Smelling great starts with proper hygiene. Here are some tips to help you achieve that or take your current routine to the next level.
Hi there! And welcome to today’s blog post!
I am going to share with you some simple tips to help you take your personal hygiene to the next level.
You may already be doing some of these, or you may learn a new tip to include in your daily routine! Who knows? You will, after reading through this post, so I hope you stick around till the end!
Let’s jump right in!
1. Clean behind your ears
The first tip I’d like to share with you is that you need to start cleaning behind your ears if you didn’t already.
Behind the ears, the skin folds, giving space for dirt and bacteria to accumulate over time. The dirt and bacteria come from the hair oils that you apply, as well as sweat, especially if you live an active lifestyle.
Also, did you know that failing to clean behind your ears often can lead to a yeast infection? The occurrence of this infection can lead to a moldy, stale bread-like smell coming from behind your ears. And honestly, why would you want that?
To clean your ears, this is how I do it. When I jump in the shower, even before I start washing my face or body, I always wet my face towel in warm water, and gently wipe it behind my ears. I also wipe on the outside of my ear and as far as I can go inside.
Remember to clean behind your ears :).
2. Use a washcloth when showering
Speaking of washcloths/face towels, please use one when you shower.
Some of us may have the habit of just taking the soap bar and gliding it all over our bodies.
But this won’t give you the thorough cleaning your body needs. Also, your soap bar ends much faster and you end up using more water as the soap is much harder to rinse out when used like this.
When you use a washcloth, you not only give your body the thorough clean it needs, but also end us using less soap, as it lathers more, and less water, as it’s much easier to rinse off the soap when you use a washcloth.
Your washcloth can be a normal ‘kitambaa’ that you can buy in the supermarket or on the streets (I bought mine for about 90ksh!), or even those fancy loofas just because.
So, the next time you shower, wet the washcloth in warm water, glide the soap on the washcloth, and scrub your body down.
3. Floss your teeth
Another hygiene tip is for your teeth and will take your dental hygiene to the next level. I am NOT a fan of bad breath and I don’t think anybody is. Personally, I get super weird and sensitive about oral hygiene, starting with my own. So, I am quite particular with my dental hygiene routine. One of the things that can make a significant difference is flossing your teeth, apart from just brushing.
Flossing is not just dancing lol, it’s passing a piece of string between your teeth to remove any food debris stuck between them. When food debris stays on the surface of your teeth without being removed, it leads to the formation of plaque, and cavities and is known to cause bad breath. Flossing regularly will help you avoid these problems.
The flossing string is not just any string, it is lined with fluoride and teeth-cleansing ingredients to effectively remove any stuck debris. You can find them in the toothpaste section in the supermarket, or even at the nearest pharmacy.
I usually floss at night right before brushing my teeth, so that when I brush, I wash off all the food debris I just plucked out.
Remember to be gentle as you floss, being too thorough can make your gums bleed. However, don’t panic if you bleed a little when you floss especially if it’s your first time. You’ll get a hang of it in no time.
4. Don’t rinse off the toothpaste after brushing your teeth
For most of us, our brushing technique looks something like this;
Get your toothbrush, and put toothpaste on it.
Run the toothbrush under water and brush.
When done, spit out the excess toothpaste.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly. You might even gargle sometimes for a thorough rinsing!
Did you know you aren’t supposed to do the last step?!
I was also super surprised when I found this out.
You see, toothpaste has something called fluoride that helps to keep your teeth healthy. When you rinse it off after brushing, you rinse the fluoride off too, hence defeating the purpose of the toothpaste in the first place, and leaving your teeth exposed to damage.
So, next time you brush your teeth, follow the first four steps only. Then, when rinsing, just rinse off the excess toothpaste around your mouth.
5. If you work out, try to shower as soon as possible
This will prevent the sweat, dirt, and bacteria on your skin from accumulating, thus causing skin conditions such as acne and bad odor.
If you suffer from body acne, like on your chest, arms, and back, then getting out of your sweaty workout clothes and showering as soon as you can, can tremendously help your skin clear up.
Your body’s warm temperature provides a conducive environment for the bacteria in your sweat to multiply, thus causing the issues mentioned above.
So, as soon as you can, after tearing it up at the gym, tear it up in the shower too, immediately after.
6. Clean and dry between your toes
Lastly, this is probably a commonly overlooked step in our shower routine. As you shower, remember your feet too, especially between your toes.
The skin between your toes is super folded and hidden, making it a hub for the growth of bacteria and fungi. If you are always wearing closed shoes during the day, ensure you remove them and leave them to air out. Then, as you shower, ensure you clean between your toes with a wet washcloth and soap. Afterward, (and this is probably the most important step), ensure you dry between your toes. Aside from how much the skin is hidden and folded, extra moisture makes it an even more conducive hub for the rapid growth of bacteria and fungi.
For more dryness and prevention of bacteria and fungi growth, you can apply powder too.
Alright, we’ve come to the end of the post.
If you’ve reached here, thank you so much! I hope this post has been of benefit to you.
I will see you on the next one :).
Xoxo
BK.
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