Long, hot showers are one of life’s simple pleasures. But as wonderful as they are, sometimes you just need to get down and dirty (er, clean)—fast. So whether you slept through you alarm or just want to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your utility buck, here’s everything you need to know for the most effective suds session.
Get Ready for the Best Shower of Your Life 
1. Cool it down.
Steaming hot showers may feel amazing, but the hot water dries out the moisture from our skin like nothing else, says Lauren Ploch, M.D., a dermatologist at New Orleans’ Ochsner Medical Center. The hot water removes more of your natural oils, so if you really need a fix, spend a couple minutes max in hot water, and then turn it down to lukewarm (a.k.a. not hot enough to make your skin red).
2. Keep it short.
Your shower should ideally last five to 10 minutes, says Marie Jhin, M.D., a San Francisco dermatologist. And remember, it’s all about quality, not quantity: Showering twice a day can seriously dry out your skin, Jhin says. Though it seems like more water means more moisture, it’s actually the opposite—over-showering strips the skin, making it even drier.
Refuse to accept a life without that toasty-warm, sinus-clearing shower feeling? Us too. One good alternative is a space h…