I Tried “Love Island USA” Star Leah Kateb’s Shower Routine, and It’s a Gourmand Dream

“Love Island USA” season six took over my life. From the friendship goals of cast members Serena Page, JaNa Craig, and Leah Kateb to the drama-filled Casa Amor and hilarious (and sometimes shady) challenges, the entertainment was truly unmatched. What started as a way to support Ariana Madix as she steps into her hosting era became my newest reality TV obsession. I downloaded the app to vote on time, followed most of the cast on social to keep up with their post-villa shenanigans, and watched nearly every interview they’ve done. I even started picking up on the cast’s lingo, from Kendall Washington’s “nausty,” Kaylor Martin’s “fawk Aaron,” or Kateb’s “spare me!”

Thanks to the show’s instant popularity, several Love Islanders are entering their influencing era and sharing their favorite products, including Kateb and her now-viral shower routine. Noting that she always gets complimented on her soft skin and how good she smells, she claims that her under-$40 regimen will be the upgrade you need.

The routine consists of four products that are described as “vanilla girl” scents or, as Kateb puts it, “girls who like to smell like a cupcake,” featuring an array of gourmands and sweet notes. As a fan of both Kateb and sweeter fragrances, I had to see if Kateb did her big one with this routine and if her product recommendations live up to the hype. (If nothing else, I was hoping it would hold me over until “Love Island USA” season 7 premieres.)

Keep reading for my full experience below. Note: Depending on the sizes you get, the price of the entire routine varies. In Kateb’s viral shower routine TikTok, a few products are smaller or travel sizes.

Kateb starts her shower with an antibacterial wash and then goes in with the Lush Sticky Dates Shower Gel ($13-$40). She describes the scent as “everything good you can put together in this world” — and she’s not wrong. With a date syrup base and notes of vanilla and sandalwood, it has a deep, sweet fragrance that reminds me of warm brown sugar. I squeezed a dollop of the body wash on my exfoliating gloves and instantly got a whiff, and soon enough, it filled the entire bathroom. It’s very fragrant and lathers beautifully for a gentle, yummy cleanse.

Next, Kateb goes in with the L’Occitane Shea Body Shower Oil ($12-$29), describing the scent as similar to baby soap. I found the shower oil to be lightweight and silky, and its scent was powdery, very similar to the Pond’s Talcum Powder that my grandmother uses. I applied it onto my wet skin, giving myself a relaxing body massage as the oil emulsified into a milky white froth, and then washed it off. Its smooth texture also lends itself as a great conditioning agent for shaving. Kateb notes that Sticky Dates is the more overpowering scent that stays on the skin; however, I noticed the opposite. For me, the L’Occitane Shea Body Shower Oil scent lingered on my skin post-shower.

Depending on her skin’s needs and mood, Kateb moisturizes her body with either the Eos 24H Moisture Body Lotion in Vanilla Cashmere ($8, originally $11) or the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Butter ($49). Kateb notes that the Creme de Corps Body Butter will leave your skin softer and hydrated for longer than the 24H Moisture Body Lotion, but the Eos body lotion is more fragrant compared to the body butter. Although I do not have the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Butter on hand, I do have the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Body Lotion ($39), which is just a thinner consistency, according to the Kiehl’s site. Both lotions are deeply moisturizing and pleasant to apply. Given Kateb’s analysis, I decided to apply the Creme de Corps Body Lotion first to help hydrate my skin and then layer the Eos 24H Moisture Body Lotion in Vanilla Cashmere on top for the buttery, warm vanilla scent.

After the entire routine, my skin was left feeling soft and (in Kateb’s words) “ma ma ma ma moisturized” with a beautiful glow that glistened in the sun. The vanilla cashmere scent lasted all night long, and I even woke up the next morning with the fragrance still lingering on my skin.

Kateb ends her routine with a spritz of her favorite vanilla perfume, which she did not initially disclose until she posted a follow-up TikTok on her perfume collection. “The scents I like, I like to smell edible. I like to smell like you can eat me off of a plate. I want to smell like you want to come and taste me,” she says in the clip. Kateb is a big fan of the Kayali Vanilla 28 ($100), which was a popular fragrance amongst the Villa girls on “Love Island USA,” and as a result of her influence, it sold out a few times. After she revived its popularity, she collaborated with Kayali founder and Dubai Bling star Mona Kattan and became the brand’s newest ambassador. Kateb loves the Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato ($100), a gourmand with notes of nutty pistachio and hazelnut, cotton candy, and whipped cream, and even layers it with the Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow ($100), a sweet, fruity scent with pink marshmallow, strawberry, coconut, vanilla, and pink musk.

Kateb’s other favorite “how to smell edible” fragrance recommendations include the Skylar Vanilla Sky Perfume ($90), Love by Kilian Don’t Be Shy ($295), Philosophy Fresh Cream ($54), and Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille ($425) which is a woody-amber vanilla fragrance that has been her go-to for six years.

Kateb put us on one of the most luxurious shower routines, and I highly recommend it — times a million. Here’s hoping she drops her hair-care routine next.

Anvita Reddy (she/her) is a former assistant editor for PS Shopping. She has a passion for products and reviews home gadgets, cookware, tech, and more. Having dealt with acne as a teenager and into adulthood, her expertise lies in beauty. At PS, she tested skin care, makeup, and hair care, plus countless other beauty products.