Showering for Hippies: Stay Clean at a Music Festival
Oh, OK, Mr. Weekend Warrior. You don’t need anyone telling you how to clean yourself while you go gallivanting around that music festival this summer. Then what, prey tell, is going on with your feet?
No, I’m serious. Those little piggies have a condition known as “festival feet,” and it’s a scary, scary thing. Those who know … know. And for those blessed souls who don’t, and may you never, festival feet are when the southernmost extremities are caked with bits of mud that sticks in toenails and generally stinks up the place. It’s an all-too-common sight during summer festivals. It’s because not enough people are prioritizing a little bit of hippie-style cleanliness during all the fun.
At music festivals, those long-weekend excursions into the wilderness of dancing, laughing and grooving, many people just cannot be bothered. You’re having entirely too much fun, I get it. But you still want to be healthy and a pleasure to hug, right? With a little preparation, clean up at camp can be a breeze. Read on:
Pack a Shower Bag
When you’re reaching into the depths of your closet to find all the festival gear to pack for the weekend, take a moment to create a bathroom bag for yourself. Get a medium-sized cloth bag with a long handle that can be strategically hung somewhere.
You’ll want the following in small, travel-sized containers:
· Dr. Broenner’s Magic Soap, but only if you promise never to get the peppermint in your eye, because trust me on this, it is a horrible experience. If you’re a little scared of Dr. Broenner’s Magic Soap because you once got it in your eye, you can pack a bar of whatever natural soap you like.
· Shampoo and Conditioner, if the festival venue has showers
· A brush or a comb, if you have hair on your head
· Toothbrush and natural toothpaste, especially if you consider fluoride a scary thing
· Lip balm and facial sunscreen with a high SPF
· An emory board
· A big safety pin
· A bottle of your favorite essential oil
No Shower? No Problem
Of course, if there are nice showers, go ahead and have a great one. You’ll feel like a million bucks coming out, even if the water is cold. Of course, not every festival has showers available. Sometimes the showers are really far away and cost a prohibitively high fee. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a hippie shower. Here are the steps:
1. Get out the old Wet Wipes.The ordering of the wiping is such: First, your face. Next, your privates. Grab a freshie and clean your arm pits. Then go for the feet … oh God, those feet. You may need to use a few extra for the feet, depending on whether you are wearing sandals or have been sweating.
2. Brush your hair.You need to do this every day, unless you are actively trying to establish dreadlocks. You either are trying for dreadlocks or you are not trying for dreadlocks. This is a question you should be able to answer instantly. So, if no, always comb out your hair every day.
3. Smell better.Apply deodorant and rub in a little essential oil. Did you know that grapefruit oil has been proven to make the wearer seem six yearsyounger to men? I like patchouli, of course.
4. Brush your teeth.
5. Change your clothing. And voila! Good as new.
Other Fresh Sesh Tips
Giving yourself a break during every day of a music festival will make you feel refreshed and ready for another round, and you won’t look so bad either. Don’t forget your towel — or at least a sarong — if you are headed off to the shower stalls.
Of course, if you have space around you at your campsite, you and your camping mates may want to rig up your own private camping shower.
For this, you’ll need a clothing line, at least three tapestries, a solar shower and a few trees. If you can make a triangular enclosure, all you need is a milk crate or small table to put your shampoo and soap for your own showering pleasure. Don’t forget to bring a bunch of extra clothing line clips so that you can give yourself privacy!
Maybe bring extra for your neighbors — there are far worse things than festival feet that you can see at a music festival, that’s for sure.
