There are two types of people in the world: bath people and shower people and I have always, ALWAYS been a shower person.  I like to get clean as quickly and conveniently as possible and never understood why anyone would choose differently.  There’s not enough minutes in the day as it is!  Not to mention, I overheat in hot tubs almost immediately and furrowed my brow at the thought of sitting in a body of water that you entered dirty.  I mean… who does that?!  As of 2017, I do.  And I love it.

I’m not quite sure what has caused me to change my tune so drastically recently but I’m kind of addicted to baths.  Perhaps it’s the jacuzzi tub in my new house or simply one of the many effects of aging but either way, I’ll take it!  It’s liberating to finally feel capable of slowing down enough to enjoy pure relaxation and a bath, if done right, is the definition of it my friends.  If you consider yourself a shower person as I did for 26 years, I urge you to try bath time as a late new year’s resolution.  Treating yourself is vital in life and unlike most other “treat yoself” vices, this one doesn’t break the bank or tip the scale!  Before you embark on this bath time resolution, I want to ensure you have the best experience possible because I’m determined to convert you.  Follow these four simple steps before you dive in (not literally because that would end very badly) and I guarantee you won’t look back!

For most of these steps I turned to my new favorite bath time brand Nubian Heritage for my supplies.  After my anniversary trip to Marrakech last year, I was introduced to Moroccan black soap at a local traditional hammam spa.  This soap is sulfate free and meant to remove toxins from your skin and it sounds crazy but I literally never felt cleaner.  When I stumbled upon this line at Ulta on my search for Moroccan black soap in LA, I was super intrigued by their African black soap products.  While the line was inspired by West African traditional ingredients instead of North African, I felt compelled to try it to see if it had any similarities to the black soap I tried in Marrakech.  Now it’s not the same but I accidentally hit the jackpot because my skin felt cleaner, smoother and softer immediately after use.  What?!  So being the product junkie that I am, I obviously indulged in a ton of Nubian Heritage’s other products to fill my bath time needs!  Their scents range from earthy to floral to fruity (love the Coconut & Papaya collection!) and the textures of each soap and lotion are just lush.  You can try out various different products to fulfill these crucial bath time steps but why would you?!  I’ve done the research for you and this is a fool-proof regimen!

Step 1 – Prepping the Water
    There are two things that should go into the water while you’re waiting to get the temperature and depth just right for your preferences and those are:  Bubbles and Bombs!  Bubbles are basically just fun and make the bath feel prettier and smell a bit nicer but for some reason, make a big difference on the experience.  Effervescent bath bombs like the Indian Hemp & Haitian Vetiver one I throw into mine dissolve instantly, dispersing all kinds of essential oil goodness into the water.  Bath bombs help to moisturize your skin and soothe and relax your body.  Amplifying relaxation is what it’s all about!

Step 2 – Prepping the Tools
Make sure you have great scrubs and soaps on hand.  Heck, you can even wash your hair in the tub if you want!  I only ever use liquid body wash in the shower as its easier but in the tub, go old-school with bar soap and if you’re curious to try this African Black Soap, I strongly recommend it.  The ingredients include Palm Ash, Tamarind Extract and Plantain Peel, which cleanse deep to minimize appearances of skin blemishes and ailments and S hea Butter, which is the ultimate moisturizer!

Step 3 – Prepping the Environment
Candles, music and flowers are a few key items that will allow you to set the mood for this little bath time date with yourself.  The ambient light from candles paired with the delicious fragrances you can select from to compliment your bath bomb fragrances will help to relax and invigorate you.  Music is key to not only further assist in relaxation but also as entertainment because relaxing for too long in silence can be a bit of a *yawn*… you could also try reading a book but I never understand how people don’t get the pages wet!  Lastly, flowers are beautiful and give ya something sweet to look at while you drift off into lalaland.

Step 4 – Post Bath Care
It is important to take an extra moment post bath to continue to “treat yoself” with moisture.  It is said that the best time to moisturize is after a bath or shower because the product is able to trap some of the water still on your body and use it to moisturize your skin!  I always opt for fruity scented hand and body moisturizers because I like to walk around smelling like a holiday cocktail but if you’re a more floral or essential oil-y type person, Nubian Heritage has other awesome scents to choose from!

That’s it!  Easy as 1, 2, 3…4!  If you consider yourself a shower person like I did, I feel like I may have just played a small role in changing your entire world with this post but hey, I’m just sharing my two cents.    Click here for information about the Nubian Heritage brand and click here for the great Ibotta offers below to save on your next purchase. You can find these products at your local Ulta or at Ulta.com.

• $1 Off Any Bar Soap
• $2 Off Any Product (Excludes Bar Soaps and Travel Size Items)
• $3 Off Bath Bombs and Infused Butters

I’m a proud bonafide bath lover these days and if you are too or you have any other tips for the perfect bath, let me know in the comment section below!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nubian Heritage. All opinions are entirely my own.

#NHBalancedBeauty
@NubianHeritage