Beauty and the Bath
What can feel more luxuriously pampering than a leisurely soak in a bubble bath? Add a glass of wine, a sprinkling of rose petals or a few sprigs of rosemary plus a few candles and one is all set for true relaxation. It’s a wonderful image and one that virtually every woman has etched in her subconscious ‘to do’ list for a rare self-indulgence. What a pity that so many women suffer miserable itchiness after a bubble bath. Some even suffer from thrush-like rawness and can’t imagine what caused it. The answer lies partly in the skin’s sensitivity to alien substances such as the soap that creates those magical bubbles. It also lies in the way that pores open in hot water and allow toxins to enter the skin. Where does the solution lie? If you are addicted to baths with bubbles, use a spa jet bath with mineral salts and rosemary. Afterwards, use a steam room Massage session to sweat out the toxins and follow up with a cool or lukewarm shower to flush away all residue. Is this too much like visiting a spa and not enough like using your home facilities? Try Plan B. Have your bubble bath at a warm temperature, instead of hot. When it cools down, empty the bath and refill with lukewarm water and Epsom salts. Add a few sprigs of rosemary if you have them in your garden. Light the candles, enjoy that wine and soak for no more than 20 minutes, as your pores will not absorb the salts after that. Your skin will have benefitted from a hygienic cleansing and your psyche will benefit from the tranquil treat. To round off the treatment in the best Scandinavian fashion, take a cold shower or douche to close your pores and leave your skin tingling with health as it would if you were at a wellness spa.