Reply to Do you use a washcloth? What race are you?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Black.
Of course! Hands just slide over the body, they don't really scrub away anything.[/quote]

Microbiologist here again.

That's just ridiculous.

You are not a dirty pan to be scrubbed! I sense remnants of puritanism here and a disgust for one's body.

By sliding your hands with some pressure over your body, you are getting rid of dirt, dead skin cells and opportunistic and potentially disease-causing bacteria that landed on you during the day. 
If you scrub too much, you will exfoliate (which can be a GREAT thing as long as you don't overdo it) AND you will also get rid of the protective layer of good bacteria that live on your skin and provide a natural barrier against germs by maintaining the pH of your skin, and other details. That is not necessary, people! And it can and does lead to more sensitive skin, rashes, and dry skin, and subsequently more lotion. It's a vicious cycle. Skincare ads promote this misconception that the skin can't take care of itself because they want to sell their cleansing products and lotions.

The only skincare company that I know of which reelects the natural skin cycle is Dr. Hauschka (spelling?). No wonder they're not top sellers, they have less products to sell and do not encourage you to keeping scrubbing and lotioning away.

We really need more science education in schools. Remember, the less product and manipulation, the better your skin can take care of itself. [/quote]

Hon, hate to break it to you, but the friction generated by a washcloth is about 1% as damaging to skin flora than the soaps, shampoos, and conditioners people use.

Exfoliation is normal and healthy. If you don't do it, you get milia, ingrown hairs, sebum pore blockages, etc.

I do indeed think normal skin flora is healthy and important (never mind the fact that I'm sure even you don't have "normal" skin flora, if you use any "Skincare products" at all -- most of our historically natural skin flora can't tolerate that stuff). But telling people that using a washcloth hurts bacteria is just laughably wrong. Just laughably. Skin needs to be physically exfoliated to be healthy, all land mammals exfoliate with friction (rubbing with sand, grasses, tree bark, mud, dirt, etc).

What causes dry skin is the chemical removal of sebum (our natural oils) combined with, let's face it, puritanical levels of bathing (once or twice a day even for adults who don't exercise rigorously). If you use any kind of shampoo at all, you are destroying your natural oils on your scalp. If you use any "typical" shower soap, you are destroying them on your skin. Water and friction aren't the villain here, aggressive chemicals are.

Until and unless you advocate no 'poo and water-only washing (with the addition of beneficial flora after), I don't think your crusade against washcloths makes a lick of sense.[/quote]

White?[/quote]

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