It was a lovely way to relax and unwind in the hot tub, even in a bathing suit. You will feel like you are on holiday.
Whatever else is going on, it’s hard to stay stressed in a hot tub.
I feel ridiculously relaxed in mine, even though it’s in a corner of the showroom of Hot Tubs Oxfordshire, near Bicester Village. I would prefer it to be on the grounds of my country house, near my infinity swimming pool.
What’s more, the manufacturer of this spa bath makes special claims: not only do its jets massage away your aches and niggles, it can apparently also improve the health of your skin. How can you look years younger if you soak in a hot tub? Don’t mind if I do.
Amanda Holden is a 50-year old TV presenter who loves microbubble magic in her hot tub. Marquis MicroSilk was her first hot tub purchase. Amanda Holden is a regular Instagram user and posts amazing pictures of it in action.
The secret of this alleged fountain of youth is the microbubble option — or as U.S. firm Marquis has branded it, MicroSilk — available on its finest tubs for an extra £2,000.
Microbubbles are a type of bubble that is 50-100 times smaller than a typical hot tub bubble. They’re relatively stable in water — that is, they don’t instantly rise to the surface and burst.
They transfer oxygen from the collapsed cells to the water making it oxygen rich and transporting oxygen to skin.
Anna Maxted, a columnist based in the UK tested a Micro Bubble Hot Tub from Hot Tubs Oxfordshire. She compared it to an oxygen facial with all of your body.
Kenny Massey, of Hot Tubs Oxfordshire, compares it to ‘an oxygen facial but all over your body’. The Oxygen facial delivers a stream high-pressurised oxygen directly to the skin’s surface. This is supposed to improve circulation and stimulate the production of collagen. It results in younger looking skin.
The Marquis brochure goes even further: ‘Microscopic bubbles penetrate pores and sebaceous glands to oxygenate your skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and promote collagen restoration as you soak,’ it declares.
These tiny, negatively charged bubbles ‘also help eliminate free radicals in the body, which are known to cause cellular damage. This helps to slow the degenerative process which leads to premature ageing’.
After that fanfare, I’d hope to emerge from the tub looking like a teenager.
Amanda Holden is a TV host who looks much younger than she was in 50 years. She’s probably the biggest fan of microbubble magic.
Marquis MicroSilk was her first hot tub purchase. She is constantly posting amazing photos on Instagram of the spa she enjoys.
But, sorry Amanda, I’m wallowing in the very latest model, The Epic, which starts at £17,995 and is part of The Crown Collection, no less. It arrived only last week from America, according to Carla, Kenny’s wife and business partner.
The secret of this alleged fountain of youth is the microbubble option — or as U.S. firm Marquis has branded it, MicroSilk — available on its finest tubs for an extra £2,000. Anna before jumping in the Micro Bubble Hot Tub at Hot Tubs Oxonshire
Anna claimed that milk turns quickly to milky-white when there are clouds of tiny bubbles. These small bubbles look like tiny specks.
I spend a little time amusing myself with the tub’s normal-sized bubble features, and then, at the touch of a button on the tub’s ledge, the microbubble pump is activated.
‘The MicroSilk pump has impellers within it that grind the water, creating tiny, tiny oxygen bubbles,’ explains Carla. ‘There’s no chemical solution; it’s pure oxygen.’
It quickly becomes milky-white. This is due to tiny bubbles that look almost like specks.
The water feels still, even though it’s moving, and when I touch my leg I can feel the bubbles clinging to the skin. If I press my hand to my calf, there’s the odd sensation of crushing minute bubble wrap.
It feels great to be floating around in the tub for 15 minutes. The water is large enough that I can float like an hippo. It has taken all tension out. It is certainly refreshing. Is it going to really help my skin?
Anna stated that after 15 minutes of floating in the tub (the water is large enough to allow me to floate like a hippo), she felt great. The tension is gone. This is definitely a refreshing feeling. It certainly feels rejuvenating.
Anna enjoys a glass in the micro bubble bathtub. There is some evidence that this hot tub can be particularly effective for eczema or psoriasis.
At first it doesn’t seem to (my skin is normal if prone to dryness, and doesn’t feel especially hydrated after my dip), but the next day I rub my arm and it is smooth and conditioned.
Anecdotal evidence suggests it’s especially effective on psoriasis or eczema. British Skin Foundation spokesperson Dr Adil Shahraz says these claims are not supported by solid studies.
‘Although it may make your skin feel softer, it cannot be recommended as a treatment for dermatological conditions,’ says Dr Sheraz.
And yet, it’s not a made-up concept created by the wellness industry. Because of their unique properties, microbubble or nanobubble technology can be used to improve water quality and reduce the need for chemicals.
My verdict on skin-softening products is no. But don’t let that put you off the gloriousness of the hot tub itself. Too long dismissed as naff, it’s the perfect form of relaxation for the midlife woman. Like us, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and is enormous fun.
hottubsoxfordshire.co.uk