Ready! Set! Groom!

I have been in slight neglect of myself for about a week I guess. No! I don't have boogers hanging from my nose or dirt on my face BUT my heels have kind of fallen prey to the Fall and the coming of winter and they kind of cracked! Not good! I keep getting the carpet fur sticking to the cracked heels. My skin's dry and flaking due to the onset of the cold wave. I am not obsessive compulsive but yes! It is part of being a perfect Muslim woman to keep yourself well-groomed. And there is a whole lot of NEGLECT on the part of sisters because they don't know their facts right and go on un-groomed and unkempt, thinking that no grooming is modesty.

Your body is sacred trust between you and Allah (swt) dear sisters and keeping it beautiful and preserved is your duty, I tell you! The first preservation is the spiritual where you are modest and do not give yourself away to the sight and touch of strange men. Ughh! And this includes the "boyfriends" and "fiances" as well. And the second preservation is where you protect yourself from the influence of biological and natural processes. You keep yourself clean and odor free after you pee or poop, you keep yourself beautiful despite the effect of some hormones on your outward appearance. I shall tell you how ...
BATHING ROUTINES

Some sisters feel that regular bathing is a waste of time. No, really. I have heard "I don't need a bath". Seriously? So what ... your armpits don't sweat? Your scalp never gets grimy? Wow. And sometimes, despite the bathing, where sisters treat themselves with lavish concoctions from The Body Shop, there are neglected areas. Seriously, tell me when was the last time you checked to see if your belly button was clean? Need I go on?
Bathing routines need an investment of time. How much time do you give to your daily shower? 10 minutes? 5 minutes? I say give a good 15-20 minutes and instead of being lost in thoughts while standing under the shower and thinking about being America's Next Top Model ... actively clean yourself!
Shampoos are made for a purpose. The scalp gets grimy and so you should shampoo at least twice a week. I go for alternate days because my scalp is oily. I know myself ... know yourself.
Get a good shower scrub/sponge to rub yourself with. It is the best way to get grime off you if you have a very sweaty routine. A good shower gel would help you fight the odor!


SUNNAN-al-FITRAH
There are a few grooming routines that are obligatory. Not many sisters keep track or are concerned about these. The Sunan al-Fitrah include (1) Trimming of moustache (2) Trimming of nails (3) Circumcision (4) Removal of armpit and pubic hair

The NAILS need to be kept short and hadith says that you should HURRY to shorten them when they've been growing for long. You cannot go over 40 days max to trim your talons. With all the bit about nail art, sisters have gone off track here. French manicures and shades of the rainbow on the nails and what not. Okay, those are beautiful but consider artificial acrylic nails, please? Because with animal-like claws you are definitely displeasing Allah (swt). ARMPIT and PUBIC hair need to be removed. Yes! I just said that because it needs to be addressed. If you are ignoring such basics then you need to know that they are not just grooming and personal hygiene obligations that you are overlooking but they are commandments!

WAXING

There are MAJOR arguments about whether removing hair from arms and legs and the body are allowed or not. I have good news. It is permissible. People argue but it is permissible unless you wish to be a grizzly bear in full bloom. You can also remove hair if they are growing on the upper lip as a mustache or on the chin like a beard because these are all affecting your feminine beauty. HOWEVER!!! You cannot cannot cannot pluck your eyebrows! It is a MAJOR sin as mentioned in the hadith. Plucking the eyebrows and making those arches or whatever it is those beauty stylists call them - is not permissible at all because that would be changing the artwork of Allah (swt). If there are hair between the eyebrows then they could be removed because that is not part of the eyebrow line. But nothing else!

SKIN

No tattoos please because these are permanent and your body belongs to Allah (swt). You can always go for Henna which is fragrant, beautiful and temporary.
Know your skin type because you need to maintain yourself. If it's oily then please work on it to keep it dry before you become an oil rig and then become a pimple zone! And if it is dry keep it hydrated with aloe vera and moisturizers so you don't shed off like snake skin!

HAIR

You can have any hairstyle you want except the outrageous ones imitating people who choose to be deviant i.e. punk hair! You can color your hair without imitating obnoxious colors! Make sure all that is happening inside your Hijab and is not available for public display!
Oil your hair once a week to keep it healthy. Olive oil is the best. The Quran mentions the olive (zaytoon) and it has merits. Don't keep the oil in your hair for DAYS ... shampoo after an hour.
Please don't become a case of head lice!

Your morning routine should be very particular, ladies. You should shower (at least the full body if not the hair). Always use a good talc to keep off sweat - at least most of it. Use a very mild fragrance on the inside of your garments (preferably on the undergarments) so you don't smell like a public garden. DRESS up well even if you are a house wife or a stay at a home girl. Because if you feel great about yourself only then can you be your fullest in life.

TAKE CARE List
Cracked heels
Long nails
Dandruff / Oily Scalp / Lice (bugs!!!)
Split ends
Scum deposits in piercings (ear/nose)
Armpit hair
Pubic hair
Extra hair on the body
Discoloration of teeth
Bad breath
Belly button goo!
Scum in the nails
Scum between toes