Heidi Gardner's $40 shower hack will legitimately change your life
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Whenever I have the chance to interview celebrities or industry insiders, one of my favorite questions to ask them is, "What beauty practice makes you feel your best?" And recently, something strange has been happening: A lot of people have been talking about showers.
When "everything showers" became a #thing at some point last year, it confirmed something I've known for quite some time: That showers are very much a valid form of self care. For many people—myself included—the few minutes the spend in the shower are the only solo, unplugged moments they get all day, so they make it a point to make the experience as meditative as possible.
For some, that means lighting a candle; for others, it means massaging themselves with a body wash that induces calm. For me, it means doing both of those things, plus using aromatherapy-infused shower head that fills the steam with aromatherapy. And honestly? I thought my setup had peaked—until I asked Heidi Gardner about her favorite feel-good beauty practice, and she introduced me to the concept of a shower lamp.
A shower lamp?!
Given that Gardner is a comedian (who you definitely know from SNL), I kind of thought she was joking when she announced that the best part of her beauty routine was a light in her shower. I mean, I've been a beauty editor and an Amazon addict for a decade and had absolutely no idea anything like this existed. But when she started explaining why she loved it so much, I realized she was onto something.
WEILAILUX Waterproof Shower Lamp
"The shower lamp has changed my life," she said. "I'm around bright lights all the time, so when I get off of work, I want peace and NO lights. I used to shower in the darkness but couldn't read the bottle and was washing my body with conditioner."
Considering light exposure can have a major impact on stress (blue light and artificial light, which we're exposed to all day, make it worse), setting a little mood lighting for your shower actually isn't the worst idea. "The shower lamp provides the perfect dim glow," says Gardner.
A zen-inducing shower routine
Though the lamp is for sure the most revolutionary part of Gardner's shower routine, it's just one part of the entire experience.
"I got a little shelf with the lamp in a Bluetooth that I play soothing Hawaiian music on, and I tie eucalyptus to the shower head," she says. "It's like being on a tropical vacation every time I shower."
When taken all together, Gardner's routine delivers a total sensory experience. It's got calming sights (the light), sounds (the music), and scents (the eucalyptus), and the overall vibe it creates is like a deep breath for your nervous system at the end of a long day.
To finish off her feel-good regimen, Gardner engages in one more sense: Touch (... obviously "taste" is not involved here, because eating in the bathroom is weird). She uses the TULA Skincare 24-7 Day & Night Weightless Moisture Day & Night Gel Cream to seal the post-shower moisture into her skin, which—and I don't say this lightly—is one of the most satisfyingly-textured products I've ever used.
TULA 24-7 Weightless Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream
It's a gloriously thick gel that glides onto skin without feeling sticky (something that never happens with gels), and offers a cooling effect that just feels sooooo good. It's technically meant for your face, but sometimes I get greedy and use it on my arms and chest simply because it's so enjoyable to apply.
A balanced approach to beauty
At its core, this routine reflects Gardner's overall approach to beauty: Do what makes you feel good, because "a happy person is typically the most beautiful thing to witness."
And also? "Love your body! And talk nice to it!!! Be a friend to it," she says. "Why would you be mean to something that gets you up every day."
Zo? Weiner is an NYC-based journalist who explores the intersection of beauty and mental health. Her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Allure, GQ, Women's Health, Byrdie, and Bustle, among others.