Bathing is essential and not many of us realize its importance until we develop all sorts all skin problems like itchiness, prickly heat and body odor, besides feeling lethargic and sluggish. And more so during the harsh summer months. So how do we tackle this stern summer heat and the vagaries of living in hot, dry or humid climates? This post will give you a few suggestions on what to ingredients to put together for your bath soak. For anyone who does not have any idea what is a bath soak, it is just like a bath bomb but it is a little difficult to dissolve and it is not moldable while you can mold a bath bomb in to any shape you want. Nonetheless, both bath soaks and bath bomb are prepared before you take a very relaxing bath. With today's over-stressed lifestyles and lack of time, showers and baths have unfortunately become a quick, 5-minutes soap and scrub routine. Gone are the times when women used to spend hours languorously bathing in water or milk, like the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. Even then, a dedicated time for bathing, with thorough scrubbing and moisturizing, is essential to keep your skin clean in the heat. Since summer time is like giving a small break to your stressful schedule, here are a few recipes for bath soaks you can try at home.
- Bath soak recipe for moisturizing your skin: Sun has a way of stripping skin of hydration, while low humidity and environmental exposure can lessen skin’s natural lipids. Replenish these building blocks of youthful, healthy skin with a moisturizing bath soak 2-3 times per week, using natural botanicals and oils.
Coconut oil is world-renowned for moisturizing both body and hair. Fatty acids and antimicrobial properties in coconut assist in restoring suppleness and help to calm itching, flaking, and dryness. Combined with hydration from rose and aloe, this DIY bath soak trifecta is perfectly suited to replenish dry, moisture-sapped skin.
RECIPE:
2 cups epsom salts (or raw sea salt)
½ cup extra virgin coconut oil
8 drops rose essential oil
2 cups dried rose petals
2 tbsp cold-pressed rosehip oil
15 minutes before stepping into your bath, apply argan oil to prep skin for optimum moisture absorption. Pour your bath salts into hot water, allowing them to dissolve for about 5 minutes. While waiting for your salts to dissolve, add your coconut oil, rosehip oil, Rose petals, and essential oil. Stir gently to incorporate ingredients before stepping into the bath.
Soak in this bath recipe for about 20 minutes. Use a wash cloth that is soaked in warm water and drape is on the areas where your skin is extremely dry. After taking a bath, gently pat your skin dry and put on your favorite moisturizer. If you do not have any, use a small amount of coconut oil.
- Bath soak recipe to detox you skin: Environmental toxins are one of the leading causes of premature skin aging, acne, dryness, and rashes. Toxins are extremely damaging, and can reach your skin through UV rays, pollution, radiation, phthalates, and even home flame retardants in your furniture and upholstery. To lessen your risk of transdermal absorption of these toxins into the bloodstream, it’s important to monitor both your personal care products and your levels of environmental exposure.
One of the best ways to purge toxins from your body is through detoxification. For a full body skin detox, bath soaks are the most efficient option. Since many of the naturally detoxifying ingredients for this bath soak are packed with alpha hydroxy acids, this treatment will also have some skin brightening benefits!
RECIPE:
2 cups Epsom salt (or raw sea salt)
4 drops lemon essential oil
4 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 medium lime, sliced
1 medium ginger root, peeled and shaved
Start your bath by exfoliating your skin and make sure you are well hydrated before plunging in since detox bath might dehydrate your body making you feel nauseous during and after your bath. For extra detoxing, prepare lemon water. Drink that while taking a bath to give your body a little boost in flushing out the toxins on your skin.
Mix the ingredients above to warm water on your bath and dip in it for about 20 minutes. After taking a bath, rinse your body with lukewarm water and use a soft wash cloth to rub off the remaining dead skin cell on your body. Continue drinking water to completely re hydrate yourself after your detox bath and use a gentle moisturizer all over your body.
If you have any medical conditions or take prescription medicines you should consult with your doctor before soaking in a hot bath or exposing yourself to steamy environments. Increase your water intake before, during, and after your bath, and beware that hot baths can increase your risk of dehydration and dizziness.