Cleansing is the first and primary activity of external skin care, and an aromatic herbal bath is one of the most pleasurable and therapeutic ways of accomplishing this. You can add herbs to invigorate and stimulate circulation, or to relax and soothe muscles, unwinding the body for a peaceful night's rest. Select them for healing treatments to help a skin complaint, or simply for the pleasure of their aroma. Try to keep the water temperature around body heat. If it is too hot, the skin will perspire and not absorb any of the therapeutic herbal properties. To get most benefit, relax in the water for a least 10 minutes.
Herbal Hot Bags
The easiest way of adding herbs to a bath is to hang three or four herbal
tea bags from the tap, or to place a small herb-filled tea infuser in the
water. Alternatively, put a handful of herbs in the centre of a square piece
of muslin or fine gauze, gather up the corners to make a pouch and tie securely,
adding a long loop to hang over the hot tap so the water will run through
the bag. Use a single herb or mix up to four in one bath. For a body scrub,
add a little fine oatmeal or bran to the herb bag. Rub this over the body
near the end of the bathing time.
Herbal bath infusions
Instead of adding the herb, you can extract its therapeutic properties
by infusing 10 oz (275 g) dried herb or a handful of fresh herbs in a ping
(570 ml) of boiled water. Leave for 10 minutes then strain and add to the
bath.
Skin-soothing vinegar baths
A vinegar bath soothes itchiness and aching muscles and softens the skin.
Add a cupful (225 ml) of the following mixture to your bath for its beneficial
effects. Bring 1 pint (570 ml) cider vinegar and a handful of fresh bath herbs
slowly to the boil then infuse overnight. Strain and bottle.
Skin-softening milk baths
Add 3 tbsp (45 ml) of powdered milk (not skimmed as it does not have the
same healing qualities) to a fine gauze or muslin bag along with 2 oz (50
g) dried or 4 oz (110 g) fresh elderflowers, chamomile or fresh lime blossom.
Put in bath water.
Therapeutic oil baths
The addition of 5 - 10 drops of essential oil to your bath allows you
to lie in an envelope of fragrance and feel their beneficial power. Sprinkle
the oil on hand-hot water after it has settled and gently swish around. Don't
add oils under running hot water or they will evaporate. The temperature of
the water will affect you as well. A relaxing sedative bath should be just
under blood heat. For a stimulating bath, use a temperature below 85 °F
(29 °C). If the temperature is too low, the oils will not evaporate readily.
• For dry skin, add the oils in a tablespoon (15 ml) of almond oil.
• For a more dispersible preparation, add the oils with a tablespoon (15 ml) milk.
• For a bubble bath, add the oils with a tablespoon (15 ml) of mild liquid soap.
| Relaxing Bath Herbs | Chamomile, Hops, Jasmine, Lime flowers, Meadowsweet, Valerian |
| Stimulating Bath Herbs | Basil, Bay, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Ivy, Lavender, Lemon balm, Lemon verbena, Mint, Pennyroyal, Pine, Rosemary, Sage, Tansy, Thyme |
| Healing Bath Herbs | Calendula, Comfrey, Houseleek, Lady's mantle, Spearmint, Yarrow |
| Spring Tonic Bath Herbs | Blackberry leaves, Dandelion, Lawn daisies, Nettle. |