Throwing Bathing Norms out with the Bath Water

Niki

My bathing habits certainly changed after my daughter was born. I suppose when time is precious, you learn how to get by with less.

These days I probably shower every two days and wash my hair every three days, unless I manage to fit in a run. Then I shower/wash up no matter what.

November 11, 2010 at 3:47 am

Elika

Actually, I think that for many people showering daily is completely unneccessary and a reduction of bathing time could help improve many skin issues. Any dermatologist will tell you that bathing too much is very bad for your skin as it will make it much drier.

I have had eczema sinds I was little and I shower every other day (unless I have been sporting or sweating heavily due to some other reason), and use a natural deodorant because otherwise my skin becomes dry and painful and much more sensitive.
And I have never had complaints about body smell

There is also the issue of water waste… Although ofcourse living in a very hot climate changes things.

November 11, 2010 at 3:49 am

Velma

Veteran

When I lived in Texas, I did take a daily shower–sometimes twice a day in the summer. And when I had very short hair that required lots of products, I washed my hair daily. These days, though, I live in a cold place and have longer hair. I wash my hair every other day (I dampen and style it on the “off” days) and shower every other day. I use deodorant every day, of course, and I promise I don’t smell!

I do think that showering twice a day is wasteful of natural resources, to be honest. I am also a little baffled by the habit of taking long showers simply to “wake up.”

November 11, 2010 at 4:06 am

Polly (thunalata)

Veteran

I was brought up to wash twice a day using soap, flannel and a basin of water. I had a bath 2 or 3 times a week and washed my (long) hair 2 or 3 times a week. This comes from a world of limited hot water!

When we married, DH, a daily showerer, was rather shocked by this. I stuck to my guns for a year or so and then grudgingly started to shower daily and haven’t looked back. I have short hair now and wash it every day. I accept that it is wasteful in many ways (certainly compared with my former habits), but I can live with that – I think I make decisions in other parts of my life that balance it out!

November 11, 2010 at 4:24 am

bj1111

Veteran

showering before bed every other day is my ideal. i sleep on my wet hair as the primary way to style it. in the winter i love evening showers as a way to get warm before bed. i can go longer without showering without missing it terribly and still feeling “fresh”, especially if i haven’t been doing anything more strenuous than computer work.

i stayed at a hostel many many years ago run by a moroccan woman who wore the same muumuu the entire 5 day stay. she made fun of americans who showered every day, using up her hot water. apparently it is an american-ism abroad, along with nike trainers and north face gear.

November 11, 2010 at 4:25 am

rute

Veteran

I take two quick showers, one in the morning and the other at the end of the day (after working out)! Mandatory for me! I love!

November 11, 2010 at 4:56 am

Hala

Hi there Angie! I’m a big fan of your site and have been an avid follower for year, although this is my first comment (blush!).

I just thought it might be interesting to give my take on this, seeing how much I love showers and taking long bubble baths!

Because I live in the Middle East, baths are truly a luxury, and you have to learn to master the art of the 2-minute shower. We have a severe water shortage (especially where I grew up in Jordan, and less so in the UAE) and our water tanks get filled up once a week, which is usually known as laundry day in our home. We can’t have the water heater on at all times due to crazy diesel prices so we have to plan when we shower, switch on the heater, and wait for hot water. Showering is not an automatic, do it as soon as you wake up, kind of thing. And definitely not daily.

Plus for someone with super long and unmanageable hair, washing it daily is my worst nightmare.

I shower every other day, and if I’ve had my hair styled/blow dried at the hair dresser, which we can do often because it’s quite cheap here, then I might go two days and shower on the third. It’s the norm here, and we just wash up and stay hygienic through out the day.

Of course, there’s the matter of the hot summers and the terrible sweat, so showering daily would definitely be a requirement then. But thankfully, the hot weather means a cold shower is all you really need.

Hope this gives a bit of an idea why sometimes showering daily is just not part of a lifestyle!

November 11, 2010 at 5:09 am

Queen Mum

Veteran

I shower every morning. On the rare day that I decide to skip the shower, I just don’t feel right all day long. I don’t wash my hair every day, but I have to wet it down. Otherwise, I end up feeling grungy.
And I wouldn’t even dream of going sans deoderant.

I know that as Americans we are overly obsessed with being clean, but I’m not going to give up my daily shower. I do believe that we over wash our clothes… but that’s another blog topic

November 11, 2010 at 5:10 am

Teresa

I shower once a day, wash my medium length, curly hair every 2 or 3 days, and sponge bathe in between showers if I feel less than fresh.

I don’t care how often other people bathe, as long as I can’t smell them. I am very tired of people who stink and tell me it’s because they are ecologically conscious, or they are being global, or whatever. No, it’s because you need to bathe more frequently with soap and then put on deodorant (and maybe some body powder in the summertime) and then change your undergarments. Sheesh.

November 11, 2010 at 5:10 am

Dusty

(website)

Active Member

I don’t feel right if I don’t shower in the morning, but I often wash my hair every other day instead of daily.

November 11, 2010 at 5:13 am

Barbara

Veteran

Angie, I take a quick shower every morning, including soaking my head. It refreshes me and prepares me for what is usually a LONG day. I live in the South, so long summer days sometimes require two showers – one in the morning, a quick rinse in the evening. Going to bed sweaty is not an option!

I don’t feel civilized and human without my daily shower. ! In fact, after primitive camping for a day or two, showering is top priority once arriving at home. Those campground ‘solar showers’ just don’t provide QUITE the luxurious experience this outdoorsy girl needs!

And I DO believe in deodorant and antiperspirant. Stinky is never fabulous!

November 11, 2010 at 5:23 am

Debora

Veteran

Oh my gosh, this IS a sticky subject! I’ve been debating all morning whether or not to dip my toes into the (bath) water, but then I decided to stay out of it and keep my hands clean. I’ll wait for the dust to settle before I comment further!

November 11, 2010 at 5:27 am

Barbara

Veteran

Angie, I just thought of something else: Everyone we met while living in Europe, with a rare exception, showered or bathed only once or twice a week. In fact, all of our close European friends told us we were crazy to shower every day. That was quite a culture shock!

November 11, 2010 at 5:27 am

calliope (Greece)

The summers here are H.O.T so I shower a lot. Small showers though, that last less than 5 min and with the tap closed when not used.
In winter, I shower every other night before bed unless I exercise or do heavy work that includes sweating.
When my son was a baby I hated bathing him every day because his skin would suffer. So I stopped hot everyday baths and baby shampoos (still use olive oil soap) and the atopic dermatitis improved a lot.
Now that his in preschool and plays a lot in the backyard, I shower him every day.

November 11, 2010 at 5:34 am

Irene

Veteran

I am Spanish, European, and shower every single day with no exceptions. And all my friends and family members do so as well (I believe). I’ve heard that in Spain we are ‘cleaner’ than in the rest of Europe, but I’m not sure if that’s really true. I also wash my hair everyday, but that’s a personal thing. It gets really greasy during the night and also, I guess I move a lot and its shape changes to the extent that it is impossible to make it go back to an acceptable form without getting it wet again.

November 11, 2010 at 5:43 am

Sihaya

Veteran

I have to shower daily. There are maybe one or two days a year, usually if I’m really sick, that I don’t shower. Next to brushing my teeth, this is an essential part of my routine. In addition to feeling clean and crisp and awake, I also can’t warm up usually unless I’ve had a shower. I also use deodorant daily. Au natural when it comes to body smells is not my style. I grew up in the tropics as well and bathed everyday. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an option to bathe twice – else I would have. We didn’t have running water nor warm water. So when the temperatures were a little cooler, we had to boil a pot of water and mix it into a larger bucket of water to make the water tepid.

