Soap Opera: How to Stay Fresh

By Kareem Banks

Personal hygiene becomes more important once you hit puberty. Why? The physical changes that happen when we become teenagers result in increased sweat and oil production, which in turn result in…odors. We all know someone with a bad odor problem. You don’t like to be around that person, do you? So if you want people to be around you, you have to practice good personal hygiene.

1. Wash Yourself Daily

Taking one bath or shower a day is mandatory once your body starts going through these changes. In the summer, when I play a lot of basketball, I may take three showers a day to stay fresh. When washing up, wet a washrag and rub it with soap until the washcloth is full of soap suds. Then wipe it all over your body in a circular motion, concentrating on your armpits, feet and crotch, where the worst odors come from. My favorite soaps are Irish Spring Sport and Dove. If soap makes your skin dry and ashy, use a mild soap like Dove and moisturize with lotion or Vaseline, especially on your arms and legs. I like to use Baby Magic.

2. Clean Your Crowning Glory

You also have to shampoo your hair at least once a week, and up to every day if it’s oily or fine. If you have dandruff, you should use a dandruff shampoo like Selsun Blue or Head and Shoulders. Conditioner, which you put on and rinse off after rinsing out shampoo, helps moisturize your hair and makes it easier to style.

3. Extra Fresheners

If you use colognes and perfumes, use them only after you shower. They shouldn’t be there to disguise the fact you haven’t showered! (But because mosquitoes love sweet smells, you may intend to attract people to you with your scent, but wind up attracting a lot of mosquitoes.)

4. Wash Those Hands!

Don’t forget to wash your hands every time after you go to the bathroom, handle a pet or litter box, or touch sick people. You should also soap up and rinse off your hands before you prepare food.

5. Wash What You Wear

Keep your clothes as clean as you keep your body. Change into fresh underwear and socks every day. It’s OK to wear the same shirt or pair of pants a few times if you haven’t gotten them dirty, but after wearing anything for two days, it should be washed. I do my laundry every Sunday so I have fresh clean clothes at the beginning of every week. Tide is my favorite detergent and I like to use Downy Fabric softener to make my clothes smell good. It’s good to keep clean. It’s your body, so take care of it!

back to top