James Corden showers in 3-4 minutes & only washes his hair every 2 months

California is always going through a drought, but it’s currently worse than usual, and much of the state is currently coping with water restrictions. As in, restrictions for water usage at home. The water restrictions have got LA-based entertainers in their feelings, but not James Corden. Corden is apparently fine with water restrictions, because he takes really fast showers and he only washes his hair once every two months. Gross.

James Corden has revealed he only washes his hair every two months during a conversation surrounding bathroom habits. The Late Late Show host was discussing Los Angeles residents being asked to cut down their shower time when he divulged some ablution secrets of his own. James, 43, admitted his showers can be wrapped up in under five minutes.

He said: ‘I’m in and out in three or four minutes. I use soap but I don’t wash my hair. I wash it every two months. That is a true story. I do not think we are nasty.’

The Gavin and Stacey star was taken aback to learn that the average shower time for citizens in LA is 10 minutes. ‘You are joking me… what? If that is the average that means there are people in there for 20 minutes? Oh my God!’

When one of the production crew members chimed in to say she showers for ten minutes, James replied: ‘What are you doing for ten minutes? How long does it take? I am trying to think what I would do in there for ten minutes!’

[From The Daily Mail]

I mean… for men, it is different. Many women (like me) shave our legs while we’re in the shower. And shave our armpits. And put soap on every part of our body. I’m capable of quickie showers too, especially if I’m not shaving. I can get out of there in five minutes if I’m not shaving or washing my hair. But I can’t imagine not shampooing my hair for TWO MONTHS? Is he rinsing his hair or getting it wet but just not shampooing it? I think that might be what he’s talking about. While that’s still not great, it would be different if he’s saying that shampoo AND water have not touched his hair in two months. (That being said, everything is so different for men and his hair is pretty short.)

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.

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54 Responses to “James Corden showers in 3-4 minutes & only washes his hair every 2 months”

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  1. Wiglet Watcher says:

    How do you fully exfoliate in 3 to 4 minutes?! Never mind the other stuff. How do you get clean vs. just getting wet?

    • Noki says:

      I seriously have my doubts on him exfoliating. Shower habits are just different from men to women,cultures even race,that is what i have observed. As a black woman i think i am guilty of over exfoliating,i shower twice a day and sometimes i can give my skin a good scrubing and exfoliating both times.

      • Ang says:

        Noki, do you exfoliate twice a day out of habit or necessity? I take very quick showers (unless washing my hair, which I do every third day). Only in the hottest days of summer do I need to exfoliate to remove the sweat/city pollution build up. Otherwise when I scrub nothing comes off.

      • ThatsNotOkay says:

        I take the fastest showers in the north, south, east, and west. Exfoliate? Nah. That’s what towels are for. Or a relaxing bath on occasion. And I don’t wash my hair all the time either. Maybe it’s gross for white and Asian people? But those are not the only people who read this site. So I’m feeling Corden on a certain level right now. And I never thought I’d ever be in a position to say that.

      • Sue E Generis says:

        I wish people would stop judging other people’s cleansing habits. No, it’s not gross. Unless someone is stinking up your personal space (that’s gross), it’s none of your business.

        I think it comes down to individual body chemistry plus oiliness. Oily people trap more bacteria and smell more if they don’t manage oil production. Dry people do not. Certain people produce more pungent body odor, others do not. Habits depend on personal situations.

      • equality says:

        @Sue And some people can’t be in the water for a long time because of skin conditions.

      • MC2 says:

        Exfoliating is good for getting clean, ridding old skin and increasing blood flow. Once your body feels the benefits, it can be something you want to do. Dry brushes & other methods of increasing blood flow have been used for a long time- it’s a healthy practice.

      • Mary Tosti says:

        I exfoliate with every shower too. Sometimes that’s twice a day if I happen to have two showers that day. And I think it is out of habit but it’s also what I’m used to so I just don’t feel clean if I skip it.

    • ArtMaven says:

      While I have no opinion on what Corden should do in his shower, on the “clean vs wet” issue, how dirty is a person who works from home in a temperature controlled home getting? It’s all relative.

  2. equality says:

    I couldn’t get by on that shampoo schedule but he gets credit for conserving water with the short showers.