While I understand that it’s not the most ecologically friendly thing to take long showers, like Angie, I do whenever I can. Standing under a hot shower head for 5 extra minutes helps me wash away my stress and worries. And I’m saving gas by not going for a long drive by the beach instead

November 11, 2010 at 6:03 am

shana

Veteran

I can understand showering twice a day when you live in the tropics – I do so when I am in India. It’s absolutely necessary. However, I wouldn’t dream about doing it here – it would dry out my skin excessively and now that I live on well water, I’m more conscious about water conservation too. I generally take a shower every day but honestly, it sometimes becomes every other day if I’m not going anywhere (only in the winter though). I have to shower immediately after working out which is why I often shower at the gym because I can’t stand the sweaty feeling or sweaty clothing for even the 10 minute car ride home.

November 11, 2010 at 6:04 am

Elika

That’s funny because I always heard that Spanish people are the ones that give all Europeans the ‘image’ of only showering once or twice a week Guess it depends who you ask…

I’m from the Netherlands and it’s split about 50/50 here between showering daily or every other day.

November 11, 2010 at 6:04 am

Moni

My shower frequency ranges from daily to every 2-3 days, depending on the season and how late I sleep! On days that I don’t shower I “soldier’s wash” (soap and washcloth under arms and between legs) and apply deodorant. I have dry skin and showering more than once a day would dry it out terribly in the winter. My hair is also super curly and therefore gets washed once a week (and yes, it looks and smells clean). I use regular deodorant/antiperspirant, but have experimented with natural deodorants in the past. Many of them worked well, especially in colder months, but the ones that worked best for me (baking soda based, including just applying plain baking soda) eventually dried out my underarms terribly. I would love to find a natural deodorant that works without ruining my skin, but at this point I’m unwilling to experiment with it.

November 11, 2010 at 6:22 am

crwilson

Veteran

I shower every morning, and I wash my hair every morning. I just feel badly all day if I don’t. I’ve realize how much I depend on a pleasant morning shower (and I don’t typically take long showers), perhaps abnormally so. If my shower is cold, cramped, or in some other way uncomfortable, it puts me in a rotten mood all day. I do know that that’s a luxury though, and I feel guilty about it.

And, Barbara, I totally agree with your statement that showering is the first thing I do when I get back from primitive camping. My most memorable and enjoyable showers are inevitably after camping and only using the solar shower.

November 11, 2010 at 6:28 am

Kari

Veteran

I have to shower (or, my preference, bathe) daily. My skin and scalp tend to get oily, and in the past when I tried to wash my hair every other day (still showering, just no shampoo), the skin on my face didn’t react well. I much prefer bathing in the morning as it’s a nice, relaxing way to (mentally and literally) warm up, and I start the day feeling fresh.

That being said, I have friends with much curlier and dryer hair than I have, and also who sweat less & get less oily, and can go a few days without washing their hair. (I haven’t asked about other cleanliness personal habits.)

Also, in the winter when eczema on my hands or face or body flares up, washing daily even with water can be harsh and downright painful – sometimes I honestly think that I should wear rubber gloves when I shampoo my hair. (Angie, I know you mentioned you’re quite prone to dry skin – is this an issue for you during the cooler, dryer parts of the year?)

November 11, 2010 at 6:33 am

Becky

Veteran

My skin is happier if I shower every other day, but my allergies are happier if I shower and wash my hair every day (at night, before bed). Unfortunately, I have a rather acute sense of smell, and dislike any hint of body odor on myself or others, so going without deodorant would not be an option for me.

November 11, 2010 at 6:59 am

Nichole@40daysof

(website)

I think a daily shower is what I personally need. I do sometimes stretch it in winter if it’s a day I haven’t exercised. But I still have to use dry shampoo on my head and wash my face and a few other spots. I also use a deodorant that is not an antiperspirant. So I sometimes take two showers in the summer. But it’s a pain because I look like a nut if I don’t blow dry my hair each time.

Giveaway on my blog today!
http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/giveaway/

November 11, 2010 at 6:59 am

Inge

Thunalata said: “I was brought up to wash twice a day using soap, flannel and a basin of water. I had a bath 2 or 3 times a week and washed my (long) hair 2 or 3 times a week.”

I remember this being the same way when I was young, daily showers or baths just weren’t that common back then, and nobody ever gave it a second thought. (and no one smelled;-)

I shower every day now, I love taking baths too, it relaxes me at night (or wakes me up in the morning). My hair gets washed every two days or so, it’s incredibly dry and washing more often aggravates the problem. Water does tend to dry out my skin too, so I always moisturize (body oil or a rich body lotion) after every shower.

November 11, 2010 at 7:02 am

meggers

Member

I must be the odd one out, I’ve never really enjoyed bathing or showering. Of course I do it because I know I have to, but I try to get it over with as quickly as possible. My aversion is probably mostly due to my thick hair, if I let it air-dry it looks funky and takes at least 4 hours to dry, if I blow-dry it it takes a while to do (but at least it looks better).

I exercise in the morning most days of the week, so I end up showering every day, washing my hair every other day. If I didn’t exercise, I’d likely just shower every other day.

November 11, 2010 at 7:14 am

Roopa

Active Member

I grew up in India, and it used to be hot and humid all year long. So, since childhood I am used to showering twice a day. When I was a child we had a simple bathroom with a faucet. So baths meant pouring several hundred mugfuls of water over myself from a large bucket. My mother used to heat water on the stove for us each morning, and each of us used to mix the hot and cold water until it was just right (when it was my turn I usually used up most of the hot water!). Now things are different back home, and we have electric heaters, and showers, etc. So, anyways, I never used a bathtub until I came to the USA. I like to take bubble baths once in a while. I guess its just me, but I feel like I am wasting a lot of water when I take tub baths. I shower twice a day, once in the morning, and once at night after I return from the gym. I use a nylon pouf both the times, as I feel clean only when I scrub. And it relaxes me. I wash my hair and style it at night, because I don’t have so much time in the morning to do it, and who wants to battle with ill behaved hair at 7 am?. I live in Nebraska, and the winters are quite harsh, so I use lotion in the day time and baby oil at night to keep moisturized. I don’t feel good if I don’t have my 2 showers a day..:-)

November 11, 2010 at 7:23 am

Maya

Veteran

People need to just use their judgment. We’re all unique and the same set of rules aren’t going to work for all of us. Is that really a surprise?

I also disagree with the idea that people can’t smell themselves. I sure can. I tried using a natural deodorant for a while and it was a bad idea, and trust me: no one had to tell me. I switched back within a day.

Some people can get away without deodorant but I need to go the whole hog and wear antiperspirant. If my underarms are wet, I feel miserable. If I lived in fear of everything that might remotely cause health concerns later in life, I’d live in a sweaty bubble. I’d rather have peace of mind and body today. If someone else can go without, that’s great. More power to them. But I can’t.

Stinking, however, is not something I can get behind. Yes, it’s natural. So is not combing your hair, working in an office, going barefoot, and hunting for your food. So…no thanks.

Anyway, there are other ways to make up for the water/energy consumption. Totally agree with Kim: The amount of laundry some people do is madness. I read the comments to an article about this very thing, where a substantial amount of people were saying they wash their towels and sheets in hot water DAILY. Are you kidding me?! A 15 minute shower is pretty innocent by comparison.

November 11, 2010 at 7:24 am

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Haha, Angie, your routine isn’t excessive in the least, in my view…saying otherwise would make me an enormous hypocrite! I shower in the morning and take a bath before I go to bed, and my reasons for doing so are much like yours. A shower is crucial to waking me up, and without one I feel sloppy and unfab in the extreme. I wash my hair every day because it gets greasy otherwise. And my night-time bath (complete with bath oil) helps me unwind, is a form of self-pampering and sends me off to sleep in a flash. I wouldn’t change a thing!

