by Luisa Taliento
Relaxing, refreshing, invigorating. That “light rain” on our body is one of the simple pleasures in life. The first mechanical shower was patented in 1767 by the British inventor William Feetham and although 253 years have passed since then, this wellbeing ritual has lost none of its appeal. Quite the opposite in fact. According to the Italian Association of Dermatology, a shower (or a bath for that matter) can help us detox and de-stress, reducing the effects of pollution on our skin while calming and relaxing the mind.
The first golden rule to prevent your skin from drying out is to keep the temperature of the water to 38 degrees at the most and the length to five minutes max, especially if you shower frequently. If you have a shower after or during a sauna session, the water should be cool and you should wet your legs and wrists first and then your chest and head. And you don’t necessarily have to use body washes. If you do use soaps, gels or the like, it’s a good idea to choose products with no aggressive substances.
Thanks to advances in cosmetology, there is a wide variety of products on the market which contain natural and organic ingredients that are well-tolerated by our skin. They work by affinity, which means they remove dirt on the skin (fat matrix) through lipophilic substances like oils, creams and cleansing milks which can also be enriched with vitamins and plant-based substances. If you want to pamper your skin and promote cell renewal, why not use a natural sponge once a week? The massaging action will have a gentle exfoliating effect on your body, getting rid of dead cells without causing reddening or itching. Every time you use a sponge, it should be left to dry afterwards to prevent the proliferation of germs and bacteria and it should be replaced regularly. Not everyone knows this, but you should wash your hair before your body because leftover shampoo and conditioner can clog your pores (especially those on your back), causing impurities and spots. Last of all, make sure you dry yourself off thoroughly and then complete your beauty routine with a moisturising cream or milk that doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. Choose products that contain vitamin E or thermal extracts with softening and lipid restructuring properties, like almond oil, avocado or shea butter.
