Bathtime bliss.
6 of the best soaks (and shower options) to help you de-stress and sleep better - PLUS expert tips to transform your bath time.
This is not one of those ‘turn your bathroom into a spa’ stories.
We’re skipping the whole step-by-step, light candle, apply face mask, scrub body thing, and getting straight to the good stuff: the soothing soaks and body washes that will help you to unwind, reset and get a better night’s sleep.
Not that the aforementioned add-ons don’t have their place, along with a great playlist, podcast or paperback.
The mind and body benefits attributed to soaking in a warm (not too hot) bath include improved circulation, eased muscular aches and joint pain, and the ‘ahh’ factor, resulting from the release of endorphins.
Here are six of the best products, to suit all budgets. And scroll down for top tips on temperature, timing and more.
And not a bath pillow in sight.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Women's Balance Bath Salts
I’ve got a soft spot for Neal’s Yard Remedies, as I used to live just around the corner from Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden—one of London’s most Instagrammed spots—where the brand was founded. (You can take the girl out of WC2, etc..)
The iconic, blue apothecary-style bottles have stayed the same since the 80s, when the NYR shop first opened, and the bubble bath is a favourite (in fact, mentioned it recently in her post, Things I return to again (and again), specifically the geranium blend). I really like the bath salts, too, with sea salt and essential oils - this one includes geranium, along with rose and frankincense. It’s got a distinctly spa-like scent (the geranium really comes through), softens the water (no foam, obviously), and isn’t overpowering.
Olverum Bath Oil
From Covent Garden to Mosel, in Germany, where Olverum (‘true oil’ in Latin) was founded in the 1930s by Franz Otto Klein and his wife, Edith. A family-owned business to this day, the OG, potent blend has a devoted following ( and are both fans).
One whiff and you can see why. Ten essential oils, including Siberian fir needle, eucalyptus, lavender, juniper and lemon peel, combine to pack a therapeutic punch. And you need the tiniest amount (literally a teaspoon for one bath), so a little goes a long way.
Squint and you’ll see the slopes of the Black Forest.
