I grew up in an Irish-American household where the laughter was capacious but the space was not. And so the shower became the one place I could hog all to myself, using my Rapunzel hair as an excuse. ("The Kerasilk conditioner directions say to let sit for at least 30 minutes, Ma!")

Magical things seemed to happen when water hit head. It didn't matter that the shower itself was humble (soap-scummed tiles, octopus-suctioned tub liners). This was a retreat. Under a pummeling showerhead and the steam of windows, problems big and small seemed to dissipate, or at least become foggier, less sharp. Thoughts loosened; body insecurities drained (the human form when lathered? hot damn!).

Some believe a shower can have the power to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that oozes out when we're relaxed. How else to explain the popular Reddit forum Shower thoughts, in which people post the musings they've had under a hot stream?

Maybe that's why the shower stall has given birth to nearly all of my creative eureka moments. And why it's allowed me to work through big decisions. Mid-shampoo, as a junior in college, I resolved to change my major; and it was while showering that I made the decision to change jobs at not one, not two, but three companies.

The reality: Sometimes we need to sprint through our self-care. That's why I'm all about these amazing products that help streamline your routine—without sacrificing a single bit of comfort: