Manhattan, NY – It’s what most of us do every day — a daily shower followed by a dab of deodorant.
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However, Americans from Malibu to Manhattan are defying the culture of cleanliness. Alice Feiring of SoHo is among them and said she doesn’t shower every day.
“I don’t tend to smell, so I find that every other day, every three days is perfectly fine,” Feiring told CBS 2′s Sean Hennessey.
Feiring, a writer of wine books, argues she doesn’t work up a sweat at the keyboard and doesn’t need a lot of time in the tub.
“I do not feel less clean than other people and when I take a shower, I don’t necessarily feel fantastically clean,” she said.
In fact, you may be standing next to the unshowered on a crowded subway more often than you think.
Public relations executive Nancy Trent said she has never used deodorant in her life.
“I don’t need to. I have a plant-based diet and I’m clean. I take care of myself,” Trent said.
“Good grooming is taking a shower when you need to…it definitely doesn’t mean a shower every day.”
Both Trent and Feiring said not taking daily showers saves water, time and their skin.
“I don’t want to over process my skin. I don’t think it’s good for my skin,” Feiring said
Advocates pointed to research showing the skin has beneficial germs — antibiotics that actually kill off bad bacteria. They said that fact is a reason why daily showers aren’t needed.
The chemicals in deodorants are also a concern.
“Putting chemicals under your arms everyday is kind of a bad thing,” Feiring said.
Both Trent and Feiring said the lifestyle has been working for years.
“I’ve stood the test of intimate encounters and I’m okay,” Feiring said.
This “new york culture” has definitely intruded my shul, the rav always talks about the outside culture infiltrating our community…
The hippies are way behind the trend. Chossids have been conserving water and going green for centuries. Who needs a shower with soap every day when 2 dips in a mikva will do?
Tehora meviah leyad kedusha. Gemora in Avoda Zara (Rav Pinchas ben Yair). Translated to English, it is the famous saying “cleanliness is next to G-dliness”
Isn’t the saying “cleanliness is next to G-dliness?” It is always unfortunate when you end up near someone whose personal hygiene is less than ideal. There was someone like this attending my shul and coming within several feet of him was a very unpleasant experience. Luckily his disruptive behaviour resulted in him being banned from the premises. There probably are some who can get by without a daily shower but not very many. Also, there are some people who don’t wish to use deodorant because of the aluminum content but that is only in anti-perspirants. I am told that plain deodorant does not have aluminum.
About the chemical in deodorant I don’t know but a hot shower kills the lice in the hair
OK, quick survey here– over the last holidays, we had a few “3-day yontiffs.” How many of you went all three days without showering? I think there were a few of you in my shul.
#7 wrong it doesnt both nets and lice are not killed by hot water.but i’ve been in many shuls on shabbos and yom tov and can tell you many of our own people could use lessons in hygene
Reply to #9
Its gotten so bad that in several shuls, one of the gabboim has been delegated with the delicate task of asking some of the tzibur to attend to their personal hygiene or else find another minyan where to daven. Its easy to joke about but its not funny. Have you ever tried davening the amidah with mamash real kavanan when your nose leads your eyes to search around for the source of the not so pleasant aroma wafting by and your discover its the ehrleche yid two shtenders down from you. It totally destroys your concentration.
#10 very funny but true
“Banned from the premises”? “Find another minyan”?
Good hygiene or not, I wouldn’t want to be a part of such shuls.
Some people ave BO even if they shower every day. It’s not only people’s bodies that smell, but, their clothes also carry odors if they are not clean. There are people who don’t use deodorant and don’t need to. Everyone should do what he can to not offend other people’s olfactory sense.
everything is good in moderation. no one says to be ocd about washing yourself, but surely a short shower every day is not harmful. matter of fact it is recommended to anyone with allergies. you come home , you shower and wash all those allergens out of your hair and off your body. when you walk in the streets the pollution and tree pollens etc. get on your hair and clothes. wash them off. it wont hurt you.
Too bad there are no pictures of those mentioned in the story. I don’t often use public transportation..but just in case either of them do I would know who to steer clear of. Pure unadulterated insanity…we all need to bathe/shower every day at least once..in the warm/hot weather even more. We must also wear a complete change of clothing following each shower, because the clothing absorts sweat. These two ladies are in la la land if they think that their bodies remain clean without showering.
It is not only the fact that people do not use deodorant and shower regularly, but people think that they do not have to change their clothes!! It becomes OFFENSIVE!! There are times when I think that some people’s clothes are going to stand up, salute, and march away, all by themselves, straight to the washing machine!! I has become that bad!! Start thinking of other people!! You cannot collect your laundry for 2 weeks or your house will stink!!
i am trying not to remember that flight i took to tel aviv sitting next to someone with intense body odor….i was luckily able to change my seat…