Who taught you to always stay clean? With so many books on how to clean just about everything, why don't any of them talk about our bodies? You can learn proper bathing techniques and how to choose hygiene products to eliminate impurities and prevent them from returning. Keep yourself clean both inside and out.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Taking a Proper Bath
Step 1. Get back to basics
Truly cleaning up involves first understanding what we are dealing with. There are all kinds of solvents, soaps, cleansing agents, and sponges for almost any substance that comes into contact with your body, but once that substance has been removed, you need to go back to the beginning. There are three basic items we need to take care of in a deep clean, each part requiring a different method of treatment.
- First of all, the dust and dirt that cling to the skin and arise from who knows where. Even sitting in a clean room will make us dirty.
- In second place, the dead cells that are constantly breaking out of our skin.
- In third place, the oils produced below the skin, not just on the surface.
Step 2. Understand why we messed up so much to deal directly with the cause
Dust, dirt and impurities that are present on the surface of the skin tend to cling to us for two reasons. These particles generally have a cohesive power of their own, and they also mix with our skin's oils, which are always in constant secretion to protect us from the external environment. That's why even the dust that sticks to the skin will end up looking like greasy mud.
- We have two types of bodily secretions: oil and water (sweat). They and the particles that mix with them are best treated with a compound capable of breaking down the oils and making them more soluble, allowing them to be easily washed off. This is the function of soaps.
- Regardless of the agents responsible for smell, texture or color, the goal is to break down the oils and remove them from the body. That's all that goes through people's minds when we talk about cleanliness, but that's wrong thinking. Keep reading!
Step 3. Wash less, but shower better
How often do you really need a shower? No more than three to four times a week. Although recent studies have revealed that nearly 60% of people shower daily, there is some evidence indicating that washing less often can help your body improve its natural self-cleaning mechanisms more deeply. The greater your body's cleansing effectiveness, the healthier and cleaner you will be, inside and out.
- The more you use shampoo, the more you deprive the hair strands of their natural oils and the more often the body will have to produce them to make up for this lack. If you take a break, you may find that the strands will become less greasy, oily or with a strong odor between washes.
- Some people will need to shower more regularly than others. If you sweat frequently or have excessively oily skin, for example, you may even need to shower twice a day, using a good humidifier. Every body is different.
Step 4. Buy a good soap
What kind? In this choice, there are basically three points to note. A good soap should be able to remove impurities, break down oil and grease particles and also wash without leaving a film of residue. Many different products serve this purpose, from the most basic Dove or bar soap to organic and handcrafted products.
- Some products leave a little residue on the skin. A good test is to get a clean, clear glass panel (or glass, goblet, plate, etc., as long as it is transparent and clean) and rub a small amount of cold grease (from bacon, grease, oil, etc.) over its area.. Wash it in cold water, using the soap firmly to remove the build-up of dirt and letting it dry on its own. Look at the glass and compare the unwashed grease with the clean section. A poor quality soap will make the glass fog up next to dirt, while a good product will leave it perfectly clean. What is left in the glass after washing will also soak into your skin.
- Sometimes shampoos and soaps with a medical function are recommended for people with dry or flaky skin. Other people may opt for organic and natural ingredients.
Step 5. Strive to eliminate dead cells
Dead skin cells are the main cause of most odors. Even with advertising promoting the antibacterial agents in your products, only good hygiene can work wonders. Think of the locker room at the gym you used to go to. Do you remember the characteristic odor that hung in the air? It arises from the skin and from the fermented and rotten oils that exist on the clothes left in the lockers. A moist environment with dead matter (skin cells) is the perfect environment in which bacteria grow and rot.
- Consider using an exfoliant or a vegetable loofah. Exfoliating products often contain elements such as nutshell, sugar, or other granular ingredients that can be used to remove dead skin from your body. They are usually available in body lotion or soap form. Vegetable loofahs are like textured cloths to scrub the body and remove dead cells. In addition, they are capable of trapping bacteria, so it's important to wash them thoroughly and change them regularly if you want to try them out.
