Natural Bathing Treats

Enjoyed in the evening, a warm bath helps the body to relax and can pave the way for a good night's sleep. Although you maybe tempted, especially in cold weather, to have a steaming hot bath, a short soak in body temperature water is far more effective at helping you unwind. Bathing in water that is too hot can cause thread veins and may make you feel unwell. The skin is also better able to release impurities at body temperature and to absorb the healing properties of any herbs and minerals that are added to the bathwater.

Essential Oils:
To make bathing a real indulgence you can create your own aromatic bath products. Lavender, chamomile, clay sage, neroli and rose all have a relaxing, soporific effect. Add 5-10 drops of your chosen oil blend to your bath, then sink in and relax. Inhaling the wonderful aromas will soothe your mind, and the oils will also have a beneficial effect on your skin and body.

Therapeutic Bath Oil Blends:
Mix two or three essential oils in a base of sweet almond oil or jojoba oil. These quantities are for a 50ml / 1/4 cup bottle of base oil. Add 20 drops of the mixed oil to the bathwater. Alternatively, you can mix the oils with milk or honey because this will help to disperse them in the water.
Anti-stress Mix: 10 drops each marjoram, lavender and sandalwood.
Invigorating Mix: 5 drops rosemary, 5 drops camphor, 20 drops peppermint.
Healing Mix For Colds And Flu: 10 drops each eucalyptus, thyme and lavender.
Soothing Arthritis: 30 drops eucalyptus.

Orange And Grapefruit Bath Oil:
At the end of the day, a scented bath is a therapeutic treat. Choose the oils depending on whether you want to be relaxed or invigorated. An orange and grapefruit bath will gently refresh you. Add one teaspoon once you have run the bath, otherwise the oils will evaporate before you get in.
Ingredients: 45ml / 3tbsp sweet almond oil; 5 drops grapefruit oil; 5 drops orange oil.
Pour the oils into a bottle and shake so that they are well combined before you add one tsp to the bathwater.

Lavender And Olive Oil Soap:
Use a good-quality pure olive oil soap to make this home-made soap. Enrich it with other oils and scent it with lavender to produce a gently rejuvenating cleanser.
Ingredients: 175g / 60oz good quality olive oil soap; 25ml / 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil; 25ml / 1 1/2 tbsp almond oil; 30ml / 2tbsp ground almonds; 10 drops lavender essential oil; lavender buds for decorating.
Grate the soap and place in a double boiler. Leave the soap to soften over a low heat. When soft, add all the other ingredients and mix evenly. Press the mixture into oiled moulds and leave to set overnight. Unmould, and decorate by pressing the top of each block of soap into a shallow tray of lavender buds.

Goodnight Bath Salts:
Chamomile is a widely recognised sedative; for these bath salts it has been combined with sweet marjoram, which is an effective treatment for insomnia.
Ingredients: 450g / 2 1/4 cups coarse sea salt; 10 drops chamomile essential oil; 10 drops sweet marjoram essential oil; 1-3 drops green food coloring (optional).
Combine all the ingredients and pour into a glass storage jar with a close-fitting lid. Put the lid on firmly. Just before bedtime, light a scented candle, add a handful of the salts to your bath, immerse yourself in the warm water and relax.

Herbal Bath Mix:
All the ingredients for this mix are easily available to buy, or they can be grown in a herb garden or window box. They are associated with purification and cleansing.
Ingredients: 7 basil leaves; 3 bay leaves; 3 sprigs oregano; 1 sprig tarragon; small square of cotton muslin; 10 ml / 2tsp organic oats; pinch rock or sea salt; thread to tie up muslin.
Use fresh herbs for this recipe if possible. Pile the herbs in the centre of the muslin square, then sprinkle the oats on top. Top with the rock salt or sea salt, pick up the corners of the muslin and tie with thread. Hang the sachet from the bath tap so that as the water runs over the bag it is infused with the essence of the mixture.