TAKE A BATH OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Transform your tub time with some aromatic additions, says KATIE WRIGHT
THE ultimate at-home relaxation ritual, a long, hot bath can work wonders, melting away aches and pains, and calming stressed-out minds.
1
SOOTHING SALTS
WHILE hard evidence to back up any claims about the ‘detoxifying’ effects of Epsom salts can be hard to find, it can’t be denied that adding a few handfuls to your bath makes the water feel softer and silkier, which is a very pleasant sensation indeed. Plus, salts infused with fragrance release a wonderful scent, whether it’s calming lavender or invigorating citrus, so take your pick of the perfumed packs, sit back and breathe deeply.
Westlab sleep bathing salts, £7.99
4
MARVELLOUS MILK
LEGEND has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in donkey milk to improve her complexion, but while there’s no proof of this fact, we’re all in favour of a modern milk bath. You don’t actually need to add any dairy products into your tub, simply pour in a slug of ready-made bath milk, to enjoy a creamy, cloudy, skin-softening soak.
L’Occitane almond milky bath, £26
With so much uncertainty in the world, shutting the bathroom door and enjoying some uninterrupted ‘me time’ is a form of self-care that can make all the difference to your mood.
2
AROMATIC OILS
A GENEROUS drizzle of bath oil as you’re filling the tub will disperse throughout the water and leave your skin with a hydrated sheen, as well as scenting your tub with a long-lasting fragrance.
■ Soak Sunday Cleo’s Paradise Botanical bath & body oil, £14
Everyone’s got their favourite bath-time accompaniments, whether it’s a podcast, a playlist or an episode of your favourite sitcom (be sure to keep your device well away from the tub, of course), but we’re here to suggest some scented products that will make your soak all the more enjoyable.
Here are five ways to elevate your bathing experience...
3
FUN FIZZERS
THE most affordable and, let’s face it, fun way to brighten your bath time, bath bombs and fizzers dissolve in the water, leaving a trail of colourful bubbles. Lush is the king of the bath bomb and has got some adorable seasonal offerings, like a snowman and a hippopotamus.
■ Lush Snowman Dreaming bath bomb, £3.50
5
CALMING CANDLES
SLEEP experts say that if you’re struggling to nod off at night, you should try to avoid bright lights and TV screens, so why not switch off the bathroom lights and wind down with a candlelit bath before bed? Scented candles set the mood, whether it’s a deep wintery waft of amber or oud, or a bright floral bouquet.
■ Above: Floral Street Sunshine Bloom scented candle, £28
■ Left: Diptyque Baies candle, £47
* Prices correct at time of going to print. Offers while stocks last