Work from the top down
Order matters because everything you rinse off runs downhill. Shampoo first, working it into the scalp with your fingertips rather than your nails, then rinse and put conditioner on the lengths. While it sits, wash your face with your hands and a gentle cleanser, not the body soap. Then rinse out the conditioner and wash the body, finishing with your back and shoulders. Conditioner residue left on the skin is a common and unsuspected cause of breakouts across the back.
The parts people skip
Water running over a body part does not count as washing it. The places that need actual soap and actual fingers are behind the ears, the back of the neck, the navel, the crease under the chest or belly, between the buttocks, and the feet, including between every toe. Bend down and scrub your feet; suds draining past them do nothing.
Genitals need less than the soap aisle suggests. Wash the external skin with water or a mild fragrance-free soap and rinse well. The vagina cleans itself, and douches, scented washes and internal rinsing raise the risk of irritation and infection. If you have a foreskin, draw it back gently, rinse underneath, and return it.
Cloths, sponges and towels
A washcloth gives mild exfoliation, but it needs to be a fresh one every day or two, hung to dry completely between uses. Mesh puffs and natural loofahs stay damp, hold dead skin, and grow bacteria; replace them every three to four weeks or skip them. Wash bath towels after three or four uses, and hang them spread out on a bar rather than bunched on a hook, because a towel that never dries is the one that smells.
Getting out
Pat yourself dry instead of rubbing, and dry the folds and the spaces between your toes on purpose, since fungus favors skin that stays damp. Put moisturizer on within about three minutes, while the skin is still slightly damp, which traps water that would otherwise evaporate.
How often
A daily shower is a habit, not a medical requirement. Shower after heavy sweating, swimming or dirty work. On other days a quick wash of the armpits, groin and feet does the essential job, and people with dry skin or eczema often do better with shorter, less frequent showers.
Tip If your back breaks out, clip your hair up after conditioning and wash your back as the very last step, so nothing from your hair is left sitting on the skin.
