Bath and Body

The words bath and body conjure up a relaxing, luxurious experience we can all relate to. What better way to end your day than sinking in to an aromatic bath to sooth your tired, worn-out body.

Bathing your body must be one of the most therapeutic rituals we can experience. It helps us on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. In the bath, the therapeutic action of the aromatherapy oils is two-fold. They are absorbed into the skin and enter the circulatory system. At the same time their aromas are inhaled from the steam, stimulating your brain and increasing your sense of well-being.

Soaking in an aromatic bath can play an important part in relaxing muscles, helping with joint stiffness, increasing suppleness and reducing aches and pains. A bath can tone and condition your skin, detoxify your body, and relieve anxiety and tension.

The healing power of water has been known for thousands of years. Early civilizations created the art of bathing and enjoyed the stimulating, relaxing, purifying and healing effects of water. The famous bathing routine of Cleopatra was a most important part of her daily health and beauty regimen. Regular bathing was also practiced by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

A bath can be relaxing or stimulating, depending on the temperature of the water and your chosen essential oil blend. Do not have your bath water too hot as this may damage the delicate blood vessels and sebaceous glands. Below is a guide to the effects of different bath temperatures:

Hot bath

Temperature: 100-104 ° F / 38-40 ° C
A hot bath can be useful for treating fevers and eliminating toxins (use either the Evergreen bath salts recipe or the Detox bath oil recipe for this purpose).

If you find it too difficult to get into a bath this hot, pour the bath to the temperature you are comfortable with then gradually add hot water as you become accustomed to it.

After your hot bath, put on some warm cotton pyjamas or night gown and slip into bed ensuring you have plenty of blankets to promote sweating.

Note: Do not have bath water this temperature if you are pregnant, have varicose veins, haemorrhoids, or high blood pressure.

Warm bath

Temperature: 80-90° F / 27-34° C
A warm bath can be very soothing and calming to the mind. This is due to the equality of the body temperature which gives gentle encouragement to the natural functions of the body.

Cold bath

Temperature: 70-80 ° F / 21-27 ° C
A cold bath can activate and tone the skin. This temperature will help with respiration and increase the tone and elasticity of muscles. It decreases fatigue making it an ideal bath for the morning (the Stimulating bath oil recipe is the perfect blend for a cold bath).

Recipes for bath and body

Bath salts

Using bath salts can be very relaxing as well as easing sore, tired muscles. These recipes use either Epsom salts, or a specially blended bath salt. The latter contains valuable minerals that help your immune system and can be very beneficial to add to your bath if you have scars that need healing or any broken skin. Bath salts can also draw poisons out of your body.

Cleansing bath salts
- Detox bath oil
- Purifying bath oil
- Tonic bath oil
Bath salts for aches and pains
- Sports bath salts
- Evergreen bath salts
- General aches bath salts

Cleansing bath salts

There are various ways of using salts for your bathing rituals. The most simple is to add a good handful of bath salts to your warm bath water. Mix in well then relax into the bath for no longer than 15 minutes. Once you have dried off then massage one of the following bath oil blends into your body:

Detox bath oil

¼ cup carrier oil
2 drops Cypress
3 drops Juniper
3 drops Lemon

Purifying bath oil

¼ cup carrier oil
2 drops Bay
3 drops Eucalyptus
2 drops Ginger

Tonic bath oil

¼ cup carrier oil
2 drops Black Pepper
3 drops Geranium
3 drops Patchouli

Bath salts for aches and pains

These recipes should be made a week in advance to let the essential oils soak into the bath salts. Excellent for aching joints and any type of stiffness including sore muscles from sporting exertion, cramps, rheumatism, or achiness from flu's or colds.

Pour a hot bath and just before it is full, sprinke in the bath salts and mix in well.

Sports bath salts

1 cup bath salts
10 drops Lavender
8 drops Marjoram
10 drops Rosemary

Evergreen bath salts

1 cup bath salts
10 drops Eucalyptus
10 drops Pine
15 drops Ti-tree

General aches bath salts

1 cup bath salts
12 drops Chamomile
8 drops Rosemary
5 drops Thyme

Bath oils

Bath oils are a perfect way to moisturize your skin and the best way of making a bath both aromatic and therapeutic. They sink into your skin while imparting their wonderful aromas at the same time.

