Treat your skin to luxury on a budget

A lot of us are under a lot of stress and are looking for an easy, inexpensive way to relax. This, coupled with the fact that the weather has been sunny today, rainy tomorrow has left our skin’s natural PH a little unbalanced; taxing not just our skin but also our spirits.

To help lift your spirits and rejuvenate your skin naturally without applying harmful chemicals to your skin and breaking the bank, a relaxing soak may be the perfect way to melt away the stress. With the addition of a few natural, pampering ingredients, you can soothe your skin and transform your tub into a spirit-lifting experience.

Since ancient times, people have immersed themselves in a warm bath to cleanse, relax, refresh, rejuvenate, and heal. Soaking in a warm bath can help soothe sensitive skin, promote circulation, relax our muscles so we sleep better and help relieve congestion from common colds.

Here are some tips to guide you.

. Add oatmeal to provide soothing relief for dry skin. Grind about one cup of oatmeal into a fine powder, run a warm bath and shake the powder into the bathtub as it fills. Place one cup of oats into a muslin bag and add the oat bag to the tub as it fills.

. Adding milk to bathwater has been done for centuries as a quick and easy way to moisturize and soften skin. Simply add a few cups of whole milk to a tub of warm water.

. Honey, a natural humectant, has been used for thousands of years as a topical healing agent all across the world. Honey not only helps to moisturize the skin but it helps it retain moisture, and even those with sensitive, easily irritated skin can use it. If you’re battling dry skin, a honey bath may be the ideal prescription. Simply add two to four tablespoons of raw honey to a running bath

. Natural bath oil. This simple beauty secret can make your skin soft, smooth and hydrated. You can use almost any oil that your skin likes, such as olive, coconut or sunflower. Use organic body oils formulated with a rich blend of oils infused with skin-loving organic botanicals and can double as a natural body oil, bath oil, an all-over body massage or an after shower moisturizer to lavish your skin with love.

. Natural bath salt works like magic. A medley of soothing mineral-rich salts enhances the natural healing effects of a warm bath.

. Organic herbal bath teas are a soothing addition to a warm bath and can also be used as an “herbal washcloth” for very dry skin.

. Mix and match, get creative and vary your bathing routine. Create an oatmeal and honey bath; a honey and milk bath; or a botanical salt bath. The pampering possibilities are endless.

Gently pat skin dry after. Remember that vigorous rubbing can irritate sensitive skin. Above all, remember to get the most from a moisturizer, use it immediately after a bath or shower very generously.