Herb Bath Combinations

Protect your mood and your skin from seasonal changes with an herbal bath.  I noticed the other day that my ankles are chapped.  I ride my bike a lot and this time of year the wind can be a bit biting and drying.  I find the best treatment for chapped skin as well as my overall mood as the days get shorter is a good soak in the tub with some herbs.

Smoothing, soothing and hydrating to the skin, herbal baths are so easy to make, you owe it to yourself to take the time out for yourself to give one a try!

Basic bath recipe:  Place 1/2 cup of any combination of herbs in a non-metallic pot and add water to cover. 

Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10-20 minutes to extract the wonderful benefits of the herbs. Strain.  Pour the fragrant herbal decoction into your bath water or use the brew as a last rinse in the shower. 

If you are bathing, soak for around 20 minutes.   Do not have the bath water too hot or it will make you sweat, and not allow your skin to take in the herbal nutrients as efficiently. Remember, allergic reactions can occur with any herbal product, so always test your herbal infusion on a small area of the skin before adding to your bath.   

Here is a list of the best bath properties of some popular herbs to get you started in choosing herbs for your blends.  At the bottom are some of my favorite combinations.

Herb Properties for the Bath:

• Lavender- rejuvenating, fragrant
• Peppermint- stimulating, cooling
• Sage- astringent, helps sore joints
• Calendula- promotes healing of dry, chapped skin
• Chamomile-reduces swelling
• Horsetail- anti-fungal
• Lemon Balm- relaxing
• Parsley- Soothes insect bites
• Rosemary-astringent
• Thyme-muscle relaxant
• Roses-skin hydrator
• Chervil-revitalizing
• Savory-stimulating
• Hops-revitalizing
• Spearmint-calming
• Catnip- relaxing
• Strawberry leaves-cleansing
• Basil-relaxing
• Marjoram-stimulating

Try these combinations:
1. Skin restoring – Rose petals, sage and calendula
2. Hard work rescue – lemon thyme, chamomile, sage and lavender
3. Relaxation recipe –  Spearmint, lemon balm, and lemon basil


By the way,  these make great gifts!  Try a blend and place it in a muslin bag or a heat seal teabag. And combine into a gift bag for your closest friends.  Check out the Bath Sachet’s of the Backyard Patch for more gift ideas.