The best method for using these bath oil recipes is to make up the blend then massage it thoroughly into your skin before getting into your bath. This way has the advantage of the bath oil being absorbed into your skin much easier through osmosis by the heated water.

Relaxing bath oil

Use this blend in a warm bath. Save some for when you have finished your relaxing soak and have dried off with a big fluffy, luxurious towel. Massage into your warm, cleaned skin. For an added benefit, add the essential oils below to a diffuser using 2 drops of each.

½ cup carrier oil
6 drops Cedarwood
7 drops Frankincense
4 drops Rose

Stimulating bath oil

This bath oil is best used in a cold bath in the morning or any time of the day you need a 'pick-me-up'. This blend will increase your circulation and aid with cellulite and reducing weight.

For best results dry brush your body before getting into this bath. Dry brushing is a method using a natural-bristle body brush. Start with your feet and work your way up your body in a circular motion. Pay particular attention to areas where you have cellulite such as the tops of your thighs and the tops of your arms. Be gentle in sensitive areas such as your chest.

½ cup carrier oil
5 drops Peppermint
3 drops Pine
5 drops Rosemary

Just before you get out of this bath, add some more cold water and swish it around for some extra invigoration. If you're feeling brave you could have a short blast of cold water from your shower.

Dry off vigorously then if you have some of the blend left over, massage this into your body - ready to start the day feeling energized and stimulated!

Check out the Bath salts recipe for more ideas on blending oils for the bath.

Bath fizzies

Making bath fizzies or bath bombs as they are also known, can be very rewarding. The best part is popping them into your bath and watching them fizz and swirl around, leaving behind their wonderful aroma as well as their healing properties.

One of the main ingredients, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is especially good for skin irritations and skin itchiness. Adding citric acid to this makes it fizz once it hits the water.

Basic recipe
Bucks fizz
Soothing lavender fizz
Exquisite rose fizz
Healing fizz

Have fun with these bath fizzie recipes and be creative. If you want a bit of color to your bath fizzies try adding a small amount of natural coloring or a colored clay such as yellow, pink, or red clay. You can also add a bit of texture and extra goodies by adding dried herbs or flowers. Be creative!

Basic recipe

1 cup bicarbonate of soda
½ cup citric acid
20 drops essential oils

Mix the bicarbonate of soda and the citric acid together in a bowl, make sure you get rid of any lumps.
If you are adding colorings, clay, carrier oils, cocoa butter, or dried herbs or flowers add these now and mix again thoroughly.
Add your essential oils and mix again thoroughly (did I say mixing was important!)
Press this mixture into muffin tins being as firm as possible.
Leave overnight then remove from the tins and place on a hard surface for another day until the bath fizzies are hard.
If giving away as a gift, wrap in colored tissue paper and tie with a ribbon. Otherwise keep them in the bathroom in a nice container to remind you to use them in the bath!

Bucks fizz

This bath fizz is not to remind you of the band but the cocktail! Throw this one into the bath to fizz whilst lying back relaxing with a glass of champagne! Follow the basic recipe above, adding the clays in step 2.

1 cup bicarbonate of soda
½ cup citric acid
¼ teaspoon red clay
¼ teaspoon yellow clay
20 drops Orange

Soothing lavender fizz

The added cocoa butter in this recipe will help to sooth and moisturize your skin. Add the cocoa butter at step 2 above, crumbling it into the dry ingredients then mixing it all together very well before adding the essential oils.

1 cup bicarbonate of soda
½ cup citric acid
1 tablespoon cocoa butter
20 drops Lavender

Tip: If you grow lavender in your garden, dry some out and add the flowers and leaves in step 2.

Exquisite rose fizz

This gorgeous aroma will leave you feeling divine. Add the rose petals and pink clay in step 2 above - these are both optional so don't worry if you don't have either on hand.