Basic Hygiene and Grooming for Social Presentation 101

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Your soul is probably dirtier than these other people's. It's because you keep noticing superficial cosmetic blips instead of focusing on inner beauty and integrity.

Clean yourself up, OP. You have a ton of work to do!

That is really harsh. All because of the suggestion that people take a shower?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was at a gathering the other day where I was surprised to encounter people who appear to have rolled out of bed and left their house. It made me think about the very basics of hygiene and grooming necessary to be socially presentable as it appears its something people still struggle with.

1. Shower daily if not twice a day if you work out.
2. Post shower moisturizing: Moisturize your whole body; even better if you can supplement with body oil. Focus on your neck and feet as they are often neglected!
3. Dental Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day! Pro Tip: use a waterpick! If your teeth are discolored, teeth whitening definitely helps freshen up your smile.
4. Trim stray hairs. Have neat and clean eyebrows, no stray hairs peeking from under your nose!
5. Skin care. Invest in quality skincare so your skin is clear and healthy with no obvious blemishes.
6. Hair. Stay current on your haircuts! You don't need to have a lavish hairdo but keep hair neat and styled so it looks presentable and not like you just got out of bed.
7. Clean clothing. Wear clean and pressed clothing that fit you well!
8. Nails. Nothing is worse than gross nails! Keep them trimmed and short. Either wear no polish or keep current with your manicures so there is no chipping.

Anything else I am missing?

Hygiene isn’t always the issue when it comes to body odor. In many cases it’s diet. People who don’t eat fresh vegetables and those who consume high amounts of sugar and carbs tend to produce offensive body odor. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in our gut, and a high population of bad bacteria produces unpleasant body odor and breath.

The first two sentences of this are true. The rest is BS, but the point is that it's important to understand that some people don't have control over their body odor.

Often bad body odor is caused by medication that might be very necessary.

It’s not BS at all.

[Anonymous]

body oil??? Rub body oil all over? Gross, I don't want to be greasy. If you put body oil on your feet you'll break your neck in your "two showers" a day protocol.

[Anonymous]

1. Shower daily if not twice a day if you work out. Instead of dictating how often people should shower, just say that people should shower before interacting with others. Some people shower less if they are just home alone and I see no problem with that. People should be clean when they leave the house.
2. Post shower moisturizing: Moisturize your whole body; even better if you can supplement with body oil. Focus on your neck and feet as they are often neglected! Look, I am really big on moisturizing because I'm prone to dry skin and especially this time of year I'm religious about it. But this is none of your business. If you are noticing dry skin on someone's neck, you are standing too close to them. Back up and stop being so nosy.
3. Dental Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day! Pro Tip: use a waterpick! If your teeth are discolored, teeth whitening definitely helps freshen up your smile. Flossing once a day is fine. Waterpicks can be helpful but do what works for you. But OP if you don't like discolored teeth, keep it to yourself. First of all, most people don't know what the natural color of teeth is anymore because whitening is so common -- a lot of people's normal teeth will read as "discolored" because we are conditioned by Hollywood super white veneers to think off-white looks "dirty." Teeth whitening is not a hygiene issue. It's an aesthetic preference. None of your business.
4. Trim stray hairs. Have neat and clean eyebrows, no stray hairs peeking from under your nose! This is also largely an aesthetic preference. Older people in particular often have more hair in the noses and ears. Judging them for that is a poor reflection on you. This can be a preference you have for romantic partners but just expecting all people you interact with to really be getting in there with the trimmers is too much. Some people will have stray hairs, bushy eyebrows, etc. Deal with it.
5. Skin care. Invest in quality skincare so your skin is clear and healthy with no obvious blemishes. This is mostly just classist. "Invest in quality skincare"? Honestly, **** off. I used to have bad acne and it was a hormonal issue and there was nothing I could do. I now have perfect skin AND can afford to spend extra money on stuff to make my skin look really nice but I NEVER judge people with bad skin. No one wants to have bad skin and often people have no control over it. It took me years to address my acne. I had good hygiene the whole time. I'm sorry you don't how it looks, I don't like your attitude. So I guess we're even.
6. Hair. Stay current on your haircuts! You don't need to have a lavish hairdo but keep hair neat and styled so it looks presentable and not like you just got out of bed. This is another style choice. If someone's hair is clean, it's none of your business how it is styled. You can argue that women with long hair need to trim it or keep it contained so it doesn't get in people's food -- that' a hygiene issue. But otherwise, not your business. Don't like someone's messy bun? Tough. Maybe she thinks your perfectly coifed bob is too severe and high maintenance. It's a style disagreement, not hygiene.
7. Clean clothing. Wear clean and pressed clothing that fit you well! Clean clothes, yes. "Pressed" -- only if they need it. A lot of people wear clothes that don't. Athleisure is so common now. If I saw someone in a wrinkled outfit at a more formal event, I would assume they were having a hard time. But it's not a hygiene issue. Cut people some slack. You sound like you would freak out if somone showed up in khakis without a firm crease down the front. Unclench.
8. Nails. Nothing is worse than gross nails! Keep them trimmed and short. Either wear no polish or keep current with your manicures so there is no chipping. Again, half of this is hygiene (short and clean nails) and half is not -- stop staring at people nail polish so close that you can see chips or whatever. Some people care about that and some don't You need to just let this go.

