask, which is a foaming puff in the shower that can be used to buff away dead skin cells on the face but also smooth the body and rough patches such as elbows, knees and feet.
6. Clay Mask
It was a trend in Korea some time back to use harsher clay masks in the shower to prevent them from drying all the way on skin. Recent clay mask launches include ‘soft clays’ that stay moist on the skin, while still deep cleansing and purifying. Make P:rem’s Radiance Cleansing Mask is made of detoxifying kaolin and bentonite – apply it to skin after a quick swipe of a cleansing water, leave on for a few minutes, then transform it to a rich lather. Similar to oil cleansing, I like to do the ’emulsification’ step of this 2-in-1 mask in the shower so that I can massage in the lather for a full minute.
Let us know in the comments about your own in-shower beauty tips!
Get your glow on,
Christine
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11 Comments
what shower routine do you use for dry/kp s kin
Thank you for this excellent post! ^_^ Have you tried the new Wish Formula C450 Bubble Mesh Mask thingy? =D It's the same format, but at a higher strength, designex for the body instead of the face =] I'm ordering one this coming week and can't wait to try it, since I love the face version so much ^_^ xox
Hi Kitty! Thanks for reading! We have tried it and we love it!! The bigger pad is perfect for scrubbing all over and it has that same refreshing and energizing scent! https://www.glowrecipe.com/products/wish-formula-body-squish-and-bubble-mesh-mask
Hi Christine: What is the hair mask you use for your dry hair? I have dry hair too.
Christine, I've been splashing away for the past year with my Blithe splash mash, but here's an even easier tip for the shower: get one of those snap-top plastic containers you use for TSA airport use. You can buy them from Ricky's or a similar beauty supply store. Then fill it about a fifth full of the splash mask, dilute it with a little water (I use filtered water from my Brita) and keep it in the shower next to my conditioner. You then have a goodly supply of ready to use mask in a convenient squeeze bottle and all you need to do is splash more water and you're good to go!
Hi tantejoan1, I'm so glad to hear that you are enjoying your splash mask, your feedback makes me so happy :). The plastic container is also creative way to make it easier, thanks for suggesting. The only thing I'd want to mention is that adding water to any formula and keeping it longer than for immediate use may impact the formula in terms of micro (a product dev term for bacterial growth or contamination). I would replenish the mix as often as possible to ensure you are getting a fresh splash :). Xx, Christine
Christine, thanks for the tip about the water -- I just came back from a trip and this time carried my splash mask in the bottle, solo, and it worked perfectly. The key is that this method eliminates the awkwardness of measuring and pouring while your hands are slippery-wet. Just squeeze and splash.
This post is so inspirational! I now have plenty of new ideas to try to step up my shower game. I am all about the spa-like experience ?
So glad to hear that this was helpful! Xx, Christine
All great tips! Thanks
Thanks for reading Maria!