SPA RX FOR 100% HEALTHY
A warm bath is the perfect way to unwind on a chilly day — and with targeted add-ins, it can also ease cold-weather health woes!
At 68, Judith Light is still every bit the go-getter “boss” as the character she played on Who’s The Boss? more than 30 years ago. One of her secrets to healthy and radiant: She swears by nighttime baths to rejuvenate her mind and body. It’s a smart strategy. A 20-minute evening soak has been shown to increase the time spent in the most restful stage of sleep, leading to increased energy the next day. Even better: Mixing a few natural ingredients into the bathwater can deliver targeted health benefits. Here, three health-boosting bath recipes to help you look and feel your best!
FLUSH WINTER BLOAT
If you’re like us, you spent more time cozied up on the couch this winter than you did running on the treadmill. That sedentary time — and salty comfort carbs — can lead to an overload of fluid and toxins that make the face, neck and body puffy. To banish the bloat, follow Judith’s lead and sprinkle Epsom salts into your soak. Magnesium and sulfate compounds in the age-old remedy absorb into skin and draw out toxins and excess fluids while calming any fat-packing inflammation. And for truly speedy results, choose a salt infused with antioxidant-rich ginger (we like Calgon Rejuvenating Hawaiian Ginger Epsom Salts, $6, walmart.com). It stimulates circulation for more efficient delivery of nutrients to the skin. Simply add 2 cups of Epsom salts to a warm bath and soak for
“I almost always take a bath before bed. I usually use Dr. Teal’s Lavender Epsom Salts. The bath calms me down from the day, changes my energy and gets me into a sleep space.” Judith Light, 68
20 minutes once a week. You’ll look slimmer the moment you step out of the bath!
RELIEVE DRY, ITCHY SKIN
February’s cold winds and dry indoor air can leave skin looking parched and ruddy while also causing conditions like eczema to flare up. But as dermatologist Jill Waibel, M.D., who treats celebrities at the Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute, notes, “Bathing in the wintertime is good for your skin since water is absorbed and soaked into the skin for added hydration.” For even more benefit, mix milk and grapeseed oil into the water. Milk’s lactic acid gently exfoliates and adds hydration back to skin for a softer, smoother texture. And grapeseed oil’s omega-6 fatty acids soak into skin to calm inflammation and improve moisture balance, explains Dr. Waibel. To do: Pour 1 cup of milk and cup of grapeseed oil (like Aura Cacia Grapeseed Skin Care Oil, $15, auracacia.com) into bathwater, then soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
SOOTHE A COLD
When you’re feeling stuffy and spent, relaxing in a bath triggers an uptick in body temperature that helps destroy heat-sensitive cold and flu viruses, say scientists at Lenox Hill Hospital. For faster relief, add eucalyptus oil and ginger tea. Breathing in the oil’s active ingredient (cineole) has been shown to cut down on mucus production. “And inhaling a strong scent like ginger causes vasodilation, which allows more blood to flow into blood vessels to ease and clear sinus pressure,” says Dr. Waibel. To do: Steep 3 bags of ginger tea (we like Alvita Organic Ginger Root Tea, $7, The Vitamin Shoppe stores) in 2 cups of boiling water. Remove the bags, then pour the tea, plus 3 drops of 100% pure eucalyptus oil, into a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. The scent will linger on skin, continuing to clear congestion long after the bath is over. Bonus: When massaged onto the scalp, ginger tea increases circulation and stimulates hair follicles to encourage hair growth. Simply brew extra tea to get the benefits.