Spaaaaa: The Pleasure and benefits of bathing
With the low temperatures persisting well into March (a last hurray of winter), bathing becomes the last resort of truly warming up the whole body and spirit. Lack of time and tiny New York apartments with their even tinier bathrooms might not inspire you to take a relaxing bath. But with the discovery of bath salts and bath oils, ranging from medicinal to luxe, I have become a complete addict of this most ancient beauty ritual.
Bathing rituals are common in a number of cultures. Vacationing at natural hot spring resorts in Japan (“Onsen”) is an old tradition popular amongst people of all ages and genders. Elaborate beauty rituals in Thailand and Indonesia usually conclude with a fragrant flower petal bath. Balneology (using hot spring water for therapy) is an integral part of many European healthcare systems. Bathing is indeed not just an indulgent luxury, but can have significant health benefits.
Japanese Hot Spring Baths
In Japan, Onsens provide relief for a variety of chronic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, metabolism diseases, respiratory diseases, chronic skin diseases and stress-related illnesses. Natural onsen water is rich in trace minerals, abundant in Japan’s volcanic landscape, which are absorbed by the body during a bath and thus provide the therapeutic effect on various body organs and systems.
Since natural onsen water is not readily available in the common household, the Japanese often use bath salts that reflect the mineral composition of famous Onsen resorts.
My favorite Japanese bath salts: Kanebo’s “Trip to Famous Hot Spas”, which contains 5 different bath salts from 5 famous spas: Noboribetsu in Hokkaido, Kusatsu north of Tokyo, Hakone near Mt. Fuji, Shirahama south of Kyoto, and Beppu on the island of Kyushu. Each salt has a clean scent, does not foam and provides pure bliss. I thought it might be hard to find in the US, but found it online at www.healthygourmetstore.com in their bath salt catalogue ($15.95 for 15 Packets).
Tsumura’s “Nihon no Meito” Series also offers a variety of bath salts recreating the onsen experience of other famous hot springs in Japan. One popular variety set is a selection of onsens that are specifically known for beautifying the skin (sold at www.healthygourmetstore.com as “Trip to beauty-making hot spas”, 10 Packets for $14.95). Individual Tsumura bath salts are also available at www.amazon.com.
German Herbal Baths
While in Japan most bath salts focus on recreating the Onsen experience, bath products along the European balneology tradition incorporate the healthful power of plant extracts. Infusions of traditional healing herbs and plants like lavender, arnica, eucalyptus or rosemary help treat a variety of health problems like stress, muscle pain, respiratory problems or fatigue, The most well-known European brand amongst bath products is Kneipp, which was founded in 1891 by Bavarian hydrotherapist and herbalist Sebastian Kneipp and pharmacist Leonhard Oberhaeusser. Their herbal baths, each of which has a unique therapeutic indication, have a huge cult following all over the world. Kneipp’s “Collection of 10 Herbal Baths” contains 10 travel-size bottles of different herbs and is a fun way to experiment and find your favorite flavor ($39.00 for 10 bottles, available at www.kneippus.com).
HOT TIP: Kneipp’s luxurious foaming bath oils
For those who would like to nourish their skin and revive the senses, Kneipp has recently introduced 3 absolutely delectable foaming bath oils: Olive-Cypress, Quince-Rosmary and Wild Rose-Lavender. These bath oils foam every so slightly but unlike ordinary bubble baths, they actually help prevent moisture loss with a combination of nourishing plant oils. At the same time, unlike traditional non-foaming bath oils, these do not leave the bathtub oily. As far as I know, these bath oils are not yet available in the US, but can be purchased at German e-tailers such as www.apotheke-online-internet.de that ship to countries outside of the EU for an additional fee.
When a bath is this relaxing and delightful, it is easy to forget time and soak for hours. Unfortunately, pro-longed bathing in hot water can dry out the skin, which is the last thing you need in this cold weather, Therefore, make sure that the bath water is no hotter than 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celcius) and that you soak no longer than 20 minutes.
Enough talk for now. My last piece of advice: Get some onsen salt, take a bath and unwind… tonight.
Yoshiko hosts the skincare column here every month. Her skin care line www.juaraskincare.com