Bubble baths from your childhood can stir up feelings of nostalgia and all the feels. We can all remember the pure excitement of seeing a familiar pink bottle filled with syrupy liquid that would transform our bath experience into a gigantic heap of bubbles and endless fun.
As we get older we tend to make the decision if we are a bath person or a shower kind of person mostly depending on our personal preferences and time available. Some people are die-hard fans of one vs. the other. Let’s find out which one you should take!
Advantages of Taking a Shower
We know there is a ton of debate here when it comes to the topic of a shower vs. bath. Our ultimate goal is to get our bodies clean. It’s an added bonus if you feel great while doing it. For some, that is a bath and for others, it’s a shower. Let’s talk about some advantages to showering.
1. You Get Cleaner
Most will argue that both a bath and a shower can be an effective method of cleaning your body. Showering allows for any water contaminated with sweat or dirt to be whisked right down the drain. You aren’t sitting in the water with it as you try and clean.
While showering, soap and water are able to mix on your body efficiently to help break down dirt, oil, and sweat and then distribute water evenly to wash it all off so that you maximize cleaning.
2. Unexpected Benefits
The obvious benefit of having a shower is to clean your body and hair. There are more benefits you may not be aware of. A cold shower in the morning can jolt you awake, making you feel more alert, speeding up your heart rate, and increasing your oxygen intake.
A shower can also help cool you down post-workout or on particularly hot days. A cooler temperature can also soothe itchy skin. A warm shower can ease achy muscles, help clear out nasal passages if you’re feeling stuffy, and aid in relaxing.
Disadvantages of Showers
Although showers may have a tiny advantage over baths in our book, there still may be a few things to consider when you're choosing bath vs. shower.
1. May Not Be the Easiest Option for Bathing Children
Parenting is a juggling act, but if you have little ones you instantly realize the benefit of being able to run a bath and quickly rinse your children off vs. trying to use a shower to do the same trick.
We aren’t saying it is something that can’t be accomplished, but kids can be tricky and slippery little humans. For obvious reasons, you don’t want them slipping and sliding around more than necessary.
2. Steam Room Status
If you need to be able to use your mirror directly after you bathe, showers are known to create a bit of a steam room effect depending on the water temperature. This may not be a big deal for some, but we like to be able to see ourselves while we are applying makeup or fixing our hair.
If you are in a pinch for time you might want to either use cooler temperature water or maybe a quick bath might do the trick.
3. Shower Doors
Shower doors, need we say more? If you are anything like us, trying to figure out the right combination of cleaning products to clean our shower door can be as big of a mystery as finding the Holy Grail. It certainly isn’t a deal-breaker, but it can be something to consider when choosing a shower or bath.
Benefits of Taking a Bath
We would argue that both baths and showers serve a purpose. When it comes to relaxing, a bath can be a great way to unwind. For those of us who love a good bath, you would be hard-pressed to convince anyone to not take one. Here are some benefits we have discovered when taking a bath.
1. Self Care
If done correctly, a bath can be a form of self-care. Bring on the candles, your favorite music, and the hydrating bath products, and you have yourself a retreat. A bath can be a place you can meditate and clear your mind of all your worries and stress.
If you have ever wanted a full spa experience in the comfort of your own home, we can’t think of a better place than a warm bath while using our Cosmic Lavender Spiritual Detox Buffer. It comes complete with a rose quartz chakra stone to awaken your crown chakra. While practicing self-care, you can manifest clarity and enlightenment during your newfound tranquility.
We love our products for their versatility, their commitment to being vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and creating bacteria-resistant bath sponges that are multi-use and multi-function. We have a variety of products to choose from so that no matter what kind of experience you are trying to create for yourself, we have a scent or product to make it a reality!
2. Baths Can Help You Feel Better
If you have ever been sick with the flu or a dreaded cold, a warm bath can help relax your aching muscles and alleviate some of your congestion. If you find yourself running a fever, a cool bath can also be a soothing way to assist in breaking your fever.
3. It’s Like a Big Hug
A bath can feel like being enveloped in a big hug. If you are feeling down and out, a bath can be a way to instantly feel like you are warm from the inside out, snuggled in the protective arms of your bathwater.
It can be just the setting you need to relax before bed or head off for a nap to regroup!
Disadvantages of a Bath
For die-hard bath fans, this one may be a little hard to hear, but there are some disadvantages we discovered when taking a bath. Here is what we uncovered.
1. People With Sensitive Skin Can Find a Bath Irritating
When you’re in a bath you are kind of marinating in whatever else is in the bath with you. So for instance, if you have just had a particularly intense sweat session, the salt and sweat from your workout are also sitting in the bathwater with you.
Going way back to our biology class days, your skin has natural oils, bacteria, and other microorganisms on it as well. We aren’t saying this is a terrible thing, but as we mentioned, whatever is on your skin is also sitting in the bathwater with you at some point.
All of these factors combined have the potential to cause some irritation if you have particularly sensitive skin. From a health point of view, it's fine to take a bath. A rule of thumb would be to take a quick rinse with fresh water to be sure you have removed any remaining soap, dirt, or residue.
2. You Can Spread Bacteria
If you are in a situation where you live with roommates, a bath may be something you think twice about, or at the very least bust out your cleaning products before you take one. Biofilm can form with exposure to water.
So what that means is you, or your roommates, are leaving stuff behind that can be a perfect environment for yucky stuff to grow. If you don’t clean the bath properly, you run the risk of something growing that can be an irritant or even harmful to your health.
We don’t know about you, but we are off to clean our bathtub, just to play it safe!
Final Thoughts
The answer about a bath vs. shower is…it’s entirely up to your personal preference. We won’t judge you one way or the other. We have listed some pros and cons to both, but ultimately we support you in any decision you make.
Life is about feeling comfortable in your own skin and making sure you do what feels best for you. One thing that has been a game-changer in either a shower or a bath is really finding products that align with your personal needs.
When thinking about creating a peaceful environment to relax in, peace of mind is equally as important to us. You can count on Spongellé products to deliver each and every time!
Sources:
Bath vs. Shower: Which Gets You Cleaner and Which Has More Benefits? | Healthline
Shower vs. Bath: Which One Gets You Cleaner? | SELF
4 Reasons to Take a Bath – Health Essentials | Cleveland Clinic