[Anonymous]

The thing is, that people with eczema and dry skin might not shower as much as you'd like because it dries out the skin further. And we can't wear scented products because we are allergic.

I think it's reasonable to ask that people be clean and not smell like body odor, but dictating how they get there really isn't up to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
If you shower less, you need less moisturizer.

Bingo! Showers are extremely drying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your soul is probably dirtier than these other people's. It's because you keep noticing superficial cosmetic blips instead of focusing on inner beauty and integrity.

Clean yourself up, OP. You have a ton of work to do!

That is really harsh. All because of the suggestion that people take a shower?

If OP had simply stated that people should shower daily, I don't think she'd be getting the reception she's getting.

[Anonymous]

OP, what kind of gathering was this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your soul is probably dirtier than these other people's. It's because you keep noticing superficial cosmetic blips instead of focusing on inner beauty and integrity.

Clean yourself up, OP. You have a ton of work to do!

That is really harsh. All because of the suggestion that people take a shower?

If OP had simply stated that people should shower daily, I don't think she'd be getting the reception she's getting.

Showering daily is not necessary for most. Before you come for me, I do it. But I also have to compensate for it by applying a shit ton of lotion on my dry skin. It's not medically necessary to shower daily and if people don't smell who cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was at a gathering the other day where I was surprised to encounter people who appear to have rolled out of bed and left their house. It made me think about the very basics of hygiene and grooming necessary to be socially presentable as it appears its something people still struggle with.

1. Shower daily if not twice a day if you work out.
2. Post shower moisturizing: Moisturize your whole body; even better if you can supplement with body oil. Focus on your neck and feet as they are often neglected!
3. Dental Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day! Pro Tip: use a waterpick! If your teeth are discolored, teeth whitening definitely helps freshen up your smile.
4. Trim stray hairs. Have neat and clean eyebrows, no stray hairs peeking from under your nose!
5. Skin care. Invest in quality skincare so your skin is clear and healthy with no obvious blemishes.
6. Hair. Stay current on your haircuts! You don't need to have a lavish hairdo but keep hair neat and styled so it looks presentable and not like you just got out of bed.
7. Clean clothing. Wear clean and pressed clothing that fit you well!
8. Nails. Nothing is worse than gross nails! Keep them trimmed and short. Either wear no polish or keep current with your manicures so there is no chipping.

Anything else I am missing?

Hygiene isn’t always the issue when it comes to body odor. In many cases it’s diet. People who don’t eat fresh vegetables and those who consume high amounts of sugar and carbs tend to produce offensive body odor. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in our gut, and a high population of bad bacteria produces unpleasant body odor and breath.

The first two sentences of this are true. The rest is BS, but the point is that it's important to understand that some people don't have control over their body odor.

Often bad body odor is caused by medication that might be very necessary.

It’s not BS at all.

It is. Some vegetables can actually cause bad body odor if in high amounts -- cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are all high in sulfur so if you were consuming a lot of them, it could make you stink.

Eating a diet very high in red meat can cause bad BO. Or just any diet that is very high in fat.

And then alcohol and certain high levels of spices can show up in body odor.

But no, there is absolutely zero evidence that eating more fresh vegetables will cure bad body odor, or that a high-sugar diet without fresh vegetables will cause it. There are lots of reasons to eat fresh veggies or limit sugar, especially highly processed sugar in foods like desserts and alcohol, but this is not one of them.

[Anonymous]

NP and DW:

Men with short haircuts: please shave your neck! All men: trim your eyebrows & rid your ears and nostrils of visible hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Your soul is probably dirtier than these other people's. It's because you keep noticing superficial cosmetic blips instead of focusing on inner beauty and integrity.

Clean yourself up, OP. You have a ton of work to do!

That is really harsh. All because of the suggestion that people take a shower?

If OP had simply stated that people should shower daily, I don't think she'd be getting the reception she's getting.

