Bath Time - The Ultimate Luxury
Bath Time - The Ultimate Luxury
In this month's Marie Claire, beauty writer, Kristin Perrotta, shows us that baths are back! Express spas and quickie showers are out, and soaking in the tub is in. Here are some products to make your bathing "me time" more luxurious.
Excerpts from a fragrance editorial, Baths Are Back!, in Marie Claire Magazine, September 2016 issue.
Baths Are Back!
"In the ages of express spa treatments and quick showers, taking a bath is the ultimate new (old) luxury. Here's how to make the most of your time."
-- Kristin Perrotta, Beauty Writer
| Read more @ MarieClaire.com
Bubbles and Steam and Fragrant Oils, Oh My
"It is a miracle that one does not dissolve into one's bath like a lump of sugar," Picasso once said. Few things on earth feel as decadent and luxurious as a bath. The soaking, the steam, the fragrant oils ... maybe that's why humans have been enjoying them for so long.
We all have our reasons for loving baths - they relax us, they reduce inflammation, they feed into the toxin-fearing wellness movement of the moment. But, most important, in a world that's running 24/7, when your iPhone is always on and you're expected to be able to do it all and more, they're a haven. Baths are the ultimate "me" time - your clothes are off, the door is closed, and (if you're smart) your phone is in another room.
Most-Wanted Bath Oils
If a tub were a Big Mac, then bath oils would be the secret sauce. "In my opinion, the best soak is a safflower oil bath or argan oil, which hydrates skin and has a lot of linoleic acid to reduce inflammation," says dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann. Beyond that, here are the latest deliciously scented skin-nourishing oils we're all over this fall.
UO Petal Multi-Use Oil
Forget-Me-Not
$28, urbanoutfitters.com
Rodin Olio Lusso
Lavender Body Oil
$130, Nordstrom - Nordstrom has a gift for all the beauty fans on your list.
Susanne Kaufmann
Oil Bath for the Senses
$106, susannekaufmann.com
Les Couvent des Minimes
Eau Sereine Relaxing Foam
$19, lecouventdesminimes.com
Coqui Coqui
Flor de Naranjo Bath Oil
$52, net-a-porter.com
Elemental Herbology
Five Element Bath Oils
$75, elementalherbology.com
Detox Baths: Beneficial or BS?
We got the lowdown on some of the most popular detoxifiers.*
Clay & Charcoal
Both yank out and absorb excess oil. Some clays also contain minerals such as selenium, which can decrease inflammation.
Seaweed
It has minerals that increase microcirculation in the skin, which helps move out junk in your lymphatic system.
Epsom Salt
The magnesium draws water out, so it helps decrease tissue swelling, but it can cause vaginal irritation.
Coconut Oil
Though it's a great skin hydrator, if you have oily skin it can lead to acne.The über-detox cocktail:
Epsom salts, baking soda, apple-cider vinegar, and essential oils. Though it doesn't exactly detox anything, vinegar has a low pH and can help the blood hold on to oxygen better and bring oxygen to the muscles to help excercise soreness. The other ingredients help with exfoliation and reduce inflammation, and make for a bath with more punch. But the CliffNots of this bath would be apple-cider vinegar and essential oils, in care you're feeling less like a mixologist and more like a relaxationalist.
*Info from Dr. Leslie Baumann, Miami dermatologist, and Dr. Jeannette Graf NYC dermatologist.
The Delights of Artisan Soaps
Raise the bar of your bathing experience. Move over, body wash: Bar soap is back. To navigate all the cool, fancy new ones on the market, we called Jon Bresler, founder and president of Lafco, who knows a thing or two about the subject. (His company has been making soap for 20 years and currently produces 38 varieties.) "Today, more people are relizing the sheer number of distinctive differences between artisanal and commercial soaps," he says. "Interest is now in product transparency and benefit, with naturally rich soaps that noticeably soften skin and create a rewarding ritual around daily cleansing." Some of the best ingredients you can lood for in high-quality soap are oils - such as argan, almond, and olive - which are essential to healthy skin, as they carry high levels of omega fatty acids, he explains. We rounded up some that pass the test.
Lafco Moisture Rich Soap
Watermint & Neroli
$12, lafco.com
Joanna Vargas
Miracle Bar
$25, shopspring.com
L'Occitane Soap
Shea Butter Extra Gentle
$14, loccitane.com
Meow Meow Tweet
Pink Rose Clay Soap
$14, meowmeowtweet.com
Beautycounter
Citrus Mimosa Body Bar
$20, beautycounter.com
Level Naturals
Tea Tree & Activated Charcoal Soap
$7, levelnaturals.com
(Perrotta, Kristin. "Beauty: Baths Are Back!" Marie Claire Sept. 2016: 236-239)
Kristin Perrotta image © LinkedIn
