Celebrities With Questionable Hygiene Habits

Hygiene is a personal topic, and yet many celebrities have willingly opened up about their routines — or lack thereof. From using mouthwash instead of actually brushing their teeth to urinating in buckets instead of going to a bathroom, actors, TV personalities, and pop stars have shared all kinds of details about the way they approach hygiene. 

In fact, so many celebrities have admitted specifically to not showering often that it became a hotly debated topic. This was especially true in 2021, when Jake Gyllenhaal confessed to Vanity Fair that he doesn't bathe much. "More and more I find bathing to be less necessary, at times," he told the outlet. "I do believe, because Elvis Costello is wonderful, that good manners and bad breath get you nowhere. So I do that. But I do also think that there's a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves."

While his admission might have caused some shock, dermatologists have backed up his ideas, at least to an extent. Dermatologist Dr. Julie Russak noted to the New York Post that a shower with too much soap or too-hot water "really removes and destroys the skin's microbiome." However, she clarified that you do need to remove buildup on your skin, saying, "You also have to still think about all the bacteria and [toxins] that accumulate on the skin. When the body sweats ... it's all a natural way of removing toxins. There has to be a healthy balance." Basically, like everything in life, showering is about balance. Now, with that established, let's take a look at 11 celebrities who have questionable hygiene habits.

Despite having a glowing, white smile, it seems that singer and actor Jessica Simpson doesn't care to brush her teeth. In a 2010 interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," she explained her reasoning for skipping crucial oral care. "Because my teeth are so white and I don't like them to feel too slippery, but I do use Listerine and I do floss every day," she said (via Us Weekly). "But I don't brush them every day. My lips just slide all over the place. I can't catch up with my mouth. I need a little coating."

While Simpson might feel more comfortable with "a little coating," the reality is that this might not be beneficial for overall oral health. Brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day is generally recommended. Also, even though using mouthwash may help freshen your breath, it's not a true substitute for brushing, as it can't support gum health the way that regular brushing does.

Mila Kunis is another celebrity with questionable hygiene practices, but hers extend to her children, too. As a guest on Dax Shepherd's "Armchair Expert" podcast in 2021, Kunis opened up about her bathing habits. "I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway," she explained. "But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns — ever." Her husband, fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, chimed in on the topic of bathing their children, saying, "Now, here's the thing: If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there's no point."

Even though not bathing children unless they're visibly dirty may seem wild to some, the reality is that less-frequent bathing can be totally fine for young children. Bathing a child three times a week is sufficient when they're a baby, though you'll likely want to increase this as they get older. Still, for babies, bathing too much could lead to dry skin and other issues, so it's no big deal if they don't get scrubbed down every single day.

Kelly Clarkson might not be skipping showers outright, but some of the things she does in the shower are questionable. On a 2023 episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show," the talk-show host admitted to urinating in the shower in a conversation with Kenan Thompson about their showering habits. "I pee almost every time in the shower," the "Behind These Hazel Eyes" singer said. Further explaining her reasoning, she added, "No, but you can't help it. It goes back to that childhood sleepover, they put your hand in the hot water, and sometimes you pee. The hot water hits your body and — not every time, but, like, if I've gotta go."

Thompson admitted that he'd done it himself, but he had different feelings about it. "I'm not against it. I've not never done it. I've done it. But when I do do it, I always feel so ashamed," he shared. While Thompson expressed some guilt about peeing in the shower, Clarkson, who also often brushes her teeth in the shower, doubled down in defense of multi-tasking while bathing, saying, "You know what I feel — I feel productive." To each their own!

Some might think that Kelly Clarkson does a little too much while she's in the shower. Chelsea Handler, on the other hand, might not be doing enough. On a 2024 episode of her podcast, "Dear Chelsea," Handler discussed why she doesn't wash her legs in the shower: "Why do my legs need to be washed? They're f****** covered all day. It's not like my legs are going out without me. When I take a shower, all the soap from my shower comes down. It's not like my legs are out there gardening all day without me."

