Do you wrap your hair in a towel when you get out of the shower? You’re making a big mistake!

Here are some examples of the most common bad habits people have when showering…

-Washing your hair every day

We all want to have clean, shiny hair. But the truth is that washing your hair every day is a big mistake: cleaning it too often can make the scalp dry and irritated. So if your hair is thin or delicate, you should avoid washing your hair too often — twice a week is enough. If you have curly or thick hair, experts recommend washing it only once a week.

-Taking long showers or too many

It may be one of the greatest pleasures in life, but showering for too long can remove the natural moisture from the skin. Showers should really only last between 5 and 10 minutes. Showering more than once a day can also be hard on your skin. If you do feel the need, either because you went to the gym or because it’s very hot, try to make the second shower as quick as possible and don’t use soap.

-Not washing your feet or back

Those hard to reach areas are really easy to ignore, but this is a big mistake. All of the skin on our bodies has dead cells that need to be washed off and our feet are particularly susceptible to bacteria and fungi.

-Not drying your sponge

If you use a sponge in the shower, the skin cells that you wash off can get caught in the holes and create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. That’s why it’s very important to dry your sponge thoroughly after every shower. This also applies to face cloths and any other things you use to rub down your body.

-Applying moisturizer too late

Keeping your skin clean is important, but soap can really dry it out. That’s why it’s good to use a moisturizing cream after each shower. But don’t wait until your skin is completely dry — most moisturizers should be applied to damp skin.

-Drying your body too hard

Many of us get out of the shower and start rubbing like mad with a towel to get dry, but this is actually really hard on our skin. The best way to dry off is to use a soft towel and dab the water off gently. It takes a bit longer, but it’s worth it.

-Not taking a shower right after exercise

Even if you didn’t sweat much during your workout, it’s still a good idea to have a quick shower afterwards. Even small amounts of perspiration can react with germs to create body odor hours later. A quick rinse without soap can make all the difference.

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