Skincare tips! 

A lot of time when I search "skincare" it usually only focuses on the facial skincare. I think a lot of people forget that full body care is just as important. So here are some skincare tips and tips for smelling good that I have gathered over time!

1. Shower routine 

Unless you do physical activity daily or it's summer, there is not really a need for a full shower every day. However everyone (who is able to) should go into the shower once a day to at least cover the important areas. Basically it's just washing the armpits and intimate areas. These get the sweatiest and are the warmest, and this damp and warm environment is perfect for bacteria to thrive. This is what causes the bad smell to begin with.

When it comes to a full shower, however a few areas people often forget are behind the ears, belly button, and the crack. Because they often get ignored, these build up with sweat and dead skin cells, which brings us to:

2. Exfoliating 🧽

DO NOT exfoliate daily. It's best to do it once a week or once every two weeks. Best check is to lightly dampen one area of the skin and rub it with your finger. If it goes over smoothly, you're good, but if there's little balls of dead skin cells forming, it's time to exfoliate.

Usually people recommend body scrubs, which can be expensive. Here are some of my budget tips for exfoliation:

     1. Exfoliating glove or a rag. 

These worked best for me. They are reusable, easy to use, but unlike loofahs they don't have to be replaced as often. Just make sure to rinse it well and wash with soap after use.

    2. Homemade body scrub. 

I make it with sugar because the granules are slightly coarser than salt. It's important that you use something that melts in the water. Then I use coconut oil, however any oil can be used. I find two parts sugar and one part oil to be best consistency.

How to use: use it last in the shower and use it how you would a normal body scrub. Afterwards, rinse. You will find that you are slightly oily, which is good. When drying with a towel, dab the water off with the towel. You don't need lotion after this because the oil in the scrub locked in the moisture.

    3. A loofah. 

This one I recommend the least because it gets dirty and has to be replaced often. Even though it's cheap, it adds up the more you buy. One thing I do like is to unravel it so I have a net, which can be used to easily exfoliate the back.

Importance of soap you use:

I initially started using lush soap bars until I realized that the regular soap bars work just fine. My favorite is the Balea antibacterial soap with aloe vera because I find this one to be gentle enough on sensitive areas while cleaning well.

If you get irritation from it in your intimate areas, I suggest a pH neutral soap. Usually these are intimate wash gels, but some soap bar versions I like are: 

1. Balea (Med) Ultra Sensitive Seifenfreie Waschstück - its pH-neutral, and super cheap.

2. Sebamed Fragrance-Free Cleansing Bar -  basically the "gold standard" for pH 5.5 (healthy skin pH).

3. Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar - pretty self explanatory.

I find that soap bars just last me longer and are cheaper than shower gels, and wash better.

Lotion:🧴

I used to complain about lotions being expensive until I found out I was using them wrong. A simple trick for even a cheap lotion to work wonderfully is to not dry yourself completely before putting lotion on.

If you are soaking wet, the lotion will leave a white cast. One method I like is using a spray bottle (usually a well washed bottle from a body spray) and lightly mist my skin before applying lotion. It applies smoother and locks in moisture. I use this method for my face skincare too.

Skincare products:🧖‍♀️

We live in the era where paid partnerships and lying influencers surround us, and it's impossible to sometimes find the truth without trying the products yourself. If you live in Europe, you have an amazing option which is DM brand Balea. I have made it my mission to find good budget skincare and have been using Balea for two years now, and this is what I have to say:

For most products that I've tried, they last me a few months with daily use. Little goes a long way with most products, bit of course this depends on how often you use them, too.

Serums:

My too recommendations are Balea hyaluronic acid serum and niacinamide serum. These two were the ones I've been returning to consistently.

Toners:

Balea hydrating toner was the best for me. Second place takes the refining toner, which works well, but I doubt I'll purchase it again.

Face creams:

For a night cream, I found that Balea Q10 night cream works amazing and last me a long time. It is also safe for teenage skin and has the same formula as the Nivea one, but for half the price.

