5 Times Taking A Bath Is Better Than Taking a Shower
We’re all for efficiency, but sometimes a good soak is just what your body ordered.
Here’s the truth: taking a bath is way less practical and efficient than taking a shower. It’s like taking a cross-country sleeper train when you could fly in a fraction of the time, not to mention that you’re basically floating in a mixture of your own dirt and whatever was at the bottom of the tub. Plus your fingers and toes are going to get prune-y. But sometimes the body demands a prescriptive dunk—to calm muscles, nerves, and even skin. And those are the times when filling the tub and taking it slow is absolutely necessary. Here’s your guide to knowing which of them require a good soak:
1. When Your Body Aches
For athletes and the generally achy, an Epsom-salt soak is like aspirin for the entire body. If your muscles or joints are sore, draw a hot bath and pour in some EPSOAK SPORT, or a similar Epsom mixture. The magnesium and sulfate blend reduces inflammation, speeds up the recovery time of sore muscles, and in turn helps minimize future injuries. Take one before bed, go to bed relaxed, and you may wake up the next morning feeling just as calm and pain-free.
2. When Your Skin is Parched
A hot, steamy shower can dry out your skin by stripping its natural, nourishing oils. This happens a lot in winter especially: Guys will counter the cold weather with a piping hot scrubdown, which yields dry, patchy skin. Don’t do that. Instead, take a bath with warm water and skin-soothing bath oils, like from Sisley Paris. The blend of essential oils seeps deep into your skin, hydrating the entire body.
3. When Your Mind is Racing
While bath bombs are also a skin savior, they’re just as good at calming the nerves. If you’re unfamiliar with aromatherapy, the idea is pretty simple: A smell can make you feel instantly better. It’s deeply personalized. So for some it might be lemongrass-scented candles and for others gasoline. But we’re going to endorse a petrol bath. But, imagine soaking your whole body in a pool of Lush’s lemongrass goodness, and then see if you aren’t a billion percent more soothed.
4. When Your Hair is Just Right
It is possible to shower without getting your hair wet. But there’s the splashing and the steam working against you. If it can get wrinkles out of your shirts, it can compromise a good hair day, too. Besides, if your hair is the perfect amount of oily—like a day before you really need to wash it, so that it falls in that perfectly disheveled way—then you may want to preserve the perfection and forego any rinsing. In that case, you should be taking a bath.
5. When Your Throat Needs Whiskey
Shower beers are great in theory. Most of the time you open the beer with the intent of a super chillaxed shower, then you wash, rinse, dry off, and realize you left the beer on the ledge the entire time. Now, it’s just lukewarm and slippery. If you really want to imbibe while you bathe, then do it while literally bathing. Draw a bubble bath, put some whiskey on the rocks, and soak in your own excellence.
By Adam Hurly
March 25, 2017
