Bostonista Writes Back: BYOB

Style-strapped locals often look to Bostonista for advice on a wide range of topics, such as what to wear, how to decorate, and which area hotel to visit for an afternoon tryst (seriously).

This week Harold* wrote:

Dear Esteemed Fashion Expert, I’ll be spending Christmas at my girlfriend’s parents’ home, and am dreading it. The problem isn’t her parents, who are lovely people but rather her parents’ bodies and the soap that rubs all over them. There’s only one shower, and only one bar of soap in that shower. I don’t want clean myself with the same soap that they’ve rubbed all over themselves.

In the past, I’ve just stood under the water for a prolonged period of time. Once, I even tried using the shampoo as body soap, but it left an uncomfortable residue. Is there a way around this slippery situation?

No wonder your potential inlaws keep stuffing your stocking with Old Spice, and no wonder it’s not helping. Water alone, dear Harold, simply will not do the job.

Bostonista has been called high-maintenance in the past, but she’s got nothing on you. When she finds herself in a shared soap situation, she simply holds the bar under the faucet for 18-32 seconds (longer if it’s a color other than white or is tangled in long, suspicious hairs), allowing it to shed its community layer before lathering up.

But if that idea still makes you squeamish, then you absolutely must BYOB (bring your own bodywash). So you’re concerned with potentially offending your hosts by doing so? Chances are that they won’t care. Or even notice. Perhaps they’re just so old school that they haven’t discovered the many levels of moisturizing and great scents that bodywash has to offer.

You could be doing them a favor by exposing them to such. And if your girlfriend’s father thinks you’re sissy for choosing a fruity Herbal Essences potion over his manly bar? Don’t worry about it. He’s thought you were a wuss since you first met.

*Name changed to protect the fashion victim.