Banishing soap from the bathroom would restore body balance. The phenomenon is more and more trendy.
No more showers every day and goodbye to chemicals: in France and abroad, more and more people are deciding to give up chemical soaps, shampoos and other hygiene products. This radical measure would preserve the skin.
Take care of the skin microbiota
According to the American magazine The Atlantic, we spend nearly two years bathing in a lifetime, twenty minutes a day. Saving time is however not the objective of those who choose to stop showers and baths. Thousands of bacteria are found on our skin and make up the skin microbiota.
They are a protection for the epidermis against various aggressions such as pollution or UV rays, but with each wash, bacteria are eliminated. “Our skin is not made to be stripped every day, explains dermatologist Nina Roos to 20 minutes. It dissolves the fat of the epidermis which plays the role of “intercellular cement”. The skin is no longer tight, it will become drier and more irritable.” The consequences can range from simple discomfort to itching and redness to eczema.
No bad smells
In an article by The Atlantic, the American journalist James Hamblin tells how he stopped washing. First, he reduced his consumption of cleansing products, then reduced the frequency of his showers to wash only with water, from time to time. “After a while, my body regained its natural balance and I stopped smelling bad, he says. I didn’t smell like rose water or Ax deodorant. I just smelled like a person should smell. .”
The journalist only continues to wash his hands with soap to avoid any risk of illness. It’s hard to estimate how many people today have opted out of using chemicals to bathe themselves, but the movement seems to be gathering more and more followers.
Learn to wash better
If you’re not ready to give up your shower gel, it’s important to choose it wisely. On the site of the Express, dermatologist Yael Adler recommends products that are “pH neutral, dye-free, sulfate-free and preservative-free”. The specialist advises to use them only for the areas where they are necessary, i.e. those which are potentially odorous: armpits, feet, intimate areas. For the rest of the body, the use of soap is unnecessary.
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