How Shower Sandwiching Is The Game-Changing Tip That Saved My Dry Skin

I have a few naughty beauty habits that I can’t seem to break—despite knowing better. (It’s my job to know how best to take care of oneself, after all!) I scrape and peel my nail polish off the moment I see the manicure start to chip, which will lead to far more damage down the line. I go way, way too long between trims, even though I know it’s allowing my split ends to get out of control. And I indulge in long showers using scorching hot water. 

I just can’t help myself. I love how steamy showers feel, despite knowing what that hot water is damaging to my skin barrier. 

Yes, high water temperatures can actually strip the skin of its natural oils, breakdown lipids meant to comfort the barrier, and evaporate into air faster (which will lead to transepidermal water loss.) This all leads to dry, parched, wrinkly skin. 

As I noted, hot showers can actually end up making your skin drier than it was before. This is why experts recommend taking lukewarm or cold showers, as they have significantly more benefits. In fact, "cold showers can soothe itchy, irritated skin, as the cold water does not dissolve away these oils," says board-certified dermatologist Ife J. Rodney, M.D., FAAD, founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics.

But for folks like me, who can’t help but crank up the temperatures, celebrity esthetician and dermatological nurse Natalie Aguilar has a solution: Apply body oil before stepping into the shower. "This oil barrier prevents excessive water loss and helps with any irritation," she notes. 

This habit takes all of 5 seconds and a few pumps of body oil, but makes a dramatic difference in the appearance and feeling of the skin in the long run. After the shower, I don’t feel itchy immediately and my skin doesn't feel tight. 

It’s important to note that you should also follow up with your go-to moisturizer as well, whether that be a body lotion or the same body oil from the pre-shower ritual.