Personal hygiene: during confinement, the French let themselves go!

Away from your eyes, away from the shower. Yes, let's be honest, since confinement, especially if we live alone, the curve of our social interactions is inversely proportional to that of our visits to the bathroom. Concentrated behind his computer, teleworking at home, not washed, his hair in disarray, wearing his old AC / DC t-shirt and his plants as the only witnesses, "it's okay ...". Who would we inconvenience after all (apart from ourselves)?

And this is how, now, only 74% of women carry out a full daily toilet (compared to 81% before confinement). Among these men, 10 points were even lost between these two periods. They are only 61% to wash every day (30% twice a week).

This is what this new Ifop study, conducted for the 24matins site, reveals. If the Coronavirus crisis is causing radical changes in certain habits (hand washing, social distancing, etc.), the establishment of confinement did not go through a general improvement in the body and clothing hygiene of the French. On the contrary.

"The health crisis is the scene of divergent trends in terms of hygiene and cleanliness: if in one it is the fear of being infected that generates a cultural revolution in matters of sanitation, conversely, the fact that you no longer fear being stigmatized for your lack of cleanliness or neglecting your clothes translates into a deterioration in the rules of daily personal hygiene, ”analyzes François Kraus, director of the Politics and News department at Ifop.

Uncomplexed letting go or accentuating a preexisting social withdrawal? No doubt both. The trend is more marked among men, living alone, single and over the age of 65. “Ultimately, these trends confirm that the rules of hygiene remain above all linked to the degree of sociability of people and the consideration of the gaze of others in their bodily appearance. As soon as there is no longer any gaze from others, we observe breaks in the respect of basic hygienic practices ”, adds the expert.

"I can survive with two leggings for the week and a shower every other day"

And as a couple? Of course the presence of a spouse or companion encourages regular cleaning. We note however "a little honeymoon" with efforts multiplied in recent relationships, less than three years. Children at home also have this magic effect - the importance of being a good role model?

“I discovered that I could survive with two leggings for the week and a shower every other day. No more otherwise, because of the confinement, my skin is too dry ”. Is Virginia's dermatological argument also valid for her companion? "Well, I play sports at home so, of course, I wash afterwards," says Dani. Daily sport? " Nearly… ". Of which act.

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Let’s go even more intimately. In a previous survey, Ifop had already zoomed in on the hygiene of the French and in particular on their underwear. Before confinement, 94% of women changed panties every day. The rate has now "dropped" to 91%. Among men, the percentage was already not very bright before the crisis (73%) but now underpants or underpants are thrown in dirty linen daily only in 68% of them…

Note also on this subject a slight "confinement" effect, marginal but notable: the "no bra" (those who do not wear a bra) went from 3 to 8% and the "without panties" from 1 to 5% .