November 11, 2010 at 7:25 am

Lisa

Veteran

How often I shower depends on how much I sweat and how many products are in my hair. Typically I shower once a day and and wash my hair every other day. If I run or do something else that works up a sweat, I shower and wash my hair again. If I add a lot of products to my hair, I will wash it again instead of skipping a day. I never go more than two days without a shower, even if I am really sick. As long as I am physically able to shower, I do everyday.

November 11, 2010 at 7:28 am

Joy

Veteran

I grew up in a family that bathed once a week on Saturday night! Now it’s everyday, sometimes twice a day. I like showers in the morning and to wash my hair and a bath in the evening to warm up in winter. My skin does better when washed everyday in summer but gets dry when the central heating is needed. I try to keep showers short and bath water shallow to conserve water.

November 11, 2010 at 7:34 am

marianna

Veteran

I shower once a day (in the mornings) and wash my hair every day — this is without exception. I personally cannot fathom going without shower or freshly washed hair, but I don’t like to judge how others live their lives. I just hope that those who choose not to shower often are respectful of others because I do NOT want to be subjected to someone’s body odor! That’s bad manners in my opinion.

November 11, 2010 at 7:35 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Great comments, ladies! I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Keep them coming.

Velma, you assumed that I take long showers. When I *can* spend 5 minutes longer under the shower its an absolute luxury – just as Sihaya suggests. It hardly happens. Also, in the tropics there are very real water shortages (while I was living there too) and I am experienced at taking the two minute cold shower Hala talks of. You get very used to it and it’s very refreshing. I can count the number of times I’ve had a bath on one hand. I do not like soaking in a bath

Queen Mum, bless you for bringing up laundry. SO TRUE. I am very aware of that. I have never washed anything in hot water and never will.

Meggers, you are not alone. I know people who do not enjoy the act of bathing either.

Maya, good point. How you bathe and when you bathe is a very personal thing and hopefully we can keep our judgments aside.

Kari, my skin gets dry fast like yours. At night I do not use soap when I shower.

November 11, 2010 at 7:36 am

Katie

Hey, I actually shower only 3 times a week in the cold autum and winter. In the summer a daily one is sometimes required, but there are times i manage to pull a two-days. My mom , who’s a daily showerer, is both amazed and grossed out, because she doesn’t understand why i don’t smell at all. I just guess i have a good skin balance. ( And i kinda don’t sweat , but that’s slightly medical, cause it puts a lot of pressure on my kidneys- to quote my kidney doctor) . Unfortunately my hair needs more washing, but i stick to every other day, and use an dry shampoo in between. So, it just depends, or maybe i’m the odd one:)

November 11, 2010 at 7:48 am

taylor

Veteran

I also start my day in the shower and If i have worked in the salon I end my day with a shower also.
I don’t believe that bathing daily is wasteful . It still rains where I live..water is not an issue.
I’ll let someone else skip the daily shower, spray of perfume and deodorant…I personally enjoy feeling fresh and clean.

November 11, 2010 at 7:59 am

Late Bloomer

(website)

Active Member

As a historian the infrequency of hair washing during Victorian times came to mind when I read this blog entry. I just searched and found this fascinating article on the topic. I knew the washed their hair at the most every month but now I understand why. It turns out the soaps of the day were brutal on hair. But they did faithfully do the classic brushing of their hair 100 strokes a day.

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/blog/?p=1022

November 11, 2010 at 8:04 am

Mac

Veteran

I usually bathe 4 nights/ week and shower twice/ week. Depends on my activity level. I always have to shower immediately after a workout/ any activity that makes me perspire. My skin and hair lean towards the dry side so when I can, I take an occasional skip from daily washing and my body thanks me. In September, I had a very expensive “Keratin treatment” on my hair and so now have even more incentive to wash my hair only twice or thrice/week; want to help that treatment last!

When I lived in Paris, I definitely noticed the odour of people on the subway in summer and would have appreciated more frequent bathing on their part. I’ve read that Brad Pitt is an infrequent washer and often smells quite rank and I must say that ended any hint of a crush I might have harboured. When in London, I see heaps of people – especially men – who have hair that is absolutely in its slept-upon state during the morning commute whereas in New York it is far less the case; it was explained to me that London guys tend to bathe in the evening while New Yorkers are often morning and evening shower-ers. I think it’s fun to notice differences like this; makes me feel like a bit of a cultural anthropologist.

November 11, 2010 at 8:04 am

Pamela

I have very sensitive skin and can break out in eczema at the slightest trigger=temp changes/dry weather/various clothing, skin products etc. My derm has advised me to wash less frequently than daily, but honestly, I just can’t do it. I’ve tried and I feel ‘congealed’ and miserable. I have managed to force myself to wash my hair every other day, but would still prefer daily. I just cannot feel refreshed w/o a daily shower [and in the summer or work out days-two showers]. Sure, I go thru a LOT of lotion, but for me, it’s worth it for that clean feeling.

November 11, 2010 at 8:12 am

keets

(website)

Active Member

I shower every morning (I occasionally skip once during the weekend if I don’t go anywhere) and wash my hair every 3 days. I used to wash my hair every day when I didn’t style it, but now that it’s short I find that I need to blow dry/flat iron and I just don’t give myself enough time before work!

November 11, 2010 at 8:19 am

Kristine

Veteran

I shower every evening. I spend my mornings with yoga and a dog walk before work, so I don’t usually have time for a shower. My hair is long and curly/wavy so I wash it every 2-3 days. I think it actually looks and feels better if I don’t wash it daily. Plus I prefer to air dry so washing it daily would take a long time.

November 11, 2010 at 8:27 am

Diana

I shower every day (in the evening, usually) and occasionally more than once a day, if I’ve been sweating a lot or something. My skin is dry and probably all the showering is not good for it, but I feel gross if I do not shower every day – it’s probably all psychological as I am not a naturally smelly person in any case. I’ve also heard that you should take warm, not hot, showers if you have dry skin, but I find warm showers thoroughly unpleasant so I deal with the dry skin and use lots of lotion. My other quirk is that I like the clean feeling you get with real soap rather than body washes that leave residues on your skin; unfortunately, real soap is rather drying as well. I usually use some type of glycerin soap (actually, lately I’ve been using the Neutrogena facial soap as body soap – it’s basically the solid version of my body wash) which is a little better for my skin.

I only wash my hair every other day, sometimes every 3 days in the winter, though, as it helps my haircolor last longer and, more importantly, my hair and scalp are so dry that if I shampoo every day my scalp starts to flake and my hair starts to split. Honestly, my hair looks better slightly dirty anyway. (If I could figure out a way to wash my scalp and not the hair, that would be ideal since I think my actual hair could stand being washed LESS often than I currently wash it, but my scalp likes the every other day routine.

As for deodorant, I do not wear it at all, but as I mentioned above, I am remarkably non-smelly in terms of body odor. Because I don’t smell at all, I am really sensitive to other people’s body odor and I really hate it, so I am a big proponent of deodorant if you need it! I don’t wear perfume either for what it’s worth and don’t like smelling it on others; I like people to smell like nothing at all, or maybe soap.

November 11, 2010 at 8:29 am

Steffie

Active Member

I’m another 2 showers a day girl here. One after my morning workout and one when I get home from work. My job makes me filthy and covers me in not just my own, but other people’s sweat and dirt. I always say to my husband, “Ugh, I smell like 15 sweaty people.” My evening showers are a blessed thing.

Baths I could never get behind. I would never even consider taking one unless me and the tub were scrupulously clean. Maybe it would be pleasant under those circumstances, but to me the idea of festering in my own dirty water never appealed to me. (Also, I just don’t need to be spending that much time with my naked self. Oh, the horror.)

November 11, 2010 at 8:32 am

Pristine

Active Member

I agree with you, Diana. Unless people smell of soap or gorgeous perfume, I prefer not to have to notice their smell at all.

Style guides always say that style starts from the inside–with undergarments, etc. Well, can we go a layer under and say that style starts from caring enough for your body to keep clean and odour-free?

