There are two kinds of women. Those who like to lie in the water to do nothing but breathe. And those who find bathing annoyingly longer than showering. Baden is like traveling alone by train. You can’t really do anything. It is the license to downshift, to ponder, to be undisturbed. But in contrast to the spacious compartment, the well-tempered water smells exactly how you would like it to smell. Slightly of rose, refreshing of lemon, reminiscent of childhood spruce needles. With foam crowns or without.
The tub is a kind of protective wall. intimate zone. Time, just for yourself. Finally, the goddess Diana transformed the demigod Aktaion into a deer because he had disturbed her while she was bathing. own fault. Bathing is an ego trip. At least with us. My tub – a manageable place where soul and body are cared for in equal measure. Either only for the recommended 20 minutes, or until the skin becomes very soft and wrinkled.
Table of Contents
The bathtub is all to myself
In Japan things are a bit different. If the tub isn’t already so big that there is room for several people, you still win according to the ranking list. First the gentlemen, then the ladies. All one after the other in the same water. Not for reasons of economy, like we used to have, where the master’s water was clean and warm, while the servant’s had cold broth. It’s just part of the ritual. It is feel-good happiness, of course you wash yourself thoroughly beforehand. Even visitors are allowed to board – as a sign of hospitality. Just thinking about it makes you feel doubly liberated alone in the warm water. Because even if we’re often told how romantic a bath for two is, it’s still bestwith rose petals, a sea of candles and a glass of prosecco – a standard household tub is simply not made for several people – unless you are limber like yogis after half a century of asana practice. And even then there is still one sitting on the plug.
So: everyone out of here. Not out of prudery. But because it’s just so good. First, perhaps, Japanese-like, a fragrant peeling. And then: Let the water flow! It should be 36 to 38 degrees Celsius – just body temperature, then it relieves tension. And if it doesn’t necessarily have to be mountains of small soap bubbles that keep the bath water warm for longer: it’s better to do without the bubble bath. This damages the skin’s sebum film and dries it out. But if it is the epitome of relaxation for you: off into the foam crowns and don’t forget to apply lotion afterwards! Without a bad conscience, by the way, because the surfactants that are responsible for the small bubbles are now ecologically degradable.
Protect your skin
A caress on the other hand is bath oil. If you don’t have any handy, you can use olive oil. Due to the lack of emulsifiers, it does not spread evenly, but settles on the water surface in fat eyes. This may impair the feeling of well-being, but in no way affects the caring effect. It is less suitable as a balancing additive to the bubble bath: oil makes the heaving crowns disappear in no time at all. Pure Dead Sea salt is more for bathing purists, but definitely pleasant for problem skin – it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the one hand, tightens it on the other and, thanks to the high potassium content, provides a lot of moisture. If you like it more colorful and, above all, pleasantly fragrant, choose bath salts. The typical shriveled fingertips are also practically rarer.There is a simple reason for this: the concentration of dissolved salt particles in the skin cells is about the same as in bath water, depending on the dosage. As a result, the water hardly penetrates the skin and it cannot swell.
Milk baths, on the other hand, have a moisturizing effect (you can quickly mix them yourself with one and a half liters of whole milk and a cup of honey). And bath teas in giant bags with their pure herbal filling help against colds (thyme, rosemary) or inner restlessness (lavender), depending on the ingredient. Or would you prefer an aromatherapy bath in the scent of your choice? Those who use essential oils sparingly will not irritate their skin with the feel-good factor and can fully enjoy the stimulating or relaxing effect. And then go. First fill up with cool water to protect the circulation, get in, lean back– and then run in hot water. Eyes closed. Breathe the scent. Feel the pores open. Plus music. Even better: an audio book. Reading works only moderately in the bathtub – favorite books should not be exposed to the warm steam and fragrant water. And others are not worth a bath. After all, you want to sink into the water and into yourself.
relaxation for the body
Warm water not only relaxes the mind, but also the body. It widens the blood vessels. This is not only for people with varicose veins or cardiovascular weakness, everyone else benefits from the better blood circulation. Especially after exercising. Because small injuries to the muscle fibers heal faster in it – accordingly, the sore muscles, if at all, are much less severe. And then: get out slowly, briefly rinse the soles of your feet with cold water. Snuggle up in your bathrobe and lie down for half an hour. That’s what makes the break perfect.Gwyneth Paltrow has it particularly easy. Her luxury Italian bath is in the bedroom – and number five on her list of things she couldn’t live without. She shares the soft spot with her ex Brad Pitt, an actor with a background in design who, together with designer Frank Pollaro, designed, among other things, a mega-bathtub made of Venetian marble in the shape of an apple, of which only three were made. If you want to lie in Pitt’s tub with the romantic name “Toi et Moi” (“You and I”) once in your life, you should have several 10,000 dollars liquid. In contrast , the costs for a 38-degree warm full bath seem almost ridiculous: it costs between 96 cents (heated up via gas) and 1.63 euros (heated up to temperature with electricity). Dermatologists advise against getting into the tub more than twice a week anyway.
Bathing is and remains a luxury, if only for the sake of your skin. And of course for ecological reasons. Wouldn’t even be half as effective if it was part of the normal daily routine, as with actress Elizabeth Hurley, who splashes in Jo Malone bath oil with a little sea salt every evening by candlelight. Then bathing would become banal, you wouldn’t smell the rose essence anymore, it would just be a habit. Pleasant but nothing special. And that is exactly what distinguishes bathing from showering.
Interview: Holistically valuable
vital: What can a bathroom basically achieve?
Sarah Bühler: Due to the temperature – it is a maximum of 33 degrees Celsius in medicinal baths – it has a circulatory-regulating effect, has a calming effect on the central nervous system and promotes circulation. In addition, the muscles relax during a full bath due to the hydrostatic pressure of the water. The damp heat also has positive effects on cramps, colic and rheumatic diseases. Everything else depends on the substance that is added to the bath.
Sarah Bühler is a body therapist at Lanserhof Hamburg and loves – purely privately – bubble baths with rose and cedar oil.
So do we usually bathe too hot at home?
From a medical-therapeutic point of view, yes. But at home it’s all about well-being. I personally also love hot baths. However, you should avoid it if you have high blood pressure or if you have heart problems. And if you have low blood pressure, be prepared to get very dizzy when you get out of the tub. At the Lanserhof, you focus primarily on detoxification.
Which baths are particularly effective for this?
The alkaline bath is very effective after illness , for example. It is made from mineral stones ground into a fine powder and enriched with baking soda. This compound increases the pH of the water. As a result, acids are excreted through the skin. The pH value of the skin levels off again at a healthy 5.5.
What do algae baths do?
An algae bath made from laminaria digitata, the finger kelp, trains the skin, promotes iodine absorption and stimulates the fat metabolism, which has a firming effect on the tissue, which is positive against cellulite, for example. Unfortunately, algae baths smell a bit unpleasant, we prevent that by adding rosemary and mint. After all, scent is also a wellness factor.
What should you take with you into the tub when you just feel limp?
Essential oils of mint, lemon, rosemary, thyme and lavender. This is in our energy oil bath, it is wonderfully refreshing and also helps with heavy legs and swelling. And of course salt. Does it really have to be only sea salt? No. We use natural salt from the Alps. A detoxifying salt bath is also ideal when you’re curing a hangover.
