This is a reminder to all my female friends, all ages, all occupations, all levels of friendship with me: TAKE BUBBLE BATHS! No, I'm not being too dramatic. This is serious. Women aren't taking enough bubble baths. Life moves at a frantic pace, but that's no reason to keep from pampering yourself. Think of it this way... it's efficient. Simultaneously you can be clean, smell good, relax, catch up on your reading, listen to good music, let fingernail polish dry.
I happen to know several people in dire need of a sumptuous bubble bath. These are the same people who claim not to have the time for such luxury. You're wrong. End of story. A bubble bath is a pleasure which no one should deny to themselves. So get ready, because I'm going to give you tips on the best reasons, times, and ways to treat yourself like a mermaid queen!
SET UP
-Wipe out the bottom of the bathtub. (This sounds high-maintainence, but the last thing you want to see while soaking in the tub after the bubbles have melted is a piece of skin or a non-head hair floating around you.)
-If you're a candle-loving girl, place some around the room. (You don't need a zillion... you don't have to seduce yourself or give yourself enough light to read by! Even one large, scented candle creates mood.)
-Plug in your music source. Laptop, Ipod, radio (if you're still living under that rock...)
-Gather all bubble bath materials. Bath salts, bath bombs, bath powder and bubble bath are inexpensive and come in a variety of scents and even colors! (In a pinch, dish soap will do the trick, but it can tend to dry out your skin!)
-Roll up a towel to use as a pillow for your neck. If there's room, place it on the edge of the tub, otherwise place it in reaching distance so you can wedge it behind you when bath time comes.
-If you've really thought ahead you've washed and dried your favorite bath towel, so it smells delicious! (No? Just find a clean one and put it near by. No one likes to run naked around the house, dripping water and bubbles, hugging her slippery self while digging frantically for a towel!)
-Select reading material. More than enough of it. If your mood changes while bathing, you want a selection. ( Crime and Punishment or Glamour ?)
-Pin up your hair. All of it. (A bun is best because it leaves your neck clear to lay back in the tub. Fly-aways get wet and run chilly water down your neck/face at the worst moments!)
PREP THE BATH
-Run the water, HOT on full. If the hot water runs out, turn off the water and continue your setup process. After a few minutes you'll have more hot water to add anyway.
-As the water runs, make your bed with clean sheets. (Few things are worse than leaving a perfect bath and slipping between grungy sheets.)
-Go back and add your bath powder or bubbles! (Waiting until there is some water in the tub prevents slimy residue at the bottom of your bath.)
-Cut or file your nails. (The hot water can soften newly chopped nails.)
-Turn off the water. If it's too hot, don't add cold (why tempt fate?). Instead, take the time to light the candles and turn on your music.
-Music... Enya is cliche, Kenny G is old, Nora Jones is very sweet... I tend to take on the Under the Tuscan Sun soundtrack.
This whole process shouldn't take more than an hour and a half, including prep time. Once you master the art, like me, Master Audrey, you can multi-task and cut that time waaaaay down. But as for now, I'd recommend doing this before bed or on a Sunday afternoon when you have no evening plans. NEVER take a bath when you have parameters on your time. Sleep comes easier when your body temperature is a little higher, your blood pressure is a little lower, your eyelids are heavy from the heat... and you smell like a dream.
Now get in! Read. Think. Relax.