How to Make Your Showers Feel Extra Relaxing and Luxurious

It’s usually baths, not showers, that are described as “luxurious.” Most people squeeze showers in before work, at the gym, or during other busy times and rush through them. It’s hard to enjoy yourself when you’re pressed for time. However, end-of-week showers should be something different. They can be leveled up. Here’s how:

Tune Into the Senses for Mindfulness Showers

Showers can be an informal mindfulness practice. This means simply tuning into your senses during this mundane task. Beverly Ibeh, a therapist with Thrive Psychology Group who specializes in mindfulness, advises taking stock of your thoughts for a more mindful shower. Try not to rehearse for a work presentation, worry about post-shower plans, or anxiously replay a past occurrence. Simply notice your thoughts and get a bit of distance from them. This mental exercise can make it easier for you to direct your attention to your environment.

The next thing you need to do is focus on your physical sensations, like the sound of the water spraying out of the showerhead, the feel of the body scrub that you massage onto your skin, or the scent of your shampoo. Gaze around and maybe you’ll notice things that you haven’t before, like the wrinkles on the shower curtain.

Stressful thoughts or emotions might come up. Your reaction should be to just notice them, without judging them, and after that bring your attention to the things you can see, feel, smell, or hear.

Essential Oils Can Create a Spa-Like Vibe

Other than for fancy baths, essential oils can be used for showers. Three to five drops of your preferred essential oil should be placed on a clean washcloth. After that, the cloth should be placed in the shower stream. This is the suggestion of Kim Carmichael, spa director at the Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Willow Stream Spa in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Moisturizing Is Key to Healthy and Luxurious Showers

Moisturizing helps maintain a healthy skin barrier, and it also feels good. Many people find it annoying to moisturize their skin after the shower, but it’s essential if you want to prevent dry, itchy, or irritated skin. Moisturizing should be done right after showers, while your skin is still damp, helping lock moisture in. If it is too much work for you to apply lotion all over, you should try a spray formula.