Hygiene tips for the girliesss

Hi, it’s Moon <3

Over the past year or so, I have spent a lot of time watching videos about tips for hygiene to help you smell, look, and feel nice all day. This advice is mostly for girls and women, but some of these tips can apply to men as well.

Smelling nice.

If there is one thing people will notice first as you walk past, it’s how you smell. No one wants to pass by someone that smells like a gym locker room, so it’s important that you always smell good. Everyone has different taste in scents, so you should take the time to try out different perfumes at a store to find one you like. In my opinion, don’t choose something too strong, because you don’t want to be too over the top.

Keep in mind there are different scents to suit different occasions, but simply just think about the fact that usually stronger perfumes are worn in the evening, and softer, more refreshing or sweet perfumes are worn during the day. Some scents I recommend for day time (depending on your taste) are vanilla, strawberry, coconut, something floral, or a citrus scent. To find the right one it’s best to sample and experiment with plenty different options.

When applying perfume, you should put it behind your ears, on pulse points (like the sides of your neck or your wrists), and your inner elbows and behind your knees. Of course, if you have a relatively strong perfume you should only use 1–2 sprays, but if you have a very light perfume or a body spray, you can put a few more. I find that also applying moisturiser with the scent helps it stay on throughout the day.

Other things to use to help with scent is (of course) applying deodorant at least once everyday in the morning, and reapplying it during the day if you tend to smell bad, or if you are doing a sport, and using scented shampoo, conditioner, or other hair products. Something to keep in mind is that you will smell even better if you can match your hair product, deodorant, perfume, and any other scents you are using so it can be cohesive.

Obviously there are other basic things like washing your clothes often, especially if you have been sweating in them, underwear, socks, and anything you have been active in, should be washed every day, and most other things can be every 2–3 days depending on what you did while wearing them. Your pj's should be washed every 4–5 days I would say. If you are over 10 years old, I recommend you should be showering every day, and washing your hair every 2–3 days depending on your hair type, and make sure to leave your conditioner in for about 8 minutes before rinsing.

Another tip I would give in terms of smelling good, is taking your time in the shower. Find a good soap (bar or liquid it’d your choice) that smells really nice. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just a nice scent that will last the day, and preferably one that matches your other chosen scents. Wash your entire body thoroughly, rinse it off, and wash again. The first wash is to take off any dirt, oils or bacteria on the surface of your skin, and the second wash is to actually clean your pores and make sure the scent stays. Remember, for the sake of preventing rashes or soreness, any sensitive places like ‘down there’ should only be washed with water, any soaps or harsh scrubs or anything could cause irritation (which is also a reason I do not recommend using scented pads because it can put of the skin balance and irritate your sensitive area). After showering, use a body moisturiser.

Clear skin.

Now obviously, everyone has different skin types, and different things that irritate or help them. In some cases, it is hard to find anything that can help in terms of bad acne, so then it’s best to go to a dermatologist for help. However I will talk about different skin care steps you should try to help your skin. Having clear and soft skin helps you feel more confident, and looks cleaner to. First, you need to somehow figure out if your acne is because of your diet, if its hormonal acne, or if it’s fungal acne.

Acne can be caused by many different things. If you have acne around your hairline, it could be from hair products left on your skin. If you have acne on your T-zone (forehead and nose), it could be oils, or stress. If you have acne on your ears it’s likely hair products or bacteria build up (remember to wash your ears every time you shower because I know some people forget). If you have acne on your jawline and chin, it’s likely hormones or your diet. If you have acne on your neck, it’s probably hormones or your clothing is too tight in that area. If you have acne on your cheeks or the sides of your face, it’s highly likely that it’s from not washing your pillow and makeup brushes often enough, or tough your cellphone to your face with bacteria. Of course any area of your face could have acne for multiple reasons, the main ones including hormones, your diet, or just oils and bacteria build up on your face. There isn’t a specific way I know of figuring out why you have acne but if you are really struggling go to a dermatologist.

