How to Be a Hygienic Girl at School

Keeping Your Body Clean

Take showers daily. Either at night or in the morning, it doesn't matter, as long as you're taking a shower. Make sure you use the proper shampoos and other various hair products. If you are one of the thousands of girls without access to clean, running water, do the best you can to keep clean by washing with water that you've boiled and then allowed to cool to a suitable temperature. Try to stick to a consistent schedule, such as showering immediately after you wake up, or right after suppertime. This will make it easier to remember. You can bathe or strip wash too. Don't believe old wives tales about not showering or washing your hair while you've got your period. It's okay to wash, shower or bathe as much as you can. During finals week, if this is applicable to you, or other eventful times, you may want to skip showering. If you do so, don't skip more than one day in a row. Shaving body hair or facial hair is optional. If you decide to shave, try saving time by shaving in the shower while you let your conditioner set.

Use deodorant if you feel the need to. Apply deodorant every morning, and after exercising. You can take a small stick of deodorant in your gym bag if you have P.E. during the day. Experiment with different types of deodorants: solid sticks, gels, sprays, etc. until you find what works best for you. Keep some at home and keep a stick in your gym bag. Body sprays and perfumes are banned in many schools because they can trigger asthma attacks. Make sure they are allowed at your school before taking them in. Use an antiperspirant deodorant. It will keep you from sweating as much in the first place.

Use period products when necessary. While a napkin or paper towel may be okay in an emergency, they won't do the job nearly as well as something designed specifically for that purpose, if you have access to these products.

Care for your skin, but remember skin conditions aren't always a sign of poor hygiene. Moisturizers and creams can help with dryness, itchiness, and flakiness. Here are several solutions to common problems: Chapstick and lip balm can soothe chapped lips. Apply an oil-free sunscreen on your face to improve skin health, make makeup base sit better, and reduce wrinkles in the future. The higher the SPF, the better it works. Cuticle oil will help dry cuticles. Manage acne with face washing and exfoliating in the shower with a wet washcloth. If your acne is greatly bothering you, consider seeing a dermatologist for a prescription cream.

Keeping Your Face and Hair Clean

Wash your face once a day, whether morning or night, especially if you wore makeup. Never go to bed without taking your makeup off. Don't use a cleanser or face wash that is particularly oily because it will make your skin greasy. Use a facial scrub and cleanser that is made specifically for your skin type. If you have visible pores, use a face wash that helps minimize your pores and softens skin. Once you've finished washing your face, gently pat your face dry, and apply facial moisturizer to help keep your face soft, moist, and radiant.

Brush your teeth. At least after breakfast and dinner, you should brush your teeth. After lunch at school, it is good to brush your teeth, and if you have braces you must clean the brackets. A mouth of plaque is not hygienic at all. Replace your toothbrush every one to two months.

Wash your hair regularly. Clean hair is a must when it comes to good hygiene. Start by washing it two to three times a week, but don't over wash your hair, doing so can lead to your hair getting extremely dry. Keep your hair smelling nice by putting in some leave in- conditioner with a scent (not too strong a scent, this may be irritating to those with allergies). Try to go with a nice, subtle scent so that your hair smells fresh and clean.

Brush your hair. You don't have to style it. Brushing it is just fine. Use a brush that actually gets the knots out instead of smoothing them into the rest of your hair. If you use the proper conditioning products and brush your hair as often as needed, you'll have a beautiful, glossy head of hair. It's a good idea to keep a hairbrush in your locker or backpack so you have one if your hair starts looking knotty or stringy.

Keeping Other Forms of Cleanliness

Keep your clothes clean. Clothes are important. Wash your clothes every day or at least three times a week (use a scented laundry detergent and fabric softener)! Keep your clothes smelling nice and looking neat, don't settle for a smelly and stained t-shirt. Change your underwear every single day. Either in the morning when you wake up, or at night after you take a shower. This is important in making sure you smell nice and keeping you feeling fresh. Shirts, dresses, and underpants should be washed after one day of wearing, while pants and sweaters can go two or three days if you don't sweat in them.

Keep your hands clean. Germs collect on your hands and can make you get sick. Wash your hands every time after you use the bathroom, and before every meal. In a pinch, use hand sanitizer. If your hands become dry, you can apply lotion to them.

Remember additional self care rituals. Some of these may only need to be done on a semi-regular basis. Clip your nails every week or so, to keep them from getting too long. Long nails can break more easily, and can make typing or playing instruments a pain. Always comb out and/or brush your hair daily, either before or after showering. Clean your ears once a week to prevent earwax buildup. This helps keep headphones and earplugs from becoming gross. If you experience vaginal discharge, place pantyliners in your underpants to avoid stains.

Having a Clean Lifestyle

Act clean, and you'll be clean. Try to avoid "acting" unhygienic and doing things that are considered filthy (like burping, passing gas loudly, etc.). Don't act out or up because you think it'll get attention. It may be funny at first, but you'll end up regretting it. If you're joking around

Surround yourself with nice, pleasant people and things. Don't go to dirty places and don't hang around the dirty parts of your town. Try staying in places that are nice and clean, don't sit in places that may smell and be dirty, as this may lead to you smelling and getting dirt (and grosser things) on you. When walking outdoors, or in a particularly dirty place, always be wary of where you are placing your foot, who knows, you might even step in animal feces or something else.