10 Shower Mistakes MOST Men Make

Think you know how to shower properly? Yeah… so did I.

Then I found out I was making a LOT of mistakes. I'm willing to bet YOU are making some of these 10 shower mistakes.

If you care about looking good, feeling good and smelling good then read on. Here are the 10 common mistakes men should avoid:

1. Don't make your shower too hot.
2. Avoid showering too often.
3. Don't shower too long, either.
4. Avoid shampoos with harsh chemicals.
5. Don't scrub your skin aggressively.
6. Avoid leaving your washcloth or loofah growing bacteria in the shower…
7. Thinking you don't need conditioner.
8. Using more than an almond-sized blob of shampoo or conditioner.
9. Leaving your razor in the shower.
10. Not rinsing your hair and body properly.

Mistake #1 Overly HOT Showers

I love a hot shower – but you've got to understand that if you take a hot shower you are:

1. Irritating your skin.
2. Stripping away the essential oils that are there to protect your skin and hair.

Cold showers can wake you up, boost your mood, improve your circulation and train your willpower. Plunging into a cold shower can even improve your resilience to stress.

But if you don't want to go the whole way, try a warm shower rather than a steaming hot one.

Or try a James Bond shower (starting hot and gradually turning it down to cold – the way Bond showered in the books.) 

Mistake #2 Showering Too Often

I know what some of you guys are thinking – “Antonio, is this really a problem? Cleanliness is next to godliness!”

Okay – but there's such a thing as too much cleanliness. If you're showering four times a day, unless there's some medical or life reason why you actually need to – you are too clean.

The truth is, showering once a day is perfectly fine for most of us.

Your skin needs a LITTLE natural oil left on it unless you want to look like an old crocodile. And unless you're dripping with sweat, you only need a hair wash every 2-3 days.

Mistake #3 Showering Too Long

If you're spending 30 minutes to an hour in the shower – come on, think of all that water you're wasting. It's not doing anything good for your skin either.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying water. If you're showering for longer than 10 minutes though you'll use less water by taking a bath instead.

Or try a hot tub, sauna or a swim in the pool instead. Saunas are great for your skin – they boost your circulation and clear your pores, meaning you'll have a healthy glow and fewer spots. Swimming pools are not so great for your skin because of the chlorine but at least you'll save water and get some exercise.

A great way to reduce time and water is by having a navy style shower. Click here to discover what the navy shower technique is.

Mistake #4 Harsh Shampoo

I get it – you want clean hair. You want to get rid of that product buildup. But understand that when you're stripping away the product you're also stripping away the oils from your hair.

You could also be irritating your skin. A lot of shampoos have harsh chemical ingredients that can cause irritation to your scalp. And a flakey, spotty head that you can't stop scratching is not a good look.

What can men do to prevent irritation and flakiness? To avoid this mistake, use a natural shampoo for men. The more natural ingredients, the better.

Make sure the ingredients are actually listed on the website where you can read them – if not, they probably have something to hide.

Look for ingredients like:

1. Cedarwood Bark Oil – has a balancing effect on the skin's sebaceous glands, making it excellent for dry scalp.
2. Sweet Almond – this conditioning protein is derived from almond and promotes healthy hair. 
3. Patchouli Oil – regenerates skin cells and regulates oiliness in hair and scalp disorders.
4. Panthenol – also known as pro-vitamin B5, Panthenol conditions and strengthens hair, leaving it soft and smooth.
5. Quandong Seed Oil – extremely high in oil and contains essential fatty acids – the quality protein that nourishes and protects hair. Quandong is also a natural anti-inflammatory and will benefit those who suffer scalp psoriasis, itchy and flaky scalps.

Avoid toxic ingredients in men's skincare, like Formaldehyde, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Aluminum, and PEG compounds. These chemicals can dry out your hair and scalp, leaving you with limp, brittle hair, and a dry, itchy scalp.

Mistake #5 Aggressive Washing

Are you way too aggressive when you're washing your skin? I know you like to take that washcloth or that loofah and scrub your face hard. If so, I'm sorry to say you don't know how to shower properly.

If you look at yourself in the mirror afterward and you're red – it's irritating your skin. You are removing layers of skin.

Don't do that – it can lead to breakouts and all kinds of issues. It's fine to use a loofah, but you don't need to be that rough.

Mistake #6 Putting Bacteria All Over Yourself

Closely tied to that last one – if you don't use a fresh washcloth or you're storing your loofah right there in the shower…

When something has been sitting there for a day damp and warm, that's a breeding ground for bacteria.

Aside from just being nasty, if you have any trouble with acne you're going to make it worse. Also, adding bacteria to your body is not going to make you smell better. So be careful with reusing washcloths.

Mistake #7 Not Using Conditioner

You need to use conditioner on your hair. It's not just for long hair.

If your hair is anywhere over an inch and you've used shampoo, the shampoo strips away all of the oils. The conditioner puts it back. 

So, how to shower properly? Use a natural moisturizing conditioner. Trust me when I say it makes a huge difference. It actually goes in there and remineralizes the hair. Try it – you don't need to use too much.

Mistake #8 Too Much Shampoo Or Conditioner

Speaking of too much, we're almost all guilty of this one – using way more shampoo or conditioner than we need. Part of knowing how to shower properly is being able to judge the right amount and avoid being wasteful.

I know some of you guys are saying, ‘But Antonio, I like to fill up my entire hand' – no. Overusing shampoo is just a waste. It doesn't get your hair any cleaner.

Don't worry, I've made it easy for you. The truth is that you only need a very small amount – about the size of an almond. Anything else is overkill.

Mistake #9 Leaving Your Razor In The Shower

There is no single correct way to shave your face so there's nothing wrong with shaving in the shower. That's not what this is about.

Remember what I said about leaving things in a warm moist place though. Bacteria builds up, especially on those nicks and breaks in the razor if it's a disposable one.

What do you get if you shave with a bacteria-laden razor? An infection on your face.

Just take a minute and put your razor in the bathroom cupboard when you're done using it.

Leaving it on the bathroom sink is not an acceptable substitute…bacteria go flying into the air when you flush the toilet and settles on surrounding surfaces. So yeah – put your toothbrush in the cupboard too.

Mistake #10 Not Rinsing Properly

This mistake can lead to irritation because the shampoo is actually left on your hair and on parts of your body, especially in cracks and crevices.

Get rid of all the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, or as soon as your skin gets moist it's going to suds back up and keep cleaning.

It's going to strip away those oils. That can lead to irritation in the armpits and other areas I won't mention. So make sure to rinse properly.

Be honest, did you think you knew how to shower properly before reading this? How many of these mistakes you were making? I know I've made a few myself.

Gents, take this knowledge and use it wisely. Improve your skin, hair and body hygiene today.

Click below to watch the video – Why Are Celebrities Ditching The Shower?