Bath Recipes

Sweet Honey of a Bath -

Herbalists have praised honey as a beauty aid for centuries with very good reason. It is a terrific humectant--meaning it helps our skin to retain moisture, making it softer and smoother, and rejuvenating our appearance.
When we invite the golden sweetness of honey into our tub, it becomes a skin-nourishing treat for body and soul. Let the bees show you the way to smoother, fresher-looking skin:

2 tablespoons honey
1 cup hot water
2 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

1. Dissolve the honey in the hot water, then add essential oil and stir to mix.
2. Pour mixture into bathwater and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

Sugar and Spice Bath

Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix together all the ingredients until well blended. To use: Add
2 Tablespoons of the bath mix to a warm tub.
Store the mixture in a clean, dry container.

****bath teas***
Soothing Herb Bath Tea

1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers
1 tablespoon old fashioned oatmeal
2 tablespoons Epson salts
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
1 tablespoon dried calendula petals

Mix all the ingredients together and place in a square of
cheese cloth or muslin. Tie tightly and place it in a glass
bowl or mug. Pour over 1 cup boiling water and allow it
to brew about 15 minutes or so. Run your bath and pour
in the "tea", swish to mix it in the bath water. You can
put the tea bag, still tied, in the bath or even use it as a
washcloth to gently rub your skin. Notes: if you don't
have calendula petals you can leave them out. Dried rose
petals are also nice.

Soothing Bath Tea

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried calendula blossoms
2 cups boiling water

Add the herbs to the boiling water and simmer, covered,
for 10 minutes. Remove the infusion from the heat and
let it cook to lukewarm. Strain the infusion and add to
your bathwater.

Herbal Bath Bags

1/2 cup dried or 3 cups packed fresh herbs
1 8-inch square of muslin or cheesecloth

Centre the herbs in the fabric, bring the edges together, and secure tightly
with string. To soften the water, you can add dried milk powder or a few
teaspoons of oatmeal. Allow the bag to float in the water as the bath
fills, or leave the string on and tie it to the tap so that the water runs
through it as the bath fills.

Any of the following may be used to create a bath bag:

For Everyday Use
old nylons, odd socks, pieces of fabric with raw edges

For Gifts or Special Occasions
hand-sewn bags, muslin tea bags, cotton washcloths, pretty handkerchiefs

Simply place a handful of bath herbs or materials in the center of the fabric, gather up the edges, and fasten with a rubber band, adding ribbon if you intend to give as a gift. If using a sock or nylon, just knot the end.

To use:
Tie the bath bag on the waterspout as the tub is filling, or toss it in like a big tea bag. Scrub yourself with the bag, squeezing it often to release the oils from the herbs.

SOOTHING OAT BATH BAG
INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons dried lavender or 6 drops lavender essential oil
Mix ingredients and place in bath bag. Rub bath bag all over, allowing the pleasant slipperiness to soothe your skin

Herbal Bath Bags

Piece of muslin or foot from old stocking
Length of String
4 Tablespoons Herbs - single or combination
1 Tablespoon ground oatmeal

Stir herbs and oatmeal together and place in center of muslin or toe of stocking. Gather into a pouch and tie with string. Allow running bath water to flow through bag while tub is filling, then let it float in tub.

Herbs for stimulating baths:
basil, bay, calendula, citronella, fennel, horseradish, lavender, lemon verbena, lovage root, marjoram, mint, nettle, pine needles, queen of the meadow, sage, rosemary, savory, thyme, vetiver root.

Herbs for soothing baths:
catnip, chamomile, comfrey, elder, primrose, hyssop, jasmine, juniper berries, lemon balm, linden flowers, marshmallow root, melilot, mullein, passionflower flowers, roses, slippery elm inner bark, tansy,
violet, valerian root, vervain.

*******

Woodland Fairy Bath

One handful each:

Sassafras leaves
Eucalyptus leaves
Pine needles
Rosemary
Strawberry leaves

Infuse fresh sprigs of each of the above ingredients
into 2 quarts of boiling water for five minutes.
Strain, then add the scented water to your bath.