November 11, 2010 at 8:35 am

Queen Mum

Veteran

Taylor~ “I don’t believe that bathing daily is wasteful . It still rains where I live..water is not an issue.”
LOL…

November 11, 2010 at 8:36 am

Samantha M.

I have very long thick curly hair so I only wash it about once every 6-7 days. Part of the reason is I can’t blow dry it otherwise I just look like a dandelion and have to air dry it and in Winter in the USA it can take all day just to be completely dry.

When I lived in Australia, the state I lived in was under severe water restrictions due to drought so it was 4 minute showers once a day and 2 buckets in the shower with you to catch water before it went down the drain so you could water a plant or 2 and try and keep your garden alive. I likemorning showers so I smelt fresh for work and to wake me up.

The climate was definitely hot, easily over a hundred for days on end in Summer, but luckily I could swim in the ocean if I felt too sweaty or stinky before bed.

The one thing that shocked me on moving to the USA was the amount of water people wasted in long showers (that and the amount of water that went down the toilet with each flush, I drove my husband crazy until we could track down and install a low flow toilet).

November 11, 2010 at 8:42 am

cloud9

Veteran

I think the concept is a modern day luxury. I grew up with no showers, only a bath tub. And we still didn’t use it everyday. We do *WASH* every day, with wet towels. We washed face/neck, hands, feet, private areas. The rest were just wiping. So you can get clean without bathing/showering.

I do find that with shorter hair, it needs to be washed everyday. Longer hair, esp in cold weather, can last me 2-3 days. A trick I learned is to put a little bit of baby power at your hairline & part. Leave it in. That would absorb the little hair grease and the hair would look less greasy.

For more skin/scalp sensitive people, usage of soap/shampoo is the most damaging to them. Water is one of the most drying agent to your skin.

November 11, 2010 at 8:42 am

Vani

Veteran

I shower every day but don’t wash my hair everyday. It turns some people off when they hear that but my hair looks healthier and behaves much better because I give it a 2-3 day break (sometimes longer). Plus I don’t think I could handle washing, drying and styling my hair everyday since there is nothing I can do with it unless it is air dried at least 20 minutes. It might also be a cultural thing. I don’t know of many Indian women who grew up in India who wash their hair every single day. It might also be because almost everybody has thick, coarse, loooong hair.

If I had super short hair though, I might totally re-consider

November 11, 2010 at 8:45 am

Rhonda

A morning shower is essential for me, and, depending on the tasks of the day in southwest Florida, so is an evening shower. Now that I’m older (that really sounds awful!), I can get away with washing my hair every other day, unless I’ve gotten really sweaty. And deodorant??? An antiperspirant is also essential! My favorite treat? A warm bath with Epsom salts, low lights, soft music, and a good book (which does occasionally get dropped in the water!) No children can bother me then!

November 11, 2010 at 8:48 am

Eva

Active Member

Very interesting. I grew up in Hawaii, where we showered every evenings because it was so hot in the day. Now I shower every day (usually in the mornings because I work out almost every morning) and wash my hair almost every day. I may shower again in the evening if I work out, do yard work or if it is hot outside. When I visit family in Hawaii, I typically shower twice a day again due to the heat.

November 11, 2010 at 8:51 am

Astrid

Veteran

I normally shower every second to third day. On the days I’m not showering, I’m doing the “soldier wash” Moni mentioned. I use deodorant everyday. But I make an exception after workout and when it’s really hot in the summer, I shower more often then.

When I shower I’m using only very little shower gel. I have neurodermatitis since I was a little child. It’s a lot better now, mostly because I shower less and use no body lotion or anything like that. My skin had the chance to calm down and is a lot better on its own now. I try to irritate it as little as possible and showering less is the way to go. I never had any problems with my body odor. I don’t think other people know I don’t shower everyday.

By the way, showering less is also great for my hair. I have naturally curly hair, which is always totally dry anyway. It’s much better for my curls if they don’t get washed every day. When I shower more often in the summer, I usually have my hair up and still only wash it every second to third day. It looks much bettter this way.

I think it’s sad that people often are ashamed to tell that they’re not showering everyday. I know many people in my age group would even say not showering twice a day is disgusting. I mean, I’m the first to say someone has to shower more often if this person smells. And I don’t wave the flag for only using natural deodorants or quitting the soap. BUT I think the way society and the industry preach about cleanliness is sheer lunacy!

November 11, 2010 at 8:52 am

Nicole

(website)

I used to shower everyday, sometimes twice a day until my entire body broke out with eczema. Went to the dermatologist who told me I was being “too clean” and told me I should only bathe every other day. It wad hard to get used to at first but now it feels normal, my skin is a lot healthier and happy. I think we get this idea in our heads that we’re supposed to be squeaky clean when it can actually not be the best for our bodies.

November 11, 2010 at 8:52 am

Una

I shower once a day in the morning, just to wake myself up. It is so dry and cold here, and my skin would probably be better off if I showered less, but I need the warmth! In India, I bathe twice a day because it’s dusty and hot and it’s what everyone does in my family. My 6 year old takea a bath every other day and is fine.

However, I am happy to skip showers on weekends or in places where it is miserable to bathe (like my friend’s cabin, where you have to bathe in an icy lake in the summer). I couldn’t care less what others do. And more than people not wearing deoderant, I can’t stand people reeking of strong perfumes or colognes.

November 11, 2010 at 9:02 am

crutcher

Veteran

I bath daily…theraputic, psychologically cleansing, not to mention refreshing my body and my soul…I just need to get myself fresh and ready for the world…Not to do so would go against who I am…my style and my taste…

November 11, 2010 at 9:12 am

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

I bathe daily and wear deodorant/antiperspirant. Like Maya, I’m pretty aware of when I smell! When I lived in NY/NJ (very humid and nasty even at 95 in the summer) I sometimes showered 2x/day. I have thick hair and oily skin – never had any issues with “over” washing.

I just don’t feel right without a morning shower, and I do wash my hair daily as well. I feel funky and not awake. As far as being wasteful, well, we all have our things I guess. I’m sure there are areas where I conserve that others don’t.

November 11, 2010 at 9:21 am

Steph

Veteran

How much I shower is directly related to whether I have worked out. I shower and wash my hair after every workout, because I’m just too sweaty. Since I workout every week day, that translates to showering and washing my hair every weekday.

When I’m not exercising, however, I don’t shower daily–usually every other day–and I only wash my hair 2 or so times a week. My skin is very dry, so showering less is better for it, and my hair looks better if it isn’t washed often. I have several friends with curly hair who do the whole no-shampoo thing and have literally not washed their hair in years.

November 11, 2010 at 9:29 am

Kyrania

Active Member

I MUST start my day with a shower and a cuppa joe…..I DO shower twice a day sometimes during the summer, when allergens are heavy in the air and when I go into the city, school or hospital.

I LOVE fragrance…deo and antiperspirants are a must. I LOVE silky feeling, skin soothing scented lotions and I am a perfume addict…I do think of others and apply sparingly when going out.

Very RARELY do I go without washing my hair…It gets REALLY dry before getting oily and if I do not wash it I feel unclean even if I have showered my bod…..PLUS the smell of unclean hair makes me feel sick….I actually hold my breath when I am around others I can scent them (clean perfume/unclean) and have an animalistic way of sensing wind direction position my self above air current/stream to avoid unpleasant odors….

I can scent down a bag of gummy bears, bottle of liquor, cookies and when I am out my unusual and extreme sense of smell can take me to the very person who is drinking an energy drink, a spot where a person dropped food on the ground or I pick up a scent like pizza when I am out with my husband when he says ” Let’s find a pizza place” we even play games where he’ll hide something and I scent it out….I’m not talking about visually seeing something or someone…sometimes it quite a way if the trail hasn’t evaporated….My friends also play with me when at parties…hide a food, drink or flower and have me track it…..they say I’m like that dude in the book PERFUME! Eeew…NOT!

