To ask about basic personal hygiene?

[SteptoeAndDaughter]

I'm in my 40s and yet somehow don't feel like I've ever got a handle on this.

What times/how often do you brush & floss?

Shower?

Wash your face?

I know there are no 'right' answers to these questions but I'm trying to figure out what it means to be well-groomed and to look after myself properly. Feeling a bit lost. What does it mean to you?

Do the non daily showerers not have close contact with others? I couldn't go to work not showered and deorderised, it wouldn't be fair on my colleagues or my patients. Even showering daily if I've been running around I often need a freshen up at lunchtime. I also chew gum after coffee and lunch to keep my breath sweet. If I'm at home with the dcs I might go a day and a half between washes. Oh and teeth2-3 times daily. Again fresh outfit everyday for work, jeans might go 3 or 4 days.

Aren't daily showers a relatively recent thing? I do shower daily but the first time I I lived in a house which had a shower was 1982.

I don't particularly remember people being smellier back then.

Shower every morning sometimes at night as well if I'm going out

Wash face and clean teeth every morning and night

I only floss when I remenver do a couple of times. Week

Clean clothes every morning , will but fresh underwear on if going out at night too and getting changed

You're not supposed to wash jeans... feel free to google it. You can spot clean of course, but if you do want to wash them it should be by hand, never in the machine.

You're also not supposed to wash your hair every day, very bad for it.

For myself:

• Shower every day
• brush teeth morning and night
• floss when needed
• change underwear and socks each day

etc etc

*wash hair every 3-4 days. Dry shampoo in-between if necessary

Bath most nights, don't like showers as enjoy reading while soaking. Brush teeth twice day. Wash hair every 2 or 3 days, depending on exercise. Clean underwear daily and wash jeans every 4/5 days. Oh and wash face with flannel in bath and use face wipes in between.

I shower every other day usually wash hair and shave anywhere needed at same time.

Brush and straighten hair morning after shower then just tidy it up with quick brush until it's washed again.

Wash face with plain water every morning and night and put simple cream on after.

Teeth brushed morning and night. I don't floss I can't bear it but teeth are ok I probably should go to the dentist more. I've been twice in ten years and I have people in my life who wouldn't be shy about telling me if my breath smelt.

Clean pants and socks daily. Tops bras every other day, jeans probably a few more days if they survive the children.

I'm quite the scruff by mn standards.

shower every day, brush teeth twice a day most the time , wash face in the shower, and again at night. Bath once a week, wash hair once a week. I only really shower everyday to same up and cus I enjoy it, else I'd probably do it every other day.

*wake

I have daily contact with the public, I don't smell at all, I wear deodorant and change my clothes daily. I only showered every day when I was nursing to wash the milk away, I used to shower every day and I went to the GP with eczema and he told me My skin is really fair an would benefit from showering every other day if emollients don't work. I haven't looked back! I was also getting recurrent UTIs which he said was down to using strong soaps on my fanjita.

There was a girl I worked with who says she showered twice a day and washed her bedlinen every night, she didn't look any different to me, washing twice a day must be bad for your vaginal flora, I know that's a bit personal but the more you wash yourself and your hair, the more your body will produce the smelly things that make you wiffy, the more you wash your lady bits with soap, the more smelly they will be as your body tries to restore the oils in your Fanjita and the sebum in your skin and hair, your secretions will go into overdrive.

The summer is different for me I do shower every day then, I just have to use my emollients every day and I hate the feeling of them on my skin.

Some people are more smelly than others and need to wash more, however I always get told how lovely I smell! I use Jo Malone products because they are gentle on my skin and I get told all the time I smell lovely like flowers!

Shower every morning, clean teeth twice a day, flossing with the morning clean. Hair wash 3 times a week (usually after a gym session which is 3 times a week) If I don't get the the gym I have to wash hair on 3rd day as looks horrid. Change pants every day, change bra's usually every other, occasionally after 3 days. Tops against my skin are changed daily, jeans 2-3 days wear only, jumpers changed when look dirty of smell of food cooking!!

I swim in the morning before work so shower and wash my hair then, and usually have a bath when I get in from work when I'll shave my legs/armpits etc. I sometimes go to the gym at lunch so have a v quick shower then as well.

I change my socks 2-3 times a day (but still always have athletes foot...) I also change my knickers after each shower.

If I go out straight from work I don't shower in the evening though.

I clean my teeth morning and (mostly) night but feel that I should probably do more. Never floss.

I also never wear the same top, leggings or tights for more than one day but I'll wear the same jumper or trousers for a few days in a row.

However I do walk everywhere so I probably sweat more than most people!

And I disagree that washing your hair every day is bad for it - I wash mine every day because I swim and it's in very good condition. I don't really dry or straighten it though which I think helps.

Thanks for the link paddy. I don't have dry skin, never had a skin infection etc etc so I'll carry on doing what I'm doing for now.

People who shower/hair wash/change all clothes daily whether you and they need it or not, aren't you worried about the environmental impact?

Shower every morning but wash my hair alternate days or its gets too dry.
Teeth two or three times a day
Change underwear, tops, socks and pjs every day
Shave most days too (legs a bit less frequently)

Shower every day - usually in the morning.

Wash hair 2/3 times a week

Body lotion & deodorant after shower.

Clean teeth 2/3 times a day - once with flossing & waterpik. Always otherwise with mouthwash.

Change underwear every day. Different work clothes every day. If just sitting at home may wear same clothes for a couple if days.

?
I've noticed that sour or fetid breath becomes more common as people get older, I don't remember ever encountering it amongst peers when I was a youngster.
Also that women are increasingly likely to not remove facial hair, I've wondered if that is related to near sightedness?

I echo the sentiment expressed upthread re teeth whitening and having concerns that this may compromise the integrity of the teeth. ?

OP?

I shower every other day unless I've been doing something that's made me sweaty. I get very dry skin so daily showers would leave me red raw.

Shower every day + after the gym
Hair wash x 2 week, sometimes have a blow dry if going out
Exfoliate body x 2 week / body cream every night
Exfoliate face every 2 days / always apply sweet almond oil before bed
Teeth - twice a day + at work after certain foods / before meetings / socialising
Floss / waterpik every night
Dentist / hygienist every six months
Facial 1 x month
Facial treatment at home 1 x week
Bath w/ Epsom salts, aromatherapy oils, candles, basically the works, every Sunday evening
Change of clothes everyday, fresh undies, etc, always wash jeans to retain shape, have separate undies for the gym, wash gym kit 1 x week but have three sets and go four - fives times a week
Don't ustand why pantyliners are necessary for some people
**as you've probably sussed, I don't have any kids
people mentioning the environment re showering every day, do you drive cars, travel by aircraft, use electricity / gas, eat meat, have kids, etc, etc, etc? You get my drift