The Great Debate: Do Americans Bathe Too Much? Dermatologists Say 'Yes'
Alright, y'all, I'm going to go ahead and say it: White people and Black people bathe...differently. And the conversation has been touched on for the past few years, first about, of all things, washcloths.
It all started when a viral clip of CBS's The Neighborhood began circulating the World Wide Web. In the clip, a Black character, played by Tichina Arnold, offers her White neighbor a washcloth during a stay.
The rest is, well, you decide:
Do you use a washcloth or nah?? #TheNeighborhood @bethbehrs @tichinaarnoldpic.twitter.com/6zfkIg57Qp— Global TV (@Global TV) 1539185100
This clip sent the internet in a frenzy as 'we' learned that the Caucasians don't use washcloths at all, and on the flip side, Caucasians learned that we always use one. I mean seriously, growing up, most of us would have had a tongue lashing from here to Timbuktu if we didn't use a washcloth.
So if it weren't obvious enough, each community has ultimately learned that we have many more differences than we thought we did—all the way down to bathing.
Now, the conversation has re-emerged with another element: bathing at all. Actors and husband and wife, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis popped it off when they basically sent the internet up on the discussion. While on a guest appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, they casually mentioned that they don't believe in bathing their kids every day. The subject came up when co-hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman started discussing how frequently they shower. Kunis explained:
"I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway. …But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns — ever."
When Shepard insisted that Padman "should not be getting rid of the natural oil on your skin with a bar of soap every day" and instead only wash with water, Kunis and Kutcher agreed.
"Now, here's the thing: If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there's no point."
The conversation soon encouraged other celebrities to weigh in.
Jake Gyllenhaal confessed to Vanity Fair:
"More and more, I find bathing to be less necessary, at times. I do also think that there's a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves."
During a recent interview with E! News' Daily Pop, Coco Austin shared that she also doesn't shower everyday, rather when she's "feeling icky" instead.
"Well, I don't shower every day. I do what's needed. My hair—I wash my hair every four days. Yeah, but when I'm feeling icky, I'll get in the shower. Whether that's every day, that may be, but that could be every three days. I kinda keep myself clean, though. Like, if I feel like my pits smell or something, I just take some washcloths and some soap to it. I might not have to clean my whole body."
On the other end, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson confirmed that he is an avid shower taker, in fact confessing to three showers a day:
"Nope, I'm the opposite of a 'not washing themselves' celeb. Shower (cold) when I roll outta bed to get my day rollin'. Shower (warm) after my workout before work. Shower (hot) after I get home from work. Face wash, body wash, exfoliate and I sing (off key) in the shower."
But ultimately, the wildest thing about this entire conversation, is that Ashton and Mila are right, we aren't "supposed" to shower every day.
In fact, not doing so has been scientifically proven as correct and confirmed from dermatologists who say you should bathe only two or three times a week. Dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry (a Black woman) co-signs saying:
"The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that it's OK to bathe children under 6 years of age between two to three times a week."
Lawd, we're in a pandemonium, y'all!
Either way, the internet has had a LOT to say about it:
From those who are gonna grab their Lysol on sight:
Twitter
To those questioning what is really going on here:
Some were cracking a few (real) jokes:
Twitter
And others just can’t fckin believe any of it:
Twitter
Like, at all:
Twitter
In the end, Mila and Ashton uploaded a video, jokingly addressing the uproar by mocking the debate and (hopefully) showing that they in fact do bathe their kids regularly.
But I’ont know, ladies, what are your thoughts? Let’s chat.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Getty Images
- Best DIY Feminine Wash, Vaginal Wash Recipes - xoNecole ... ›
- 5 DIY Detox Baths For Relaxation - xoNecole: Women's Interest ... ›
- Actress Viola Davis Husband Marriage, Intimacy - xoNecole ... ›
- Zazie Beetz Thinks Americans Shower Too Much - xoNecole ... ›
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images