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There’s a lot that you don’t learn in yoga teacher training. Namely, the fact that when you complete a 200-hour YTT, your learning has literally just begun. This fact applies to countless lessons related to sharing the actual practice of yoga although there are secondary types of knowledge that are much less talked about.
Namely, the fact that walking barefoot on hardwood floors for half your day takes a considerale toll on your feet. That frequent showering wreaks havoc on your hair. And that many natural deodorants become ineffective well before the end of your last class of the day—and sometimes before your first class even begins.
Personally, I would have appreciated someone cautioning me about these situations during YTT. But since that typically doesn’t happen, consider the following list of troublesome situations and their solutions a supplement to your yoga teacher training manual. Because teaching yoga shouldn’t demand more than it already does of you.
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Keep Calluses Away
MicroPlane Colossal Foot File Scraper
$13 at Amazon
Walking barefoot on hardwood floors isn’t exactly kind to your heels. And if you’re existing on yoga teacher wages, there’s not a lot of cash for a fancy pedi to address toughened skin. This modestly priced foot file from MicroPlane (yes, the maker of kitchen graters) essentially lets you erase signs of wear and tear anytime you need through some careful sweeps of the rasp. Easy to hold, the scraper costs about the same as a single callus removal session at a salon and remains sharp for months.
Beware: You may be tempted to use an enthusiastically strong touch during your initial use. Go exceptionally delicately or you’ll find yourself limping through classes for the next week. Also, there are a lot of knock-offs that will save you a buck or two. I’ve tried most of them. Don’t bother.
Nurture Damaged Hair
Kérastase Résistance Thérapiste Masque
$68 at Amazon
I haven’t conducted scientific research on this although I’m guessing that yoga teachers shower more than the average human. But as dry shampoo users are already aware, frequent shampooing strips essential oils from your hair and contributes to excess dryness and damage. The new rule is to refrain from constantly sudsing your hair each time you shower.
Personally, as someone who gets a lot of tangles and appreciates some shine, I find it can help to work a smidgen of conditioner through the lower third of your strands even when you don’t shampoo. My default is the luxe conditioner known as Résistance Thérapiste Masque from Kérastase. It works some serious restoration to damaged hair cuticles. Let it set for at least five minutes—think of it as an extended yin yoga pose.
Ban Hair Breakage
Kérastase Résistance Ciment Thérmique
$50 at Amazon
Damage also happens each time you subject your hair to blow dryers and styling devices before class. Before you reach for the flat iron, smooth a little heat protectant on your ends rather than exposing your naked hair to your tools. I prefer Kérastase Résistance Ciment Thérmique, a lightweight cream with an equally lightweight aroma that quickly dissipates. It works well on wet or dry hair.
Caution: Go easy on the amount you use unless you’re going for a retro, 80s, slicked-back look.
Secure That Messy Bun
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
$26 at Amazon
Sometimes your attempts to throw your hair in a messy half bun are thwarted by fine or short tresses that just won’t cooperate. When I asked my stylist how to handle this, she said nothing and simply reached for the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray.
It’s aptly described as “invisible dry hair spray” as well as “invisible dry shampoo” and its stay-put potential effectively works as both. A few spritzes create mesmerizing volume without any tacky stiffness. And the shine and silken texture that result make it difficult not to check yourself out in the studio mirror (which affords you a chance to check your ego instead). Available in a modestly sized (and somewhat modestly priced) purse edition as well as a larger size that’s four times the spray yet only twice the cost.
Plump Up Your Polish
OPI Gel Plump Effect Volumizing Top Coat
$15 at Amazon
Chances are you’re no stranger to last-minute texts frantically asking you to sub a class that begins in less than half an hour. Still, if you’re anything like me, you’ll delay heading out the door for several moments to slow your breath, think through some potential sequencing and slick a quick coat of polish on your nails.
Lately I’ve been reaching for OPI Gel Plump Effect Volumizing Top Coat. (Yes, a “volumizing” nail polish.) This clear coat does actually bring the luxe and plumped look of a gel pedi even when you simply slicked on whatever regular polish you had at home. Tiny bottle. Big results.
It dries quickly although it’s not designed as quick-dry and the lovely sheen it imparts isn’t indestructible. So you probably want to reconsider practicing along with students from Chaturanga to Upward Dog the first several hours after applying.
Banish B.O.
Lume Whole Body Deodorant
$30 at Amazon
Spending time in sweltering spaces crowded with active bodies you’re trying not to offend can teach you a lot about the general unreliability of most natural deodorants. After years of being frustrated with most brands, I splurged on Lume Whole Body Deodorant after scrolling past countless online commercials sassily guaranteeing it can be applied anywhere that sweat glands do what they do.
What finally swayed me, though, was the fact that its ingredient list boasts no aluminum, phthalates, sulfates, or parabens.
Incredibly, I’ve never needed to reapply it the same day—even when driving from studio to studio to studio in an unairconditioned Jeep during 117-degree summer days. I prefer the unscented option although there are an array of aromatic options, including Minted Cucumber, Peony Rose, and Soft Powder. Available singly or in a pack containing a stick and a cream tube. The cream can feel a touch goopy when first applied—especially if you use more than a smiden—although the sensation dissipates within minutes.
Soak Away Aches
Dead Sea Warehouse Bath Salts
$30 at Amazon
If you occasionally demo poses while teaching and keep up your own yoga practice, you’re eventually going to need to know how to ease some sore muscles. The ancient tradition of soaking away aches in salt water can literally feel like magic. But drugstore epsom salts have increased exponentially in price and tend to be lacking in mineral content compared to salts sourced from the Dead Sea. So if you’re going to sink some money into it, you may as well opt for the ancient stuff.
Unscented, uncolored, and uncompromised in any way, Dead Sea Warehouse Bath Salts are infallibly soothing, whether used in a bath or simply a foot soak. Maybe it’s the magnesium. Maybe it’s the ancient vibe. It comes in array of sizes although I opt for the mega 18.5-pound box which boasts a crazy low cost per ounce that, once again, puts those drugstore salts to shame.
Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize
Desert Essence Australian Tea Tree Oil
$21 at Amazon
If you’ve ever inadvertently stepped in a puddle of someone else’s sweat, you understand the desire to rely on a little more than soap after class. Research shows that tea tree does act as an antimicrobial, and although it can’t tackle everything, it can handle a lot.
I sprinkle a couple drops of antimicrobial Australian tea tree oil from Desert Essence onto my hands or into the tub after class. It also multitasks as a laundry sanitizer to rid clothes of lingering sweat stank and, when coupled with hydrogen peroxide, makes a swell mat cleaner.
Warning: Use sparingly. That aroma is potent.
This article has been updated. Originally published June 13, 2024.
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