Soap Making - Simple Recipes, Oils, and a Tip or Two: Calming herbs for soapmaking and Bathing

Herbs and flowers aren't just for soapmaking. Just imagine the calming feeling you get when you use the best herbs you can grow in your own backyard, kitchen window, or just about anywhere you can fit a small flower pot !!

Imagine your self floating in a gigantic bathtub full of herbs hugging your skin; its magical powers take away your tensions, your worries melt away leaving you feeling totally refreshed.

Bathing with herbs is a calming way to relax in today's fast paced stressful life. It is a soothing way to start a new day and a blissful send-off to bed. Herbs and its essential oils soothes aching muscles, tense nerves, skin irritations, softens skin and ensures peace and tranquility.

Set the stage for your bath with a clean fresh bathroom. Keep clean towels, bath gels, herbs, loofah, etc handy. Choose relaxing music, light aromatic candles around you. All in all make sure that everything you need for your luxury is within arms reach.

While filling your tub with warm water, create a bag of your favourite herbs to be used in bathing. It is ideal that you give your skin a quick loofah brush head to toe before you start. This exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells so your skin is more willing to grow new cells. To create an herb bag, fill a muslin cloth or even an old clean stocking with your favourite herbs. Dip it in your bath, letting the herbs gently soak in the water. Bath salts, citrus leaves, dried rose petals, dried lavender flowers to name a few to create an herb bag. If you don't have the fondness of creating your own bag of herbs, you can definitely buy ready made herb bags at your local craft or beauty store.

Not more than 5 drops of essential oils should be used in a bath. Dilute it with milk or carrier oil. Below is a small list of some of the most common herbs and essential oils you can use in soapmaking, and bathing because of their calming properties.

- Black Pepper - relief for aching muscles
- Clary Sage - as a perk me up and premenstrual tension
- Eucalyptus - for respiratory problems
- Geranium - for very dry or itchy skin, eczema and PMS
- Jasmine - when you wish to feel luxurious
- Lavender - dry skin, eczema, sprains, hot flashes, headaches, over work, insomnia
- Orange - to pep you up
- Rosemary - to get you going in the morning, a quick pick-me-up in the evening.

Also good for aches and soothing your muscles

- Chamomile, Lavender or roses are good for dry, delicate or irritated skin.
- Rosemary, Calendula and Thyme for oily skin.
- Lemon Balm - good for hyperactive children
- Citrus & Lavender - soothing and therapeutic properties
- Ylang Ylang - exfoliates and moisturizes the skin
- Apricot and Amber - moisturises, restores softness and suppleness to skin.
- Chamomile - aids in relief of aching muscles and nervousness
- Eucalyptus - opens the pores and the vapours from the bath help to clear the breathing passages.

Make sure that your bath time is a time of solitude. Just let yourself luxuriate in this soothing watery haven. And don't forget to put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door :)

P.S. It's also a good time to meditate