Before I start on the skincare steps, I just want to give a disclaimer that everyone's skin is different, so some people need different products, or need extra steps or less. I will just be talking about what has been working for me. I also want to say that you have likely seen people on the internet with like 15 step routines, and heaps of expensive gadgets and things to use. I’m going to be straight up and say that most of that is just promoting over-consumerism, most of those gadgets don’t do much, and having that many different products going on your skin can actually make it worse. So don’t feel left out because you don’t want to spend money on something that expensive, you are not missing out on much.

1. The first step of a basic skincare routine is cleansing your face. For oily skin, I suggest having a water based cleanser that you use, and then an oil based cleanser after that. For those with dry skin, just one water based cleansing oil is enough so you don’t dry out your skin. Make sure to fully rinse off your cleanser and dry your face.
2. The second step is using a toner. Find one that is suitable for your skin, I recommend a gentle one for any skin type so it doesn’t irritate your skin. Toner is there to balance the pH levels in your skin, making it soft and smooth. Toner isn’t rubbed into your skin or bubbly like cleanser. You should use your hands and tap it into your skin all over your face for about 30–40 seconds. If you wish, you can add a few layers on top of each other (I have heard that a lot of Korean music artists do this and they are known for having great skin. They put about 7 layers but personally, I think that is too much, and a bit of a waste of product so just 2–3 layers is enough) I have tried this myself, and I can’t explain the texture of my skin but it definitely helps to add a few layers, especially if you have quite rough skin.
3. Once you let the toner dry for a couple minutes, then you can use a small amount of serum. Personally, I don’t use a serum but it is helpful to target certain skin conditions. For example there are vitamin c serums for brightening your skin, acne serums to help calm breakouts, serums for hyper pigmentation, hydration, and other skin concerns. If you use a serum, be careful to never touch the applicator to your face or hands, because if any bacteria gets on it, then every time you use it, you will be putting that bacteria onto your face.
4. After rubbing in the serum, let it dry and then you can use a moisturiser. For oily skin, just a standard moisturiser will work, but for dry skin, try to find one designed for your skin type, or one for extra hydration that will last long (especially in winter when your skin is driest). Just two pumps of moisturiser is enough, thoroughly rub it into your skin.
5. After moisturiser, you can use acne spot treatment on any breakouts or pimples showing on your face. if you have pretty clear skin then you can skip this step.
6. The last step is something I forget about a lot, but you should be putting on a lightweight sunscreen no matter what the weather is. Even if it’s a cloudy day, UV rays still reach you even if the sun doesn’t so you need to be protecting your skin. Using sunscreen helps prevent many health risks later on in your life, and keeps your skin from becoming rough or patchy in colour.

And that’s it! I do this routine when I wake up, and before I go to bed, but that’s just what suits me. You can add more products and steps if you want to experiment but that's a basic skincare routine for you to customise to suit your skin. I will say that this is mainly for 14 years and over, using products on younger skin can damage the skin barrier, so if you are younger, use a much simpler routine like just one cleanser and sunscreen, unless you really have bad skin, you don’t need much at such a young age.

Something else I should mention is that if you get a puffy face in the morning, you should invest in a gua sha, which is a shaped crystal/stone that you massage your face with. You can also use your hands, but if you are going to do gua sha you should watch videos on where to do it and how many times, because it’s too complicated for me to explain in writing without a video. Another thing that helps with a puffy face is rubbing ice over your skin when you wake up. Don’t leave it on too long or your skin will dry out or burn, but if you just do a few swipes over your face mainly around your jaw and cheek bones, it will reduce swelling and redness on your face. This also works if you keep your skincare refrigerated, because having cold things on your face calms the puffiness.

Another thing to help your skin is you can use face masks, I recommend once a week. There are different types of face masks for different skin types, so research and experiment with different ones to find the right brand and type for you. Also, make sure to wash your bed sheets every 2–3 weeks, and your pillow case every 3–5 days to prevent bacteria growing and then spreading on your face.

