Soap: One that is not harsh. Mild soaps are the safest bets. Preferably, your soap should be of an acid nature. Alkaline soaps rob your skin of the 'acid mantle' which is essential for healthy skinLoofah or Vegetable Sponge: These are very easily available. You can even make your own at home by drying a ripe green loofah in the sun and then removing the skin and seeds.
This coarse natural sponge helps slough off dead cells on the surface of the skin. It helps to scrub up and make the most rebellious and dull skins glow.
Pumice Stone: This is the volcano's gift to man. It is tremendous for cleaning elbows, knees, and feet.
Use regularly but do remember to be gentle with yourself.
Safety Razor: It is certainly not true that shaving causes a thicker or coarser regrowth of hair.
Shaving is the easiest way to get rid of unwanted body hair, though it is true that one has to repeat fairly frequently say, every other day.
Invest in a small ladies' razor. This is easier to use than a normal gent-sized razor and also more effective.
Bath Brushes: These are pleasant to have, but certainly not essential if you already have a loofah.
For the face, however, you could invest in a baby's soft hair brush. For the back, you would need a long-handled brush with natural bristles.
Shower Cap: It keeps your hair dry while you shower. A shower cap is very practical to use, and also inexpensive if you don't go in for dressy ones.
Baby Oil or Body Lotion: This helps the body replace all the natural oils that the skin surface may lose while bathing. Essential for well-nutritioned skin, an oil or lotion also helps the body retain whatever moisture it may have absorbed during the course of the bath. Use immediately after your bath for best results.
Bath oils: Once again, very pleasant to have but not strictly essential. Good for the skin in the winter, try to make it a part of your beauty programme. If not regularly, do use it for an occasional treat or when your body feels dry and flaky.
Talc: Essential for warm sticky summers. Try a lemon fragrance for extra freshness.
Deodorant: An absolute must for the summers. Spray-on or roll-on deodorants are decidedly not messy compared to cream deodorants.
