It’s science you can’t deny. From closing pores and improving your skin’s firmness to giving your hair a healthy glow, taking a dip in ice cold water has been proven to provide countless, and better yet, achievable benefits for all of us. And one of the best ways to start? Jumping right in with the Total Polar Plunge.
We know. There are few better things than a relaxing, warm shower to melt your day away with. But by making the switch to taking the polar plunge, even if only once a week, your body and mind will thank you (and you’ll be thanking us later). Even stars like Gwenyth Paltrow and The Rock do it. Seriously, look it up. We’d like to teach you just how to ease into it, so jump out of that comfort zone and into the shower!
The hardest part about the polar plunge is starting, so once you’re there, it only gets easier. The most important piece about this specific kind of shower is how long you stay in.
Persistence is key.
The goal here is to continue with your normal routine and stay under the water as long as you would if it was hot - that means shampooing, shaving, scrubbing and dubbing all under that icy water - so don’t rush it.
Also, try to stray away from focusing on the temperature of the water and become one with the polar bears.
Anyways, the idea of being cold is just a state of mind. Isn’t that what the monks say?
After a quick 6 minutes or so, you’ve accomplished the total polar plunge. Easy as that. Soon enough, a once agonizing practice will become an enjoyable part of your routine and you’ll be left with a clear mind, happy skin, and gorgeous locks.
Wouldn't we all like to be a little more like James Bond?
Charm. Sophistication. Astonishingly silky locks and baby smooth skin. (Okay, maybe the last one’s a stretch).
But one thing is for certain — this international spy knows what he’s doing in the shower department. Bond’s signature shower was first introduced in Casino Royale, which shows him starting a nice, hot shower and then slowly blasting the cold, minute by minute. It’s tough to say exactly how and why this detail was included in his routine, but when a man that good looking does anything, we don’t ask questions.
What exactly is a Bond Shower you ask?
Well let us spill the deets. It’s simple. Start your shower off as you typically would in hot water, staying at this temperature as you wash yourself. Then, quickly turn the water ice cold for the last 30-45 seconds to finish strong.
Although it’s easier said than done, stick with it — we promise the benefits cold water has for your hair and skin will keep you coming back for more. And after just a few showers you’ll be able to see the difference —from smaller pores to supple skin to shinier, healthier hair.
Maybe this is the secret Bond is keeping as a secret agent...
The key to cold showers is easing into them, starting at your normal preferred water temperature and then slowly beginning to lower the water temperature towards the end of your shower.