Bathing in beer may seem like a nightmare scenario for some, especially if you wake up covered in the stuff, but according to an Icelandic spa, bathing in the good stuff could prove more beneficial than traumatizing.
In fact, beer baths have been around for centuries in places like the Czech Republic, and people have been soaking up the benefits for generations. And Árskógssandur's Kaldi Brewery is bringing the beauty treatment to the masses with the opening of a beer bath spa this June.
"Beer soaks are commonly used to treat a variety of skin issues, from anti-aging to eczema," Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NTC, told Yahoo Beauty.
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Why are beer baths so beneficial? According to Zeichner, it's the hops. Not only are they the thing that adds flavor to any brew, they're brimming with antioxidants, which, in turn, could give beer anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to the hops, beer also has brewer’s yeast. That ingredient soothes and brightens skin with its B vitamins. The result? Soaking in those beneficial ingredients leaves the skin glowing and supple.
And that's not all, beer's good for hair, too. The same B vitamins, saccharides, yeast, and hops that help out the skin can also help it shed dead cells from the scalp. After all, the scalp is just like any other skin on the body.
"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," Lana King, MSN, CNP, explains.
While the Czech Republic and Iceland are pretty far off (and require a passport), a few stateside spas are integrating beer into their services, too. In Sister, Oregon, Hop in the Spa fills cedar soaking tubs with beer and claims that the treatment has benefits for mind and body alike. No, the spa doesn't offer beer flights, but asserts that a beer soak is great for de-stressing as well as getting a glow on. BrewDog, a huge U.K.-based brewery is hoping to open up a hotel and spa next to its Columbus, OH, brewery. It's already launched an Indiegogo campaign that promises hops facial treatments and barley massages.
So while you may throw back a beer when you kick back, it looks like pretty soon, you'll be able to find the brew at the bar and the spa alike.