When should you shower — morning or night?

But ask around and you’ll find your friends split into two very adamant camps. For night showerers, the idea of getting into bed covered in a day’s worth of dirt and germs is downright repulsive.

For the other team, starting your day covered in sweat from the night before and without the jolt of a morning shower is unfathomable. But which side is right?

Turns out they both are, but it depends on the situation. Everything from your skin type to the amount of pollution in your life to when and how you work out can determine when you should shower.

Here’s how to find out which timing is best for you.

You should shower in the morning if…
You have oily skin. “Showering in the morning may help you perk up and can be especially good for those with oily skin, since oil can build up during the night and showers and excellent at clearing the pores,” NYC-based internist Holly Phillips, told Yahoo Health.

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You like starting the day with a fresh shave.
“For men, showering can soften the hairs on the face, making shaving smoother and easier,” Phillips explains.
You’re OK with waking up early. One possible downside: the toll it takes on your beauty sleep. “You may have to wake up earlier to bathe in the a.m. not ideal for those who like to hit the snooze button,” says Phillips.

You’re a night sweater.
“Obviously, if one is sweaty all night, they would want to shower in the morning,” says dermatologist Tanya Kormeili, MD.

You’re not around many germs.
One of the biggest reasons to shower at night is to clean off the grime that accumulates over the day. If you bounce from home to car to air-conditioned office and back, you might not have much to scrub off. “If you’re covered up all day, just washing your hands and face and changing your clothes should do the trick,” Phillip explains.

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You should shower at night if…
You need to chill out before turning in.
“Many find showering at night to be relaxing and a great way to unwind,” Phillips explains. “However, some research has suggested that showering at night may shift your body temperature in ways that can disrupt natural circadian rhythms, making falling asleep more difficult. If this happens to you, try to shower a couple of hours before turning in.”

You wear makeup. “If you wear SPF or makeup, washing … at night with a cleanser is super important,” explains Kormeili. Washing your face without jumping in the shower may suffice, but the steam and constant flow from the showerhead could do a better job of cleaning off residue.

You have dry skin. Use a morning shower as a time to deep-clean your less-than-dewy face? You might want to rethink it, Kormeili says. “Washing in the morning with a cleanser is recommended only for oily patients, and not so much for patients who suffer from eczema or dry skin.”

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Your environment isn’t exactly sterile. Phillips says, “As a resident, after working long shifts in the hospital around illnesses and germs, I would take off my clothes at the door and head straight to the shower to prevent bringing bacteria and viruses into the house.” It’s best to shower at night if you get particularly dirty over the course of your day — either from a job (talking to you, construction workers) or environment (if you live in a polluted city, it’s a good idea to wash off the grime).

You work out (hard) during the day. “If someone is very active or works outdoors during the day, they need a shower at night,” Kormeili explains.

So pick a morning or night shower depending on your body and lifestyle — just make sure to avoid taking too many showers, Phillips warns.
“Overshowering (i.e., in the morning and at night) could wash away good bacteria that naturally protect the skin, or dry the skin out excessively, resulting in small cracks that can lead to skin infections.”