TMI and Yeah..I’m a weirdo. ^__~

November 11, 2010 at 9:31 am

Ginger

Active Member

I shower nearly every day but my hair, which is colored, only gets washed 2-3 times a week because it dries out too much.

November 11, 2010 at 9:40 am

wilson

Active Member

Since age eleven I showered daily and washed my hair daily. Last year I went to washing my hair twice a week and showering less (no exact routine, but every 24-48 hours) because I am concerned about the global fresh water supply. My skin and hair look much better for this change; my skin is much more supple and dewey looking than it has ever been before. I feel more “polished” on my showering days but I feel sexier on my non-showering days. I don’t ever feel “unclean” or smelly on my non-showering days (if I do feel this then I just take a shower). All in all, I have really liked this change! Never in a million years would I have thought I would be ok with giving up my daily shower.

November 11, 2010 at 10:07 am

ismay

I think anybody who’s ever been in a time crunch or lack of facilities situation (new baby, roughing it while travelling) will realize that you can do fine without bathing every day. The question is personal comfort and feeling good. So to each their own, be it twice a day or once a week… Smell is unpleasant though.

For me I bathe every other day, but always after a workout. So it’s usually 4-5 times a week. Hair gets washed 3 times a week. I do think frequent shampooing is bad for the scalp, and everybody’s hair could be trained to use less shampoo less often – the issue is going through the unpleasant training period. I also feel our skin has natural barriers that get disturbed with too frequent detergent – hence all the problems with dryness, itching, etc.

I would not skip deodorant though! Natural is fine; the issue is odor control only. I don’t care how dirty you actually are, but I don’t want to smell b.o, mine, or anybody else’s!

November 11, 2010 at 10:17 am

Srujana

Veteran

I shower once a day….twice if we’re in the middle of summer or if I’ve gone to the gym. That being said, if I wake up super late and don’t have time for a shower, I don’t stress about it. Just wash my face, pop on deodorant, and head out the door. My hair however only gets washed every 4 to 5 days (as I don’t use products very often); sometimes more often if I have been working out excessively. I have never tried washing my hair daily, and I’m not sure I’d like to see how it reacts to that….

Bottom line, I wash as needed to feel fresh and clean. And all I can do is hope that those around me do the same.

November 11, 2010 at 10:20 am

Scarlet

Veteran

Three main comments
1. I actually hate bathing for the same reason as Meggers but heave myself into the shower daily.
2. If you do the sponge bath or whatever with soap for the critical regions this still counts as bathing in my eyes and controls body odor.
3. A LOT of people stink (um, especially depending where you live). I have worked with many stinky co-workers, either due to body odor or diet, and I have never told them because it is a very personal issue. However I try to get away from them as much as possible. So I don’t think the argument referenced in that NYT article that someone must not stink because no one has complained about the smell is valid.
4. bonus comment: and don’t get me started on the lingering smell of stale cigarettes

November 11, 2010 at 10:52 am

Louise

Veteran

I have no fixed routine whatsoever!! I shower and wash my hair when I feel they need doing, this could be everyday, twice a day if I’ve been sweating or every other day. It can be at night or in the morning, bath or shower just depends how the mood takes me. I have been known to get into bed without washing my face and cleaning my teeth!!! Only on nights when there’s only me and the cats in bed!!! I work with kids who are very honest and I’ve never had one complain that I smell x

November 11, 2010 at 11:01 am

Mac

Oh, a bit off topic but maybe you’d be interested: it was terrific fun to occasionally go to a Hammam while living in Paris – traditional muslim bath houses where you shower, sit in various steam rooms, dip in baths of different temperatures, get covered neck to toe with traditional black olive soap and then scrubbed – hard!!! – with a rough bath mitt by a hearty turkish woman. Would leave my skin feeling soft and supple for weeks.

In case any of you are interested in going to one next time you’re in Paris, here’s an article with more detail: http://www.paris-expat.com/guide/08-04_hammam.html

November 11, 2010 at 11:03 am

Amelia

I think it has a lot to do with your lifestyle and your body chemistry. I, for instance, live in Florida and when I’m at college in August, September and even October I can get somewhat grody during the day simply because of sweat, sunscreen, etc.

However, I have an office job now and spend far less time walking about outside, so I don’t get very sweaty at all (except for going to the gym.) My personal body chemistry is such that my skin and hair won’t get greasy on their own even after several days, so as long as I wash my face, brush my hair and change my clothes I can go sometimes three or more days without a shower. Although I wear deodorant and I’m also a vegetarian, which I have read changes your body chemistry to actually smell a bit less. Whether or not that’s true, personally my lifestyle is such that I don’t have to shower as often as others.

November 11, 2010 at 11:17 am

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I have a shower once a year whether I’m dirty or not

Seriously though I do shower once a day, usually for the length of time it takes me to sing one of my favourite songs. This ensures I’m (and the rest of the household) awake and have not wasted too much water.

November 11, 2010 at 11:24 am

Tricia

Veteran

I shower just about every day – sometimes on weekends if I’m alone with the kids, I don’t get to shower or don’t get to do it until later in the day – and I feel completely gross when that happens. I also wash my hair every day – if I don’t, it turns into an oil slick. I envy the people I know with thicker, curly hair who don’t need to do it every day, but I’ve never been able to NOT do it.

November 11, 2010 at 11:29 am

agrace

Active Member

I love to take showers, I’m not a bath person. And I do take one every day but I try to do a very brief one, sometimes even a ‘navy shower’ where I turn the water off while combing the conditioner in my hair.

I do this because I’m very concerned about the world’s water supply and for me it is just one small thing I can do to try to offset my usage.

November 11, 2010 at 11:41 am

K

I have to admit that two of my former roommates would only bathe every 3 or more days. And yes, they smelled. They smelled like unhealthy people, and rather stale, as well. Their rooms smelled too. I’m wrinkling my nose just thinking about it! For me, camping is fine, and so is not washing my hair, if I brush it out well and put it up. But I do like my daily cleaning routine, even if right now, for lack of a shower head, it’s bathing with buckets in the tub!

November 11, 2010 at 11:44 am

Mrs.M in MI

When I was growing up we took one bath a week, on Saturday night. It wasn’t until I hit puberty (and I was a late bloomer) that I began to shower every 2-3 days, and still do.

I don’t really enjoy showering and I really hate having to do my hair, but it starts to look bad after two days. You know what makes me feel good in the morning? Hitting the snooze button a few more times.

November 11, 2010 at 11:46 am

shana

Veteran

I think Scarlet has a good point – many people “smell” not because they don’t shower every day or because they don’t use deodorant but because of their diet. Just something to keep in mind. Oh and yuck, stale cigarette smell. I think I’d rather smell BO!!!

Also, Taylor, I hope you’re just joking that since it rains where you live, water is not an issue. Much of the country has been in drought conditions for years at this point and the amount of recent rainfall (or even over a several year period) is not a good indicator of the healthiness of the water table. I’m not saying this to judge the frequent bather/showerers here (I certainly do my share of laundry!) just stating a fact.

November 11, 2010 at 12:12 pm

Isabel

Veteran

This is fascinating …I especially appreciate Hala’s point of view : she is so right, access to clean water is a luxury.

For me, it depends on the season and my activity for the day. I shower/bathe less in the cold months because my skin gets so dry. Though I also find warm water very relaxing. In the Summer I may shower up to 2 times a day. They are usually very quick showers. I avoid washing my hair more than two times a week. I use Wen conditioning shampoo which gives me great hair for days. I also use dry shampoo and Wen’s revitalizing spray in between. I really hate over stripping my hair of oils because it gets very dull and dry.

I am also being more environmentally aware and I try not to waste water.

I would never skip deodorant.

