An overview of some of the products in my shower right now
Before we get into my shower product recommendations, I want to give you all a few general tips on how to adjust your shower routine for dry skin and hair. Especially in winter, I get pretty dry, and hot showers, stripping cleansers, and harsh shampoos definitely don’t help with that problem. In particular, the ends of my hair have become really dry since I’ve been growing my hair out (although my scalp is actually more oily). And my face and body skin get easily dried out as well.
Tip #1: Turn down the temperature
In other words, don’t make the shower water too hot. Honestly, this is the hardest tip for me to follow because I love a hot shower. Yet, I know it dries out my skin and hair so I try to reduce the heat, especially when I am washing my face in the shower. Alternatively, if you do take really hot showers, wash your face beforehand in the sink instead (with warm water, not hot).
Tip #2: Check the ingredients in your body wash
Avoid using harsh body washes or soaps, especially ones that contain SLS or SLES. This might mean using a body wash that doesn’t foam up as much as your used to, but trust me, it’s definitely worth it. Anything that gives your skin that squeaky clean feeling is pure evil and will leave you feeling extra dry. Instead, look for body washes that contain moisturizing ingredients and gentle surfactants.
Tip #3: Think about trying an in-shower moisturizer
If you deal with dry body skin, try looking into an in-shower moisturizer or a shower/body oil. Personally, I am way too lazy to apply lotion all over my body every time I get out of the shower. A product that I can apply quickly while I’m still in the shower is so much more convenient for me. If you are extra dry, I would recommend looking at oils, although they can leave the skin feeling a bit greasy. If you want something non-greasy, take a look at in-shower moisturizer intstead.
Tip #4: Use gentle hair products
If you have dry hair and/or dry scalp, make sure you take a look at the ingredients in your shampoo and conditioner. As with your body wash, you should make sure you are using products that contain gentle, moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, such as oils, butters, and humectants. SLS and SLES might be okay for those with oily hair and scalp but if you are dry, you would probably be better off avoiding these in favor of gentler surfactants. And in addition to using a gentle shampoo, make sure you are only using it on your scalp, not on your lengths–the shampoo will already run down the length of your hair cleansing it enough.
Tip #5: Shampoo less often
Especially if you are using a harsher shampoo, you might want to begin spacing out your hair-washing days more. Your hair might feel oilier when you start shampooing less often, but most people find that their hair does eventually adjust. I used to shampoo once or even twice every day, but now I’m down to about twice a week. Even with a pretty oily scalp, my hair never feels gross, and I just put it up if it looks a flat or oily.
Tip #6: Deep condition
This is one of my favorite parts of my shower routine, although I only do it once or twice a week. You can create your own DIY deep conditioner with oils and other common ingredients or buy one from a store. I like to do both. Deep conditioners or hair masks tend to be much more moisturizing than your regular conditioner, and I personally do notice a difference in how soft and manageable my hair is when I use them. If you have short natural hair, this step may not be necessary but if you have long hair or colored hair, I highly recommend.
Routine and reviews of what is currently in my shower:
Notes on my shower routine: I do shower almost every day because I workout quite frequently, and usually wet my hair when I do. I don’t like to shampoo every day, only about 2 times per week, but I do like to condition every time I shower in order to help with tangles and frizz. I deep condition a couple of times per week and moisturize a couple of times per week (because I’m lazy). You should figure out the frequencies that work for you, your lifestyle, routine, and skin and hair needs. It might take some time to figure it out and that’s okay!
Shampoo (Use one at a time, 2x per week)
Formulate Shampoo*
Formulate is a custom hair care subscription service that allows you to design your own shampoo and conditioner based on up to five goals that you pick for your hair. The goals I originally chose are: Deep Condition, Strengthen, Lengthen, Anti-Frizz, and Prevent Thinning. You can also choose to make your products sulfate and/or silicone free, which is what I decided to do, to see if it made a different for my hair. If you know what you want out of your hair care, I would definitely recommend this service. Due to my preferences, my shampoo ended up being very gentle and moisturizing, even though it still foams up really nicely. It costs $17 for 8 oz, which is more than I would usually spend, but considering that it is a personalized and customizable service (and you really do get personal attention from your chemist), I wouldn’t mind paying that much myself.
