Life as a JubJub - Hygiene

So, in keeping with my topic of Life as a JubJub, today I'm going to cover JubJub hygiene. Hygiene is EXTREMELY important for JubJubs. After all, we're essentially fur and feet... both of which can get pretty dirty. A lot of Neopets don't appreciate how much time and effort we JubJubs spend on keeping ourselves presentable. Hopefully, this article will help give you the idea. It will also come in handy if you know a smelly JubJub.

We'll start with some easy stuff. Dental care. Yes, we JubJubs have teeth. It's how we eat. So we need to keep them clean. You may wonder how we can brush our teeth with our feet, but most of us are quite dexterous. Still, the shape of the Zafara Toothbrush or the flexibility of the Squeezy Toothbrush make them very handy. I USED to have a really cool Invisible Toothbrush, until my brother lost it... But I digress... Besides the toothbrush, you also need some nice toothpaste. I generally prefer mint, maybe vanilla mint if I'm feeling crazy, but more adventurous folks may want to try strawberry or even mushroom toothpaste. They all clean the same. Plus, not a lot of pets are our height, so not a lot will be able to smell our breath.

Another important part of JubJub hygiene is foot care. After all, our feet are quite large, and can get quite smelly. I don't know about you, but after a healthy game of Yooyuball, mine are a little gross (a fact my Yooyu isn't all that fond of). So it's important to keep them properly washed and sanitized. My home is equipped with handy stools beside the sink, so I can get up there and wash my feet. I like to experiment with different soaps, but so far my favorite Gypsy Soap. It smells so cool! For little JubJubs, though, I recommend Meerca Toy Surprise Soap. It has a cute little toy inside, so when they use it all up they can keep it! Isn't that a cool idea? I used to love that soap when I was little... Now I've got a pile of those toys... Seriously, anyone want one?

Oh! Sorry, I guess I got a little off track... Well, now it's time for THE most important part of JubJub hygiene... hair care. This fabulous 'do doesn't just happen on it's own. It takes WORK. A lot of shampooing, conditioning, brushing, and drying go into this. Let me break it down. First, you need a good shampoo. In Neopia, there are so many to choose from! Cheaper JubJubs, or super busy JubJubs, may use the Two in One Hair Care. While it gets the job done, I find it doesn't clean as well as it could. I typically use Herbal Shampoo. Not only does it smell really good, my fur gets so silky! For special occasions (maybe like an autograph signing... ?), I use Superstar Shampoo or Super Shiny Shampoo. Both give my fur some extra shine and fluff, though they don't clean quite as well. If you're looking for an extra yummy smell, I suggest trying the Scented Hearts Flower Shampoo or Cucumber Melon Shampoo. The Scented Hearts Shampoo smells DELICIOUS, but doesn't clean as well. The Cucumber Melon smells great to some, but I find it a tad overbearing.

Once you're thoroughly shampooed and rinsed, you're going to need some conditioner. It may seem superfluous to a lot of pets, but it is VITAL for JubJubs. Fortunately, Neopia also has a wide selection of conditioners to choose from. I personally prefer Mane Conditioner. Yes, technically we don't have manes, but it's really the best for eliminating tangles and providing good body. Since our fur IS our body... that's important. Now, I highly recommend NOT using species specific conditioners, such as Xweetok or Peo. They may seem like a good idea, but they tend to not be properly suited for other species. Plus, the Peo Conditioner smells like seaweed... which is gross. Now, if you don't want too many conflicting scents, Neopia has handy sets of both Shampoo and conditioner. Cucumber Melon Shampoo has a matching conditioner, so does Chokato Shampoo, and Watermelon Shampoo, to name a few. If you're more adventurous, maybe opt for a Pebeanjay Flower Conditioner? Smells just like the real thing! Which may or may not be a good thing...

Now, once you're fully rinsed, it's time to dry. Towels are the generally preferred way. I have a very nice Fuzzy White Towel I use. Still, sometimes you're in a hurry. While the windswept look is nice, if you live in a particularly windy area, you can get a really funky look. I've met a few JubJubs who opt for a faster, but also more dangerous option. The Basic Dryer is a battledome weapon, but can also be used to dry hair. Just be careful to put it on the lowest setting. Also, DO NOT use the double dryer. I had a friend who did... It was not pretty. Seriously... I'd rather not talk about it...

Alright, now you're dry. Now it's time to brush. Make sure to get a good brush! Don't be cheap when it comes to brushes. After all, your brush provides the finishing touches for your look. Also, this is hopefully obvious, but make sure to get one for long hair. Unfortunately, most of the brushes in Neopia are designed for short hair. Long hair brushes are in short supply, and only available in a few colors: red, blue, and green. I like my blue one. It matches my eyes. Also, make sure to keep it clean. The amount of fur we shed is ridiculous. Seriously, I could build a second JubJub with the hair I get off in a week. I should mention, though, that a short hair brush can be good for quick touchups, and is much better suited for fake microphone duty... Err, I mean... never mind...

ANYWAY... I hope this article has helped you better understand the troubles we JubJubs have to go through to look so fabulous. Maybe it's even given a few JubJubs some new ideas! No matter what, I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you have any questions, feel free and send them to my mom. She'll make sure they get to me.