Another cream I like is the Balea Aqua day cream gel. I used to use it as a night cream initially and it worked just fine. It's very light and keeps my face nice and soft without being sticky. Absolutely an amazing option for anyone struggling with night creams feeling too heavy.

Important note: there is no need for buying the SPF 15 day creams. These have very little protection. It's better to buy a good sunscreen with better protection. Otherwise I found no issues with these creams.

Vitamin C:

Balea has multiple vitamin C options. I have tried two of them. I do not recommend buying capsules as it's wasteful, but they are great for trying on product for the first time.

The Balea Vitamin C dark spot lightener (orange tube) I found really rough on the skin to the point it started peeling. However, I do find it amazing for getting rid of dark spots on armpits and inner elbow.

Vitamin C serum - this one is more gentle on the skin and less concentrated. Good for daily use.

Chemical exfoliants:

For now I had tried three Balea options:

First was the AHA and PHA cleanser. I find this amazing and good for daily use, however as someone who washes my face twice or more a day, you might want to invest in a cleanser too.

BHA liquid peeling - I use this only on my nose where I have sebum, and weekly on my whole face. It's great for maintenance however it's important to note that you have to use it regularly, otherwise sebum and blackheads will return.

Cleansers:

If you want something more high end, I recommend the popular CeraVe oil cleanser. One pump goes a long way and it removes makeup amazingly, even waterproof mascara.

One 236 ml bottle lasted me about four months with regular use.

Another cleanser is Balea Sensitive cream cleanser with vitamin E granules. It's cheap, it's nice, and it doesn't dry skin out. A little goes a long way and using too much will leave your face feeling greasy.

Another one I like is Balea gentle foam cleanser. Not much I can say about it, it gets the job done and doesn't dry out my skin.

Tips for smelling good:

First important step is getting to the root of the problem. As previously stated, getting a good soap, washing areas like the butt crack, behind the ears and the belly button are already a huge step towards the goal. Now it's time to get into ways to actually smell nice.

One trend i hopped on is using witch hazel. Due to antibacterial properties, it gets to the root of the bad smell by preventing bacteria from multiplying and causing the sweaty smell.

The important thing about this is that the brand most influencers use CONTAINS ALCOHOL. If you're going to use this on your intimate areas and armpits, it WILL burn and damage your skin. Look into brands with no alcohol. Apply it on a cotton pad in the areas you want to use it on, I recommend wiping down the intimate areas, butt crack, armpits and behind the ears. 

Important note: witch hazel is an astringent and even without alcohol might cause irritation. Do a patch test before you go wild with it.

Recently there was a trend of making dusting powders, however I personally don't recommend. The process is messy and application is even more so. It leaves a dusty white cast and is a sensory nightmare. You will inhale it, which is not really good, and it'll leave a mess everywhere.

One way to smell good is a nice smelling lotion, but that is not a necessary rule.

One thing I like are perfume oils. Apply them on the wrists and under the chin. These are the warmest areas and will help release the scent. Spray perfume on your nape and chest. These two combinations will make the scent linger rather than being overwhelming. One spray is enough.

I like to use body mist on my clothes and this is merely to refresh the scent and deepen it. 

Important: try to use products with similar or complimenting notes to create balance. Otherwise you might smell funky.

Some side notes:

Absolutely no shame to people who are struggling with health or mental health and are unable to do some of these things. Showering daily can be exhausting for anyone.

When saying "intimate areas" I refer to the vulva. Absolutely DO NOT go inside, not even with soap (only wash the outer lips). Otherwise this can cause yeast infections.

If you're a guy, also make sure not to use harsh body washes on this area! Unscented gentle soaps prevent itching and irritation. And DO NOT use witch hazel directly on your intimate areas and focus on the area around the groin, otherwise it WILL burn.

If you have any questions, ask in the comments! Everyone is welcome, please be kind to each other <3