  3. Noki says:

    At his size that time is not enough. He should be lifting and spreading every crevice,fold and using some kind of loafer or small bath towel to clean himself thoroughly WITH soap.

    • crogirl says:

      Maybe he means the water running time is 3-4 min? He can clean himself with a soaped washcloth with the water turned off.

    • Jo says:

      🙄 come on…

    • equality says:

      Now that’s the picture I wanted in my head for the day. LOL

    • lisa says:

      ITA, he sounds wet not clean. but maybe the same person who washes his hair at work also hoses him down and throws dawn dish soap at him

    • Fifee says:

      I’m THAT size and can quite easily lift and clean thoroughly in roughly the same amount of time. Only difference between myself & him is that I use 2 different washes for different body areas. So that’s takes up a wee bit of extra time.

      I’m not out doing manual labour or digging about in dirt on a daily basis so I don’t need anything more than warm soapy water cleaning my arms and legs, it’s the torso that needs to be cleaned.

    • Janine says:

      I was wondering how long it would take for his “size” to come up.

  4. Jo says:

    If I don’t have to wash my hair, my showers take no more than 3 minutes. I am’ prone to frizzy hair so better to wash thoroughly and efficiently and get out of there asap. I’d love to stay longer sometimes but I find it rather selfish to use so much water knowing that we are threatened with serious water shortages in a few years in the UK.

  5. C-Shell says:

    🥴

    To be honest, I would watch my late husband shower — he was very efficient — he showered every single morning, soaped his entire body (except his back of course) and shampooed his very short hair. Every day. Twice if he worked hard outdoors during the day. Anyway, maybe 5 minutes max to do all that. So it’s different for men, that’s true. It’s Corden not washing his hair for 2 months that makes me all, “eww.” Maybe he uses dry shampoo?

  6. Pam says:

    Surely for a man with short hair it’s not going to add much time to wash his hair??? I swear, it’s so stupid.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      I know. For women it’s a completely different set of issues. Though I do shut off the water when I after
      I have put in my conditioner, shave, exfoliate my feet and body too.

  7. CC says:

    Maybe he himself is only washing his hair that infrequently, but he’s on TV multiple times a week and it looks like his hair has highlights. Other people are definitely grooming and styling him.

  8. Steph says:

    I think he doesn’t wash his own hair more than ever two months. I’m sure he gets it professionally done more often. I think it’s weird that he showers soley for the purpose of getting clean. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the process.

  9. Jessica says:

    I take pretty fast showers, learned from the military. It doesn’t typically include exfoliating which adds a few minutes.

    If he’s showering everyday and doesn’t really get dirty than it’s fine but should take his time over the weekend when he’s not in a rush.

  10. LeggggsEgg says:

    We lived in Southern and Northern California for a combined period of 22 years, and lived through multiple water restrictive periods. Our showers were ‘water time short’ in that we wetted everything, shut the flow restrictor off, soaped cleaned shampood shaved etc, then turned the water back on to rinse. 3 minutes might be about right…. we still do this years later just because.

    • LarkspurLM says:

      Same! I grew up (and still live in NorCal) during the drought of the 1970s and we turned the running water off while soaping up so fast showers are ingrained. I have a 5-min timer to time shower use (thanks local water dept) and it is adequate for a quick soaping, not hair washing (2x a week). I also keep a bucket in the shower and kitchen sink to capture water and put it on the plants. In addition…I capture the gray water from the washing machine to water the front yard. It’s definitely a chore but we need to CONSERVE water since it doesn’t grow on trees 🙂

  11. Lemons says:

    His shampoo routine gets a side-eye from me BUT I think he has hairstylists doing this for him on the regular so he may not need to shampoo at home.

    But you can exfoliate and clean yourself in under 5 minutes. Use the Korean exfoliating washcloths, and some soap, and get to scrubbing.

  12. TIFFANY says:

    If I was the hair and makeup department on his show, I would quit.

    No.

    There is no way he is only washing his hair every two months. A legit hair dresser would have a washing area.

