Embracing the Serenity of Candlelit Showers: A New Nightly Ritual
By Isabella Capponi
Dim the lights, spark the flame—discover the art of candlelit showers for a nightly ritual that soothes the soul and elevates 'me time.
Candlelit showers. The closest relaxation experience you can have without going to a spa. Maybe I have very hippie spiritual friends, but in the past 3 days alone two of my closest friends have brought up the fact that they take candlelit showers. One friend’s confession was in response to my complaints of sleep troubles over the past week and she told me her solution. She said she takes a shower before bed every night as a spiritual technique to “wash off the day” from her body. She turns all the lights off and lights candles around her bathroom. She said it's her favorite part of her night routine and gets her ready for bed. At my other friend’s apartment when getting ready to go out, I noticed three candles in her bath shower and she told me “I hate the overhead lighting in here” and that when the lights are off and the candles are glowing the room it’s much more relaxing and enjoyable.
The next morning after trekking downtown from our sleepover, I grabbed my towel and went to take a shower. It was the morning after being covered in fake blood and hair gel from my Halloween costume that I knew I needed a good cleaning. I turned off the lights, lit my candles (and dimly lit my phone flashlight) and hopped into the shower. I’m not gonna lie, it was so relaxing. It felt very meditative. The dim glow of the candles made me feel zen as I started to wash off the stickiness from the sweat of myself, others' sweat from last night's Shygirl set, and the residue of the fake blood. It all swirled down the drain as I let my conditioner sit as a hair mask, I felt calm just standing there waiting. It was a sensorial experience. I know this is going to be a part of my every day or night shower routine. Taking away the bright white lights of a bathroom and replacing them with a calming dim light can make all the difference. We’ve all heard the phrase “romanticize your life,” but I feel as though this is the perfect example. Making everyday things a little more enjoyable and better, who knows maybe i’ll try brushing my teeth in candlelight next!