Best Way to Use Herbs for the Bath

Herbs have always been used for hair and skin care. If you want to look good, though, your first priority should be the pursuit of good health. Follow the commonsense rules: avoid becoming overtired or stressed, eat a balanced diet, and get adequate rest. Control your intake of caffeine drinks and alcohol, and stop smoking. Within this holistic approach, lotions with herbal essential oils can be used for cleansing, nourishing, toning, and moisturizing the skin.

Instead of using purchased essential oils in the bath, you can use herbs gathered from the garden. Small herb-filled bags can be used to perfume the bathwater. Simpler yet, you can just make a strong infusion or decoction of herbs and add that to your bath. For an infusion, pour half a kettle of boiling water over four or five cups of selected, coarsely chopped herbs and allow to steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain before adding to the bath. Decoction is a better method for spices and stems or bark. Add the spices or bark to cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes or so before allowing to cool. Strain and use, or transfer to a pretty bottle. Bottled infusions and decoctions will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Add a cupful of the scented water to each bath.

Infusions of rosemary or stinging nettle are effective in relieving aching muscles and joints, as are comfrey and chickweed.

A decoction of white willow bark is also good for aches and pains. For a tonic bath use a combination of comfrey and parsley, or calendula and mint. To give you a ‘lift’ before an evening out, make your own mixture from basil, bay, calendula, fennel, rosemary, sweet marjoram, sage, and thyme. When relaxation is the priority, choose rose, lavender, fennel, chamomile, or bay. To combine restfulness with luxury and a delicious scent, add to any of these some fresh, heavily perfumed rose petals; you can go further and add orange peel, flowers, or leaves as well. For the most decadent bath of all, scatter a few drops of rose oil and a handful of rose petals over the surface of the water.