New year, new me! This year we are stepping up our bathing game and getting our glow on! Most women and girls didn’t have an aunt to teach them about the fundamentals of personal hygiene and that ends here. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of bathing.
Soak yourself
Have you ever finished bathing and when you are drying yourself with a towel uzibone uphothuluka? That is actually dead skin cells which you did not wash off. Which means you are still dirty. To avoid this, you must pour water all over your body for it to start ‘soaking’ so that by the time you wash that part the dirt comes off easily.
Wash your face
Your face is washed with the pads of your fingertips. The towel is too abrasive for your face. This will make you age faster. Plus the towel can introduce new bacteria to your face causing acne breakouts. Let your face air dry while you wash the rest of your body.
Bathing tools
If you’re on a tight budget you can use isaka lamaOrange to bath. The only drawback is that it can be too abrasive on your skin. If you can afford a loofah, bathing gloves, bathing brush or a sponge, invest in those. Some women rush to bleach their skin for a glow whereas it can be improved with simple bathing tools.
The vagina
The vagina is self-cleaning only on the inside. Which means anything on the outside must be washed by you. It is a very moist place so it can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Take your time when washing this area with warm water or your feminine wash. When you are done, you may dab it with your finger to check if indeed it is now fresh. Please also shave, wax or trim regularly to reduce the breeding ground for bacteria.
The booty
When it comes to the bum, please squat down and really put in work. Wash your butt crack because it’s disgusting to smell like wide open ass. Do you remember that advert about how wiping with just tissue isn’t enough? You can buy wet wipes to give you a better clean after pooping. Remember that your bum and crack are skin as well so please moisturize them to avoid having a really dark crack from your butt cheeks rubbing against each other. If you are blessed with a booty, to whom much ass is given, much cleaning is required.
The problematic areas for black girls need exfoliation regularly. That’s why every girl needs ilitshe lokuguxuza also known as a pumice stone. Your elbows, armpits, knuckles, knees, neck and bum need exfoliation and proper Vaseline to be able to lock in moisture. These little parts need to bend so more moisture is required to keep them ‘flexible.’
The feet
It’s summertime and we are wearing sandals and slides with cracked heels. Your pedicure is on point but your heels have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. You know how we judge men by their shoes? They judge us by the state of our feet.
The secret powertool
A white towel is great responsibility but please stop hiding behind dark-coloured towels. A white towel doesn’t lie, it will tell you straight up if you are clean or not. After bathing, wipe your ass crack and see if it comes out clean or not. The bathroom is your sacred space. If you are dishonest in private we will smell it in public.
In 2021, we are fixing the country and telling you nqwe nqwe emehlweni ukuthi you are not smelling fresh please bath. If you can’t keep your mask on due to stinky breath then you know what you need to do.