Taking a Bath has been one of my favorite self-care rituals that I picked up in 2020! It honestly, helped me get through the lockdown and being stuck at home because it’s a great way to simultaneously destress and detoxify your body. Unlike showers where we’re usually rushing in and out, baths are relaxing – both for your body and your mind. They can help with sore muscles, or just help you relax after a long day. Here are some of my favorite tips & tricks that I’ve been using to have an amazing bath every time:
Mother’s day is just a week away and there’s no better way to luxuriate at home than creating a beautiful spa-like bath experience to give yourself a much needed R&R.
– 6 Easy Steps to Create a Luxurious Spa at Home for Mother’s Day –
Table of Contents:
1) Start with Epsom Salt and Bubble Bath
I like to start my bath routine by adding Epsom salt under the running water. It adds texture to the water which I love and also helps with everything from relieving stress and anxiety to relaxing sore muscles and alleviating pain in my shoulders, neck and back.
For added moisture, I love to add Dr. Teal’s bubble bath. Try finding bubble baths with added moisturizers to help with soaking and nourishing your skin. Some of my favorite scents are lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint.
Tip: If you’re like me and your tub doesn’t have a jet stream, the secret is to use a cooking whisker and literally whisk the water vigorously and watch your bubbles grow. Do this while the bath is still filling so you don’t end up with spills everywhere.
If you want to take your DIY spa to the next level, I’d recommend adding some flowers to your bath which can also have added healing benefits. This brought me so much joy and it was fun playing with all of the flowers in the water 🙂 Don’t be afraid to also experiment with bath bombs, essential oils or anything else that floats your boat. Just make sure you don’t use anything that can irritate your skin.
2) Dim the Lights
Once we have the bath set-up, it’s time to work on our lighting. Just like light is one of the most important things when taking photos, proper lighting can also set or ruin the mood when you are trying to relax. I love to burn candles to add that soft glow to a dark room and also add different aromas. If having an open flame is not possible in your space, try bringing a small lamp or a nightlight somewhere nearby (but not too close to the water!). Go with soft white or warm white bulbs and leave bright white and daylight bulbs for taking selfies after the bath.
Candles I love:
DW Home Fresh Cut Gardenia ($20; Amazon)
Diptyque Feuille De Lavande / Lavender Leaf Candle ($68; Diptyque)
Gilded Body Carrera White Marble Scented Candle ($68; Gilded Body)
3) Hydrate
Ok, so when you soak up for a while, especially in a hot water you will get dehydrated without even realizing it. And nothing kills the mood like having to jump out of the bath and trudge to the kitchen to grab something from the fridge. Plan ahead and bring ice-cold water with a wedge of lemon that will taste amazing once you are fully soaked! Some other drinks of my choice when taking a bath are sparkling water, cool tea, or a glass of rose to get you in the mood.
Products I love:
Sunwink Sparkling Detox Ginger Tonic ($3; Amazon)
Brooklyn Tea “All A Dream” ($39; Brooklyn Tea)
Chandon Brut Rose ($19; Target)
4) Find a Soundtrack
I love listening to relaxing music when soaking. Some of my fave Spotify playlists are silky smooth R&B of “Butter”, Soulful “Soul Lounge”, Pop & Electronic of “Weekend Hangout” or Folk & Americana of “Relax & Unwind” playlists.
If you want to do more active listening, this is a perfect time to catch up on the latest podcast that you’ve heard everyone talking about. Here are my podcast picks from 2019 Some storytelling podcasts I like to listen to in the bath are “This American Life”, “Still Processing”, “Radiolab” and “Crime Junkie”.
The sound of silence or a white noise machine are also an option if you want to unplug completely.
5) Take Care of Your Skin.
Taking a bath is a perfect time to apply a face mask. I like to start with a detoxifying charcoal or clay mask first and then do a second hydrating mask afterwards. See my recommendations below!
When selecting a body wash, look for something with moisturizing properties in them.
Finally, don’t sleep on body scrubs and exfoliants. Pick a good loofa and give your back, arms, and legs a good scrub to get rid of dead skin cells and have your skin shine afterward.
Products I love:
Masks:
Camille Rose Flora Detox Purifying Clay Moisture Mask ($19; Amazon)
Algenist ALIVE Prebiotic Balancing Mask ($38; Sephora)
Korres Greek Yoghurt Probiotic SuperDose Face Mask ($49; Korres)
Body Wash:
Dial Clean + Gentle Hypoallergenic Body Wash ($7; CVS)
Olay Ultra Moisture Moisturizing Body Wash with Shea Butter ($18 for 2-pack; Amazon)
RITUALS The Ritual of Jing Foaming Shower Gel ($12; Amazon)
Body Scrubs:
Sabon Patchouli Lavender Vanilla Dead Sea Body Scrub ($31; Sabon)
Salt by Hendrix – Organic Body Polish Pink Grapefruit + Vanilla ($35; Amazon)
Alpha-H Balancing Moisturizer & Gentle Exfoliant with 10% Glycolic Acid ($48; Sephora)
6) Winding Down
Once my bath time is over, I like to take a cool shower to rinse off any and all products that might still be on me. Cool showers also help with blood circulation, calming the skin and muscle soreness. A nice luxurious robe will make you feel like you just came from a spa.
This is also the perfect time to lotion your whole body, head to toe as your skin is receptive and craves moisture. Another thing I like to do afterward is to use a massage gun to get a deep tissue massage right in the comfort of my home.
