Healing Bath Soaks (with recipes!)
Over the bathtub in our backhouse we have a small blue sign that says,
“When all else fails, take a bath.”
That phrase has definitely rung true with our family, because a bath makes you feel so much better. If you’re sick, sad, need a rest, need a detox, if it’s a full moon, feeling like the world is caving in on you, whatever… it works like a charm to rest and reset your body. And when you add herbs, essential or other oils, they can be highly therapeutic and healing. Also, they make amazing gifts for just about anyone. So lets get to some recipes that we love to have in your library.
BATHS FOR ILLNESS
When you aren’t feeling well, a bath can be an amazing healing accelerator. The warm water, mixed with magnesium (epsom) salts can speed the body’s capacity to heal via lymphatic movement, immune system boosting, and skin nourishment. The following recipes can help in various times of illness.
Magnesium or epsom salt is rich in magnesium which is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, the first being calcium. It is involved in more than 325 biochemical reactions that benefit your heart and nervous system.Many people do not consume enough magnesium. Even if you do, factors such as sugar intake can alter how much is absorbed in the body. Magnesium is great absorbed through the skin, and can help when you aren’t well. Epsom salts mixed with herbs and oils, have an extra kick.
Get Better Bath Mix
RECIPE
2 cups Epsom Salt
1/2 cup baking soda
10 drops lavender essential oil (this helps calm the nervous system)
Fresh (or dried) ginger
1/2 cup sea salt
Optional: 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
Use: Draw a hot bath, plan to be in the bath for around 30 minutes. Always best to drink 8 ounces of water before and 8 ounces after. Sweating is encouraged when in the bath, if your illness state can take it (children this is not encouraged). When exiting the bath, know you might feel dizzy, so you can splash cold water on your face, or rise slowly. Wrap your body in a warm towel or robe when leaving bath. Do not rinse skin or apply balms or lotions for at least one hour.
Mustard Bath
Mustard has been used for centuries to cleanse and detox, and mustard baths were common in Ancient Greece, Roman and Egyptian medicine. They attributed mustard with helping tired muscles, fevers, colds, illnesses of all kinds.
RECIPE
2 cups Epsom Salts
1/2 cup mustard powder
10 drops lavender essential oil
6 drops eucalyptus oil
1 cup baking soda
Optional: 1 cup ground oatmeal (quick cooking oats or collidial oats), 1/3 cup ground chamomile (can just break open 3-4 chamomile tea bags). Can put these in a muslin bag so you wont have bits floating in bath.
Use: Draw a hot bath, plan to be in the bath for around 30 minutes. Always best to drink 8 ounces of water before and 8 ounces after. Sweating is encouraged when in the bath, if your illness state can take it (children this is not encouraged). When exiting the bath, know you might feel dizzy, so you can splash cold water on your face, or rise slowly. Wrap your body in a warm towel or robe when leaving bath. Can rinse skin (but no soap applied please) and don’t apply balms or lotions for at least one hour.
BATHS FOR DETOX
When you have a toxic load in the body, bath soaks can be great in aiding detoxification. They can also be a great preventative measure (doing them a couple times a month), after a procedure, x-ray or other scan, or long airplane travel.
Detox Rocks Bath
Adding calcium carbonate with magnesium epsom salt to a bath can be effective in detox because you are aiding the body with minerals it needs to perform detoxification. Bentonite Clay is also amazing at pulling toxins out while you are bathing.
RECIPE
2 cups Epsom Salt
1 cup bentonite clay
1/3 cup calcium carbonate powder
2 tbs ginger powder
1 cup coconut milk powder
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops frankincense essential oil
Use: Draw a hot bath, as hot as you can stand it. Plan to be in the bath for around 30 minutes. Always best to drink 8 ounces of water before and 8 ounces after. Sweating is encouraged when in the bath, (children this is not encouraged). When exiting the bath, know you might feel dizzy, so you can splash cold water on your face, or rise slowly. Wrap your body in a warm towel or robe when leaving bath. Can rinse skin (but no soap applied please) and don’t apply balms or lotions for at least one hour.
Emotional Detox Bath
RECIPE
2 cups epsom salt
1 tsp rosemary (finely chopped)
1 cup sea salt
10 drops of Frankincense essential oil, lavender essential oil, and myrrh essential oil
Use: Draw a hot bath, as hot as you can stand it. Plan to be in the bath for around 30 minutes. Always best to drink 8 ounces of water before and 8 ounces after. Sweating is encouraged when in the bath, (children this is not encouraged). When exiting the bath, know you might feel dizzy, so you can splash cold water on your face, or rise slowly. Wrap your body in a warm towel or robe when leaving bath. Can rinse skin (but no soap applied please) and don’t apply balms or lotions for at least one hour.
BATHS FOR SKIN HEALTH
Bathing is great for skin health, and can be great for all ages as well. Soaking in the bath can remove oils from skin, so when treating a rash or ailment on the skin, it is always important to have oils involved to keep the skin biome intact.
Ezcema Bath
Ezcema is a special case on the skin, because too much soaking can make the breakouts worse. So this bath is done only when needed. Always address diet when dealing with ezcema, do not use soap on ezcema breakout areas, and after bathing cover the body in a thick balm or lotion.
RECIPE
1 cup powdered coconut milk
1/2 collidial oatmeal
10 drops palo santo oil
3 tbs finely chopped or ground calendula
Use: Draw a warm bath (make sure the water isn’t too hot, because it can flare the skin). Soak in water for 20 minutes, making sure to submerge the ezcema breakouts. Can rinse skin, but do not use soap. Always apply a thick coat of lotion or balm after bathing.
Parched Skin Coconut Bath
While bathing can actually dry your skin out more, when you add oils and herbs to the bath, it can make sure that moisture stays in. Coconut oil and milk have special components to keep the skin smooth, silky and moisturized.
RECIPE
2 cups powdered coconut milk
1/3 coconut oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
BATHS FOR GIFTING
Most everyone loves bath salts as a gift, because it gives them an excuse to soak in the tub and take a break. :) These are fun put in a jar with a ribbon tied around or in a cute bag with a sprig of lavender.
A base of epsom salt works well, so grab a bag! Here are some of our favorite gift combos. Each recipe makes 2-3 small jars for gifting. You can include a small fabric bag to put the salts in, if the recipient doesn’t want the flowers floating in the water.
Lavender Lush (Great for person that needs some relaxation!)
2 cups epsom salt
1/3 cup dried lavender flowers
20 drops lavender essential oil
Mix well and put into jars.
Pretty Peony- (Great for the person that needs a little TLC)
2 cups epsom salt
1/3 cup dried peony flowers
14 drops rose oil
Mix well and put into jars.
Pine Needle- (Great for the male or someone who needs an escape)
2 cups epsom salt
1/8 cup chopped pine needles
10 drops cypress essential oil