Routines

Self-care procedures I perform regularly.

Warning: I'm not a doctor of any kind. Some of these may actually be terrible to take as advice.

After every major food intake

• The price of the toothpaste doesn't matter. Buy the cheapest one.
• Don't rush it.
• Brush the tooth tops, then the backs, then the fronts.
• Make sure not to miss the teeth in the very back.
• Make sure not to miss the parts of teeth close to the gums.
• When you're done, spit out the toothpaste but don't rinse your mouth. This lets the flouride act longer.

Every 3 days: face, armpits

• Don't shave if the hairs are too short to prevent unnecessary irritation.
• You don't have to buy shaving cream. Any lubricant (like body wash) will do the job.
• Go in this order: upper lip, lower lip, sideburns, cheeks, neck, jowls, chin.
• Don't press on the razor, just let it float above the skin. Holding the handle further away from the blade helps with this.
• Shave against the grain. You're not supposed to do this, but it's the only way that actually works.
• When shaving the neck, pull your head up. This flattens the surface and makes cuts less likely.
• When shaving the chin, do not suck in the lower lip. Even though this flattens the surface, it also makes the chin sharper and easier to cut.
• When not in use, put the razor down with the blades pointing up or, if possible, set it upright. This way, the blades won't accidentally touch the surface the razor is lying on, and water won't be stuck on them.
• When you're done, rinse the razor with water so the lubricant doesn't dry up and accumulate on it.
• Replace the razor at least once every several months. A dull razor is more likely to burn the skin.

Every week: fingernails

Every 2 weeks: toenails

• Use a nail clipper and a cuticle pusher.
• Don't go in too deep.
• Try to cut toenails flat to avoid cutting the skin on the sides.
• If a toenail is damaged, cover it with tape before putting socks on to prevent contamination with sock fibers.

Every week: legs

Every 2 weeks: pubic hair

• Don't forget to disinfect the trimmer blade with rubbing alcohol.
• Go fast on flat areas, go really slow on bumpy floppy areas to avoid cutting the latter.
• When shaving the knees, both the top and the bottom, keep the leg extended. This makes cuts much less likely.
• After you're done, wash off the hairs stuck to the skin and moisturize the areas where there have been cuts.
• Avoid wearing extremely tight clothing like leggings. They add friction and increase sweating, making hives more likely to appear.

Every week

Nipples, belly button, arms

• Do this right before shower. This saves a lot of time.
• When shaving fingers, fold them in so you don't cut the areas with floppy skin.
• When shaving hands, make sure that they're turned around, i.e. the side being shaved is facing away from the face. This makes it much harder to cut the joints.
• Don't try to shave elbows. Trust me, it's a bad idea.

• First wash the hair roots, then the hair itself, then the skin from top to bottom. This way, you won't have to wash off hair conditioner from all over the body.
• Use shampoo for the roots and conditioner for the rest of the hair.
• Use fingertips, not nails, to massage the roots to avoid damaging them.
• Make sure not to miss the roots on the edges, especially on the temples.
• Use conditioner liberally. The more, the better.
• Only comb when the hair is completely dry or covered in conditioner, not when it's just wet, to avoid breaking it.
• Don't pull on the hair, not even with the towel, to avoid pulling hairs out.

• Don't forget to change clothes and towels.
• Use lukewarm water which is gentler on the skin and the hair.
• Use a shower sponge. Without it, you'll waste most of the body wash. Don't use it for the face, though, because it's too rough.
• When washing the face, make sure not to miss the edges of the forehead, the edges of the cheeks, and the neck.
• Don't forget to wash the foreskin.

• Squeeze the hair, without pulling or twisting it, to drain most of the water
• Pat the face with a towel instead of wiping it to avoid irritating the skin.
• Apply deodorant and moisturizer.
• Don't forget to wipe the floor.
• Only comb the hair slowly with fingertips, not a hairbrush, to avoid breaking hairs in a hurry.

Every week

• Don't store dirty clothes in the washing machine, use a laundry basket, to prevent growth of bacteria.
• Buy laundry detergent in the form of powder. It's cheaper and does the job just as well.
• Don't forget to take the clothes out after they're done.
• Leave the washing machine's door open when it's off to prevent growth of mildew in the remaining moisture.

Every 2-3 days

Light shower - face, armpits, genitals, anus, feet

Every month or so

Trim the torso hair

When you can 😔

Sweep the floor and wipe dust off the furniture

• Try not to do it more often than necessary.
• Use liquid soap. Bar soap melts into the container from frequent use, especially if it's not ventilated properly.
• Try not to use more soap than necessary so you don't constantly run out of it.
• Try not to turn the water up more and hotter than necessary.
• Make sure not to miss the spaces between the fingers, the backs of the hands, and the wrists.
• Don't forget to wipe the hands afterwards.

• Use rubber gloves. Your hands will thank you.
• Try not to use too much dishwashing liquid.
• Don't turn the water up too much to avoid getting splashed.
• Turn off the water when soaping dishes to avoid using too much water.
• Fight the urge to use the green side of the sponge when no scrubbing is necessary. This saves dishwashing liquid.
• If a dish is too dirty, fill it with soapy water and let it rest for a while.
• Soap dishes thoroughly, including the places that weren't covered in food.
• When washing drinking glasses, pay extra attention to the rim, i.e. the part that's in contact with lips, and the bottom on the inside.
• When washing colanders, grates, and other utensils with holes in them, make sure there's no gunk stuck in any of the holes.
• Make sure there's no soap left on a dish before putting it away to dry.
• Don't forget to wipe the area around the sink after you're done.

• Eat some light food rich in carbohydrates, like a candy bar, before the walk.
• Bring a bottle of water with you. Dehydration is no joke.
• Make sure to have enough money for public transportation in case of unforeseen circumstances.
• Make sure the phone is charged and put into the battery saving mode.
• Wear a cap during daytime in the summer to protect the hair from the Sun.
• Immediately after returning home, take a thorough shower (no need to wash the hair).

• Take desloratadine if it's really bad.
• Don't forget to wear gloves outside, preferably ones that aren't made of wool.
• Apply an ungodly amount of thick, mainly glycerol hand cream on each hand after every contact with water, especially shaving.
• Apply the cream to both hands, not just the one that's really bad.
• Make sure not to miss the wrists and the spaces between the bases of the fingers.