Re-Energizing Herbal Bath

1/2 cup Lavender
1/2 cup Rose Petals
1/2 cup Sage
1/2 cup Rosemary

Relaxing Herbal Bath

2 tbsp. Rosemary
3 Tbsp. Basil

Rejuvenation Herbal Bath

1/2 Cup Lavender
1/2 Cup Rose Petals
1/2 Cup Sage
1/2 Cup Rosemary

Skin Toner Herbal Bath

1 Cup Chamomile
1/4 Cup Comfrey
1/4 Cup Lavender
1/4 Cup Lemon Peel
1/2 Cup Peppermint
1/4 Cup Rose hips, Crushed
1/4 Cup Rosemary
1/4 Cup Sage

Hard Days End Herbal Bath

1/2 Cup Lavender
1/2 Cup Uncooked Oatmeal
1/4 Cup Dry Orange Peel
1/2 Cup Chamomile
1/4 Cup Rosemary
12 Bay Leaves, Crushed

Sports Remedy Herbal Bath

1 Cup Chamomile
12 Bay Leaves, Crushed
1/4 Cup Rose Petals
1/4 Cup Sage
1/4 Cup Rosemary
1/4 Cup Oregano

Skin Softening Lavender & Honey Milk Bath

1 cup milk

5 tbs. baking soda

2 tbs. honey

5 drops Lavender EO (you could use your fav.)

put milk in a bowl, add baking soda and mix, add honey stirring till everything is dissolved..add EO last..add to a running bath and enjoy!

Herbal Milk Baths

1 c. cornstarch

1 c. dry milk powder

2 tsp. favorite herbs

Combine ingredients, add to a clean jar. Add 1/2 cup to hot bath water. (i would put in cheesecloth and tie with a ribbon

Bran Bath Ritual

1/4 c. bran (penetrates the pores and helps deep clean away dirt and grime)

1/4 c. oatmeal

Pour into an old sock. Toss into bath water as tub is filling. Use the sock as a sponge during bathing.

Sleep Like a Baby Bath

When you are overtired or over stimulated, here's a simple way to relax
and send yourself off to restful sleep. The preparation for this bath
may seem like too much work when you're exhausted, but the ritual of
preparation is actually a part of the relaxation process.

1 handful of chamomile flowers
2 chamomile tea bags
Sandalwood incense
Candles
1 quart of water

Start by steeping chamomile flowers in a quart of water for twenty
minutes. During this twenty-minute period, cover your head with a towel
and position your head of the stove and inhale the healing aroma of the
chamomile steam. Strain and pour the liquid into your bath. Next, using
the two tea bags, make yourself a cup of chamomile tea to sip in the
bathtub. Steep lightly and save the tea bags. Put on some relaxing
music. Light the candles and incense. Once immersed in the tub, close
your eyes and place a warm tea bag over each eye. Imagine yourself
drifting off to the seashore, where you are stretched out on the
comforting sand. The sun is gently warming your body. Imagine the
rolling sounds of the waves as your let yourself drift.

Troubled Skin Bath
Summer can cause a variety of irritations to your skin. Try soaking in the Troubled Skin Bath as an aid in relieving some of them.

1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried calendula blossoms
1 quart boiling water

Add the herbs to the boiling water and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the infusion from the heat and let it cook to lukewarm. Strain the infusion and add to your bathwater.

Deodorizing Bath
All of the herbs in this recipe contain ingredients that will deodorize your body. It is a wonderful herbal mixture to enjoy after a hot day of working in the garden.

1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 muslin bath bag
1 quart boiling water

Add the fresh or dried herbs to the bag and close snugly. Add the bag to the water and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the infusion from the heat and cool to lukewarm. Add the infusion and bag to your bathwater, using the bag of herbs as a washcloth.

Fragrant Bath
The herbs in this recipe will give you a fresh, pleasantly scented bath.

1/4 cup fresh or 2 tablespoons dried sweet marjoram
2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoons dried lavender buds
2 tablespoons fresh or 1 tablespoons dried peppermint
1 muslin bath bag
1 quart boiling water

Add the fresh or dried herbs to the muslin bag and close snugly. Infuse the bath bag or herbs in the boiling water and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Let the infusion cool to lukewarm, then add it and the bath bag to your bathwater.

Relaxation Bath
1/2 cup fresh or 1/4 cup dried lemon balm
1/2 cup fresh or 1/4 cup dried German chamomile blossoms
2 cups boiling water

Add the herbs to the boiling water. Cover and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and add to your bathwater.

Ancient Forest Bubble Bath

8 oz. unscented liquid soap
2 oz. distilled water
5 drops fir needle oil
4 drops rosewood oil
4 drops juniper berry oil
2 drops cypress oil
2 drops patchouli oil
2 drops orange oil
Increase drops to no more than 10-15 total per tub of water on one
use recipes, if you prefer a stronger scent. In the recipes using an 8
ounce base you can increase it up to a total of 25-30 drops.

Aromatherapy Bubble Baths that Heal the Spirit

Bubble Bath Mix - Makes One Bath
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2-3 drops essential oil

Bubble Bath Mix - Bulk Quantity
1 cup baking soda
1 cup cream of tartar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Up to 5 drops essential oil per bath (optional)
Combine the baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch in a jar. Use a
few tablespoons per bath. Add the essential oil at the time of the bath;
otherwise the baking soda will neutralize the scent during storage.

