MYGirls: Let’s Talk About Appearance & Personal Hygiene (Part 1: Personal Hygiene)

Hello young girls!!

So as I previously stated in the introduction to the “MYGirls” Blog Series, we will post various blog entries over the next few months.  At first, it was stated that the blog entries would be posted however long it may take . . . and we realize that THAT needs to change.  From now on, all MYGirls blogs will be scheduled for Friday evening, at 6:00pm, Pacific Standard Time.  This makes for the perfect opportunity for you lovely readers to settle in from school, and take in a blog or two (or how ever many interest you), along with a healthy snack!

We have already touched on the topic of Social Media Etiquette:  how to conduct yourself via cyberspace, and how to make your online profile represent the real you in a positive manner.  Our next MYGirls topic, is Appearance & Personal Hygiene . . . which I have decided to break into two parts (and our blogger @Emily is ideal to follow for beauty & skin care tips, along with our bloggers @sincerelyashleyxo who recently posted an entry pertaining to age-appropriate attire)! Remember young girls, these blog entries are here for you to read while you are navigating through teenage years, in school or at home, and will serve as helpful guides filled with knowledge, typically gained from experience, to assist you as you leave your mark in the free world of “cyberspace.”

And now, let’s talk about . . . Personal Hygiene! 

 

At this point, I am sure that many of you are back in session for the 2014-2015 school year, and have gotten pretty well-adjusted to your classes.  Many of you have reunited with old friends from last school year, and/or have managed to make new friends to begin the current school year.  Many of you have broken off into your friends’ circles, whether big or small, sharing commonalities like favorite colors, favorite “girly” products (lip gloss, sweet-smelling lotions & body sprays, hair pins, etc), favorite courses & teachers, mutual friends, likes & dislikes, and the list goes on.

 

Let’s visit the favorite “girly” products.  While our amazing blogger Emily Jean goes over a few products via her usage and recommendation, I would like to touch on further etiquette behind using these products . . .

 

Ask yourselves, “what are all the products I like to use?”  We females love to be clean.  We love our shampoos & conditioners, cleansers & moisturizers, applicators & removers, and so on.  When we see a product, especially if it is new or has bright packaging, we begin to hear the bells & whistles that urge us to PURCHASE.  And, after the purchase, we like to show our girlfriends our new findings.

What usually comes right after the big reveal to the girlfriends?  The girlfriends want to use your new products.

Sharing is indeed caring, and we always want to be nice and show ourselves friendly to those whom we consider our friends.  We like to trade things with our friends.  We want our girlfriends to experience the same joyous feeling(s) we get after opening, trying, and anticipating results of a new product.  However, young girls, the passing of germs also goes into Personal Hygiene.  When we carelessly allow for our friends to make usage of our products on their faces & bodies, that we use on our own faces & bodies, we open the door to germs from others being left behind in our product containers (especially if the product(s) used do(es) not come from a pump dispenser  ), and possible skin irritations, allergic reactions, break-outs, and infections are sure to rise.  Now don’t get me wrong, this is NOT to say that you should treat your friends like they’re walking diseases because they are not!   WE LOVE OUR FRIENDS!! By now, everyone should know how to be clean:  how to bathe at least once a day and pay particular attention to vital areas, how to brush their teeth how ever many times in a day (as needed or mandated by a dentist), how to maintain & style their hair (or go to a hair salon), how to wash our hands before leaving a public restroom or handling someone else’s food.  However, it is imperative to understand that as we are all friends, we may like the same things but we do not DO the same things.  We do not all shampoo & condition our hairs the same, we do not cleanse & moisturize the same, we do not use the same products by routine (therefore using a new product, even on the strength of a friend’s recommendation or new purchase, could affect your level of personal hygiene).  We may like the same foods but our diets are different, and our bodies digest food, shed skin, grow hair, and perspire differently.

Imagine how unsanitary it can be, if you were to use the lip gloss of a friend who recently had a fever blister . . .

Imagine how unsanitary it can be, if you were to wash your face with the same cloth of a friend who recently played a sport, and returned sweaty . . .

Imagine how unsanitary it can be, if you were to brush your hair with the same brush of a friend who hasn’t washed her hair in about a week . . .

 

Our bodies respond differently to the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the water we bathe in, the products we apply & remove, and the surrounding atmosphere in its entirety.  What your friend can handle, you might not be able to.  And vice-versa.

While we love each other, we must remember to protect ourselves . . . sometimes from each other.  Let’s be mindful of the personal items we share; our products that we allow our friends to use.  Young Girls, let’s be clean and sanitary!!

Part 2:  Appearance . . . coming next Friday.  Stay tuned!

 

Kahlelah, “MYGirls”