Clear skin isn’t just about washing
Proper washing habits are important for maintaining clear skin, but many people unwittingly apply bacteria right back to their skin afterwards. The culprit: damp and dirty towels.
I was particularly reminded of this danger the other day while visiting a friend’s apartment. Like most bachelors, his bathroom was not exactly pristine. Now, I’m certainly not a neat freak myself, but when you’re using a visibly dirty towel to dry yourself off, you’re undoing much of the good that washing accomplishes. It’s natural for hand or shower towels to be left damp to let dry, but this, combined with the bacteria and oils that these cloths typically accumulate from your skin, makes for a perfect breeding ground for more bacteria. Yeah, the smell should give it away…
It doesn’t make sense to go through the trouble of washing with your expensive lineup of creams, cleansers and toners if you’re just going to swath a dirty towel across your face the next moment. Be smart and keep these towels clean by regularly washing and changing them. Little overlooked details like this can sometimes make a world of difference. Keep in mind the same logic applies to just about any fabric that is frequently in contact with your skin. For instance, if you suffer from body acne, you might want to look at your clothing habits and try to avoid wearing that same undershirt day after day - and when’s the last time you changed those bed sheets? Keeping your skin clean is a lot easier when the objects that actually touch your skin are less dirty.
