For centuries bathing has been performed not only to cleanse the body but also for the therapeutic and relaxing properties of hot water and steam, particularly at spas and springs where the water contains dissolved minerals. Home bathing, and the consequent development of bath products, is comparatively recent: except for the well-off, bodies were washed communally in rivers and lakes or, as in the case of the Romans and the Victorians, for example, in specially built public baths.
The industrial revolution made regular bathing for all both a perceived necessity, because of a growing awareness of the need for personal hygiene, and possible, because of the availability of enamelled metal baths and home plumbing. The detergent used was soap, and it was not until the invention of modern foaming and cleansing agents (commonly known as detergents but more correctly described as surface-active agents, or surfactants) that this section of the toiletry industry developed rapidly. Later, a much faster method of body cleansing – showering – was developed which capitalised on the availability of modern surfactants to produce a variety of effective washing products.
Modern bath and shower products are used to cleanse the hair and body, anoint the skin with emollients and fragrance and soften the water, in particular to eliminate the hard-water ‘ring’ formed around the bath at water level. They are produced in solid (crystal and powder), semisolid (gel and paste) and liquid form. Some of the top beauty cosmetology colleges in Nashik offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in this field to further facilitate advancement in this field. Let us take a look at the different kinds of bath and shower products available today:
Bubble Bath Products:
Products which produce foam or bubbles when added to bath water are called bubble bath, foam bath, creme bath (when the product is opacified), herbal bath (or similarly, where the product contains a herbal or natural additive) and foaming bath oil. For convenience, they will all be referred to here as bubble baths.
A bubble bath is a dispersion of a highly foaming material in water. Soap, the oldest and cheapest foaming agent, is neither very soluble nor effective in the bath because, in the presence of hard water, soap molecules (usually sodium salts) are converted by double decomposition to insoluble, non-foaming soaps (i.e. lime soaps, calcium and magnesium salts of fatty acids). These deposit on the water surface to produce scum and on the bath surface at water level to produce, in association with soil and other insoluble matter, the well-known bath ‘ring’. At bath dilutions, soap also partially hydrolyses to produce insoluble fatty acids which contribute to the scum and which are defoaming agents.
Bath Oils and Essences
Bath ‘oils’ and bath essences are emollient, highly fragrant products which do not foam, or if they do so, foam only slightly. [None of the products are true oils, nor do many of the ingredients used conform to the technical definition of an oil as a liquid triglyceride, but we will follow the trade practice of referring to them in this way.] There are several types: floating, or spreading, oils which float on the surface of the bath water; dispersible oils (essences); and soluble oils (soluble fragrances).
To prepare effective bath oils and essences that are either non-foaming or only slightly foaming, it is conventional to use highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants as emollients and solubilisers. Cationic surfactants are usually irritant, poor solubilisers and can make the bath surface too slippery, whilst anionic and amphoteric surfactants are not always effective solubilisers and usually foam too much (for which reason they are employed in bubble baths). Nonionic surfactants exhibit minimum foam, are not harsh on the skin and are good perfume solubilisers and dispersing agents, unaffected by hard water. Many nonionic surfactants are available and the choice is usually affected by whether solubilisation, dispersion or solution of the oil phase is required, the feel of the skin after bathing and their effectiveness in solubilising the perfume.
Bath Salts, Cubes and Powders
Bath salts and bath cubes, although regarded by some as slightly old-fashioned, are still purchased, particularly at Christmas time, perhaps because they make an inexpensive gift that everyone can use. Originally, they were intended to simulate the salt content of natural spas. They have recently been given a modern, ‘natural’ image by greater emphasis being placed on their mineral content and by the addition of herbal extracts and natural oils. Most bath crystals are sodium salts of weak acids and, consequently, alkaline. Bath salts or crystals are probably one of the earliest products used to perfume the bath water and give it a pleasant odour. The basic constituents of such preparations are similar and their final selling price is governed not by the raw material cost, which is usually low, but by the cost of the package, presentation and, above all, the cost of the perfume. From the manufacturer’s point of view, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the keeping properties, stability, melting point and solubility of the final product.
Bath powders at one time were quite popular but have now been largely replaced by crystal or liquid preparations. Each package should contain enough powder for one bath. The powders can be prepared either from dry sodium carbonate or sodium sesquicarbonate crystals. A small proportion of borax can also be added. They are manufactured in a similar manner to bath crystals, the perfume and colour being sprayed on, and mixed until uniform. If they are based on sesquicarbonate they can be mixed in a rotary-type mixer, but if true powders they are best prepared by using a machine of the sifter/mixer type. Powders are suitably perfumed and coloured using a trituration process. To do this, the perfume and colour are separately mixed with a small portion of the powder to prepare a concentrated mix.
Conclusion
The evolution of bathing techniques from common and therapeutic rituals to private and personalised experiences has significantly influenced the development of bath products. Recent formulations ranging from bubble bath and bath oils to salts, cubes and powders are designed not only for cleansing but also to provide sensory pleasure, skin benefits and convenience. Recent trends in surfactant technology and ingredient selection have enabled the creation of diverse products that cater to varying preferences, water conditions and skin types. Pursuing B.Sc Beauty Cosmetology program from a reputed university in Maharashtra can boost your chances of a successful career in the cosmetics industry.