Should You Shower After You Bathe? Internet Divided by Viral Question

A woman who made a throwaway comment about how she takes a bath never expected that it would spark a viral conversation.

Iona MacGowan, originally from Scotland, moved to the United States with her husband four years ago, and she regularly shares updates on her new life in Boston with friends and family back home. But her TikTok account, @ionamacgowan, has exploded in popularity, with MacGowan now boasting hundreds of thousands of followers on both this account and her Instagram, @instaiona.

As she told Newsweek, her videos aim to keep people "entertained and engaged with the quirks of life abroad." And one recent TikTok, shared on November 1, saw the content creator go viral for an innocent comment: "You don't have a shower after you have a bath, do you?"

She explained the comment came about after she revealed in a previous video that she was raised to do dishes by soaking them in soapy water and wiping them clean before putting them up to dry, without rinsing them. When commenters stated this was the wrong thing to do, she made her comment about the bath, only for many people to tell her they did, in fact, have a shower after their bath.

"But that's why I go into the bath, to get clean," MacGowan said, bewildered, in the video. "Is this a UK versus USA thing, or is it just a me thing and I need to review my hygiene levels?"

Commenters rushed to the clip, which has over 127,000 views, as one insisted: "A bath is for relaxation, not cleansing."

"You're just sitting in a tepid pool of your own filth so yes, shower after bath," another wrote.

But one shared MacGowan's views: "I'm from the U.K., showering after the bath is ridiculous, what a waste of water."

And another said: "I have lived in the U.K. and the U.S. and the wastefulness of the U.S. is insane."

MacGowan told Newsweek she "didn't expect ... how divisive that comment would be."

She estimated that around 60 percent of commenters did shower after a bath, but 40 percent "sided with me and said they don't."

"Interestingly, I suspect some of the non-showerers might be staying quiet," she suggested. "I've asked 12 people here in the USA (male and female), and every single one admitted they don't shower after a bath either!"

Newsweek spoke to Janis Covey, founder of U.S. organic skincare line Kosmatolgy, who said deciding on whether to shower after a bath comes down to "your personal preference, the products added to the bath water, and your skin's sensitivity," but rinsing off residue is "crucial" if you use salts, oil or bubble bath.

"These products can leave a film on your skin that might cause irritation or clog pores," she said, or exacerbate skin conditions, while rinsing off may leave you "feeling fresher and more comfortable."

U.K.-based Nina Prisk, the owner of Update Aesthetics Cosmetic Clinics, agreed it is "typically recommended to shower after a bath, particularly if you've shaved or exfoliated whilst in the bath.

"This is so that the dead skin cells, hair and debris, as well as any residue from bath oils and soaps, can be rinsed off the skin."

She clarified, however, that this essentially comes down to the person's skin type, as those with dry skin may be rinsing off ingredients that helps hydrate the skin, so "whether or not it's better to shower after a bath depends largely on your skin type."

MacGowan told Newsweek that: "For me, it comes down to purpose and sustainability."

"If I'm having a relaxing soak rather than doing a full exfoliation, shaving, or washing my hair, I don't see the need for a shower afterward. Growing up in Scotland, I was raised to avoid waste, so conserving water is second nature to me," she said,

"Ultimately, it's all about personal preference," she added.

"I love that my channel has become a space to share opinions, laugh, and explore cultural nuances with kindness and humor."

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