A towel designed especially for taking cold baths

Would you take a water bath at 6°? My neighbor Simona and I have been doing it for six months... and I decided to give her a very special surprise! 

An illustration made just for that moment

I always liked the idea of having products designed by me, which is why I created the beach towel with the splashing ninja. The illustration was born during a vacation in Sardinia and was meant to remind me of that fantastic time of relaxation.  

Since August last year, I have been using this towel for a far more thrilling activity: with my neighbor Simona, we started bathing in the river behind our house, in cold water. Not the refreshing bath that one takes on days of summer heatwave.... but rather an invigorating and rejuvenating bath!

Then one day I got an idea: it is strange to dry myself in a towel that represents summer, the warm, turquoise water of Sardinia, when in reality I am standing beside a cold river. Why not make an illustration specifically for that moment? 

The creative process behind custom illustration

The starting illustration was already there: it was a traditional watercolor drawing I had done some time ago, and I had already scanned, calibrated and enlarged it to have it printed on the towel. I therefore only needed to modify that existing illustration.

To adapt it to the “cold” theme, I simply added icebergs in digital technique. I worked digitally, yes, but trying to resume the traditional watercolor style. To do this, I added smudges, and used specially created brushes to pick up the style. 

To set it even more in the cold, I added a penguin (do you know how hard it is to draw a penguin from above? In fact I did it from the front, even though it's not quite right for the perspective used in the rest of the drawing... ) and a seal. 

Of course, to the splashing ninja I added a cap, just like the one Simona and I put on during our river baths. 

Cold baths: a ritual and a way of life

If I had been told a year ago that I would take cold baths in the river, I just wouldn't have believed it. “I just couldn't, I couldn't do it!” I would have replied. I hated cold water.... I also hated putting on a bathing suit and thinking about going into the water even in hot weather (except on really hot summer days).

Yet this kind of bathing is all different: it is a time of meditation, of breathing. A test of courage that I do to say “I am in control of my body and my mind, I am strong.” 

The beneficial effects became apparent after the first few weeks, during which I bathed every day: right away I could see how my perception of temperature had changed. I was no longer cold in the office, nor was my feet cold when I went to sleep.

Also, I love that rush of energy and sense of well-being that comes in the half hour after the cold bath: the body warms up, becomes energized. The problems of the day seem to be washed away, everything is scaled down. It really is a state of complete well-being. 

Checklist and tips for a perfect cold bath

If you're curious to try cold baths yourself, and their benefits, I'll leave here a list of things that I think are basic. I also feel like advising you not to start doing them in the winter, when it's really really cold ... but start in the summer, in the evening, so that your body can slowly get used to increasingly cold temperatures. Also remember to do it regularly, otherwise the benefits are lost.

• a nice puddle in the river where you can sit, with the water coming up to your neck (this way you get fully immersed while leaving your head out, but still staying safe)
• slippers or non-slip shoes
• swimming cap: if it is cold outside, the cap keeps your head warm and greatly reduces stress
• stopwatch or timer: the cold bath lasts 3 minutes. Just enough time to stimulate the body to react positively, but not too much to become a problem or a shock 
• insulating mat for your feet when you get out of the water 
• towel with personalized illustration: to enjoy the epic feat until the last second
  warm clothing to warm you up after the cold bath 
• bonus: a thermos of hot tea, to warm you from the inside out. Be careful not to warm up too quickly, though: give your body time to experience the changes 

Personalized towel makes everything more beautiful

Already that a cold bath is a time you take for yourself, it becomes even more beautiful and pleasant if you dry yourself with a towel with a personalized illustration.

The side of the towel on which the illustration is printed is polyester-this makes it soft and leaves the colors of the print nice and bright. The other side, however, is white and made of cotton, so it dries well and feels perfect on the skin.

It is, of course, machine washable, and the colors remain bright and bright. 

Do you also want a personalized towel? 

Whether it's the iceberg towel, or a variation with your name on it, or even a custom made illustration, I can make a unique product for you that will make your bathroom special (whether it's cold or not!). Contact me and I will be happy to help you realize your idea!