Bath or Shower?

I was recently asked if it is better for your skin to shower or bathe. I generally prefer daily showering, which allows you to quickly get clean and wash dirt down the drain. However, there are many benefits to a good soak. Soaking is great for deeply and thoroughly cleansing skin. As you know, the skin has many functions including cooling, protecting, and detoxifying the body. So if you add a good scrub, some salts, and essential oils, you can really cleanse and condition your skin, and aid in the body's detoxification process. To supplement your daily regimen, try these steps 1-2 times a week:

 Start by lightly dry brushing your skin in long strokes toward the heart to clear any debris from pores and stimulate circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids. This is important, because the body carries oxygen and essential nutrients to each cell through blood, while it carries away toxins or impurities of each cell through blood and lymph. You can use a natural boar bristled brush, scrubby mittens, or loofah.









Mix a bit of sea salt with Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap or your favorite lathering body wash and lightly scrub your skin to exfoliate and remove any dead skin that you just brushed loose. This will also help to rejuvenate cells. Harder scrubbing is not better, because it can damage tiny blood vessels, cause undue skin irritation, or retard cellular turnover!







In a clean, sanitized bathtub/shower, draw a bath of lukewarm water, add salts, and add essential oils per product direction. Soak for approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain the tub and rinse with a shower of warm to cool water, which will refresh you and close the pores (Note: Salts are not recommended for soaking if you have Diabetes or a serious heart condition. Oils other than tea tree are not recommended when you are prone to yeast infection. Also, you may have an allergy to some essential oils; a few drops go a long way! Exercise caution and talk to your doctor if you are concerned about affects in relation to conditions, allergy, or medications.).


If you have oily or normal skin, briskly towel dry and immediately add lotion like shea or cocoa butter to your body. If you have dry skin or eczema, while water droplets are still on your body add an oil like almond or cold pressed coconut, then blot dry with a towel. This process replaces the essential fatty acid layer you just stripped off in cleansing, which is important to helping your skin retain moisture and protect you against harmful bacteria, fungi, and other skin contaminants.






Replenish and rehydrate with  water and feel better and alive!