What is bath tea? Benefits and bath recipes to beat the winter blues

Winter is officially here! The cold has made its way into our lives and we've had the delightful surprise of waking up to a blanket of fresh snow covering the streets. Now that the joy of Christmas and New Year's Eve has passed, we need to find a way to make it through the darkest months of the year.

At a time like this, self-care is especially important. With the cold wreaking havoc on our bodies and the darkness impacting our mental health, it is crucial to find ways to take care of yourself. Think of it as an essential task of your week. Our bodies and mind need rest just as much as they need food or exercise.

In this article we will explore some of the wellness benefits of having a long bath soak. We've also included a few recipes that use ingredients from our Bath Brew Kit as the base. They are all designed specifically to help wash away your winter woes.

Happiness is a long hot bath

A bath is the perfect wintertime treat to take care of your body and mind. In Japanese culture, for instance, it is common for houses to have an 'ofuro': a bathtub meant specifically for relaxing and warming the body. Those bathtubs are not used to wash. In fact, you're only meant to enter the 'ofuro' after you've already had a quick shower!

This is the first and most obvious benefit: baths are warm and comfy. Every evening when I leave the office to go home, I get hit by a wall of ice-cold air stinging my face and numbing my hands. Whenever that happens, I love to imagine myself getting comfortable in a hot bath, the calming water warming and soothing my tired limbs. Can you picture it for yourself? Doesn't it feel lovely?

There are also many health benefits to bathing: lower blood pressure, soothed muscles, better sleep, relieved stress... Baths have many of the same advantages as massages - with the added perk of being a lot cheaper!

Tea time, Me time

Bath tea, also known as bath brew or bath soak, is an easy and 100% natural way of making your bath time even more restorative. As its name might indicate, bath tea infuses your bath water with flowers, herbs, and salts to make it more nourishing and relaxing. In a word, bath tea does for your skin what regular tea does for your body. Depending on what you add to your bath, it can relieve muscle soreness, calm anxiety, or brighten dry and dull skin. 

Bath tea recipes to wash away winter woes

There are countless bath brew recipes that you can try, each with different results. If you don't know where to start, our Bath Brew Kit contains everything you need to make your first bath tea blends! It has a reusable cotton tea bag, and bamboo scoop to measure out your ingredients. We've filled the box with seven different types of botanicals and bath salts specifically picked to get a wide range of benefits. The kit also includes a detailed instruction booklet with descriptions of the different ingredients and a list of our favourite recipes!

All of the recipes below use the ingredients in our kit as well as some extra items to give the blends that something special. They are all designed to be perfect for this time of year, so put on some music, light a few candles and let yourself be transported to a world of well-being.

Tea Cabinet Comfort

• 4 scoops of Himalayan Salt
• 4 scoops of epsom Salt
• 5 scoops of oats
• 4 tea bags of your choice (not included in our kit)

Sometimes, bath tea can just be tea! This very simple recipe still packs a punch and can give great results depending on the type of tea you choose. The minerals and oats provide texture to the water and nourishment to your skin, and the teas provide aroma and therapeutic benefits. Try to choose natural teas that don't have added flavourings or colourings.

Green Tea is filled with antioxidants and will help your skin fight environmental irritants. It's also very soothing for both your skin and your muscles.

Black tea reduces inflammation, acting to erase redness or irritations like bug bites or sunburns. It has incredible cleansing properties that work well on spots and blemishes.

Camomile is renowned for its calming characteristic, making it the most relaxing bath tea! It will soothe your mind and soften your skin in no time. For a recipe that really maximises the benefits of Camomile also check out the Quiet Night In blend below.

Quiet Night In

• 4 scoops of Himalayan Salt
• 4 scoops of epsom Salt
• 5 scoops of oats
• 1 pinch marigold flowers
• 2 camomile tea bags (not included in our kit)
• 1 sprig of dried lavender (not included in our kit)
• 1 scoop rose petals

Say goodbye to all your worries! This delicate blend will sing you to a deep, restorative sleep. The chamomile flower is the queen of rest: it is usually used in infusions to treat anxiety and sleeplessness. Lavender, also well-known for its calming properties, brings a deeper layer of relaxation with its sweet smell. Not only can it be used to appease the mind, lavender and marigold also have anti-inflammatory benefits which encourage healing and cell renewal. Finally, the oats and minerals will nourish and rejuvenate your skin. Great for dry or ageing skin, rose petals go the extra mile to turn this bath into a luxurious, spa-like experience.

Date With Yourself

• 4 scoops of himalayan salt
• 4 scoops of epsom salt
• 5 scoops of oats
• 2 whole hibiscus flowers (not included in the kit)
• 2 scoops rose petals
• 1 scop citrus peel

If you've been feeling like lately you've not had a minute to yourself, this is the bath brew for you. Sweet and decadent, it's a real treat for anyone looking for a bit of self-care. The rose petals and hibiscus work together to create the most romantic aromatic atmosphere. They also share anti-ageing and moisturising properties to make your skin feel bright and soft. Lemon peel is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. It will give you an energy boost and put a smile on your face! It can be replaced with orange peel if you'd like a sweeter smell. This blend also works great if you want to share a bath with that extra special someone.

Is having a bath sustainable?

'But what about sustainability?', I hear you ask. We'll admit that baths are a bit of an environmental luxury. They use up a lot of water and energy. But as with everything, they are a matter of balancing your carbon footprint. Baths are a treat that should be enjoyed as such! By being environmentally conscious wherever you can, you'll be able to enjoy a few baths a year guilt-free. We give you permission!

Also note that if you're unfamiliar with any ingredients, you should always make sure to do a skin test before you use it in a bath. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, always consult your GP before you use any product you're unsure about.