We’re all guilty of viewing a shower as a means to an end; a quick and easy way to wash away sleep or sweat. But shower products have evolved, and with them a new concept in showering has emerged.
For as old as time, or perhaps just since the modern shower was invented, we have all bought into the myth that baths are for unwinding, and showers are for refreshing. We bathe in the evening, we shower in the morning. Baths help us fall asleep, showers help us wake up. But a new day is dawning in the world of showering. No longer will showers just be used for a quick ‘freshen up’, no longer will just a splash of shower gel suffice, and no longer will a shower’s potential as a realm for pampering be ignored, because the rich and plentiful range of products that can be used within the confines of a steamy shower room have advanced in the most elaborate of ways.
Shower gel has long been seen as a staple part of showering. Along with shampoo, conditioner and face wash, it forms a cornerstone of our regular cleaning routine. But in a world where we constantly demand more, basic shower gel no longer cuts the mustard. Sure it does the job; we go from dirty to decent in a few swift swipes of a lathered up loofah, but delve into the concept of spa showering and you’ll soon blush at how primitive our notion of ‘showering’ once was.
The concept: restore your body and mind
Think luxury, think decadence, think an aromatherapeutic awakening that not only cleanses your body, but transforms your mood, and that, in a nutshell, is spa showering. By combining a variety of sensorially stimulating products, you’ll not only layer yourself in a bespoke bouquet of perfumes for a richer, longer-lasting scent portfolio that stays with you long after you’ve stepped out of the shower, but you’ll charge the bathroom with an intoxicating steamy blend of mood-altering aromas that actively awaken different parts of the mind.
Let us introduce you to our shower bombs. Just like their bath-foaming counterparts, these softening sodium bicarbonate bombs awaken in a fizzy explosion of scent and sound; each dose designed to stimulate a specific reaction, allowing you to personalise your shower experience with a variety of essential oils and beautiful ingredients that benefit the skin and mind. An evolution from bath bombs, these pocket-sized fizzers use added seaweed and starches to create a cleansing mousse that can be swept over the body to leave you feeling silky-soft to the touch.
Not Sleepy is a seriously sharp lemon myrtle, neroli and Brazilian orange blend guaranteed to put a zing in your step, whereas cloud-shaped Sleepy introduces suggestions of slumber with its steamy infusion of lavender. Does the currant climate leave you feeling berry insecure? Don’t let shower time stop you from indulging in your much-needed comfort blanket. Envelop yourself in moussey clouds of foamy froth with Comfort Zone, and cuddle up to the cosy nostalgia of blackcurrant absolute.
The process: lather up, layer up
To ascend your spa-like shower experience to the next level, try incorporating a succession of products, rather than just one. Think of it this way; a basic facial routine includes: washing, exfoliating, cleansing, toning and moisturising. Even your go-to hair washing ritual will usually consists of two parts: shampoo, and conditioning, with the odd nourishing hair mask thrown in for good measure once in awhile. Yet when it comes to our bodies, the largest organ our body has, we simply smear a thin layer of liquid over ourselves in the belief that its scent will stand up to the rigours of the day or night ahead. So it’s time we forgot basic, and started thinking bourgeois.
There are no hard and fast rules with spa showering. Just layer up a palette of your favourite shower products, ones that serve to not only cleanse the body but include indulgent ingredients and aromas that steer your mind towards a desired mindset and destination, be that uplifting and empowering for the day ahead, sultry and stimulating for a night out on the town, or relaxing and calming for a quiet night in.
For an all-encompassing approach, where the aromatherapy benefits go hand in hand with the benefits to the skin, try starting with a super-softener. Not only is spa showering the perfect time and place to alter your mood, but you can also multi-task as who’s to say convenience and luxury can’t be combined? So while you allow the cream to soak in a little, why not use the opportunity to get your favourite shampoo on the go or wash your face?
Shampooed and softened, your next move will likely be to condition your hair, but what about pampering your skin as well? Grab a restorative fresh face mask, such as Don't Look At Me, which is kept cool in the fridge, perfect for soothing skin after a long hot day or night. The powerhouse combination of zingy lemon juice to tone your complexion and Egyptian neroli to brighten, marries with organic silken tofu and a dash of rice syrup to soften you up in all the right ways. To achieve a truly dewy result resist removing the mask for at least 10 to 15 minutes, during which time you can continue with your pampering. Find your perfect mask here.
Next up meet the wonderfully wobbly world of shower jellies. Just as squeezing a stress ball or twirling a fidget spinner can restore calmness to the mind, these luscious gelatinous mounds are equally therapeutic as they’re swept over skin. What’s more, the range of jelly scents complement our line-up of shower gels and creams, working to harmonise aromas, rather than clash or compete against them. An option such as Twilight shower jelly works particularly well. Intoxicating stores of lavender, rose and camomile continue the momentum of restore and reset, while warming tonka absolute will wrap you in a comforting blanket.
Exfoliating your skin encourages a healthy glow, and doesn’t have to be a raw and ravaging experience, as users of our body scrubs and lotions will testify. For a fabulous two-in-one of scrub and moisture, Buffy will slay dead skin. Ground rice, almonds and aduki beans get to work polishing away dead cells, while the blend of lavender oil, cocoa butter and shea butter replenish moisture.
Every act of pampering, be it skin or hair, ends with a good measure of moisturising, and with a body conditioner this can be achieved within the confines of the shower. Take a tub of Ro’s Argan, slather it on all over your skin and let it sink in for a minute or two, giving you time and opportunity to wipe away the face mask. While the conditioner’s luxurious rose absolute, rich brazil nut and argan oils get to work on enriching, balancing and restoring your skin for a velvety finish, you’ll be greeted with a beautifully sensual Damask rose fragrance.
After you’ve rinsed off and patted yourself dry, the results should be instantly noticeable. Your skin will be softer, brighter and glossier as though you’ve treated yourself to the most wonderful spa day. But what’s more impressive perhaps is the transformation to your mind and mood, something that can’t be obtained with a quick five-minute ‘freshen up’. Plus by combining and layering beautiful aromas and ingredients you’ll have achieved a deeper, richer, longer-lasting result, that will stay with you all day or night, pampering body and mind over and over and over again.
Ready to upgrade your shower routine?
Words by Natalie Denton