- You can also learn how to do a facial scrub or prepare a sugar scrub. There are many different types of recipes, but a basic version involves mixing two tablespoons of sugar with olive oil and honey until you get a toothpaste-like texture.
Step 6. Take the water temperature into account
For a deep clean, go for a shower or hot tub, as cold water will not interfere too much with the oil under the skin. You need to make the pores open and expel (secrete) their contents to clean them. Many bacteria can grow inside the pores, and the accumulation of oils can cause a variety of problems, from acne to death from skin diseases. The simplest way to open your pores is to make use of heat. Physical exercise can do this too, as it will affect both the sweat glands and the oily pores, but mere heat will be of great help. Relaxing in a hot tub is ideal, but a short hot shower can also do. The temperature should make you sweat and open your pores, allowing them to secrete their contents.
- Be careful when taking very hot baths, especially if you have dry skin. What is the best temperature for taking a shower? It may be a little below what you think. Excessively hot water, at temperatures above 50 °C, will dry out your skin and cause long-term skin problems. Instead of using it, try bathing in water at a temperature equal to or lower than your body temperature.
- Finish the shower with a quick blast of cold water. This helps to tighten the skin and close the pores again, which will prevent them from accumulating dust and other impurities that were washed away in the shower.
Step 7. Wash the creases and creases from your body
Rub a rough sponge or rough tissue over the skin to help remove any dead and decaying cells. Rub all places twice, once when washing with soap and once when rinsing the body. Pay special attention to the armpits, the areas behind the ears, below the jaw, the chin, behind the knees and between the fingers. The largest cultures of odor causing bacteria grow in these regions. This happens because of the sweat that is trapped in these layers of skin. Wash these parts of your body whenever you take a shower.
- Also, rinse your buttocks and groin thoroughly, washing them thoroughly. Soap trapped in these areas can cause irritation.
- Another consideration is to dry yourself completely to the point where you are no longer secreting (sweating) from the hot wash. If you have done a thorough and proper cleaning, the moisture that the clothes will absorb will dry with little or no smell. You're constantly shedding dead cells, but after washing, they're much less likely to build up on your clothes (which often causes embarrassing social situations).
Step 8. Before washing your body, give your face a steam bath
Some people like detoxifying sprays and therefore take very hot baths. This can be an excellent way to open pores and stimulate the flow of sweat out of the body. Still, treat this procedure as a ritual apart from the general bath.
Start your routine by steaming your face with a hot towel containing a drop or two of peppermint or tea tree essential oils. This can be a very useful way to open your pores and release toxins without damaging your skin in the shower
Step 9. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner three to four times a week
Wet hair deeply and place a dime-sized drop of shampoo on your hand. Rub your hands along the entire length of the strands, lathering the shampoo and massaging it over the skull for one to two minutes. Run it on the hairs behind the ears, as they are responsible for the greatest production of oils. Then, pass the shampoo from the bottom to the top on the back hairs of the head, along the ends.
Rinse the shampoo thoroughly, running your fingers along the entire length of the strands. If they are still slippery, it's a sign that the shampoo hasn't been completely removed, so the strands will be oily in the next 24 hours. Repeat the process with the conditioner to strengthen the hair, and rinse it thoroughly
Step 10. Dry yourself completely
After showering, dry your body with a clean, dry towel. The water that remains on the skin can cause friction and irritation. Try to dry yourself as quickly as possible after showering.
Method 2 of 2: Keeping Clean and Healthy
Step 1. Wash your towels regularly
Remember that towel you always use after a shower? How many times was it used before it became smelly? The towel accumulates the dead cells and oils left on the skin after improper cleaning. Dealing with this problem requires the good use of a rough sponge, fabric, brush, or other similar item. Thus, the key is to loosen as many dead cells as possible before using the towel.
- To keep the body as clean as possible, it is important to wash the towel regularly and store it to allow for adequate drying. Wash your towel after using it two or three times.
- Never leave a wet towel lying on the bathroom floor, or it will become moldy and dirty very quickly. It is important to hang it properly, allowing it to dry completely.