Bath Mush
1/4 cup aloe gel (the pure kind from the health food store)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sea or rock salt
1/4 cup heavy cream or powdered milk
2 t. jojoba oil (optional)
5 drops essential oil

Sounds like a gooey mess, doesn't it? But it works wonders on your
skin. It leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth. This is a blend
made right before the bath. I guess it could be stored in the
refrigerator for abut a week, but that sounds a little yucky to me.
All measurements are approximate since I usually just "eyeball" it.
You have to stir it well when you pour it into the bath water to make
it disperse, but it's worth it.

Citrus and Herb Bath

You will need:
3 or 4 chamomile tea bags
3 or 4 fresh oranges, sliced
Equal parts lavender and lemon rind

Place in a muslin bag or a square of muslin tied tightly with string. Add to warm bath as the tub and filling and while bathing.

Fairy Garden Milk Bath

This milk bath will help to nourish your skin and leave it soft and delicately scented with a delicate aroma reminiscent of a magical fairy realm!

1 cup powdered milk
5 drops Neroli
(Citrus aurantium)
2 drops Cedar wood
(Cedrus atlantica)
1 drop Rose Geranium
(Pelargonium graveolens)

Combine all ingredients in a small glass jar, stir well to combine and leave to rest for a few days. This will allow the essential oils to be absorbed into the milk powder. Run a warm bath, add the entire contents of your jar, dim the lights, light a candle then lay back and let your imagination take flight.

Nerve Tonic Bath

4 gallons water
½ cup lavender leaf and flower
½ cup oatstraw
½ cup lemon balm
1 cup whole oats

Invigorating Bath

4 gallons water
½ cup rosemary
½ cup calendula
½ cup yarrow leaf
and flower

Bedtime Bath

4 gallons water
2 cups lavender
1 cup chamomile

Pleasure Bath

4 gallons water
4 cups rose petals

De-tox Bath

4 gallons water
1 cup burdock root
1 cup elder flowers
1 cup yarrow flowers
1 cup Epsom salts

Kami's Calming Garden Bath

2 cups lavender flowers
2 cups lemon verbena leaf
1 cup rosemary leaf and flower
1 cup California poppy leaf and flower
½ cup catnip leaf

Healing Flower Bath

½ cup fresh calendula flowers
½ cup fresh lavender flowers
½ cup rose geranium leaf
½ cup fresh rose petals
¼ cup fresh peppermint leaf

Magickal Baths
Below are a couple of "quick fixes" for aspiring witches on the run.

ALL PURPOSE AURA CLEANER: Half a cup of sea or Epsom salts plus half a cup of baking soda dumped in the tub is the potion used to purify the aura and clear it of all negative attachments so that you are surrounded by a rainbow of opportunities again.

BARLEY WATER BATH: This is for protection and to dispel evil with a capital E. This is definitely the one to do if you are feeling haunted by something that seems unseemly and of supernatural origin. Boil whole barley until it is soft in a pot. Drain and save the water. Pour into the bath. Bad spirits will run like hell.

CHAMOMILE: Chamomile not only relaxes you, but you can use it as a magical bath to draw money to you. Many preparations are available commercially but you can also make an infusion out of the buds or even throw the buds directly into the bath. I do not advise this if you are allergic to ragweed.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BATH: Ok this one is completely decadent and is designed to bring more erotic pleasure into your life. First of all you should know that there are commercial chocolate bubble bath preparations out there on the market, but they can be somewhat hard to find in some areas. So what you need to do first, is mix yourself up a little glass of chocolate milk. The milk is good for your skin and the chocolate raises your serotonin levels - the pleasure chemicals in your brain. It also makes the water a very nice loving looking pink. You dump this into the tub as the hot water is pouring into the tub and then you pop nine whole cherries into the bath with you. Then you are supposed to sit there and eat each cherry, while imagining what a good time you are going to have with your lover. The little bobbing cherries are like all your "little ducks" lined up in a row when it comes to your romantic intentions. Rinse off good after this. You'll need it.

FAME AND GLORY BATH: This one is from Lexa Rosean (author of The Supermarket Sorceress series of books). I tried it and I LOVED it. Cut an apple in nine pieces, or alternately throw nine whole shiny apples into the tub. Use green and golden apples if you want your fame to come with some money attached. Then add nine bay leaves. Get in the tub and immerse yourself for exactly nine minutes, and then get out. It is supposed to be a good one for artists and writers.

GINGER-LIME BATH: You can buy this commercially (made by Ombra). Which is way easier than grating the ginger, peeling the lime and making a "bath tea" out of it, or you can cut up some ginger and lime and make an infusion of it a pot. The ginger is to relax and focus you and the lime is for self-control, discipline and a clear head. This is a great bath for those who need to "get down to business fast."