Regarding style, I think that if you are groomed and clean and not “odorous”, it shouldn’t affect your style.

November 11, 2010 at 12:18 pm

san

Whoa, this is a hot topic, look at this huge list of comments.

Debora, good play on words, made me laugh!

I have showered and washed my hair everyday for many, many years. I don’t feel complete going in public if I haven’t washed my hair and showered in the morning.
I only shower in the evening if I have been working and getting dirty that day, however the sound of showering at night to warm up and relax seems like a good idea.

November 11, 2010 at 12:21 pm

cciele

Veteran

Definitely a hot topic!

I shower and wash my hair every 2-3 days in the evening, and take very occasional Epsom salt baths. I like washing in the evening because I like to take the day’s grime off before going to bed, and don’t need a shower to wake me up in the morning.

I used to not use any anti-perspirants or deodorants because I wasn’t very smelly (checked with some friends about that!), but I found a great aloe-vera based natural deodorant that I use when I think I might get “funky”.

November 11, 2010 at 12:42 pm

taylor

Veteran

No Shana, I am actually not joking. I have far more pressing and important issues than worrying about drought conditions somewhere in the world.
I have been through numerous droughts living in California…I am not wasteful. But honestly this doesn’t even make my list of things I worry about. I refuse to feel guilty about things I have no control over such as the worlds weather cycles.

November 11, 2010 at 12:46 pm

Carolyn

Interesting post!
A hot bath in morning and at night is part of my daily routine- for all the same reasons Angie!
When I went to a Spanish immersion class in Mexico and we described our routine day, they commented, “Muy Carro!” Very expensive to do that. Yes, I am grateful for clean, hot water!

November 11, 2010 at 1:12 pm

judy

(website)

The interesting thing to me about the article was how it’s ironic that we bathe so much now, when we need it less than ever, in terms of the history of manual labor and physical activity, for most of us…except going to the gym, I guess, which I don’t do. And that possibly soaps and shampoos are another thing that we have been “sold” on to make profits. I did like that the article gets us to think about it in a new way and be more aware. I also think you can bathe/shower daily and not use excessive amounts of products, both money-wise and skin-wise.

But either way, I want to feel comfortable and not make others around me uncomfortable, so self-cleaning is just something I do in some form, daily. Same with wearing deodorant. But I do shampoo a bit less than that.

Running water, and hot running water is such a luxury. I like any kind of water, bath and shower! Speaking of luxury, have you ever had a Vichy shower? You lay on a table and there are many shower heads that come down from overhead.

November 11, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Cecilia

My bathing habits certainly have changed over the years. While I do not remember whether my mother bathed me every day when I was very young, but I highly doubt it. I lived with my grandmother for a while, and I do remember taking a bath only once a week, but washing myself every night before bed. (That’s what the bidet was for. Our version of the “soldier’s wash included washing of the feet, as well.)

I moved to the US as a teenager, and puberty made sure that I showered everyday, and wore deodorant, but my habits have changed again since having kids, my showers have become much shorter, and taken whenever it can be done… I wash my hair about twice a week. If I go for a run or workout, I do have to shower, or I’ll feel sticky all day… but I wish a bidet was a common addition to the American bathroom. I comes very handy to just wash yourself before bed, without having to take a shower twice a day…

This also brings another thought to mind about how often people bathe their kids. Most people I talk to include a bath as part of their bedtime routine. I bathe my kids maybe twice a week, unless it necessary to do it more often…

November 11, 2010 at 2:33 pm

Tiina

Active Member

Judy, that bit of the article sounded the most alarming/ironic to me, too.

I usually shower whenever my hair needs washing. As of late, showering has been making my scalp overly dry and I have been losing more hair (we’re talking about quite a bit of shedding here, people). So now I try to shower every two or three days. I usually feel bad for wasting all the water that goes down the drain after taking *one* bath (although it is very soothing), so I only bathe once every two months or so.

Then again, I rarely ever wear makeup, I don’t sweat a lot and I do clean all the necessary bits every day. And I’m not exactly working up a sweat when I’m at home sitting at the desk and translating. I’m also quite picky and can’t shower in the evening because I hate going to bed with wet hair, it feels icky and cold against my neck even if it’s rather short, but mornings are always so rushed. This works for me – I don’t think it’s a big deal – but many people will probably think I’m the grossest person in the world.

November 11, 2010 at 2:54 pm

Lynne

This post is fantastic. I shower every other day and use baby wet wipes for a freshen up on the alternate days. I’m quite conscious about water usage as I live in an area of New Zealand that routinely has water restrictions in summer.

November 11, 2010 at 3:38 pm

Beth

Veteran

I shower daily and wash my hair every other day.

And there’s nothing I love better than a hot bubble bath, especially in the winter!

November 11, 2010 at 3:43 pm

Adrienne

As a teacher I am very aware of which children receive bathes more or less frequently than they should. For those of you who do bathe your children frequently, thanks!
I shower daily because I enjoy it I feel better and then dont have to worry about body odor. I too wish the bidet was added to the American bathroom. I think that many Europeans use them in lieu of daily showers at least for the lower half of the body. I understand people who have skin conditions need to adjust their bathing frequency because it would dry a person’s skin out with too much washing. Although my hair is short now when it was longer I did use a shower cap and wait a day in between washings.

November 11, 2010 at 4:06 pm

agrace

Active Member

Wow, lots of different opinions. I think water conservation is an issue we should ALL be concerned about. I am so far from where I would like for my family to be in terms of water conservation but this is what we have learned from various sources and are all striving for:

– only do full loads of laundry
– wear clothes more before washing
– turn water off when brushing teeth (easy to forget!)
– use ‘grey water’
– get rain barrels to catch rain water for watering plants, etc
– Stop watering lawns or at least the automatic watering timers
– Maybe this will offend but during a water shortage I lived in, we learned ‘if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down’.
– The ‘navy shower’, turn off water while shaving, etc.
– If one showers daily, even shortening it by a few minutes can be helpful

I think it was Jennifer Aniston who was quoted in an article recently talking about how she now only takes a shower for a few quick minutes for water conservation purposes.I like to read about this topic sometimes at: http://thewaterproject.org/

November 11, 2010 at 4:15 pm

shana

Veteran

Whoa, Taylor, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get your defenses up. I was not trying to make a judgement about your views on water conservation as much as state a scientific fact – recent rainfall totals are not indicative of an adequate water table. It is misguided to believe otherwise. Oh, and BTW, when I am talking about drought conditions, I’m actually talking about the good ole U.S. of A and not “somewhere in the world.”

It’s sort of like the debate over global warming. We don’t all have to agree that our consumption of fossil fuels causes it (hey, maybe it really is from the methane that all those cows in India are farting) but we can all agree that the global surface temperature is increasing. We can disagree on the causes and how much of each of us is going to worry about it.

Anyway, I am by far not a good conservationist. I do laundry like mad and I use all kinds of nasty chemicals to do my cleaning around the house (though I’m trying to phase them out). It’s definitely generational and cultural – Europeans are way more conscious about so much of this than Americans. I try to do my part and am trying to become more aware but I’m also resistant to changing my lifestyle too much. It’s funny because my twenty year old cousins give me lots of $hit about not using earthy friendly products or cloth diapers and on the other hand I have my parents who have never used their recycling bin provided by their garbage company. NEVER!

Oh, yeah, what was this blog post about – showers. Yup, I like them. Deodorant too!

November 11, 2010 at 5:09 pm

Velma

Veteran

Okay, team–so have we decided that it is indeed possible to be “stylish and professional” with more than 24 hours between showers? That is where this whole imbroglio began! I sure hope so . . .

November 11, 2010 at 5:13 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks for the insightful and honest comments, ladies.