Step 2. Try using a mineral deodorant instead of the conventional one
Organic Salt Stone Deodorant kills the bacteria responsible for the odor and even helps to clear the lymph nodes. When you start using a mineral deodorant, you may notice a strong odor for a week or two, but don't give up: this means that the product is detoxifying the region of all the bacteria accumulated by using the conventional deodorant.
- To keep the smell under control while the body releases toxins, purchase some therapeutic essential oils of lavender, rose, lemon or a blend of herbs, among other options. Apply them directly under your armpits to reduce odor.
- Stay away from antiperspirants. Although our society has created the fad that sweating is disgusting and unpleasant, forcing your underarms not to sweat is purposely clogging up your body's lymphatic system. The body has lymph nodes throughout our system that help in several ways, including keeping our immune system strong and able to eliminate toxins and bad smells.
Step 3. Moisten your skin.
After each bath, you can apply a humidifier or moisturizer to your skin to keep it healthy. Even if you have oily skin, you still need to use a moisturizing agent to keep it hydrated. Commercial products often contain combinations of natural lipids and other compounds naturally generated by the body. Look for water-based moisturizers.
Identify problem areas, such as the heels of your feet, elbows, and knees, and apply moisturizer to these areas every night before bed. Doing so can help soften your skin and improve your overall health
Step 4. Try facial masks
Facial treatments, such as masks, can be used regularly throughout the week to cleanse and tighten facial skin. There are a wide variety of natural remedies and ingredients that can be used in a good face mask. Try the following:
- Use pure honey, lemon, milk, chickpea flour, green tea and fresh fruits such as papayas, mangoes, oranges and sweet limes.
- You can also purchase a face mask from a store. To make your own mix, read the ingredients to see what is being used.
Step 5. Try products that contain natural and organic ingredients
Body lotions, shampoos, conditioners, facial cleansers, deodorants, and even makeup and hair sprays can all help in caring for a healthy body. When you apply products full of toxins and strong chemicals to yourself, it affects your health and your body's ability to self-regulate.
- Avoid shampoos, conditioners, or body lotions with propylene glycol or sodium lauryl sulfate. These compounds can result in hair loss, dry hair, blockages, itching, dry skin, and sometimes allergic reactions.
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Consider using homemade alternatives. For some people, deep cleansing means avoiding commercial products altogether and focusing on cleansing your body with milder home remedies. Instead of shampoo, you can use baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and warm water. If you are interested in learning more about home remedies, read the following articles:
- How to Clean Your Body Naturally.
- How to Have a Naturally Clean Skin.
- How to Make a Home and Basic Facial Scrub.
- How to Make Homemade Liquid Soap.
- How to Make Homemade Liquid Bath Soap.
- How to Make Homemade Soap.
- How to Make Your Own Shampoo.
Step 6. Keep yourself clean both inside and out
It's important to eat well and stay hydrated if you want to be clean both inside and out. Your diet has a direct impact on the health of your skin and hair, and for that reason, good nutrition is an integral part of a good cleansing regimen.
- When you diet to lose weight, it's even possible to lose some of the most important nutrients. So don't starve yourself or completely eliminate carbohydrates and lipids.
- Try to increase the number of antioxidants in your diet, drink green tea, and eat tomatoes daily. Each morning, remember to eat fasting basil leaves or fenugreek seeds, which are used as a popular natural detoxifying remedy.
Tips
- Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week also eliminates dead skin cells and reduces oiliness.
- It's a good idea to use hot water instead of cold water to clean the body. Still, opt for cold water when washing your hair, as it is able to make the hair cuticles remain closed, giving them a silky and shiny appearance.
- Notice how your evolution has been. How many days does it take for the towel to start giving off strong odors? If they are few, you can improve. If you can go a month without worrying, you're doing fine. It is usually normal to use it three to four times a week for two to three weeks before you notice any strong odor.
- Use medicated products to deal with skin problems. Not all will be suitable for all skin types. People with more sensitive skin may not respond well to all natural peppermint soaps and, on the other hand, those with excessively dry skin may do better with oat-based body lotions, which can soothe the skin. Consult a dermatologist regarding particular products and methods that can be used to cure your specific problems.