The truth about skincare & hygiene

Soap is a lot of marketing and scent

A few months ago, James Hamblin made a splash when announcing he hadn't showered or used much soap in five years. The physician, Yale public health lecturer, and staff writer at The Atlantic experimented on himself as research for his latest book, Clean: The New Science of Skin.

Hygiene rituals are as old as recorded civilization. While Muslims and Hindu…