Showering daily is not necessary for most. Before you come for me, I do it. But I also have to compensate for it by applying a shit ton of lotion on my dry skin. It's not medically necessary to shower daily and if people don't smell who cares.

I'm PP and I agree with you. But I think this would be less controversial than what OP actually wrote, which is a laundry list of mostly aesthetic preferences that are primarily about class and aesthetics, not hygiene. At least regular showers is about hygiene and addressing smells, the ostensible topic of OP's post. But then she got into being offended by people dry necks and discolored teeth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Shower daily if not twice a day if you work out. Instead of dictating how often people should shower, just say that people should shower before interacting with others. Some people shower less if they are just home alone and I see no problem with that. People should be clean when they leave the house.
2. Post shower moisturizing: Moisturize your whole body; even better if you can supplement with body oil. Focus on your neck and feet as they are often neglected! Look, I am really big on moisturizing because I'm prone to dry skin and especially this time of year I'm religious about it. But this is none of your business. If you are noticing dry skin on someone's neck, you are standing too close to them. Back up and stop being so nosy.
3. Dental Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day! Pro Tip: use a waterpick! If your teeth are discolored, teeth whitening definitely helps freshen up your smile. Flossing once a day is fine. Waterpicks can be helpful but do what works for you. But OP if you don't like discolored teeth, keep it to yourself. First of all, most people don't know what the natural color of teeth is anymore because whitening is so common -- a lot of people's normal teeth will read as "discolored" because we are conditioned by Hollywood super white veneers to think off-white looks "dirty." Teeth whitening is not a hygiene issue. It's an aesthetic preference. None of your business.
4. Trim stray hairs. Have neat and clean eyebrows, no stray hairs peeking from under your nose! This is also largely an aesthetic preference. Older people in particular often have more hair in the noses and ears. Judging them for that is a poor reflection on you. This can be a preference you have for romantic partners but just expecting all people you interact with to really be getting in there with the trimmers is too much. Some people will have stray hairs, bushy eyebrows, etc. Deal with it.
5. Skin care. Invest in quality skincare so your skin is clear and healthy with no obvious blemishes. This is mostly just classist. "Invest in quality skincare"? Honestly, **** off. I used to have bad acne and it was a hormonal issue and there was nothing I could do. I now have perfect skin AND can afford to spend extra money on stuff to make my skin look really nice but I NEVER judge people with bad skin. No one wants to have bad skin and often people have no control over it. It took me years to address my acne. I had good hygiene the whole time. I'm sorry you don't how it looks, I don't like your attitude. So I guess we're even.
6. Hair. Stay current on your haircuts! You don't need to have a lavish hairdo but keep hair neat and styled so it looks presentable and not like you just got out of bed. This is another style choice. If someone's hair is clean, it's none of your business how it is styled. You can argue that women with long hair need to trim it or keep it contained so it doesn't get in people's food -- that' a hygiene issue. But otherwise, not your business. Don't like someone's messy bun? Tough. Maybe she thinks your perfectly coifed bob is too severe and high maintenance. It's a style disagreement, not hygiene.
7. Clean clothing. Wear clean and pressed clothing that fit you well! Clean clothes, yes. "Pressed" -- only if they need it. A lot of people wear clothes that don't. Athleisure is so common now. If I saw someone in a wrinkled outfit at a more formal event, I would assume they were having a hard time. But it's not a hygiene issue. Cut people some slack. You sound like you would freak out if somone showed up in khakis without a firm crease down the front. Unclench.
8. Nails. Nothing is worse than gross nails! Keep them trimmed and short. Either wear no polish or keep current with your manicures so there is no chipping. Again, half of this is hygiene (short and clean nails) and half is not -- stop staring at people nail polish so close that you can see chips or whatever. Some people care about that and some don't You need to just let this go.

The title of this thread is Basic Hygiene and Grooming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP and DW:

Men with short haircuts: please shave your neck! All men: trim your eyebrows & rid your ears and nostrils of visible hair.

I cannot get my DH to trim his nostril hair. I've mentioned it to him and he get's super defensive. Then he says he tries to get it with the special trimmer and it doesn't work. But I don't think he's using it correctly. I think he's just squeamish about certain hygiene things. He also has tons of very dry skin on his feet. I've bought him a variety of things to address this and he is afraid to use even the gentlest of them. I don't get it. His feet are always very itchy, especially in the winter, and I've told him he just needs to remove the dry skin and that will be fixed. He probably wont' even need to moisturize them most of the year if he just pumiced them in the shower. He won't do it.

He's an adult. I can't make him.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the checklist, OP!