Beauty

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Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze button once or twice and head groggily toward the bathroom to hop in the shower. You wash your hair, rinse off and then make your way through the rest of your morning routine—get dressed, put on some makeup, grab breakfast, caffeine up and get out the door. For most of us, a morning shower is more requirement than ritual. But it doesn't have to be, says Lynne Vertrees, spa director of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas. "Just a little effort can help you transform your shower into a rejuvenating time that can really help you start the day right," she says. "And the best part is that it doesn't have to take a lot of time—something that's very precious in the mornings." Here, Vertrees and other experts offer inspired ideas for transforming your shower into a sacred space. Try them—then watch how that snooze button becomes less tempting.

While you may think it's most important to invest in the products that stay on your skin, choosing getclean goodies that also smell and feel delightful can really help you enjoy your shower time. So, use a shampoo, conditioner, body gel or soap that smells amazing, says Vicki Cairns, spa supervisor of the Silver Rain/La Prairie Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. Or, light a few scented candles before you hop in the shower so both you and your bathroom smell great when you get out! You can also play with alternating very warm and very cold temperatures to imitate a spa's hot and cold plunge pool, says Patrick Huey, spa director for the Viceroy Hotel Group in Miami. "This boosts circulation and really helps you wake up."
(a) Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Bath Bar (soap bar, $13; origins.com) contains 100 percent natural essential oils of grapefruit, field mint and sweet oranges.
(b) AVEENO Positively Nourishing Smoothing Body Wash ($7; drugstore.com) contains pomegranate, gently exfoliating rice beads and walnut shells.
(c) Olay Silk Whimsy Body Bar with Massaging Design ($4; drugstore.com) has almond oil and washes away leaving no residue.
(d) Avalon Organics Lemon Bath & Shower Gel ($11; avalonorganics.com) contains organic lemon essential oil and can be used as a body wash or bubble bath.
(e) Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta Moisturizing Bath & Shower Gel ($11; aubrey-organics.com) is suds-free and leaves behind a lingering mix of sweet and spicy scents.
(f) AHAVA Lavender Dead Sea Bath Crystals ($22; ahava .com) soothe tired muscles with minerals, magnesium, calcium and sodium.