  13. Surly Gale says:

    I remember Jen Aniston saying she could do a 5 minute shower. I set a timer, but have yet to achieve! Am usually a 6-7 minute shower-er. I have to sit to wash the bottom of my feet these days re balance issues. Two showerheads, one hand-held and one fixed. Only use them both for the full on rinse. Also, have discovered Paul Mitchell leave-in conditioner so now I’m not rinsing conditioner out my hair, probably cut my time by a minute. Using an electric razor on legs & pits has helped me cut shower time too. I brush my skin (exfoliate) then dry shave. Not the close shave you get w/water, gel and razor, but good enough.
    I’ve become a real fan of ‘good enough’…or else I’m just allowing myself to be lazy..sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference!!

  14. riemc526 says:

    I will be 100% ok if I never hear showering habits of any celebrity, or anyone else for that fact, unless I need to.

  15. susan says:

    I quit washing my hair years ago. what’s the point of stripping all of the natural oils and then putting a bunch of expensive products into it to try to replace what you just washed away?
    It’s long and straight, and I brush it twice a day. I do wash my scalp occasionally but not more than once every 1-2 months.

    I shower twice a week typically, although during the hot part of summer I’ll sometimes just “hose off” with cool water before going to bed. if I’m doing a scrub, I turn the water off and then back on to rinse. I haven’t shaved my legs in 30 years. I did start shaving my pits bc it smells less. of course I keep clean in between.

    I’ve lived in places where water was scarce and didn’t have the luxury of a bath or shower. Washed up from a bucket way too many times. I still have the mindset of wastefulness when it comes to using water. YMMV.

    • Desdemona says:

      Honest question, how does one wash the scalp but not the hair?
      My hair is neck long, it gets soap all over the hair….

    • Jedi says:

      Im with you on this. Shampoo is harsh and I try to only use it once a week. My hair is never greasy anymore and consistently has good body. my hairdresser always comments how healthy it is.

      My husband hasn’t shampooed his hair in…honestly he probably doesn’t remember the last time. His hair is excellent. He rinses it every day in the shower but never with soap. If you get off the shampoo train, it can take a while for your scalp to adjust but then you’re free!

    • ArtMaven says:

      I have quit conditioner a year ago. I take cold showers ( a la Wim Hoff) often. My hair has improved. It just may be that we’ve been sold a plethora of products that are counterproductive. 🙂

    • North of Boston says:

      I’ll wash my hair just once or twice a week, might wet it in between if I need to restyle it.

      What surprised me when I started stretching out the time between hair washes was that my scalp adapted…and cut down oil production so it’s never oily in between washes. And my formerly dry, flaky scalp is much better. If it weren’t for exercise, hikes in the woods, gardening/yard work bringing sweat, bug spray and literal dirt to the party, I could probably go longer between shampoos.

      And shampooing is the most time consuming part of showering for me, if I’m not washing my hair it’s under 5 minutes.

  16. Fifee says:

    I can shower in roughly the same time, it’s easy. My exfoliation comes from my towel, although some days I take a bit more time and take a face cloth over my legs (I have skin issues on my lower legs and skin is pretty delicate) and ankles for a wee bit extra exfoliation.

    I’m in France and although we’re not quite in drought conditions we’re heading that way so every bit of water is precious. I had to replace my shower head and bought one that you can stop water flow once it’s running rather than turning off the actual shower. Having lived in Scotland for 49 years where water worries are incredibly rare other than having too much this really is a change .

  17. Tara says:

    For the record, body odor is the scent of the metabolic byproducts of your skin bacteria. In many cases, if you have significant BO, your skin is not getting clean enough however some products can cause an predominance of certain bacteria. The really stinky ones have sulfur in their metabolic byproducts. So if that’s your predominant type, you may need to switch your products and give your skin a few good exfoliating sessions to even out the distribution of types of bacteria again.

  18. AA says:

    I can get on board with the short shower, but not washing your hair for 2 months? I can’t even imagine what my hair would be like. Mine is disgusting after 2 days.

  19. Lila says:

    Things aren’t that bad yet! Restrictions are more around watering days, car washing, etc. James Corden isn’t ending the drought by not washing properly. Ick!

    • North of Boston says:

      I’m guessing residential water use in general is not the biggest use … though people going crazy with water sprinklers do probably use a ton.. Golf courses, hotels/other hospitality, agriculture, manufacturing are likely the biggest users and wasters, just like with energy consumption and pollution.

      Though there is some “turn the tide” get public support for conservation efforts benefit to making a “everyone do their part” appeal, in the US we like to blame the little guy while letting corporate entities, who are doing much more harm, skate.

