Your Shower

By now you probably know that a shower uses half the amount of water of a bath, but how can you take that one step further without rushing through your precious morning me-time in the shower? Luckily there are plenty of high quality eco-friendly towels, showerheads and beauty products that'll maintain your luxurious experience while giving the environment a break.

Water Conservation

Start saving even more water by installing a low-flow showerhead, which can cut water usage in half by allowing only 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm) or less to stream out. Since 1992 all showerheads manufactured in the US must be low-flow. The previous standard was 4.5 gpm. So according to Alexandra Kennaugh, Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Green Living Initiatives, if a family of four trades in for a 2.5 gpm model, they can save about 2,000 gallons of water a year which is roughly the contents of a swimming pool and enough water to sustain themselves for 26 years.

If your home was constructed after '92 you probably have one already, but if you don't have one, get one. And even if you have a 2.5 gpm model, you can go lower and save even more water. They're easy to install yourself—usually you can just unscrew the old one and attach the new one—and with the latest models you probably won't notice a difference until you pay your water bill. If you're worried about strong water pressure, try one with multiple spray settings like Oxygenics TriSpa Series. It has three ranging from massage to soothing and only uses a maximum of 1.9 gpm. Or the Bricor Elite Showerhead uses vacuum technology to increase water pressure—you'd never guess only 1.5 gpm are entering your shower. If it's design you're after, consider Delta's Michael Graves Touch-Clean Showerhead with three spray modes and a 2.5 gpm rating.

So how else can you reduce water usage? Rene Loux, author of Easy Green Living, suggests cutting your shower time by a minute or even 30 seconds. A little really goes a long way because even though it won't feel like much of a sacrifice, you can save a few gallons of water every day. Or cut your household shower time by sharing one with your sweetie. You might also want to try turning off the faucet while you shave—a favorite eco practice of Cameron Diaz. And when you apply a ten-minute hair mask, no one says you have to stay in the shower watching the water run down the drain.

Don't forget that it takes energy to heat your shower's water too. Again, you can look to a showerhead to help. The Roadrunner Eco-Friendly Showerhead has a temperature gage built in so you can walk away while the shower warms up. Once it reaches 95 degrees it'll slow the water flow to a trickle until you're ready to hop in. It also has an impressive 1.59 gpm rating and is a favorite of Amy Brenneman and Kelly Rutherford. Hot water is actually bad for your skin anyway. It removes natural oils so take a warm, not hot shower. Loux suggests turning the water cold for the last 30 seconds of your shower. "It's good for your skin, closes pores, invigorates your body and revs up your metabolism while you save a little energy," she says.

Clear the Air

While you're in DIY mode install a water filter too—it's an inexpensive investment and taking chlorine out of the equation will not only improve your hair and skin, but it'll improve air quality too. Usually water is chlorinated to keep it safe, but that doesn't mean it's healthy. Chlorine is a gas by nature, but is forced into liquid form for water purification. When water is sprayed into a shower, the chemical returns to its gaseous form so you end up breathing it in, says Loux. While it's not a huge amount, studies have found we absorb more chlorine in a shower than by drinking it. Other studies have found that showering in water can increase the risk of bladder cancer.

Beyond the scary facts, chlorine is drying. Once you install a filter, you'll experience more supple skin and softer hair, Loux raves. Most are easy to add to any existing showerhead including low-flow varieties—you simply screw the filter onto your existing shower arm. Usually you only need to replace the filter every 6 months and that's just as simple. A basic model like the Rainshow'r Dechlorinating Shower Filter will do the trick. But for added beauty benefits, the Wellness Shower Filter replaces chlorine with good-for-you silican, potassium and magnesium. Or get your low-flow showerhead and water filter all in a one-two punch. The Oxygenics Body Spa Handheld Showerhead with April Shower Filtration does it all and feels luxe. You can even find spa-like rainfall-style filtrating models such as the Sunflower Showerhead.