Here is What Happens to Your Skin When You Don’t Shower for 30 Days

It sounds like something out of a dare, but one beauty editor decided to find out what would happen if she didn’t shower for a whole month. The inspiration started when Jill Provost, the editor in chief of Total Beauty, received Mother Dirt AO+ Mist — a live probiotic spray that’s supposed to replenish your skin’s good bacteria so you can bathe less frequently and improve your complexion. The theory behind the spray is that we’re actually too clean and that by eliminating good bacteria along with the bad, we’re leaving our skin vulnerable to inflammation. That, in turn, leads to skin conditions from acne and rosacea to eczemaand psoriasis.

Since Provost herself suffers from eczema and psoriasis, her curiosity was piqued. For the experiment, Provost, who also enlisted Total Beauty editorial assistant Jessica for support, ditched deodorant, makeup, and soap (except for hand soap). Baths and showering were banned. Provost and Jessica were only allowed to rinse their face, underarms, and groin area with water every three days, and instead, rely on spritzing on Mother Dirt AO+ Mist twice a day to keep clean.