I’m pretty sure we all do our bit for the environment no matter how many times we shower a day

Velma, thanks for steering back to the original question – which actually no one has answered! I think that you can look stylish and professional if you don’t shower daily. Deodorant is another story, but if you’re well groomed – no one will know you didn’t bathe for more than a day. Don’t you think?

November 11, 2010 at 5:40 pm

taylor

Veteran

Thanks for clarifying Shana.
I appreciate and respect your feelings regarding the country’s water table. As I mentioned I live in California and have lived through numerous droughts through the decades, so I get it.
I also mentioned that I am not wasteful..and that goes beyond just water, So my point being …weather is cyclical and sometimes many years are drought and some are very wet…where I am right now…we are good”) Lot’s of snow in the Sierras , I will continue to enjoy my daily showers!

November 11, 2010 at 6:07 pm

klauren

Active Member

I notice most people shower. I am the among the folks who bathe. I feel I need to sit in a tub, wash my hair if it needs it, etc. But I just don’t feel I get as clean in a shower as in a tub. Although, my dh tells me, so you like sitting in the dirty water you just washed in! Doesn’t feel that way to me – like a tub way better than a shower. The “often-ness” of it, however, is up for debate – when I need to. If I do a mess job, painting, sewing big stuff, getting sweaty, etc – maybe more than one a day. If I’m sitting around, doing nothing, it’s cold out, etc – maybe every other day. It really depends on need or then maybe on want if I can draw out the long bath with all the accoutermonts (sp!) and make it a spa! But mostly based on needs.

November 11, 2010 at 7:22 pm

Maya

Veteran

Velma, it’s totally possible. If I can’t tell you haven’t showered, then it really doesn’t matter. Plenty of people do just fine,

Personally, I take a shower every day, wear antiperspirant and carry a travel size one in my bag, and still feel schmucky at times. I noticed when I lived in the city that food went bad much faster than it did in the suburbs. Similarly I wonder if we city mice get dirtier faster than our friends in the countryside…

Body odor is definitely not acceptable though, sorry. I don’t care how natural it is or what kind of pheromones it involves. I don’t even care that it’s social conditioning. I just don’t want to deal with it. There are lots of things I feel passionately about and will actively campaign for–but the right to stink isn’t one of them!

November 11, 2010 at 8:55 pm

LoP

Veteran

Angie, just to lighten it up a bit, I’ll share a story. I didn’t shower a few days last week during the time I spent in bed with bronchitis as a single mother (hubby was away). I basically dropped of my son at school and went straight back to bed everyday. I got out of bed when I needed to pick him up in the evening. I just had no energy to do anything including showering. Anyway, at the end of the third day, I washed my face, put a hat on, wore my flat boots with leggings that I slept in and added a clean denim tunic shirt. I also used a little bit of deodorant and my regular Chanel No.5. The goal was not to fool anyone that I showered, but not to look super bad. To my surprise, one of the other mothers during pick up said I smelled very good and how I always looked so put together.

This tells me that others don’t necessarily notice how often we shower as long as we show some respect and make sure we (or our clothes) don’t smell. Although I try to shower daily (hair every 2-3 days), I don’t think it is unhygienic to shower less often. It is the whole package of reasonably clean body and clean clothes that matters.

November 11, 2010 at 9:57 pm

Cindy

I guess it depends on one’s day. My routine – morning showers + washing my hair during the weekdays. For the weekend, I just have showers but not wash my hair to give my hair a break from all the harsh cleaning. I cannot live without deodorant. BO is a big NO. Yes, I believe one can be stylish and professional if one is neat and tidy even if you don’t shower daily.

November 12, 2010 at 12:08 am

Isabel

Veteran

Angie – PULEEZE give me a little credit, please, one small point…I actually answered your question at the very end of my post. : )

November 12, 2010 at 6:01 am

Lissie

I take a quick shower or bath once a day, either at night or after working out. However, as I live in Florida where it is hot and you get grungy from sweat and sunscreen I find that it is necessary to wash up well at least once more each day. I often bathe for this second time with a bathroom basis full of lukewarm water, the baby wash I use for all baths that is easy on my sensitive skin and a washcloth. All of me gets scrubbed ending with pits, feet and private parts, and honestly, I feel as smell as clean after this washing as the full shower or bath. Deoderant gets applied after both “baths.”

My DH was hurt in an accident earlier this year and we had to give him a sponge bath once or twice a day to not get his dressings wet or disturb the sling he was wearing. We washed his hair in the kitchen sink daily with the sprayer and gave him a dusting of cornstarch and some fresh deoderant when we washed him. He couldn’t take a shower until around day 5 and he didn’t smell any different than he would have after taking a shower and didn’t feel grungy.

My 6 year old son gets washed daily, but we keep baths cool and short because like me, he has a skin condition that worsens with overwashing. Usually we only use baby wash on his smelly bits and do a quick shampoo, but he smells like a wet puppy after playing and I can’t imagine how badly he would smell if we didn’t wash him daily.

Sorry for the long post, but I do think it is possible to bathe effectively out of a basis and without a long shower or bath, but I think most people do need some form of daily washing.

November 12, 2010 at 6:29 am

kimana517

(website)

Active Member

I used to shower and wash my hair every other day. Then I adopted a 2-year-old. Now I shower twice a week. (Which, when you think about it, is only one time less than I was showering before, although it sounds much “worse”.) I just don’t have the time to do it more often with him around at this age, especially since I never could figure out how to take a quick shower. But I don’t smell, even in the summer, even living in Florida. I put on deodorant every day. I’ve actually found that my skin and hair do much better showering less because they are naturally dry. My son has very dry skin so we only bathe him once or twice a week too. He may be a 2-year-old boy but he doesn’t get that dirty. Even if he did, I’d probably avoid bathing him every day. His poor skin would be ashy forever.

I also enjoy telling my environmentalist friends how often I shower “to conserve resources” and it usually shuts them up for a while, ’cause even they haven’t gone that far. ;o)

November 12, 2010 at 6:30 am

Meredith

Active Member

This is a fascinating topic, Angie!

I don’t think you necessarily need to bathe every day, but I firmly believe that you should make sure you don’t have bad body odor before you go to spend time with other people. In this country, body odor has become something to which our noses aren’t accommodating. In fact, it is something I find a bit repulsive. If you don’t want to bathe every day or use deodorant…fine. But please don’t sit next to me on an airplane or expect me to want to give your stinky body a hug.

November 12, 2010 at 7:57 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

(We might need to have a post on body odour).

Isabel! My apologies. Thanks for answering the question the first time round. You score mega points

November 12, 2010 at 8:29 am

DanaLynn

Curly hair and allergies don’t combine well with daily showers. I use skin conditioner in the shower and regular lotion when I get out of a shower but my skin will still become covered in eczema if I over bathe. My hair is so dry and fine that I wouldn’t dare washing it regularly everyday. I already have to use leave in conditioner to keep it from frizzing. I shower every other day and keep personal hygiene wipes in the bathroom. It is an easy way to freshen up in the morning without actually getting wet.

I never feel “dirty”. I live in Arizona though- you don’t really sweat in Arizona. Even when I work out i generally stay pretty dry. I really appreciated the AZ weather when I was in Kansas for two weeks over the summer. During my workouts I was literally dripping with sweat- totally gross. I think my bathing habits would be different if I lived somewhere with humidity.

November 12, 2010 at 5:27 pm

Isabel

Veteran

Yay !!!!! I got Angie megapoints…now to avoid smelling badly.

November 12, 2010 at 8:15 pm

April

Veteran

Personally, I’m a fan of the daily shower, but I’m with Maya: if I can’t tell whether you’ve showered or not, carry on.

November 14, 2010 at 4:45 am

Anchi

(website)

Active Member

I bathe daily because I personally don’t feel clean without doing so, but I really don’t think that’s necessary … provided that you don’t sweat and/or get dirty a lot on a daily basis! This is determined by the type of work you do (if you run a farm you will get much dirtier than working in an office, for instance) and also your level of activity, like if you work up a serious sweat at the gym on a daily basis as opposed to just taking a leisurely walk.

