Everyone has their own daily routine for keeping clean – it might include a hot or cold shower, washing your hair and brushing your teeth. For many it will also include the use of a range of hygiene products.

We all perform our routine differently, and it goes without saying that what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. For example, maybe you shower at night instead of first thing in the morning, or maybe you wash your hair (with product) every 3rd day instead of every 2nd day. Do you wash simply with soap in the shower, or do you have a dedicated routine which involves a number of products?

So when we ask the question “How often should I wash?”, not only are we delving into a personal and perhaps awkward subject, but we are also attempting to answer a question which does not have a definitive answer.

Is there such a thing as too much when it comes to washing our bodies?

It appears to be widely accepted by dermatologists that washing our bodies every day is too much, as this strips the skin of its outer layer of moisture and leaves our skin unprotected against drying elements including artificial heating, harsh wind, UV rays and pollution.

According to the Harvard Medical School’s Robert H. Shmerling, MD, showering every day can in fact have some negative health impacts on your skin such as

– dry/itchy skin

– higher possibility of skin infection due do dry/cracked skin

– the wrong soap can kill off good bacteria

– reduction of the ability of the immune system to do its job effectively

How much is not enough?

There is one obvious symptom that may be a clear sign of a person who doesn’t wash very often – body odour. Bacteria naturally grows on our bodies, and when allowed to develop in the armpit a noticeable smell can occur. To combat this deodorants, soaps and other products are designed to mask these smells so that we instead have a pleasant fragrance around our peers. 

We have acknowledged that we do not need to wash with soap every single day, but there is no hard and fast rule about not washing enough. By not washing your body you allow dirt and bacteria to build up on your skin, which can inadvertently lead to skin issues not to mention an offensive smell. While it’s important to remember that we don’t need to wash every day with soap, we should also keep in mind that not washing enough can obviously have a negative effect on your body.

Natural soaps are important when it comes to maintaining the health of our skin and a quality product will have pure essential oils added. These oils are small enough to penetrate the deeper layers of our skin and once absorbed, the components of the essential oils mix with the natural oils in our skin to balance, regulate and rejuvenate. 

Use natural ingredients for your skin

Some skin care products use fillers which are synthetic based materials which do not come from nature and in many cases can harm our skin. Natural ingredients can assist in restoring and rejuvenating our skin with elasticity and the repair of free radical damage, a good example is Vitamin C. Once absorbed by the skin it can boost collagen production, increase blood flow and oxygen to the skin, as well as repair free radicals damage. This will help with the appearance of fewer lines, greater tightness of the skin and more importantly, protect the skin from further damage from the elements.

Natural ingredients which help promote good skin include:

How Important are oils in your skin/hair?

The skin is your largest organ and its job is to protect you. It works hard to produce  oils with the intention of keeping the moisture in and the nasties out. The skins’ natural oils are the first line of defence for dirt, grime and bacteria. They become trapped in the oils and stay there until the next wash.

You may be thinking the grime and bacteria is exactly what you want to get rid of but a little dirtiness is good for us, it builds up immunity and helps our system work to regulate all parts of the body according to the way nature intended. 

Washing your hair daily doesn’t give it that healthy shine, the natural oils do.  Healthy hair that is washed only a couple of times a week is easier to manage and if you have an artificial colour in your hair, washing it daily will only wash the colour out faster.