Rating: 4.5/5, WRP
Price: $17 for 8 oz (Formulate)
Herbal Essences bio:renew Coconut Milk Shampoo (not pictured)
Thoughts: This is a shampoo that does contain sulfates, and while it isn’t as harsh as some shampoos that contain sulfates, I have set it aside for the winter in favor of less-drying options. It has a nice tropical coconut scent and foams up quite a bit. I will still use this occasionally if I feel the need to give my scalp a deep cleanse. But I do not recommend it for those with a dry scalp.
Rating: 3.5/5, MRP (but probably not)
Price: $6 for 400 ml (Target)
Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Shampoo
Thoughts: I really love using this alongside the Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Shampoo. It is sulfate and silicone free, and really is a moisturizing shampoo. I’m still not sure if I would want to repurchase this, because it is a bit pricey for a shampoo ($36) and I’ve found a few other more affordable options. But I might be willing to if this seems to be having long-term effects on my hair.
Rating: 4.5/5, MRP
Price: $36 for 16 oz
Conditioner (I use one at a time, 5-6x per week)
Formulate Conditioner*
My conditioner was designed around the same goals to to go with my Formulate shampoo, and it is also sulfate and silicone free. While I am super happy with the way my shampoo turned out, there are a few things that I would like to change about my conditioner. It is indeed very moisturizing, but it is a little bit too heavy for my thin hair and also doesn’t do quite enough for my tangles (although I know this might be because I am used to silicone conditioners). But that is one of the great things about Formulate –you can adjust your formulation each time your order a new product. So if I choose to re-order, I will change up my hair goals to include Volumize and Manageability.
Rating: 3.5/5 (for current my current formula) WRP (with updated formula)
Price: $17 for 8 oz (Formulate)
Maui Moisture Nourish and Moisture Coconut Milk Conditioner (not pictured)
Thoughts: This is another silicone-free conditioner that I have been trying out. Unfortunately though, I am not really loving it. It feels a bit less moisturizing than my Formulate conditioner, but still weighs down my hair and doesn’t help much with tangles. I think this conditioner really isn’t for me, but it might work better for someone with shorter hair!
Rating: 3/5 WNRP
Price: $7 for 13 oz (at Target)
Deep Conditioner (One at a time, 1-2x per week)
Moist, Diane Repair Hair Mask
Thoughts: When I was living in Asia, I started to dabble a little bit in Asian hair care. And there is some really good stuff out there! Moist, Diane is a Japanese brand, and I believe they are silicone and sulfate free (although the ingredients on my package are in Japanese and it’s been hard for me to find a complete translation…so don’t take my word for it). This mask is really thick and deeply moisturizing. It contains a number of oils including argan, as well as protein for strengthening. It helps with my dry ends and tangles too!
Rating: 4.5/5 WRP
Price: $15 for 200g (Amazon)
Ryoe Root Strength Scalp Care Treatment
Thoughts: Ryoe is another Asian brand, although this one is Korean instead of Japanese. This product does contain silicones, which I don’t really have anything against, I’m just currently testing silicone- free products, so I haven’t used this mask in a little while. But, it really is a wonderful mask, perhaps my favorite one. It has a soothing ginseng scent, that I didn’t really like at first, but has really grown on me. The best thing about this mask is that it can be used both on your scalp and your ends. It moisturizes my scalp but doesn’t make it feel greasy or weigh down my hair. It really helps with tangles and makes my hair feel fresh and manageable after use. I really recommend this, especially for thin hair! Price: $8 for 200 ml on Amazon
Rating: 5/5 WRP
Price: $8 for 200 ml (Amazon)
Hair La Vie* Mask
Thoughts: I have been using this product occasionally for the past month, and although I do like it, I just don’t like it enough to justify the price ($39). This mask doesn’t contain silicone, and it does contain some really lovely ingredients. But the results aren’t quite as good as my other masks. The mask I received also has a pretty weird texture — it started off lumpy and then became very thin and runny after I brought it into the bathroom. The brand let me know that this is due just to temperature changes, and they are working on fixing it, but no reason to be alarmed!
