WATERWORKS

In an era of power showers, cold plunges and #Shower Tok, there's still merit to be found in slowing down for the age-old ritual of bathing.

- DOMINIQUE YOHANES

Close your eyes and picture this—you are descending into a bath, your muscles unfurling at the amalgamation of heat and steam. The faint aroma of fragrant rose and jasmine petals waft up with the slightest of movements. Now, you are tilting your head back to luxuriate in a rich, decadent concoction comprising heated milk, honey and essential oils.

Such a lavish elixir is thought to have been the daily ritual of the legendary Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. Aside from being a dreamworthy private indulgence, her fabled baths in sour donkey’s milk are said to be a natural source of lactic acid, which is known to promote a rejuvenated complexion. Centuries on, the benefits of bathing remain strikingly multifaceted. From beautifying to health remedies, the diversity of practices found worldwide are proof of this oft-neglected tradition’s ability to nourish and uplift.

A ritual of the first water

These days, thoughts of cleansing and purification have become synonymous with showers. After all, the dwindling popularity of baths has been attested to by several studies over recent years; a shift that coincides with our increasingly fast-paced lifestyles. The TikTokdriven ‘everything shower’ trend, for example, advocates and touts the romanticism behind a long and productladen shower regimen.

Yet wisdom on bathing rituals has pervaded throughout the centuries across many cultures, including within Asia.

“According to Ayurveda, bathing is part of our daily routine or dinarcharya,” Singapore-based Ayurvedic practitioner, Candice Goh, says of the ancient Indian medicine system. “It’s an important step to optimise health by eliminating our accumulated wastes, both physical and mental.”