What if you didn’t need to shower? This is the hypothesis put forward by American journalist, writer and former radiologist James Hamblin after reporting on the microbiotaskin. The intrepid decided to judge for himself by testing the abandonment of washing in June 2016. Since then, he has hardly resumed this habit. The times he takes a shower are reduced to heartache. The question that all journalists intrigued by his experience have asked him hangs on your lips: does James Hamblin smell bad? The answer is no according to the person concerned. The journalist explains that shampoos, shower gels and other cosmetic products affect bacteria but also the appearance and smell of the skin.
Body odor is produced when bacteria on the skin metabolize oils secreted by hair follicles, especially under the armpits, which generates an odor, explains The Independent. The shower kills this bacteria, while the deodorant acts as an antibacterial to delay this process. Therefore, the abandonment of these uses would make it possible to regain a microbial balance. “We know that not all germs are good or bad,” Hamblin told the newspaper. “It’s this complex ecosystem. Some produce smells, but others retain smells. The idea is that if you let the ecosystem balance, you don’t end up smelling. cologne, flowers or cinnamon but you smell okay “.
“After my jogging, I rinse my face with water”
He concedes all the same that this balance was not reached immediately, as soon as the hygiene care was stopped. “At first, I had become an oily and fragrant beast,” he laughs at The Atlantic, taken up by The morning. Almost two years later, the “no shower” has become a priesthood for him. It is out of the question to go back, even if some of his relatives do not understand his approach. “I no longer use shampoo, shower gel and hardly ever shower. When I get dirt on my face after jogging, I just rinse my face with water,” he explains. -he.
A clarification all the same: if James Hamblin abandoned the body wash, he continues to to clean your hands, a essential bulwark against disease.
Failing to stop washing, you can opt for a gesture more respectful of the balance of the skin: read our article Frequent showers, delicate wash option.
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