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.

For me, it’s generally about unwinding, so a top pick is Voya Lazy Days Seaweed Bath (£17, 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 (£49, ila-spa.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. For pre-bedtime unwinding, try the foaming Sanctuary Spa Drift-Off Bath Soak (£12, superdrug.com). Its lavender with jasmine and ylang ylang fragrance offers some plush-feeling soothing. For traditional bath-time bubbles I love a spot of Bramley Bubble Bath (£42, 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.