14 Relaxing Bath Soaks and Oils to Soothe Post-Holiday Stress
“We all feel one way before getting in a bath, and much better when we get out,” Deborah Hanekamp, a spiritual energy healer known by the moniker Mama Medicine, says. “I think that’s because it’s more than just our body being cleansed—perhaps our spirits are cleansed too.” We certainly agree with Hanekamp—water is one of the most healing natural elements. So creating the right atmosphere for a relaxing soak in the bath goes far beyond lighting candles and dimming the lights. An important element to a calming bath ritual is incorporating the right ingredients to help recalibrate your nerves and send your body into a state of relaxation. If you’re interested in going the DIY route, high-quality magnesium salts detoxify; chamomile soothes the body and mind; and flower oils including jasmine, rose, or lavender ease anxiety and bring you closer to sleep. But for the rest of us—who don’t have the time or patience to concoct our own recipes—there are chic and luxurious alternatives that require less of your time. Below, we’ve gathered a list of the most beautifully crafted and soothing soaks and oils to help you become more centered in the new year. We hope you make a point to indulge—and, in the process, relax and rejuvenate.
Aside from looking utterly charming on your bathtub ledge, this soak medley truly has everything you could want in a fine bath salt. A fine blend of mineral sea salts, Epsom salt, and Brazilian white clay help detoxify and relieve the body of any aches. There’s also a natural composition of copaiba and passion fruit seed oils, both of which are rich in cannabinoids. And, as with all of Costa Brazil’s products, the packaging is sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable.
Crafted to give the body energy and aid in overall detoxification, Elemis’s holistic formulation is superb. It not only gives the body beneficial minerals from fennel, spray-dried sea buckthorn, and lemon blended algae extracts (which help with inflammation)—but frequent use can also minimize the appearance of cellulite. This can be used as a morning or evening soak.
Inspired by the majestic grandeur of the Austrian Alps, Kaufmann’s aromatic Mountain Pine Bath Oil serves not only as a soothing bath elixir, but also a beneficial immunity booster due to the unique plant power of Austrian pine and spruce needle. This one’s ideal for when you’re feeling run-down or need a relaxing aromatherapy bath experience.
These luxurious bath tablets have been infused with Chanel’s beloved Chance sent—a beautiful mélange of rose essence, grapefruit, and jasmine absolute. This is a winning scent to enjoy during your much-needed downtime.
For centuries, Budapest has reigned as a capital for natural, majestic mineral baths. It’s only fitting for the famed Hungary-based skincare line Omorovicza to launch its own exquisite iteration of Budapest Bath Salts—a combination of unique Hungarian minerals abundant with magnesium and sulfur to help relieve inflammation and stress. The medley here also contains a fragrant blend of sage, rosemary, chamomile, and geranium. To help soften and hydrate skin, there are also pink Himalayan salts with calcium and bromide, as well as potassium-rich Dead Sea salts to alleviate sore muscles.
When we say pure aromatic luxury, we mean it. This bath salt is a divine experience of fragrance that will transport you far away—perhaps to a tasteful porcelain bathtub in a charming Italian villa.
One of our favorite bath soaks for winter, the unique soak composition infuses a healing blend of French blue clay, magnesium, and Big Sur sea salt that tends to the sorest of muscles. Rich in beneficial fatty acids, the soak is rich with olive oil ceramides, Pomegranate Sterols, and wild calendula to heal dry, irritated skin.
A post-yoga must to indulge in for your body. This clean and revitalizing magnesium salt day soak utilizes the uplifting power of aromatic juniper and sweet birch extract to simultaneously reinvigorate your body while soothing aching muscles.
Precious orange blossom extract has been widely known for centuries to naturally alleviate insomnia, anxiety, and digestion. These gloriously fragrant bath salts come beautifully packaged in nine dissolvable satchels, which create a divine elixir with woodsy notes.
An ultra-healing bath oil to help not only support emotional and sleep regulation, but also soothe a stressed-out nervous system. The medley of organic oils and essences focus on the Vagus Nerve—the main component of our parasympathetic nervous system and our 10th-longest nerve that stretches from the back of the head to the gut. Rosemary, chamomile, and lavender come together with jojoba and apricot oils to provide soothing comfort and softer skin.
Higher Dose’s packaging is not ornate, but don’t let that fool you: this bath soak is superb. This is thanks, in part, to the brand’s specialized and super-potent magnesium source (which scientific research suggests boosts serotonin levels) from the Zechstein Seabed, helping to balance exhaustion and inflammation, as well as calming your nerves.
This soak creates a lush bathing experience that resembles nothing short of a floral paradise. The brand’s founder, Hillary Peterson, drew inspiration from her own outdoor garden bathtub, infusing aloe powder and jojoba oil to hydrate even the most sensitive skin. And fragrant gardenia powder makes this scent divine.
Immerse yourself in dreaminess. Coconut milk infused with vanilla and lemon peel will not only alleviate nerves, but also transform your skin into its softest iteration yet. This product is available as travel packets as well as in full-size glass jars.
We love throwing one of these packets in a bag while traveling. Healing Dead Sea, pink Himalayan, and Epsom salts relieve your overworked mind and fatigued muscles. The blend is lightly scented with essential oils and healing components of dandelion, orange peel, and arnica and olive oils.