FRUIT BLOSSOM BATHS: Once again these are available commercially which will do, but it is really really nice to take a handful of blossoms from a tree and dump them in your bath. Apple Blossoms, Apricot Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms and Orange Blossoms all correspond to the planet Venus and are ideal for attracting love, fidelity and marriage proposals.

HONEYSUCKLE: You can buy this as a bubble bath or once again, just throw the flowers into the tub. Honeysuckle attracts wealth, riches, honours, marriage proposals and treasures. This is one way to draw the bird to the blossom. It also honours Chuparosa - the Divine Hummingbird of Love.

HOPS: You can buy hops in a commercially prepared bubble bath (OMBRA) or you can pour half a cup of beer in the bath for spiritual cleansing (and also a peaceful sleep.) David from Psychic Realm suggests combining a half a cup of sea salt, the juice of a lemon and a half of cup of beer for spiritual purification and protection from astral attack.

LAVENDER: Lavender corresponds to the planet Mercury and is used to improve communication, attract happiness and achieve piece of mind. It is also a very seductive flower that was used by prostitutes as a magic charm to attract customers many years ago. Many commercial preparations are available, but throwing in a few of the live buds might bring you a wealthy and generous lover.

OAT BEAUTY BATH: OK, most of us don't live near a field, but if you gather your own oats and throw the sheaves into the bathtub with you, you are performing a significant act of magical transformation. Oats are very feminine and appeal to the Goddess energies. They soften the skin, make the eyes glow and give you a youthful appearance. You can throw a cup of raw, uncooked oats into the bath if you're in hurry or you can buy a commercial preparation. Aveeno makes a good one.

ORANGE AND MINT LEAVES: This is a bath to make yourself more attractive and your skin smell really nice. Take nine mint leaves and nine orange segments and dump them in the bath with you. You don't have to eat the mint and orange leaves this time (thank God) but you can if you get hungry.) When you get out of the bath, you are not supposed to rinse off, just towel yourself off lightly so that the scent lingers. You could also try mixing an orange bath gel with a mint one.

PINEAPPLE: Pineapple juice is used to bring luck, money and wealth, and if you are a savage purist, you can throw nine chunks of the raw stuff right in your bath. However I warn you, that it is pretty messy. Some people prefer to throw in the dried rinds. Just adding a spoonful of the juice or making an infusion from the dried rinds and immersing yourself from head to toe in it for a couple of minutes should make you luckier than a leprechaun.

ROSE: Roses correspond to Venus and attract love, luck and protection. There are tons of rose-scented products on the market, including essential oils - though David from Psychic Realm points out that Essential Rose Oil is incredibly expensive and you may want to stick with fragrance oils used in perfumes and baths. If you want to go all out and make yourself a powerful love attracting bath, tint the scented water pink with a touch of food colouring and cast a pinch or two some multicoloured glitter (from a craft store) in there to strengthen your magical intentions.

ROSEMARY: Rosemary is a powerful "wish granting" herb. Ombra makes an excellent commercial bath, but you can make an infusion of this from the spice jar in your cupboard or put a bit of the essential oil in your bath (but make it just one drop - rosemary is strong and can irritate the skin - so I mean it, use one drop!) A bath in rosemary uplifts the spirits and is used to create lust, attract love and improve communication skills. It is also corresponds to the Virgin Mary, so if you are in need of a lucky break, a bath in this may enable you to be shown some mercy.

SAFFRON BATH: Saffron was sacred to the Moon and Fertility Goddess, Ashtoreth. Saffron is a very expensive spice and you need to only add a couple of strands to your bath water to turn it a yellow colour. Don't add too much or you will turn yellow. You'll be a jaundiced colour. So either make an infusion from it first or just add one strand. Saffron was used to purify oneself before healing rituals, increase psychic powers and also attract love, happiness, lust, and strength.

SAGE BATH: Sage is an herb of wisdom. Make a brew of the herb and pour it into your bath. Some companies (like Ombra and Kniepp) make a sage bath, but you can also just buy the tea bags. This is a good bath to take just before studying for a test or if you are trying to find a solution to a problem.

Mineral Mud Bath

Mud is one of nature's enriching cleansers -- drawing out the negative ions from the skin. This is as great mix for relieving conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis and skin problems such as acne and eczema.

2 drops sandalwood oil
1T. carrier oil
1 cup natural clay
1 cup ground oats
1/2 cup avocado oil

Run a warm bath. Dilute the Sandalwood oil in the carrier oil, then mix all the ingredients together to make a delicious body mud. Smooth the mud over the body while standing in the bath or shower. Allow the nourishing avocado oil to absorb into the skin by sitting on a chair or on the side of the bath for a few minutes. When dry, submerge the body in the warm bath water and allow the mud to melt away.