With a show of hands, how many of you think that things can easily be solved with a solid 45 minutes by yourself soaking in a tub of hot water, with candles burning, maybe a glass of wine and lots of bubbles? Yeah, me too!
When I first started working out, I would get so sore and couldn’t walk! How many of you had that great workout out and 2 days later it hurt to sit down? Or sometimes your body just has aches and pains and you have no idea why, so you take a bath and feel so much better. And, when you are sick as a kid, or as your kids are sick now, what did/do you do? Draw a bath and tell them that this will take it all away! As the chilly months are upon us, I am more apt to soak in a hot bath now than during the summer. So, my question for you is, how do you soak?
First thing is first…clean that tub!
YUCK! Since my garden tub isn’t used all the time as a bath tub, it is often used as a catch of all things, maybe clothes, for sure some dust and who knows what else. So, before you draw that hot soothing bath, clean those jets! Fill your tub with hot water, 2-3″ above the jets add 1/2 cup of white vinegar and a few teaspoons of powder dishwashing detergent and run the gets for 15 minutes. This will help clean out those jets, get the funk out of the tub and prep it for your 45 minutes of pure bliss.
Now that you have a clean tub, time for some magic!
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt has many healing qualities and can really help relieve sore muscles after a great barre workout. Add 2 cups of epsom salt under the running water to help it dissolve and soak for at least 10-15 minutes.
Essential Oils
Adding essential oils to a bath can really help bring that spa like experience home. But first, don’t just drop the oils right into your bath, mix the oils with 1TBSP of a carrier oil first so they can dissolve and not just sit on top of the water. Another way to mix oils into your bath is to add the EO to your epsom salt before adding it to a bath to help dissolve the oils throughout the bath. Lavender oils will help sore muscles and relaxation and Eucalyptus has historically been used as a decongestant so this is a great oil to add to your bath during cold and flu season if your body is trying to fight off the flu or cold.
Oatmeal
While this bath isn’t something that would be soothing to soak in personally, it is beneficial for sunburns and poison ivy or scratchy and irritated skin.
Coconut Oil
For years, everyone has been saying how good coconut oil is for your skin and hair, so why not add it to your bath? Mix a tablespoon of coconut oil into your bath and relax. To see a list of benefits of coconut oil, check this article out.
Milk
Yup, you read that right, add a cup of milk to your bath to help exfoliate and soften the skin. It is also great for eczema. You can also add the essential oils to a cup of milk when putting in your bath if you don’t have a carrier oil on hand.
If you’re looking to step your bath up a notch from the usual bubble baths, here are some secret ingredients (courtesy of Vogue) – (who we certainly trust for beauty advice) that will have your body feeling better than ever.