In the immortal words of the great Mae West "When all else fails, take a bath" Truer words were never spoken, bathing is not only a hygienic necessity, but a therapeutic experience that can help overcome many issues of the mind and body.
When one is immersed in water amazing things can happen the body and mind open to the incredible healing powers of the essential oils and herbs that are used and some herbalists have even adopted this particular modality as their preferred means of treatment, over other means (such as teas, pills, etc)
There are some great formulations for making your own herbal products for the bath. Making your own natural products is not only easy and fun but it also allows you to tailor the ingredients to your special needs and situation, for example say there is a preparation at the store that you think is lovely, but you are allergic to one of the ingredients in it, to blend it yourself would take very little time and effort and you could leave out the offending ingredient.
Most of the ingredients needed to make your own natural products for the body and bath can be found at health food stores, herb retailers, or at your local farmers market. Buying your herbs and supplies at the farmers market in the area also has the added benefit of benefiting your local farmers and growers and sometimes it is organic as well, so it is good for you body, mind and heart.
This brings us to our next point, whenever you are making any of your own preparation for internal or external use, there are a few things to remember. Always use the best ingredients that you can find (if possible use organic essential oils and herbs) as this will affect the quality of the finished product. Always use pure water, either distilled, or whenever possible natural spring water. There is something a little more magical and special about washing in spring water. And always, make sure that your tools, mixing bowls, spoons, equipment and your hands, are squeaky clean. This will prevent bacteria from forming and contaminating your products.
The herbal blends and essential oils that you choose will depend on the condition you wish to effect or the result you wish to achieve.
To relax and encourage a peaceful state of mind, try using herbs like chamomile and lavender. To emerge from the bath, renewed and refreshed, try a stimulating blend with peppermint, rosemary, and sage.
Making your own herbal body powders is a nice way to finish off an herbal bath. A combination of cornstarch and white clay powder can be combined with an herbal combination of your choice such as a relaxing and soothing blend of roses and lavender, or a stimulating and invigorating blend with rosemary and eucalyptus.
- Whatever natural products you decide you would like, be adventurous, experiment and have fun, you'll love the results.