Bath Sponge Bonanza

As a little kid, terry washcloths were the only bath accessory my mom found necessary. They were functional, easily laundered and came with bath towels and hand towels in matching colors so it was easy to coordinate. As an adult, I was never all that fond of washcloths, but hey, they came in matching colors with towelly stuff I really did like, so sure enough, those bits of cloth were there in the linen cupboard and in the shower.

Then I discovered the joy of bath time. Those old-fogey clothes no longer seemed appropriate for my inner princess delight. Instead, I discovered the joy of bath sponges. Over the next months, I experimented with all the different kinds I could locate. After awhile, I found my favorites and they became the foundation of my bath time gear kit. Each session, a different sponge made its appearance, until a week or two later I returned to old favorites.

A white, classic oval bath sponge looks pure and fresh. It has little holes in it that hold the water until you run the sponge up over your shoulder and then squeeze lightly to let the warm water trick down your arm and over your back. Shaped just larger than the size of an open hand and nearly two inches thick, these come in a pack of three. A simple, straightforward approach to bathing when all you really want is to just get in that water and get warm.

For days when you've been outdoors a lot or cleaning house or some other strenuous activity, the dual texture bath sponge brings the whole getting-clean aspect into the natural relaxation routine of bathing. One of the flat sides is a regular spongey sponge. It's bonded to the other side that is a tighter, textured sponge material. That textured side helps scrub away at the feet, shins and elbows, but in a very delicate, non-abrasive way. This type of sponge comes in multi-paks and pretty colors from purple to pink to blue.

A natural sea sponge is the ultimate delight. Its organic shape and texture make you feel like a princess mermaid. Sea sponge is naturally very soft, so running it over your body feels like a caress. At the same time its slipping over your skin, its natural texture is removing dead skin cells, leaving a fresh, warm glow. When you are done with the bath, rinse it out and set it on a pretty tray by the side of the tub. Natural sea sponge adds a designer touch to the bathroom decor.