Your best bath ever

The complete guide to a relaxing bath (or shower!).

STORY HIGHLIGHTS.

• Even a quick shower or bath can help you relax.
• If you follow a few simple steps, bathing can go from a chore to a highlight of your day.

Many of us are not aware of it, but body care plays a big role in our cultural history. Over the centuries, bathing and showering rituals have served not only hygiene, but also healing and cleansing, as well as relaxation and socializing.

Nowadays, squeezing a relaxing bath into our busy schedules often seems like an unattainable luxury. In reality, it's more relevant than ever: some studies even suggest that people who regularly take a bath are happier and less stressed than their peers!

Fortunately, it's surprisingly easy to make your next bath a relaxing experience. Follow these easy-to-implement steps to bring calm and balance to your day - whether you're taking a five-minute shower or a relaxing bath.

Every Minute Counts
Most days, we don't have time for an extensive, relaxing bath experience. There's nothing wrong with that! Even a quick shower or bath can contribute to a healthy night's sleep, relieve tension, and even boost creativity.

Prepare the Ambience
Start every bath or shower with a clean bathroom and a calm environment: choose soft lighting, a scented candle or relaxing music. Think about your bath products, too; soothing fragrance profiles like those in the Dermalogica Body Collection can also help create a relaxing atmosphere.Hydrate


Especially if you're enjoying a long bath, keep a glass of water available on a bench or tray to help you stay hydrated.

Bathe Cleanly
In keeping with traditional Japanese bathing culture, we recommend taking a short shower before bathing with a skin-conditioning cleanser such as Conditioning Body Wash. This allows the bath to be entirely devoted to relaxation and immersion.

Temperature is important
Whether you're bathing or showering, avoid making the water too warm: Overheated temperatures can dry out your skin and potentially cause skin conditions like eczema or rosacea to flare up. A good guideline for temperature is close to your own body temperature: 98.6 degrees.

Don't overdo it
Take some time to relax, but no longer than 30 minutes: Prolonged showers or baths can strip the skin of its beneficial oils and disrupt its natural lipid barrier. If skin feels dry after a bath or shower, help it rebuild its barrier with a nutrient-rich, replenishing oil likePhyto Replenish Body Oil.

After a Bath
If possible, take a moment to wind down after your bath before getting back to your daily routine: read a book, drink some tea, and relax for as long as your schedule allows.