Could a Beer Bath Be Good for Your Skin?
While photos of beer, champagne, and chocolate baths tend to look sinfully delicious, the notion of bathing in something you’re (in theory) supposed to drink always seems a bit strange.
But maybe it’s not. At least not in North Iceland, where the Kaldi Brewery, in Árskógssandur, is opening a beer bath spa in June. Yes, a beer bath spa.
And it’s not the first one. The idea comes from similar beer spas in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Kaldi’s CEO, Agnes Anna Sigurðardóttir, told the Iceland Monitor.
The idea of soaking in beer has been around for centuries in places like the Czech Republic, where beer immersions have long existed. So while using brews as skin treatments might be new to us, it turns out we may be in need of catching up.
“Beer soaks are commonly used to treat a variety of skin issues, from anti-aging to eczema,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, tells Yahoo Beauty.
The secret? It’s all in the hops. “The flavor of beer is enhanced by adding hops to the brew. Hops are potent antioxidants, and as such help reduce inflammation,” explains Zeichner. “Beer also contains brewer’s yeast, which is rich in B-complex vitamins, which have skin soothing and brightening effects.”
Other experts concur. “Beer has been used as a final rinse on hair for decades – to add body, shine and bounce – so it stands to reason that it could be helpful for facial skin as well,” explains UC Health’s Lana King, MSN, CNP in Cincinnati, OH.
“Beer has b vitamins, saccharides, yeast and hops which could in theory dissolve dead skin cells and increase luminosity,” she explains.
And while the idea hasn’t fully caught on in the U.S., beer lovers can for now head to Sisters, Ore., for a visit to Hop in the Spa, which claims that a dip in its beer-filled cedar soaking tubs reduces stress and improves skin tone.
We’re definitely thirsty for more beer experiences. And luckily Brewdog, one of the U.K.’s biggest craft beers, recently launched a hugely successful Indiegogo campaign to build a beer-themed hotel and spa adjacent to its Columbus, Ohio, brewery. On the menu? Hops face masks and malted barley massages in the spa, of course.
Beer soaks: not just for college kids anymore.
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