The “Everything Shower” Routine for Skin So Smooth People Will Ask What You Use

STEP 01

Start with an African Body Sponge

Before a single drop of product touches your skin, Chi insists on the right tool.

“First thing, we are not starting without an African body sponge,” she says. “If you don’t have one, please get one.”

Unlike a standard loofah or washcloth, the African net sponge, also known as a sapo or exfoliating net, creates a thick, efficient lather while physically sloughing off dead skin cells.

Plus, its open, woven structure means it covers more surface area with less effort, making it the perfect foundation for the scrubbing and exfoliating steps that follow.

STEP 02

Body Wash — Cleanse Before You Exfoliate

Chi’s body wash of choice is SheaMoisture’s African Black Soap Body Wash, and she’s intentional about why it comes before the scrub.

“Black soap is naturally clarifying, which means it’s going to draw out impurities and deep-cleanse your skin,” she explains.

“You need to clean your skin before you can exfoliate it.”

This sequencing matters more than most people realise. Exfoliating dirty, product-laden skin just pushes debris around.

Thus, you remove surface-level buildup (excess oil, sweat, residual lotion), so the exfoliant in step three can work directly on the skin cells underneath.

African black soap, derived from plant ash and oils like shea butter and coconut, is also gentle enough for daily use while still delivering that clarifying action.

STEP 03

Body Scrub — Physical and Chemical Exfoliation Combined

“This is a physical scrub that also has glycolic acid in it, which means that we are exfoliating manually and chemically,” she explains about her scrub of choice: Saltair’s 10% Glycolic Acid Body Scrub.

“This improves skin texture.”

Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that works by dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells, encouraging them to shed more efficiently.

Combined with the mechanical action, you’re getting exfoliation both on the surface and slightly below it.

The result, used consistently, is skin that genuinely feels different to the touch — softer, smoother, and more even in tone.

STEP 04

Shower Oil — Lock in Moisture While Still in the Water

Step four is Chi’s seal-of-approval moment: L’Occitane shower oil.

“This product is popular for a reason, and it’s because it works,” she says plainly.

“Not only does it smell good, it does an amazing job at locking moisture and hydration to your skin.”

Shower oils work by forming a thin film on the skin that traps water before it can evaporate.

Applied after cleansing and exfoliating, absorption is maximised. It’s the bridge between the cleansing steps and the post-shower moisture layering to come.

STEP 05

Body Oil — The Real Trick, Applied on Damp Skin

You’re out of the shower now, but “you need to apply body oil while your skin is still damp,” she says firmly. “That’s the real trick in all of this.“

Water on the skin’s surface acts as a carrier, helping oil penetrate more deeply rather than sitting on top.

“Oil plus a little bit of water equals a very hydrated skin,” Chi puts it perfectly.

Her pick is Saltair’s Nourishing Body Oil — chosen specifically because it’s “lightweight, absorbs fast, and it is not greasy.”

The last part matters. The reluctance many people have around body oils often comes down to texture, so finding one that sinks in quickly removes the one barrier to making this step a daily habit.

“Oil plus a little bit of water equals a very hydrated skin. That’s the real trick in all of this.” — Chi, @the_real_chi

STEP 06

Shea Butter — Deep Nourishment and a Protective Barrier

The oil alone isn’t enough.

Chi follows it immediately with shea butter — her pick is from the brand Arami — to layer on deep nourishment and seal everything in.

“Shea butter is really important because it’s packed with vitamins that are going to deeply nourish the skin,” she explains.

“It also creates a protective barrier that locks in all that moisture. This way your skin is hydrated and moisturised throughout the day.”

Shea butter is rich in vitamins A, E, and F, along with fatty acids that support the skin’s lipid barrier.

Whereas the oil from step five addresses hydration (water binding), shea butter addresses moisturisation (oil sealing). Two distinct but complementary functions.

Used together, they create the layered moisture effect that keeps Chi’s skin looking smooth long past the shower.

STEP 07

Deodorant, Fragrance, and the Finishing Touch

Chi closes her everything shower with three final details that, together, make the ritual feel complete.

First, a non-aluminium deodorant from Saltair — “it’s clean, it works, and it smells good.”

The choice of aluminium-free is intentional: standard antiperspirants work by blocking sweat glands, while non-aluminium deodorants neutralise odour without interfering with the body’s natural perspiration process, which many people prefer given the freshly-cared-for skin underneath.

Then, the final flourish: Gentle Fluidity by Maison Francis Kurkdjian (MFK), a sophisticated eau de parfum known for its ambery, woody warmth.

“This is how I end my everything showers,” she says.