Your Shower Is One of the Best Places to Meditate—Here's How to Make Your Routine More Mindful

Thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, self-care probably looks and feels a little different these days. Maybe your head-clearing workout now seems mind-boggling in the small space of your apartment, or WFH burnout has you struggling to find time for meditation. If you need an easy way to make your everyday to-dos less stressful, Skintimate's new Mindful Shower Meditations can help mundane routines feel a little more like self-care rituals.

The body-care brand teamed up with mindfulness expert Shauna Shapiro, Ph.D., and Girlboss Radio host, Sophia Amoruso to create three soothing audio meditations that are designed to pair with mood-enhancing products in Skintimate's 2020 collection.

Titled "Boost Your Confidence," "Up the Energy," and "Release and Relax," the guided meditations are inspired by the scents featured in Skintimate's new body care collection. The scents include Bloom, a floral fragrance combining notes of rose, lotus, and sandalwood aiming to encourage confidence and positivity; Spark, a citrus blend of lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot to help boost your energy levels; and Root, an earthy aroma of sage, turmeric, and coconut that promotes a sense of calm.

The idea is, depending on what you're feeling (or not feeling) on a given day, you can pull up one of Skintimate's Mindful Shower Meditations on YouTube and channel your inner zen while you wash. "They're all five to 10 minutes long, so you can easily fit it into your shower time to set your intentions for the day," says Amoruso, who, as an entrepreneur and CEO, knows just how difficult it can be to find time for yourself when juggling multiple gigs. She's currently trying Skintimate's Mindful Shower Meditations for a week and will soon share the experience on social media alongside Shapiro, who will weigh in on the importance of meditation and why the shower can be a great place to get mindful.

Of course, there are countless ways to include meditation in your daily routine. But the shower is "an easy place to bring alive your senses—smelling, hearing, touching," says Shapiro. These elements make for a "vivid" experience that helps you stay grounded in the present moment, she explains. (Related: The Beginner's Guide to Meditation)

In fact, of the five senses, your sense of smell can really enhance your meditation practice, adds Heidi Hanna, Ph.D., executive director of the American Institute of Stress. Scent travels directly to the part of the brain that navigates fears, rewards, and emotional memories, she explains. So, when you add a fragrance you like to a warm shower—where the steam and cozy space can help create some scentual ambiance—you can basically help your brain relax into a meditative state; this is what Dr. Hanna calls "coming to your senses." And while Skintimate's body care products can definitely get you there, Dr. Hanna also recommends adding either earthy or citrus-based essential oils to your practice.

If adding a meditative practice to your shower routine isn't resonating right now, that's cool. Consider taking Skintimate's initiative as a source of inspiration to become more mindful in other aspects of daily life. (Here's how to practice mindfulness meditation anywhere.)

"Meditation isn't complicated; it's just about being present where you are with what you're doing," says Amoruso. "You can practice this by going on a walk without your headphones in, brushing your teeth without checking your phone. Finding time to meditate and slow down is essential to avoid burnout and show up as [your] best self every day."