BODY GROOMERS FOR THE BATH ALL HAVE TO DO WITH SCRUBBING AND RUBBING

BATHTUB

Bathtubs should be deep and long enough to stretch the legs, but not so long (as some are) that you have trouble touching the end with your toes. A non-slip mat is a good idea for bathtubs, so is a comfortable foam pillow or folded towel on which to rest your head.

IMPLEMENTS

Body groomers for the bath all have to do with scrubbing and rubbing.

LOOFAH----- a very dry rough-textured vegetable gourd that swells and softens when wet; it is perfect for rubbing off dead and leaves the body tingling. Natural loofahs are usually from twelve to fifteen inches long, and able to reach any part of the back.

FRICTION STRAP----usually made of hemp, blended with horse hair; long and flat , stringy-looking with strap handles at each end; it is gentler than a loofah but serves the same purpose.

SPONGE---an elastic porous mass of interlacing fibers that was once the skeleton of a marine animal; comes in various shapes, sizes and porosity. If a sponge becomes too clogged with old soap, it can be cleansed by soaking overnight in vinegar, then rinsed. There are silk sponges for really delicate skins and nylon sponges in all colours.

FLANNEL OR WASH-CLOTH----a small square of cotton toweling used for rubbing on soap, rubbing away dead skin and rinsing; launder frequently.

BATHMITT---basically two kinds of bathmitt; one has soap in it, or a pocket in which you can slip soap or any cleansing product; the other kind of bathmitt has a rough surface and sometime contains an abrasive or a stimulant; good for giving skin a rub down.

BODY BRUSHES----preferably made of stiff, natural bristles; long-handled ones for the back , smaller ones for arms, legs, fingers, toes, nails.

PUMICE STONE----a piece of ultra-porous volcanic lava; rubs away skin on elbows and particularly on heels and soles of feet, also sides of fingers that may get work stained; modern substitutes are synthetic friction blocks, as effective but not so sturdy.