Lets look at the relationship between skin and the French connection. What you need to know is that the French perception of beauty and skin care is much different from the American perspective. Skin does not soley exist by itself, but by the personification of our actions. Why is it that Americans have always looked toward the French with the anticipation that they hold the the secret to the fountain of youth of skin and its ageless existence. Well for one thing that the French and Americans do not have in common is overbathing. As I remembered in younger days are month trip to Europe, and our concerns with bathrooms and showers, which caught the attention of hotel attendees. American’s so were preoccupied with cleanliness and showers, soaps, scrubs and why is it that the French don’t shower as much? Maybe that it is naturally unconvenient or inaccessible or part of French culture and or simply just not important. But the contradiction of not bathing was that your skin would retain its natural oils and its visual heathiness. I don’t condone not bathing, but simple smart bathing. Smells are produced by bacteria. Its not important to lather up or soap up your arms chest legs hands. Simply because these areas just don’t get dirty. Showering or bathing daily, every other day etc. I only cleanse with mild soap as they would say my “private parts”. Underarms, and you know the rest, if your male or female… the other parts of your body do not need to be salt scrub, loofah’d, wash clothed to death or brushed to the perceived illusion of cleanliness. Cleanliness is not about tearing and stripping your skin to oblivion.
When I was young my Father would make lite regarding the event of bathing, “It wasn’t Saturday”, he would say. In other words bathing was a once a week event. My father would work the fields and handle cattle on a ranch, you could only imagine, but this was acceptable part of society for that time, late 1930’s. Of course, during the rest of the week people would use a wash cloth or rinse off, in order to quick cleanse. But there was that one day, Saturday, that would be bathing day. When you take a look at the past and analyze the present there is a difference. It’s just important to be aware that there is a different truth and reality than what is mainstream marketed.