Her guest on the episode, "Central Intelligence" actor Kevin Hart, had a totally different view on the subject, saying, "That's so bad!" Chelsea explained her bathing habits in more detail, revealing that she only likes to wash the areas that she calls "hot spots," which include her head, armpits, and nether regions. She also shared that she doesn't employ a washcloth or any other kind of scrubbing tool in the shower; she simply uses her hands, which is actually the most hygienic way to wash your body in the shower. "Okay, I'm gonna change her name from Chelsea to 'Hot Spot.' Hot Spot Chelsea, because you only wash your a**," the comedian quipped later in the interview.

Lady Gaga might be known for her biggest fashion risks and, of course, her music, but she's got some pretty memorable hygiene habits, too. In a 2019 post on X, Gaga joked about bathing infrequently. "[M]y assistant: when's the last time you bathed," her post began. "[M]e: i don't remember."

It seems that there's a reason for Gaga to forget the showers, though. In a 2019 interview with beauty YouTuber NikkiTutorials, the "Abracadabra" singer opened up about her latest creative endeavors and how they get her primary focus. "I'm living my inspirations right now, in this moment. When I get inspired, I do things right away," she explained.

Going easy on the showers isn't Gaga's only questionable hygiene practice, either. Appearing on Alan Carr's talk show, "Alan Carr: Chatty Man," in 2011, the "Edge of Glory" singer admitted that she doesn't always go to an actual bathroom to relieve herself: "I do quite often pee in the dressing room, in the trash can" (via Toronto Star). She went on to paint a clearer picture of the scenario, adding, "It would have been an interesting photo today because I had a big pink bow on, and I was over the trash can. The bathroom is down the hall. And I was naked. It was just me, my bow, and my nakedness." That's certainly one way to do things!

While Lady Gaga might be skipping showers because she's too busy creating art, America Ferrera skips them as a guilty pleasure. This seems like a surprise coming from a polished actor like America Farrera, who brought Barbiecore full circle at the 2024 Oscars. 

If you're surprised, you're not alone; even her co-stars were astonished. In a 2023 group interview for Vanity Fair, where the stars of the "Barbie" movie discussed guilty pleasures, her co-stars guessed a range of things that had nothing to do with hygiene. Kate McKinnon guessed "cookie dough," while the director of the movie, Greta Gerwig, offered, "Oh, I bet a massage or something." Ferrera was reluctant to admit it, but she shared that her guilty pleasure was not bathing. "I'm gonna really regret saying this," she said. "It's not showering for a few days." Who would've guessed that? Not us, and not the "Barbie" cast. As Margot Robbie put it, "I would have never expected that." 

Megan Fox is no stranger to getting attention for things that might not be totally appropriate. For example, some might know all about Megan Fox's most inappropriate looks, but she's also got some questionable hygiene habits. These aren't just things that impact her, either. Speaking to FHM (via Ranker), Fox was open about some of her less-than-hygienic habits and how her roommates felt about them. "I'm horrible to live with. I don't clean. My clothes end up wherever I take them off," she started, then getting to the big one. "I forget to flush the toilet. Friends will tell me, 'Megan, you totally pinched a loaf in my toilet and didn't flush.'"

Even though having a lazy day from time to time is totally understandable, living in a messy environment isn't a great or healthy idea. Clutter isn't just physically unpleasant to deal with; it can be harmful mentally as well. A disorganized living environment can raise your cortisol levels — that's the stress hormone — and make it harder to focus, too.

For Kate Hudson, skipping showers or flushing isn't an issue; rather, it's what you normally do after — and that's putting on deodorant. On "Watch What Happened Live," Hudson spoke of co-star Matthew McConaughey's habits — and her own — saying, "No! He doesn't wear deodorant. And by the way, I don't either." Kate Hudson has been known to go makeup-free and look flawless, but we didn't know she apparently goes deodorant-free, too. Even though some may find this habit unappealing,  it might not be all that harmful, even if it might not always create the best odors.

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Kate Hudson puts an old urban legend about Matthew McConaughey to rest once and for all. #WWHL

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"People have strong preferences and sensitivities to smell. People, from the beginning of time, have used perfumes (or) colognes to mask odor," Dr. Nina Botto, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco explained to CNN. "But it's not like flossing your teeth, where there's data that you're actually going to live longer if you floss your teeth regularly."

