Some people do it every day, while others seem to go days, and sometimes weeks without doing it at all. While there’s tons of conflicting advice about how often you should shower, there is no doubt that often is better than not at all.
It seems that a shower every day could actually be bad for your skin. Some dermatologists only recommend a shower every other day, or two to three times a week.
A new study has just revealed that half of Brits admit they don’t shower every day and have no plans to wash more frequently even as life begins to return to ‘normal’.
Research from leading savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk shows how far hygiene standards have slipped since the first lockdown began on 23rd March 2020 and how much we are are planning to spend on our appearance and personal hygiene as we reintegrate back into society.
Relationship status can impact how often people lather up with singletons are the dirtiest bunch with over half (54%) admitting they don’t wash every day. In comparison to 42% of those in relationships, 49% of people who live with their partner and 46% of married couples.
Across the country, findings show those in Leeds take the fewest showers per week (4.5). This is followed closely by Plymouth (4.6) and Brighton & Hove, Sheffield and Leicester (all 4.8).
Top UK cities where residents have the fewest showers per week
So actually, here we seem to be a fairly clean and fresh lot, or are we? I’m afraid not.
Almost half of people from Wales (46%) admit they don’t shower every day and have no intention to change as they reintegrate back into society.
The question is, just how much is too much when it comes to showering? The reality is, if you shower too much it can lead to discomfort, and you may experience………..
- Itching
- Dry, flaky skin
- Flare-ups of skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
- Dry, brittle hair
But showering isn’t the only thing we’re are slacking on. When it comes to dental hygiene, nearly a quarter (23%) of people admit they only brush their teeth once a day. Men are the worst offenders for skipping a second brush with only 59% brushing twice daily in comparison to 68% of women. The data also shows that over 8.5 million people (13%) don’t even brush their teeth at least once per day, favouring a few times per week.
Hygiene habits aren’t the only thing that has slipped. Over two in five people (41%) have recently eaten out of a pan or food container to save on washing up. Moving to the bedroom, nearly half (45%) wash their bed sheets once every two weeks or less, which is significantly less than the recommended once per week.
Despite standards slipping since the start of the pandemic, the data shows that many people are willing to give up their bad ‘lockdown habits’ as normality resumes, with more than half (55%) saying they’ll care more about the way they look as they start spending more time with friends and family.
Over one in five (22%) are worried about seeing loved ones as they have put on weight in lockdown, and as 21st June approaches, nearly a third (32%) say they will spend more money on their appearance than before the pandemic hit. More than a fifth (21%) are planning to have their hair done before seeing friends and family so they can look and feel their best, and consumers predict they’ll fork out £393 on their appearance on average in the first month of lockdown easing.
Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented:
“After a year spent predominantly indoors, this research shows the unusual impact the pandemic has had on our personal hygiene and the bad habits we’ve slipped into during this time.“
“As we transition into a new ‘normal’ it’s natural that people will focus their attention on their appearance, and the fact that consumers plan to spend nearly £400 on the way they look shows this is front of mind for many. While you might want to go on a bit of a spending spree for things like new clothes and beauty treatments, it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best price. An effort-free way to always get the best deal is by installing DealFinder by VoucherCodes, a free online browser extension that automatically finds you the best deals every time you shop online.”
And to finish on an environmentally efficient note taking shorter showers or reducing your number of showers can drastically decrease your family’s water consumption. You’ll not only conserve resources, but also lower your utility bill.
The estimates are that the average shower lasts about 8.2 minutes and uses roughly 17.2 gallons of water.
