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Are we too clean for our own good?

(75 Posts)
Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 18:46:32

There was an interesting discussion on The Wright Stuff this week about how often people bathe or shower. Apparently (don't ask me for the statistics) every time we do either we remove helpful bacteria from our skin and washing your hair too often strips it of natural oils. In England, it also accounts for one fifth of water usage.
I must admit I do enjoy a good soak in the bath, but I don't use any products, just water, except for shampoo once a week.
My mother had a bathroom, but used to have what she called 'a good stand-up wash' most days, and a bath about twice a week. She always smelled good and her hair was thick and shiny right up to her death at 91.

Aka Mon 10-Jun-13 17:29:57

PS or talk any pseudo psycho babble wink

Aka Mon 10-Jun-13 17:30:29

PPS or be condescending and patronising

Aka Mon 10-Jun-13 17:30:50

PPPS sad

Ana Mon 10-Jun-13 17:37:57

Or reveal your inner Panda?

Galen Mon 10-Jun-13 17:42:55

[goes off shaking head sadly]

Aka Mon 10-Jun-13 17:44:22

Or even my inner Panda [growls sweetly]

Movedalot Mon 10-Jun-13 17:44:24

LOL

annodomini Mon 10-Jun-13 17:49:22

Thanks Aka and a bushel is....? Something you hide your light under?

Ana Mon 10-Jun-13 17:51:01

Panda nightlight...

Aka Mon 10-Jun-13 17:52:51

Not a good idea as I might set it alight.
'A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck'

JessM Mon 10-Jun-13 18:44:02

confused
Thank you nelliemoser - glad you like.

worlie Tue 11-Jun-13 11:00:33

WHAT ON EARTH ARE DDs AND DDGs

harrigran Tue 11-Jun-13 11:04:53

Dear daughters and granddaughters worlie

janeainsworth Tue 11-Jun-13 21:22:34

Worlie www.gransnet.com/info/acronyms

Sel Tue 11-Jun-13 21:29:03

Wasn't there an ad 'Friday night is Amarni night' or somesuch? Friday being the one night in the week you washed your hair smile

janeainsworth Tue 11-Jun-13 22:04:33

Amami wave set Selgrin
You combed it through your hair and then set it in pin curls with kirbigrips, one row curling left and the next row curling right.
Hours later when your hair had dried, you combed it through and it was possible to create deep waves, or, if you were really into suffering for beauty's sake, went to bed with it all in place, complete with hairnet to stop the pins coming out shock
You then held it in place with 'lacquer' grin
Thank goodness for hairdryers!

Ana Tue 11-Jun-13 22:06:22

We did have hairdryers in those days, jane! grin

janeainsworth Tue 11-Jun-13 22:10:41

Well you were luckier than me Ana.
I didn't get a hairdryer till about 1967.
The pin curl routine was circa 1959 shock, but superceded by rollers of varying degrees of discomfort from about 1961.
grin

nanaej Tue 11-Jun-13 22:18:17

I remember my mum buying a hair dryer with a sort of shower cap at the end of a hose so it fitted over your rollers!

I ironed my hair in a futile attempt to straighten my curls. Mum had poker straight hair!

Galen Tue 11-Jun-13 22:23:34

I had one of those! Am I old enough to be your mum? [worried look]

Ana Tue 11-Jun-13 22:35:02

We had a hairdryer in the mid-50s!

Anyone remember those rubber thingies you twisted your hair round to make curls? They sort of folded over like little cones...

annodomini Tue 11-Jun-13 23:15:10

My mum, who had trained as a hairdresser, had an antiquated hairdryer which I always expected to give me a shock. She would set my hair with pin curls and sometimes those instruments of torture, things with teeth that set your hair into waves - I think it was a 'Marcel' set. When I escaped from home it was about the time when rollers came on the scene and, until I ceased to sleep alone, I would keep them in overnight - one learned to live with the discomfort. I usually dried my hair in front of the fire, even in Kenya where we had log fires in the evening.

Greatnan Wed 12-Jun-13 17:51:28

I spent years torturing my naturally wavy hair into a straight page-boy style. Now, I just keep it quite short and it goes into its own waves, just like my mother's did.

Greatnan Wed 12-Jun-13 17:55:36

I spent years torturing my naturally wavy hair into a straight page-boy style. Now, I just keep it quite short and it goes into its own waves, just like my mother's did.
I am super clean today - three long snorkeling sessions each followed by a shower as I can't stand that salty feeling on my skin and in my hair.