Beyond the fact that it may not actually be harmful to skip deodorant, body odors can actually come from other sources. "Gut health, health of the skin and health of the microbiome of the skin can all influence our body odor," Dr. Julie Russak clarified to CNN. "Some metabolic disorders produce a very particular odor in general (for example, ketoacidosis or uremia from diabetes). Healthy skin and a healthy body should not have malodor."

Back in 2013, Kesha was a standout in the music world with hit songs like "Timber," and she apparently had a standout smell, too. While she didn't explain what her hygiene habits were — or weren't — she was pretty open about having a hard-to-miss scent. On BBC's Radio 1, Kesha discussed her body odor. "My fans are amazing to me but usually the people around me say, 'You're disgusting!' or, 'Put your pants on!' or 'You're late!' Or they say, 'You smell weird, what's that smell?'" she said, admitting, "I smell like a hobo. One time, someone told me I smelled like a shrimp on a diaper. I thought I could make a fragrance that was a little like a shrimp on a Faberge diaper, but I don't know if people want to smell like that" (via The New Zealand Herald).

It seems like Kesha tried to play off the attention that her smell got back then as funny, but in later years, she seems to have had a change of heart about the way that others talk about her body in general. In 2024, she shared a bikini picture on Instagram and had some words for those who expressed criticism. "[I] didn't think in 2024 people still body shamed but i am so proud of my body," the "We R Who We R" singer wrote, adding, "to those who think you're shaming me, you're actually making me feel very powerful. so, to you, i hope you one day feel whole enough to not tear other women down. in the mean time, hate me harder b**** :)."

When it comes to the Kardashians, many may think about the Kardashian family's biggest makeup mistakes or the plastic surgery they may or may not have had — we don't judge! While they may not be known especially for having bad hygiene, it seems they've certainly had their moments. In an episode of "Kourtney and Kim Take Miami," Khloé Kardashian opened up a conversation with Kourtney's then-partner Scott Disick about her sister's new smell: "Do you notice that there's a little something with Kourt? Like, the BO?"

Disick replied by confirming her suspicions, saying, "Yeah. She reeks. Only because she doesn't believe in wearing deodorant because she thinks it's bad for her breastfeeding or something." Even though Disick may have seemed uncertain about the deodorant concerns, there is some basis for them. Too much aluminum exposure can have a negative impact on infant health, and many antiperspirants do contain aluminum. That said, a 2021 study published in Breastfeeding Medicine suggests that wearing antiperspirants is safe for breastfeeding moms. 

With Kourtney having a holistic approach to parenting, it makes total sense that she'd want to go as all-natural as possible. Beyond forgoing deodorant while breastfeeding, there are other steps she takes to make sure her kids are healthy, even when they're at school. In a talk with Women's Health, she said, "I definitely advocate and go to their schools to try to make things better. No food coloring in the foods. Organic options—like healthier, more holistic remedies, like when [they're] feeling sick at the nurse's office, type of thing." 

A lot like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, it seems that Kristen Bell and husband Dax Shepard aren't too worried about keeping their kids on a bath schedule. On a 2021 episode of "The View," Bell opened up about how often she bathes her children. "Sometimes five, six days go along. I mean, they don't smell. I'm a big fan of waiting for the stink. Once you catch a whiff, that's biology's way of letting you know you need to clean it up," she told the panel.

Following this, Bell was dealt some backlash. In a talk with ET, she shared some final thoughts on the topic. "We were just talking about this because there has to be a rule for everybody, and it's like, 'No, there doesn't.' You know, everyone is different," she says of bathing in her household (via WKYC). "Like, if you have a workout shower, if you want to go a couple days without, great. If you have bad hygiene, that's not on me. And I have bad hygiene, I am going to go ahead and be honest with you." Bell went on to express some of her frustration with the fact that the topic had been discussed too much, adding, "I think people maybe need a little bit of a lesson of what is a joke and what is not. Because now people are acting like this is an actual Supreme Court case." 

Now, for more about one of Hollywood's most interesting couples, read up on the red flags in Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard's relationship.