Soak Up The Magic Of A Bath
There are baths and then there are baths.
The first kind is the quick dip; run the water, squirt in a dollop of bubble bath, hop in, have a scrub, hop out, job done. Functional and efficient, this bath is all about having a wash in as short a time as possible and getting back to getting things done.
And then there’s the second kind of bath; the long, luxurious soak. Relaxing, calming and indulgent, this is an act of self-care, a bath that nurtures mind, body and soul.
My dear old Grandpa knew a lot about this second kind of bath. Every evening at six o’clock on the dot, he’d empty half a bottle of Badedas bubble bath into the tub, switch on his radio for the news and shut the bathroom door. Half an hour later after a good long soak, he’d emerge, a new and pyjamaed man – refreshed, reinvigorated, visibly soothed.
We’ve come a long way since the days of catching on-the-hour news bulletins but my Grandpa was onto something. He understood the restorative power and magic of taking a long bath. It gave him the chance to unwind and disconnect, change gear and draw a line under the rush and bustle of the day, shut the door on the world and escape to be on his own.
Somehow, in our busy modern lives where every minute is filled and we dare not take our foot off the pedal, we’ve forgotten how to take a relaxing and mindful bath. We’re lucky if we squeeze in a five-minute shower first thing in the morning or last thing at night before crumbling into bed.
But it’s high time we rediscovered the art of bathing; it’s one of life’s small but mighty pleasures which we can indulge in healthily every day. Did you know that the warmth and comfort of the water triggers the release of endorphins and the feel-good hormone oxytocin? And come night or day, rain or shine, the bath is a place where you can slow down, be solitary, collect your thoughts, let your mind wander, figure things out and just be. Physically, baths bring all sorts of health benefits - from boosting circulation and improving sleep to soothing muscle tension and remedying skin conditions.
So, let me show you how to transform a basic bath into a spa-like experience using products which not only deliver that feel-good factor but which are also cruelty-free and planet-friendly.
Pick your moment
Unwinding means letting go of life’s pressures so take your bath when you’re off the clock and have a stretch of unfettered time with nowhere to go, nowhere to be and nobody wanting a piece of you. Loosely allow an hour for your bath; thirty minutes for the actual soak (before your toes shrivel into prunes or the water starts feeling grimy) and another half an hour to take your time and indulge in any post-bath rituals.
Tell the world you’re having a bath
Well, your household at least. Holler it from the hallway, circulate a WhatsApp memo, plaster a do not disturb sign on the bathroom door – do whatever it takes to make sure no children, pets or other house-dwellers disturb your peace or pay you an unsolicited visit. Lock the door for peace of mind!
Get ready to get out before you get in
Prepping beforehand for that moment when you get out of the water will ensure you eke out every last drop of pleasure from your bath. Get the temperature in the room just right - too hot and you’ll feel woozy, too cold and you’ll come back down to earth with a bump. Lay out your post-bath clothes to avoid that bathroom-to-bedroom dash and of course, have your bath towel ready. Or better still, a full-body, extra-large bath sheet which cocoons you from head to toe and lets you gently acclimatise to being out of the water – especially if has been warming on the radiator. Pair it with a fluffy bath mat for a soft landing for your feet. I have a glass of cold water ready too and if it’s near bedtime, I like to dim the lights outside the bathroom.
Transform your bathroom into a blissful sanctuary
Through a sensuous, mood-setting mix of fragrance, music and lighting, you can transform your bathroom from the utilitarian place where you brush your teeth and go to the toilet into a tranquil haven that inspires you to slow down and relax. Start by dimming the lights which is instantly calming because it lowers both adrenaline and the stress hormone, cortisol. Use music to set the mood and transport you – classical, mellow jazz and reiki zen are all great options for unwinding. And of course, nothing soothes the senses like the warm glow of an aromatherapy candle packed with essential oils. Try Seven Seventeen’s lovely Drift Away Lavender and Orange Candle.
Gather your accessories
Think plants or flowers for an uplifting and grounding touch of nature, extra candles for cosiness and tranquillity, a book or magazine, your iPad if you want to zone out with Netflix, and your tipple of choice – in my case, a glass of wine or homemade herbal tea depending how virtuous I’m feeling. If you don’t have a bath alcove, get yourself a bath tray so your accessories are within arm’s reach and you don’t need to move a muscle to access them.
Choose your bath ingredients
Where once bubble bath, aka bath foam, was more or less the only option, today we’re spoilt for choice with a dazzling array of bath oils, salts, flakes, milks, bombs, concentrates, drops, powders, pearls and pills to add to our bath, all brimming with natural, sustainable ingredients and offering all sorts of therapeutic benefits. For me, nothing beats bubble bath (seriously, is there anything more soothing than burying your hands and worries in that mountain of froth and mindlessly watching the bubbles pop?) and I’m currently working my way through this from Neom. But if you want to try something different, sprinkle a blend of Epsom salt and Himalayan salts into the warm running water and let them dissolve and work their muscle-relaxing, mineral-rich magic. This aromatherapy-inspired Vanilla Rose Blend from Made By Coopers is a bit heavenly. There’s also something sublimely comforting and gentle about a milk bath.
In the bath…
Spend the first part of your bath wallowing in the warm bubbly water and peace and quiet, letting your mind idle and empty out, allowing your thoughts to come and go. Once you’re ready to re-engage, you might like to pop on a podcast or audiobook before getting down to the serious business of washing. Ethique’s Ginger Snap Face contains brown sugar grains to buff away dry face skin (I also love UpCircle’s Coffee Face Scrub which uses re-purposed coffee grounds from artisan London cafes though it can be a bit messy). And for your body, a lovely bar of soap - try Wild + Sage - scrubbed on with a loofah bath mitt to leave skin feeling refreshed, clean and soft.
Post-bath rituals
Once you’ve finished your bath, ease yourself back to the real world by wrapping up in your towel and taking a moment to adjust and refresh outside the tub. You might like to drink a glass of water and open the window to let some fresh air in. Whenever you’re ready, take your time to get dressed, ideally into loungewear or pyjamas, and complete any rituals like applying your moisturiser. If your feet need some TLC, now is a good moment to rub in a drop of foot balm. Then take a deep breath and emerge, hopefully as a different person from the one who went into the bathroom, with a body that feels fresh and clean and a mind that is soothed and revitalised.