My bath-time bliss list
I love the language around bathing. The phrase ‘drawing a bath’ sounds so grandiose and grown-up – all lace gowns and bugle beads. Languishing in one was always a key part of the Saturday-night prep that I’d start hours in advance of going out. And it turns out it might have been very good for my wellbeing, too. According to a recent report in The New Scientist, an afternoon bath twice a week can help to lift mood and is recommended as therapy for mild or moderate depression, while in her book Bathe, wellness journalist Suzanne Duckett claims it has all sorts of benefits including stimulating the immune system and balancing hormones. I fell out of love with baths for a while; they seemed time consuming and a bit boring. But, since these days I can barely turn around without another brand launching a relaxing range, in the course of trying them out, the practice has swung back into my favour. 1 For me, it’s generally about unwinding, so a top pick is Voya Lazy Days Seaweed Bath (€20, voya.ie). It’s great for moisturising and I have friends with eczema who swear by its treatment benefits. The seaweed can be dried and reused once or twice within a few days but, as it hangs around, your bathroom will smell as though it’s been relocated to the coast – personally, I like that. If you have a garden, it can be used as fertiliser once you’ve finished with it. 2 For deep relaxation, I swear by Ila Bath Salts For Inner Peace (€55, ilaspa.com). They are Himalayan bath crystals with sandalwood, jasmine and rose otto – and yes, they’re expensive. But when you really need to let go, they are dissolvable miracles. 3 For pre-bedtime unwinding, try the foaming Sanctuary Spa Drift-Off Bath Soak (€14, superdrug.com). Its lavender with jasmine and ylang ylang fragrance offers some plushfeeling soothing. 4 For traditional bath-time bubbles I love a spot of Bramley Bubble Bath (€47, bramleyproducts.co.uk) in geranium, lavender and sweet orange. The supersized one-litre bottle looks cool, lasts for ages and creates less waste. The contents are 98 per cent natural.