Rating: 3.5/5 WNRP
Price: $39 for 8 oz (Hair la Vie)
Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask
Thoughts: You’ve probably heard of this gem before, I know I had seen it everywhere before I finally tried it. And despite all the hype, I was still impressed. This mask really does it all. It is silicone-free and contains some really lovely ingredients including rosehip, sweet almond, and argan oils (all light oils). It makes my hair feel soft and moisturized, helps with tangles and frizz, and doesn’t weigh down my hair at all. My hair just looks really good after I use it. I currently only own the travel size, which is a great way to try it out, but now I’m going to have to buy the full size…which pains me because it costs $36 and that’s a lot more than I usually spend on hair products. But this one is actually worth it.
Rating: 5/5 WRP
Price: $36 for 8 oz (Briogeo)
Body Wash (One at a time, use as needed)
Dove Nourishing Body Wash Shea and Vanilla (not pictured):
Thoughts: This is a really solid body wash. I don’t think I would go so far to say that it is moisturizing, but it does indeed seem to be non-drying for a body wash. It doesn’t contain sulfates, and my skin does not feel tight after using it. And it does still foam up really well, so it’s quite fun and satisfying to use. This is nothing fancy, but it’s a really solid choice for the price.
Rating: 4/5 WRP
Price: $6 for 24 oz (Amazon)
Diptyque Shower Foam*
Thoughts: Now this is a luxurious product. First of all, you’ve got to know that it costs $42. I received this complimentary from the brand and cannot afford to be spending $42 on body wash. That being said, it is a really lovely product and I am thoroughly enjoying every moment I have with it. It feels very gently and even slightly moisturizing but still foams up SO MUCH. It comes out as a gel but becomes foamy upon contact with water. And it smells really wonderful like roses. My skin feels and smells really nice after I use this, although I still need to follow up with a moisturizer to avoid later dryness.
Rating: 4.5/5, WNRP (at least for now, due to price)
Price: $42 for 150 ml (Diptyque Paris)
Other (Use as needed)
Shampoo Brush (not sure about the brand)
Thoughts: Is a shampoo brush necessary? Absolutely not. Does it feel really nice like a cheap scalp massage? Yup, and it does help rub shampoo into your scalp especially if you have long nails and don’t want to be scratching at your scalp! I got this particular one at Daiso Japan for less than $1 so I would say that it is definitely worth the price even though I don’t use it every time I shampoo.
Rating: 4/5, WRP
Price: Can’t remember exactly, but you can get one for cheap
Eucerin In-Shower Moisturizer
Thoughts: I picked this up at Reny’s for $4.99 on a whim and I’m really happy I did…except for the fact that it appears to be discontinued now, or is at least very hard to find. This actually works at moisturizing your skin in the shower, even though you wash it off! It’s completely non greasy, you can hardly even tell that you’ve moisturized after using it except your skin feels soft and smooth. It’s also fragrance-free and should work for sensitive skin (though you should still check the ingredients of course). My only precaution with this is that it does make the floor of your shower a little slippery. So it’s probably not a good choice if you share a shower, especially with children. Since it’s discontinued, I’m gonna need to find another product to replace this soon. Check out these lists for options: The Strategist, StyleCraze
Rating: 4/5, WRP
Price: Possibly discontinued 🙁 but you can still buy it online at a high price if you want
RATING SYSTEM
RP = I have repurchased this product
WRP = I would repurchase this product
MRP = I might repurchase this product
WNRP = I would not repurchase this product
Final Thoughts
I hope you found my product reviews shower routine for dry skin helpful! It has been working pretty well for me this winter, although some products are definitely working better than others. To read more about caring for dry skin, check out my recent post on my Winter Skincare Routine!
Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.
