Looking to soothe, soften, detoxify or revitalize the skin? Or maybe you have some body acne, oily skin, or irritations that you would like to clear up?
Look no further than the bath. Yes, you heard that right. Bathing does the body good in so many ways: it can calm us, relax or energize us, obviously clean us, and it can lead to healthy, silky skin. You just need to know how.
Simple, yet luxurious bath recipes
Choose the one that suits your mood or need and take a solid twenty minutes to half-an-hour to soak up all the nutrients and rejuvenate your soul.
Atmosphere is also key; dim the lights, clear your mind, lose distractions (phone, book, magazine, etc.), and play some soft music – you want to lay back and relax!
Close the shower curtain or bathroom door to keep the steam in, this will open and cleanse your pores resulting in a youthful, healthy glow. And don’t forget to bring a nice large cup of ice-water in with you to stay hydrated.
Milk and Honey
Milk is a natural anti-inflammatory and is perfect for irritated skin from shaving, sun or windburn. Further, the lactic acid in milk exfoliates the skin while the honey softens and moisturizes, offering you soft, supple, beautiful skin. The trick with this kind of bath is to use full-fat milk or powdered milk and pure honey (not the kind in the bear). To maximize results, gently buff skin in circular motions with a washcloth before getting in the tub.
To make this bath simply pour 1-2 cups of milk, or ½ cup powdered milk, and ½ cup honey under warm/hot, running water and swish the mixture around in the tub before getting in, sitting back and letting your mind roam free.
Epsom Salts
The magnesium in Epsom salts have been proven to not only relax you but also soothe aching muscles, regulate blood pressure, and regenerate and heal skin cells, not to mention detoxify the body. And the coolest part is, scientists have found that soaking in an Epsom salt bath is equivalent to taking a good dose of magnesium!
To make an Epsom salt bath, take one or two handfuls of the salt and hold it under the running water, letting the salts release their oils into the stream. If you want to add a fragrance and beneficial properties of your favourite essential oil, mix 15-20 drops of the oil with the Epsom salts before adding to the water stream. When I’m looking to relax, I often opt for lavender essential oil, and when having an energizing bath, the citrusy scent of orange always does the trick.
Green Tea
For me, nothing would beat a good cup of green tea to relax and de-stress…until I started steeping myself in a bath filled of it. Packed with something called polyphenols (which play a huge role in maintaining healthy skin and anti-aging), many studies have confirmed the benefits of not just drinking green tea but actually applying it to the skin. Benefits of a green tea bath include: skin detoxification, delaying skin cell aging, healing wounds and sores, firming and balancing the skin, repairing sun damage, treating and preventing acne, and fighting free radicals and inflammation.
To make your own green tea bath, brew 1-2 cups of strong green tea ahead of time and pour it into the running bath water. Add the used tea bags to the tub, get in and steep!
Bubble Bath Alternative
Another option – and this one is perfect if you don’t want any prep-work – add several pumps of Nature’s Aid all natural body wash to the running bath water. Once the tub is full, sit back, relax and let the beneficial properties of aloe vera, witch hazel, tea tree, rosemary and vitamin E wash over you. The aloe works to soothe irritated skin while witch hazel tightens pores and skin tissue, and tea tree offers antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. You can learn more about these ingredients and all they have to offer here.
