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Soap, Lotion & Perfume - A Teen Girl's Guide to Hygiene

Teenage girls, makeup, hairstyles, and perfumes just seem to go together! The hormonal changes your body is undergoing during your teen years and even into your early twenties may bring unexpected challenges in personal hygiene, or the way you take care of yourself to stay clean and healthy. You may find your hair is oily and you have a zit or two! It happens but does not need to be a huge crisis. By using the proper soaps, lotions, and perfumes, and a daily routine you can minimize skin outbreaks while preventing body odor and oily hair. It is never too early to start. Buy small sizes of new soaps, lotions, and perfumes until you are sure they work best in your situation. Do not be afraid to try a new product and see which you like best.

Soaps, Body washes and Shampoos

Before buying and using a soap, body wash, or shampoo, a little self-examination is in order. Is your skin dry or oily? Do you have acne or skin that is dry in spots and oily in others? Is your hair oily? Do you have dandruff? Is your hair dry due to excessive blow-drying and styling? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you decide what types of soaps and shampoos to use. Soaps may contain moisturizers (lotion) or other ingredients to help dry skin retain moisture. Some soaps or body wash products contain an exfoliant to scrub away dry skin cells. If you have allergies, you may need a soap designed for sensitive skin. While some body wash liquids are labeled for both hair and body, it is generally better to use a shampoo designed for your hair type, a body wash, and different products again for your face, especially if acne is a problem. At the very least, you should wash your face twice a day and be sure to remove all makeup before going to bed at night.

Face and Body Lotions and Sunscreen protection

Look on the shelves of any retail store and you will see an overwhelming range of lotions. As with soap, you should look for a lotion that will be best for your skin type and address any special issues you have such as dry skin, redness, or acne. A generic body lotion may be fine for use on arms and legs, but consider a special facial lotion made for your skin type. Always be sure your face lotion contains sunscreen protection of at least SPF 30 to prevent sun damage that leads to early wrinkles and increased risk of skin cancer. The best time to apply lotions to both face and body is right after a bath or shower. When used while your skin is still damp, a good lotion helps hold in moisture needed for healthy skin. Facial lotion with sunscreen is necessary even during the winter months. First thing every morning after washing your face with cool or lukewarm water and before applying makeup apply a face cream or lotion that contains sunscreen. You probably do not need to worry about a special night face cream in your teens, but do remove all makeup at night, rinse and gently pat your face dry and apply a face lotion to provide soothing moisture to your face during the night.

Perfumes and Deodorants

Please, do not make the mistake of believing that perfumes and deodorants can cover up the odor of sweat in place of a daily bath or shower! Used properly after a bath or shower, deodorants and perfumes can help keep you fresh smelling longer, but they will not hide the fact that you slept in late and skipped a shower, especially if you skip more than one day without a shower or bath. Young children may be able to slip by without a daily bath if they manage to get through the day without getting dirty, but all those hormonal changes you are experiencing throughout your teenage years kicks sweat glands into overdrive. Even though the majority of sweat is water, the waste excreted along with that water attracts germs and bacteria that can stir up a stink in very little time. Deodorants help control odor, while antiperspirants help reduce perspiration. Most individuals use a combination deodorant/ antiperspirant product but you need to read the label to be sure you have a product that does both, if that is your choice.

Perfumes are as varied as individuals are. Start with light fragrances and apply in small amounts. A little goes a long way. You may be surprised that a perfume you loved when your best friend wore it really is not for you. Perfumes also change in fragrance and intensity after you have them on for a bit. When possible, ask for a sample or use a tester to try a fragrance before buying a full bottle. Do not test more than one fragrance at a time or the scents may clash making it hard to determine if one is right for you. While on the subject of fragrances clashing…most of your health care products have perfumes or fragrances included. While your goal in using soaps, lotions, and perfumes is to smell good, if you are not careful, you may find the scent of your soap mixing with the fragrance of your lotion or perfume in a less than favorable way.

An easy way to prevent this is to layer your fragrance by using soaps, lotions, powders, and perfume with the same fragrance. Doing so will prevent fragrances from clashing and help the fragrance you choose to last longer during the day. It is not necessary to use a scented deodorant to be effective. Unscented hair products may also be a wise choice if you are using scented lotions and perfumes. For more information on hygiene, beauty and hair care tips, check out the following resources.

Teen Health: Hygiene Basics – This site explains hygiene issues that may appear or change due to the hormonal changes of puberty. From oily hair, to excessive body hairs and body odor, teens and parents can find explanations and solutions to these concerns and more at this site.
Teen Hygiene Tips: WebMD - In addition to good hygiene tips, this WebMD article dispels popular hygiene myths such as shaving makes hair grow faster, or douching is necessary to prevent smells. This article also stresses the importance of parents helping teens build the foundation of good hygiene to set the stage for taking care of their health throughout a lifetime.
How Well Do You take Care of Yourself? - This online health Quiz is published by Seventeen magazine. This quiz helps teens see the importance of taking good care of themselves through proper nutrition, rest, and hygiene.
Health and Hygiene - This is a lesson guide intended to assist teens in asking questions about personal hygiene. General hygiene discussions cover general hygiene as well as female hygiene. Discussion revolves around a handout involving a Health Matching Game to see what information teens are familiar with concerning common health facts and myths. After completing the matching game, teens move into groups based on gender to discuss personal concerns or questions. A Leaders Resource as well as PDF downloads of the Health Matching Game are available from this site.
Teen Survival Guide: For On-the-go Girls (PDF) – This guide offers hygiene and health tips, activities, quizzes, and a glossary of terms as well as frequently asked questions about female health and hygiene presented by teenage girls.
Acne Tips for Girls – This is a resource sheet for teenage girls concerned with preventing or treating acne. Basic skin care tips are included reinforcing the importance of gentle face washing, removing makeup at night, and choosing the right soaps and lotions for your skin type. This resource also offers a reminder that acne meds take time to work. Consistent skin care will make a difference in time.
Daily Glow – This site offers many tips concerning hair and skin care, makeup, and personal care. Information is divided under categories for easy access.
Teen Vogue – This is the online edition of the Teen Vogue magazine. Teens may access beauty tips, hairstyle advice and skin care tips. Teens may also link to this magazine’s Facebook page for insider tips and information from this homepage.
Teenage Girl Personal Hygiene Tips – Great ways to stay hygienic all day every day.
10 Ways to Teach Preteen Hygiene – Things change concerning hygiene once puberty hits. Learn the different ways to address it.

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