  20. SpankyB says:

    I’ve got my drought showering game down pretty well. I can wash and exfoliate my entire body within 7 min. If I have to wash my hair I just wash the bits and pits and I’m still out in 7 min. In the winter I wash my hair twice a week, in the summer 3 times a week. I use an electric razor on my legs and pits. Not as close as a blade razor but it’s fine. I do miss just standing under running water and pondering life.

    If I ever move to an area where there isn’t a drought my first shower will be a l-o-n-g one.

  21. Concern Fae says:

    People do realize that shampoo only became a mass produced product in the 1960s? Before that people just used a combo of soap and oils. Professional hairstylists began creating specialty products in the 1920s. The word shampoo is from the Indian subcontinent, because apparently they had the bathing and cleaning with herbs and oils game going before anyone else.

    Also, Cordon is getting his hair styled by a professional every night at work. I’m sure it’s getting trimmed frequently. I’m sure they wash it if they feel it’s needed.

  22. thecookingpan says:

    Live through three years of day zero looming (ie the dams are reaching EMPTY) and signboards screaming that message at you from along the freeway and anywhere else; and then come tell me about 10-20 minute showers. It’s wasteful. Bathing is a luxury, you need to shower first in any event otherwise you’re just swimming in your own grime.

  23. Mina_Esq says:

    I am a master of quick showers, thanks to years of practice. I soap my entire body, use a natural scrub, and shave my lower legs within 3-4 minutes. I need 5 extra minutes to wash my hair though. Having said that, can we please stop talking about people’s hygiene?

  24. Daisy says:

    I know this seems gross, but I’ve recently only started washing my hair every 2 weeks. I had suffered with a dry flaky scalp and dandruff shampoos only made it worse for some reason. It’s helped tremendously but I only saw a difference after a couple of months. I wash with Dermacare scalp and use never salty scrub once a month and whatever deep conditioner I have on hand. BIG difference. Between shampooing, I oil my scalp with mane choice growth oil and my dry, flaky scalp is no more. My hair is a bit fine but I use a braid and a silk cap at night. It may not work for everyone, but it has worked for me.

  25. Bassflower says:

    He needs to add 1 more minute minimum to his routine.

  26. Chicken says:

    I lived through the Cape Town water crisis. Believe me, when the choice is between using only the allowed amount for your household or having the city come in to install a water meter that will shut off the water supply should you exceed it, you will learn how to take 45 second showers. You will also learn how to turn the water off between shampooing, soaping, shaving, etc. You will learn how to manage with a bucket in the shower to collect grey water to reuse to flush your loo. As a city we were facing a Day Zero scenario: either we all adhered to the restrictions or the water would run out before the next rainy season and we would have been collecting water from municipal trucks… The taps were literally about to run dry.

    All this to say: James needs to cut that time down to 90 seconds. Also, he probs washes his hair with body wash like most men (they only consider hair washing to be the use of shampoo).

    • susan says:

      this. folks who haven’t lived through water restrictions need to quit virtue signaling about washing their legs, 2-3 showers a day, etc etc etc.

      there will be shortages, restrictions and water rationing everywhere, and it will be in our lifetimes.

      • Desdemona says:

        Definitely… When I was a kid, in my hometown we had a problem of water shortage every single summer. There was water solely during the morning for 3 / 4 hours tops.. So, everything had to be doen in that time : wash the clothes and dishes, have a shower, cook, everything… And no, we’d be out running around (we were kids) and we couldn’t have a shower in the evening because there was no water… We had to use water we had in carboys to wash the feet, the armpits…

        People need to learn to change habits and ideas… Running clean water is not to be wasted….

  27. Nico says:

    My showers are a little longer than that but in terms of actual running water time, 3 or 4 minutes are enough for most things. I’m a woman with very long hair that is living in California and I take “navy showers”. Get wet, turn off the water, lather hair and scrub body, turn water back on to rinse. I use leave-in conditioner for my hair, and shave (or wax) without leaving the water running. Would I like to stand under the showerhead and enjoy gallons and gallons of water? Sure, but that’s just not happening right now. A guy friend of mine has a close-cropped afro and doesn’t wash it at all. It can be done.