On your period.

While on your period, that is the most important time to be practising good hygiene. Here are the main things to remember:

1. Never leave a pad or tampon in for more than 2–3 hours. You will feel gross sitting in that for so long, you could leak, and you could also be letting bacteria build up leading to an infection.
2. Shower at least once everyday. When on your period, you will feel kind icky, so whenever you feel like it, showering and cleaning is a good idea to help you feel better.
3. As I mentioned before, it’s not a great idea to use scented pads. I know you might think it helps out with odour, but it can cause irritation because of the chemicals companies use to scent it.
4. If you want to get rid of smell down there, wash every chance you get, and it’s your choice if you want to shave or wax, but make sure you do it with the right technique so you don’t cause pain.
5. On your period, drinking heaps of water helps you feel refreshed, and helps with acne (it’s likely that your acne will flare up a bit because of hormonal changes).
6. This isn’t related to hygiene, but some other tips to remember are: Always wear dark clothes on your period and bring a jacket or scarf with you if you go anywhere so that if you leak, it won’t be too visible and you can cover it up. The reason you get cramps, is because the path to your uterus is inflamed, and swells a bit, so putting a heat pack will help calm down the inflammation. Also with your parents permission (if you are a teen), don’t be afraid to take pain killers, if you find the right ones, it can really be a life saver.

Getting rid of bad breath.

I know most of us have experienced talking to someone with bad breath, and it’s not pleasant so you don’t want to be that person. Remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day, and if you can, after every meal. If you have to go to school during the day obviously you can’t brush your teeth there, and gum is usually banned in school so always take a box of breath mints with you. That way if you eat something that smells bad, you can take one and not worry about it.

I recommend getting a tongue scraper too, you should use this morning and night. Tongue scrapers basically scrape off any gunk on your tongue that causes bacteria and smell. Usually tooth brushes have something for that on the back, but they don’t always work well enough.

If your teeth are quite yellow, you could look into some teeth whitening strips. However, be very cautious and do research on the products you are using, because sometimes chemicals in whitening products can strip the protective barrier on your teeth and weaken them, leading to aching and other problems down the track so be careful.

The importance of good sleep (This isn’t exactly hygiene either, but it certainly relates to a lot of the points I have made so far).

Getting enough sleep is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, clearing up your skin, and keeping your body and mind at your best. It’s important to maintain a good sleep schedule so that your body knows what time each day you need to start falling asleep. After about 4.00pm, you should avoid any stimulants like caffeine or energy drinks, because these will keep your mind awake when you need to sleep. You should also avoid using any devices for at least an hour or two before you plan on going to sleep, because they keep your brain turned on as well.

To help you get to sleep, make sure your room is more on the cool side rather than warm, because this helps shut your brain and body off. Doing regular exercise each day will also help, because it makes your body tired, and ready for sleep. You can also practice deep breathing to relax your body. Another important thing to do is create a dark space, if you really need light to sleep, have dimmed red lights, because this colour has been researched to be the least sleep disrupting compared to other harsh colours. You should also make sure to be wearing comfortable clothing to bed, and not too tight. It is also recommended to not wear a bra when you sleep because it can be uncomfortable and restrictive when sleeping. That’s for you to decide though, I understand if you aren’t comfortable doing that in front of family.

The things that have really helped me with my sleep, are putting scented tissues under my pillow, using lavender or other sleep inducing scents, and writing my thoughts out before bed. I still struggle a lot with getting to sleep on time, mainly because my mind just constantly has burning questions and things to think about, so if I write all of it down before going to bed, it becomes easier for my brain to relax and fall asleep.

I hope this advice will be beneficial to some of you guys, God bless you all,

Moon <3

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”*

- Philippians 4:7

*Sorry, I couldn’t find a Bible verse related to hygiene.