The Art of the Bath

by Susannah Marriott

Book Overview

For many people a soothing bath can solve, or at least ease, a huge amount of worries, ills or complaints. Its invigorating nature is used the world over to calm troubles or as a place to retreat to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1840726199
• ISBN13: 9781840726190
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Spruce
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 6.2"

Customer Reviews

Short and sweet little resource.

Whilst searching for bath beads, bath bombs, and other assorted goodies that would make my bathing experience entirely more lovely, I came across this resourceful 96-page book. I am certainly glad that I purchased this over a five-dollar bath bomb, as "The Art of the Bath" is chocked full of marvellous, yet simple and cheap ways to enhance a bath. The first chapter, entitled "The Perfect Bath," is basically a rundown of, well, the perfect bath! Whether it would be beneficial to have a cool, tepid, warm, or hot bath; different types of towels and body brushes; the benefits of salts, mud, fruit, herbs, essential oils, as well as that of steaming and massages. "The Art of the Bath" offers up detailed descriptions of six different types of baths: 1. floral baths 2. aromatic baths 3. detoxifying baths 4. pampering baths 5. relaxing baths 6. aphrodisiac baths There is the simple "rose bath," which includes rose petals and essential oil of rose; the extravagant Balinese flower bath, in which handfuls of jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli, hisbiscus, or frangipani blossoms are strewn into hot water; the "zesty bath" which makes use of citrus zest to lift your spirits; mud baths and facial steaming; shiatsu footbath, Japanese hotsoak, fizzing champagne bath, and Eastern wedding bath are some favorites that come to mind as well. The only real problem that I encountered with the book was that some bathing routines called for you to fill a tub, rub down with a homemade scrub, and shower. At the moment, I do not have a separate shower in which to do that. Not to mention, that a shower massager is preferable in one or two of the procedures, whereas I have a fixed showerhead that I cannot move. Some bathrooms are simply better than others. "The Art of the Bath" was filled with historical and scientific facts about baths from all over the world, including Japan, Russia, Finland, as well as the ancient baths of Rome. The other books that the author has used as resources include: "Cathedrals of the Flesh: My Search for the Perfect Bath" by Alexia Brue "Some Like it Hot: the Lure of the Sauna, its Lore and Stories" by Nicolyn Rajala "Spiritual Bathing: Healing Rituals and Traditions From Around the World" by Rosita Arvigo and Nadine Epstein "The Healing Energies of Water" by Charlie Ryrie "Undesigning the Bath" by Leonard Koren So, while there are many works that are much more detailed than this short book, it is certainly a good quick resource to possess.