I too grew up in a tropical, close-to-the-equator culture where twice daily baths were a necessity, and done by everyone regardless of their social status and income level. However, this is just not feasible in the dry California climate I live in now. I already have dry skin and bathing more than once a day will only make that worse.

I think if you wash out your armpits thoroughly with soap and water, and then use a good deodorant every day, no-one will know you’re not bathing or showering daily.

November 14, 2010 at 11:07 am

Marley

Veteran

I like the psychological benefits of showering as much as I like the phsycial benefits. If I shower in the evening, I feel as though I am just washing out of my system all of my stress, worries, and responsibilities of the day – if I shower in the morning, it is more just for the purpose of cleaning my body. I don’t need a shower to wake up. I used to shower and wash my hair a minimum of once a day, however my skin and hair has become much dryer in the last few years – and so sometimes I skip the shower and just give myself a sponge bath. I wash my hair now only 2 – 3 times a week – and it is much happier and much more manageable. Of course, on the days that I exercise, I immediately shower once I stop sweating!
Another suggestion for conserving water: Shower with a friend!

November 14, 2010 at 6:48 pm

Tanya

Veteran

Very interesting topic. I shower every day at least once, twice if it hot and/or I had a long dance session. I also wash my hair daily. The funny thing is that I like my showers in the morning during warm weather and in the evening during winter.

November 15, 2010 at 5:29 pm

When Natural Scent Becomes Body Odour | YouLookFab

(website)

[…] post on bathing norms generated passionate debate in the comments section. The general feeling was that bathing daily is […]

November 22, 2010 at 3:48 am

shabbychick

Wow…loads of comments on this one!
Can anyone say “EWWWW”? I might have gone 24 hrs without bathing if I was very sick…and that is only *might*. I have gone through times when it’s been necessary to take 2 showers a day, but I ALWAYS, ALWAYS take at least 1. I don’t wash my hair every day, but every other day (it helps keep highlights from fading too quickly). I would not feel like myself if I didn’t start my day getting clean and fresh! I don’t get the whole *back to nature* philosophy….should we all stop brushing our teeth every day, too? What about shaving? Should we just stop grooming altogether and act, look and smell like animals? Have you ever encountered someone who smelled bad? And did you think “Oh, how nice that they are letting us smell their “natural” selves?” I’ve smelled my “natural” hubby after being out in the hot sun working and sweating all day….I promise you he will take a shower if he plans to get within 100 yds of me, there is nothing lovely about natural stench. GROSS!!!

April 25, 2011 at 2:44 pm

secretaria

Active Member

I think basic bathing habits are set in all of us from what we’re used to doing from childhood and depending on what the weather necessitates. As a child I showered every day, washed my hair twice a week and wet it everyday which worked perfectly then. The weather was very pleasant and I had an extra shower when I played outdoors which we tended to do 4-5 days a week!

Now I wear my hair long, till my hips almost and not only is it not conducive to wash and wet it every day, but I find that doing that dries my hair! While I shower every single day irrespective of rain, sun or cold cold days (twice on weekends), I wash my hair only once a week, which involves warm oil conditioning, shampooing twice and deep conditioning and plain conditioning once a week. I find this suits me very well, my hair is clean, nice smelling and healthy and my skin is fine too although dryish on occasion which I think is due to the dry indoor heating in my apartment.

May 5, 2011 at 8:36 am

suzanne

Active Member

Wow… Not to sound like Blanche in ‘Golden Girls’, but I’m stunned, completely and utterly stunned. I have never thought about not bathing/washing every day. South Africa’s geography is basically more than 80% semi-arid. Water is scarce. It has always been. But I blush to admit that conserving water by skipping a daily wash has never entered my mind. I was brought up with daily baths (my sister and I shared a bath until puberty brought an end to it) which my mom limited to 10cm depth (we had a ruler in our bathroom for this purpose) and a “sluice” with clean water afterwards. In summer we also had a “top-and-tail” wash in the evenings before bed. I don’t know if it’s a wide-spread phenomena, but South Africans are inordinately fond of walking bare foot. I hate wearing shoes, so sometimes during the day I find it ‘s necessary to wash down my feet in 2cm of water.(I have a little plastic basin in the bathroom for this purpose). It’s so strange, but although I guess that bathing is to some degree a choice I also think that it’s hugely influenced by climate. If it’s constantly cold and one doesn’t sweat I can absolutely understand that people can skip a day! But, to answer your question, Angie – I would not feel at my most chic if I hadn’t had a bath/shower. (coming to think of it, as far as I can remember I’ve never skipped a day…)

June 3, 2011 at 6:43 am

Nancy

I haven’t read more than the first couple of comments…but interesting topic. You never know what Angie will be posting! I also shower every day, most of the time. In colder weather there might be a time when I skip a day. In hot weather, if possible, I will shower twice. It’s not so much the need for a shampoo either. My hair is so dry, I limit shampooing to once a week (this is recommended with the curly-hair regimen–before that I’d wash about 3 times a week).

I didn’t grow up in Asia, but I did spend some formative adult years in Japan. If some of you weren’t aware, daily baths are the norm. They’re almost ritualized. People are super-clean there. There is also something very soothing about taking a bath at night before bed. It adds to a very relaxed state, ready for sleep. I do know many Japanese younger people who like to (or would prefer if they could) take the morning shower to wake up, and the evening bath to wind down. From a Japanese perspective, you get dirty throughout the day, and then why would you want to lie in that in your bed? Interesting. (But then again, we sweat a lot during our sleep…try arguing with cultural values, though, LOL.) (I’ve heard of American exchange students in France being teased by their French friends: “Why do you need to take so many showers?” Interesting, eh?)

As for deodorant, I’ve never used it. I have sensitive skin, first of all, and the concept of it just seems odd. I don’t sweat much, however. I feel like I can get away with it–and at least no one’s told me elsewise!

June 14, 2012 at 2:54 pm

Sabrina

No way would I follow that advice in the NYT. I work in a high public contact job…receptionist. It is the expectation that people in my line of work be well groomed and not offend. If come to work smelling funky from lack of deodorant, that would not bode well for my career longevity lol. The people who wrote that piece have obviously never rode a city bus and get stuck amongst the ‘great unwashed’ and practically gag on the way to one’s destination. Yes, I say bathe, shower or at least cat bath washing the parts known to get malodorous each day. You coworkers and bus riding partners will thank you! Also, for me having my nightly bubble bath is special, it’s my “ME” where I can unwind from the stresses of the day.

June 14, 2012 at 3:12 pm

HeleenH

Veteran

Yes, you can be stylish and professional without your daily shower or soak in the tub. My skin can’t handle more than a weekly bath or shower in winter, in the summer I can handle a little more. This is very annoying as it takes some planning if I want to go to the gym. In summer it has to be between baths, in winter I eihter have a shower in the gym instead of at home or I cycle home in my gym clothes and take a bath at home. On other days I wash at the washing basin with a ‘wash hand’, a pouch shaped washing cloth that fits around your hand.
My hair is also best kept alone for a while, it usually needs a shampooing every 6-7 days.

Not taking daily showers or baths doesn’t mean one has to smell. Abovementioned soldiers’ wash takes care of that.

I have spent years not using a deodorant, but due to hormonal changes around my 2nd pregnancy I started using deodorants. First I tried something from the health food store that didn’t agree with my body odour, it resulted in a foul smel. Now I use do2, a crystal deodorant. It is chemically the same stuff my dad uses when he cuts his face while shaving (Alum).

Tina mentioned it felt wastefull to take a bath. Have you ever collected your shower water while having a shower in the bathtub? You can have a nice bath in it, especially if you take a longer shower.

June 15, 2012 at 4:47 am

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