With a bath, the most diverse effects on the body can be achieved – depending on which bath additive is used. Because some scents have a relaxing effect, others mood-lifting, still other bath additives act primarily caring. How essential oils and co. affect your well-being when bathing and how you can make suitable bath additives yourself, read here.
Essential oils in the bath additive
If your mood is at rock bottom, a warm aromatic bath can work wonders. Because nothing affects our mood faster than a scent. Aromatic oils are obtained – usually by steam distillation – from flowers, leaves or roots. They have nothing in common with normal oils (for example, care oils or cooking oils). They are not greasy, but volatile and are therefore called essential oils. As a bath additive, they exert an enormous effect on the mind and well-being. While the water opens the pores, part of the oil is absorbed by the skin, the rest evaporates in heat and steam and is inhaled. In this process, the oils can achieve different effects:
- Extracts of lavender, rose and chamomile have a balancing and relaxing effect.
- Neroli, ylang-ylang, sandalwood and geranium enhance sensuality.
- Ginger and lime have invigorating effect.
- Lemon, tangerine and peppermint refresh and promote creativity.
- The essence of bergamot is known as a mood booster.
- Camphor and rosemary and relieve tension and muscle pain.
Bath additives make yourself – so gehts!
Ready-made bath additives with sophisticated aroma mixtures (as cream baths, oil baths or foam baths) you can buy in all variations. But you can also make them yourself. For a full bath you need about 10 drops of one or more aromatic oils. Important: You should not put essential oils on your pure skin. This way, the oils can possibly cause allergies. So that they distribute well in the water and can fully develop their effect, mix them beforehand with half a cup of care oil, cream or body milk. For the famous Aphrodite bath, mix 3 drops of neroli, 2 drops of ylang-ylang and 1 drop of bergamot with half a cup of cream and add everything to the ready bath water. We present more recipes for homemade bath additives below.
Colored bath water increases the effect
If you want to increase the sensory pleasure even more, you can additionally add colored powder (especially for color baths) or some food coloring to the bath water. The water is said to transmit the vibrations of the colors:
- “Red” stands for vitality
- “Orange” stands for physical and mental energy
- “Yellow” gives warmth and vitality
- “Green” conveys harmony
- “Blue” promises peace and relaxation
Flower bath: pure luxury
Jasmine, gardenia, iris, hibiscus, geranium, magnolia, rose, mallow, bougainvillea – and now just dive in! In Asia, according to religious tradition, a bath in fragrant flowers symbolizes purification from earthly blemishes. In many SPAs it forms the sensual conclusion of a wellness treatment, the extension of relaxation and pleasure. Similar to aromatic oils, blossoms have a very individual influence on mood. In addition, the natural beauties invite you into boundless dream worlds through their appearance and their touch on the skin. There are no limits to your imagination when creating your own flower carpet. To do this, simply let yourself be guided by the scent. Blossoms can embellish all kinds of bathrooms. Whether they float on clear water, in milk or in oil, in any case they embody the quintessence of tropical bathing pleasure. For a movie-worthy rose petal bath, dissolve 5 drops of rose oil in a cup of cream or add two cups of rose water to warm bath water. Then sprinkle in several handfuls of rose petals. Tip: Blossoms from your own garden or from organic nurseries are ideal. They can also be dried.
Bath salt nourishes the skin
Anyone who regularly swims in the sea or goes to the Thalasso cure can confirm: The skin becomes noticeably firmer and rosier, even annoying orange peel skin smoothes out. The reason: salt water does not cause the skin to swell as much as normal water. Nevertheless, it dissolves cornifications and impurities and also draws excess tissue water upwards from the deeper layers of the skin. At the same time, minerals and trace elements are introduced.This is because the salty water is similar to human blood plasma in its composition and content of nutrients and minerals. That is why these substances can also be exchanged through the skin.
Salt bath from the Dead Sea
For the sea breeze in your own bath, there are plenty of ready-made bath salts, pure or with different fragrance additives. Dead Sea salt is considered particularly rich in smoothing and healing minerals. It helps with skin problems such as psoriasis, regulates the production of sebaceous glands and due to its high content of magnesium and bromine, it tightens the tissue and even helps with sore muscles. On a tub one calculates 1/2 to 1 kilo of salt. There is also a so-called “Liquid Salt”, a concentrated brine from the Dead Sea, which dissolves immediately and completely in water, even cold. Ideal after sports or for tension, can also be used in the shower.
Fresh breeze for the home
For an uplifting and invigorating salt bath, simply hang a handful of fresh rosemary and a handful of fresh mint in a gauze bag with in the water. Together with a few drops of eucalyptus oil, the salt bath prevents colds. Tip: Because salt draws water from the body, drink at least one large glass of mineral water after the bath. And: even if the skin feels nice and tight now, it still needs to be creamed.
Bath bombs as a bath additive
In addition to bath salts, bath oils, cream and foam baths, so-called “bath bombs” are also becoming increasingly popular. The bubbling balls can be bought ready-made or made yourself. Some look like ice cream balls, others like oversized pastel-colored pills, balls or shells. Also in glitter version, they are popular decorative elements in any bathroom. Mixed with essential oils, they smell like the sea, the Orient, the forest, flowers, spices or fruits. However, they all have one thing in common: if you throw them into water, the carbon dioxide released bubbles to the surface like champagne. Bath bombs, also called bubble tabs or bath tablets, leave a delightfully tingling sensation on the skin. Depending on their composition and fragrance, they can soothe, invigorate, relax or encourage. In warm water, they have a particularly intense effect. Even if the bubbling effect is over after a few minutes, the scent remains in the bath water. After a busy day, they are a wonderful freshener before going out. In addition, they often have a moisturizing effect because they contain coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil or shea butter. Tip: For an optimal whirlpool feeling, first make yourself comfortable in warm water and then throw in the tabs. Placed under the back, they unfold their full potential.
The milk bath – a royal pleasure
From Cleopatra it is known that she bathed in donkey milk with honey and salt. Javanese princesses have also valued the softening milk proteins as an elixir of eternal youth for thousands of years. Nowadays, every wellness hotel offers its own specific version of the Cleopatra bath – sometimes as a body wrap, sometimes as a bath. However, the milk is usually replaced by whey. It has the same effect and also inspires modern skin researchers. They found so-called growth factors in the milk, which stimulate skin cells to divide more often. This keeps the skin young and rosy. In addition, milk fat stabilizes the skin’s protective acid mantle and smoothes wrinkles caused by dryness. Lactic acid binds moisture and acts as an exfoliant. The minerals and vitamins contained in it stimulate the metabolism.
Make your own milk bath
The convenient alternative for home: ready-made bath milk with nourishing additives such as coconut butter or chamomile, or delicately scented bath milk powder. Of course, you can also use fresh milk or – for soft baby skin – buttermilk or cream yogurt. For a very private, exclusive Cleopatra bath, mix 1-2 liters of goat’s milk or cow’s milk (smells better) with two handfuls of sea salt and 3 teaspoons of honey. When honey and salt have dissolved, everything is added to the warm bath water. After bathing, do not shower the skin, just pat it dry. Tip: Baths with real milk nourish the skin super soft, but can spread unpleasant odors. Sensitive noses add 10 drops of their favorite aromatic oil to the tub.
