Bathing or showering?

Cleaning is an everyday task just like eating, drinking, and sleeping. In order to be well groomed, we must hot bath or hot shower every day. Or should this be sower be cold? Should we prefer bathing to showering? What is the correct way?

How long does bathing as a cultural phenomenon date back? Obviously we suppose that people have always kept themselves cleaned and found the most ideal and so far unsurpassable instrument to do so, that is water. This is true in part, but as strange as it may sound, there was a period when our ancestors were not so groomed: what is more, tried to avoid water as much as possible. We must go back as far as the Ancient Times. Even then, women did all they could to keep their beauty for as long as possible – even at a more elderly age. Ladies of the ancient Egypt for example took baths every day and kept their skins fresh using masks made from milk, honey, bran, wax and mud. This has not been any different in the cases of the ancient Greeks and Romans where beauty was associated with neatness, clean teeth, and a fresh breath. Several common bath houses have also been built where people went not only in order to clean themselves but also as a social activity. The wife of the dreaded Emperor Nero, Poppea bathed in donkey’s milk in order to keep the softness of her skin. The grooming of the body and the culture of the common baths have ended in the 16th century due to the pestilence and syphilis then considered incurable diseases. The well-learned doctors have “overreacted” warning the people against water that “sucks the life-force out of the body, weakens its fibres, and softens the body”. As a result of this, in the 18th century noble women and men tried to cloak their stagnant bodily odours applying perfume liberally ( rather than washing it off) and thought the layer of dirt forming on the surface of their skins is actually protecting them from external effects. Back then the bathtub was hardly larger than a plate, and they merely dipped the ends of their fingers in the liquid which was often alcohol or milk rather than water. Even the legendary Sun-King of the French, Louis XIV found it absolutely acceptable to clean his body merely by rubbing his palms with some alcohol in the mornings.

So when did we return to the water as a source of life? The independence movements of the 19th century gave answers to these questions as well: bringing the soap and the bathtub back in the homes of people. The only question left unanswered now is which we should choose. Showering freshens the body, makes the connective tissue firmer, and invigorates. Tub bathing might be more relaxing but if splashing around is enjoyed for too long, the skin becomes dry and tissues slacken. The most ideal solution as such lies in having regular showers while – if and when felt like it – tub baths are taken for 15 minutes max. Cleaning should not be overdone either: it is usually not necessary to have more than one shower daily and even this should not be overextended. Try to avoid too hot showers and if you can handle it, always finish with cold shower. It is invigorating if shower mittens or brushes are used. In the case the skin gets too dry please apply hydrating cream. Tub bath is good for nursing the soul, relaxing and de-stressing, but in order to protect the skin, no more than two should be taken on a weekly basis. The use of overly hot water should be avoided because this dries the skin much faster. It can be a good idea to put bubble bath, essential oils, marine salt, honey, lemon juice or milk in the bath water because these facilitate relaxation. Although following a shower it is just advisable, after a bath, applying hydrating cream is a must!