You might be a little more than disgusted -- I admit am one of the ones your mother warns you about: I don’t shower every day. My reasons are simple, it’s boring and I don’t like it. Showering brings me no relaxation. The last time I remember being excited about showering was the last time I went to the beach (in July). It’s a tedious act. But I feel justified in my stance on showering! If I smell, or if I’m menstruating, I shower. I change my underwear every day, I wear deodorant, and my hair is thick enough to mask oil for more than a few days. Not only that, but almost all dermatologists say that showering every day is bad for your skin, hair, and nails.
A hot shower every day strips the skin of oils and bacteria it needs to keep you healthy and moisturized. If you have dry skin like me, showering only 2-3 times per week is a saving grace. And even then, you should be using lukewarm to cold water, because cooler temperatures don’t strip oils as fast. If you are in need of a shower every day -- be it because you feel gross, or because you’re actually smelly -- but you are aware of how these showers are affecting your hair, skin, and nails. Dr. Casey Carlos, a dermatology professor at the University of California San Diego suggests that you use an in-shower moisturizer and then an after shower moisturizer. She also suggests that if you have dry skin, and don’t absolutely have to shower every day, you might find solace in a twice weekly soak (10 to 15 minutes) in lukewarm water, and then apply moisturizer directly after, and moisturize while the skin is still damp.
As for your hair, a little oil never hurt anybody. If you have thick hair, like mine, you know you don’t need to wash it every day, and you probably even think it looks better on the second day of washing. That’s because the natural oils help add shine and combat frizz. However, if you have thinner strands, you should look into different dry shampoos to keep your hair healthy, and to add volume and diminish that greasy look. But if you’re not into aerosols, you should know that baby powder works very much the same.
And your nails? Your nails absorb water. You notice it when you’ve been swimming for a while and your nails go kind of mushy, and puffy, and too flexible for comfort. It’s because they’re water-logged. When nails have an abundance of water, it is less likely they will hold any polish. To counteract this effect (and preserve your manicure), Ana at BlissKiss suggests always using a base coat, which will bond the polish to the actual nail surface, because color nail polish is meant to bond only with a base coat (i.e. other nail polish) and not with the nail surface. You may now be thinking “I don’t wear nail polish, what else does it do” and to that I offer a reminder that nails, hair, and skin, are all created from relatively the same organic materials.
So, I hope that those of you who (like me) have been quietly not showering can now feel justified too. As long as you don’t stink, and haven’t been working in a chemical plant or rolling in mud, you probably aren’t as dirty as you think -- keep moisturizing as usual to keep your skin in shape, but don’t feel bad for not showering tonight if you don’t want to, your skin will thank you!
