itchy scratchy

Full disclosure: I have very tempermental skin. And right now, it's had enough of winter, thank you very much. Another disclosure: I am a complete bath fanatic. And these two counterparts of my physical happiness do not always get along like kindred spirits. In fact, conspiring against me happens to be their favorite activity.

This starts every year around November and doesn't let up until I can open the windows in my home on a fairly regular basis. This building was constructed like a vault and is possibly hermetically sealed against any and all moisture getting inside. The good news is that it's very efficient, and the bad news? Well, you can do the math.

Humidifiers help. As does drinking about a freaking gallon of water a day. But I've also found a magical recipe to making bath time a happy event versus one which I want to peel my skin off afterwards.

First, the tools of the trade:

• SIGG water bottle - this has become my new favorite thing in the past year. I originally bought it to use at my former office but now lug it all over my house. The designs are absolutely beautiful and make me feel like a very stylish eco-citizen indeed.
• Arm & Hammer baking soda - what doesn't this stuff do? Besides taking that funky smell out of laundry that I've left a day too long in the washer, making my favorite cookies go poof, and inexplicably, giving me something to gently scrub my face with (mix equal parts with Cetaphil cleanser)...baking soda also makes an awesome bath. Add about 2-3 cups. Don't be shy.
• Epsom salts - doesn't matter what kind but Walgreens seems to make a nice private label one that is quite economically sensible. Again, a couple of cups.
• Japanese bath salts - I'm not sure how to tell you how or where to buy this other than to say that I found a grip of different kinds at the Japanese market outside of Chicago. The colors are insane and the scents an assortment of florals, earthy scents and just simple minerals. I've found that when I mix the baking soda, Epsom salts and bath salts together I get the perfect blend of pretty soft color and scent and massive skin softening power.
• Something lovely on my iPod. Today it's Lisa Shaw: Cherry. Swanky and lovely.
• Oh and sometimes I add a cocktail. Or a glass of wine. Or a cup of tea. I still can't understand why Jacuzzi didn't make a ledge big enough on my tub to hold one of these within proper arm's reach, but oh well.
• And don't forget a very serious application of lotion when you get out. I've recently been into both Eucerin's Calming Itch Relief formula and Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Body Lotion (plus, sheesh, what a nice website they have).

Because I'll be damned if I'm staying out of the tub.