Mae West said it right when she famously declared “When in doubt, take a bath”.
What’s not relaxing about a hot soak where troubles melt away with each passing minute? The baptismal experience acts as a reset for the mind, body and soul, providing rejuvenation as one of life’s greatest and simplest pleasures. If this doesn’t sound like something you experience when you take a dip, you can’t be doing it right.
A bath can be the basis for the ultimate self-care ritual. Light a candle to set the ambience, invest in a bath tray so you can indulge in the latest good read (or just keep that glass of vino close) and indulge in a bubble bath.
No matter your age, few feel stressed or in a bad mood when encased in bubbles around. In fact, there’s such a thing called Bubble Therapy where according to the Colorado Department of Education, they can even have health benefits for those with mental health crises, depression or physical injuries to encourage healing and as an act of daily mindfulness. Beyond classic bubbles, there are oils and soaks too as well as playful bath bombs and dissolvable bath salts.
When it comes to choosing the scented soak to suit your submerging, look out for ingredients with aromatherapy benefits. We’re talking lavender or rosemary for soothing or invigorating respectively or components lauded for muscle recovery like Epsom salts or magnesium.
You will also want an infusion of nourishing oils that will hydrate your limbs so that you emerge from the water serene and content.
Shop the best bubble baths below
Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Honey Bath
Very much a cult product, Laura Mercier’s Honey Bath has long been considered a holy grail item for beauty fans everywhere for a decadent bath experience. The brand uses Shea Butter and vanilla extracts to nourish the skin. Add to running water by twirling the formula around the honey dipper.
Buy now £57.67, Amazon
Lavender Foaming Bath
There’s a reason why L’Occitane’s Lavender Foaming Bath is a bestseller. The addictive aroma promotes calm and relaxation as soon as you breathe it in. A little goes a long way to producing a full-flowing effervescent and the bottle is refillable to help reduce waste.
Buy now £29.50, John Lewis
Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam
If you are having trouble sleeping, draw yourself a warm bath and add the relaxing aromas of Neom’s Bath Foam which promotes a long and deep rest. Using only natural fragrances, it combines the soothing ingredients of aloe and sweet almond oil with marshmallow and coconut oil as well as English lavender, sweet basil & jasmine and 16 other essential oils.
Buy now £25.00, Amazon
Susanne Kaufmann Mallow Bubble Bath
Unwind while lathering up with Susanne Kaufmann’s immunity-boosting bubble bath that also works wonders for stressed-out skin. Leaving it feeling supple and hydrated, it is crafted from the combination of soothing mallow extract with uplifting pine oil and detoxifying juniper berry oil.
Buy now £50.00, Liberty
The Ritual of Sakura Bath Foam
The Rituals collections are all about encouraging a moment of self-care without a hefty price tag. The Bath Foam will do exactly that, transforming your bathroom into a relaxing onsen in the middle of cherry blossom season. The Sakura range infuses its formulas with the soft floral aroma of the famed trees of the same name as well as rice milk that leaves your skin smooth and glowing.
Buy now £17.90, Rituals
Dr Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Foaming Bath to Soothe and Sleep with Lavender
Dr Teal’s uses mineral-enriched formulas to encourage you to make the most out of your time in the bath by releasing tense muscles, and soothing your senses. Essential oils and Epsom salts work in tandem to nourish your body, while lavender is calming to encourage a deep slumber.
Buy now £8.09, Amazon
Cowshed Baby Bubble Bath
This may be part of Cowshed’s designated range for babies but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate it into adult bathing rituals. The luxury formula combines a soothing blend of mandarin, chamomile and magnolia that are chosen for their gentle sedative properties and makes this a great pre-bed ritual for the whole family to lay the groundwork for a full, uninterrupted sleep. There’s also lavender and rose for added soothing scents.
Buy now £16.00, Cowshed
Vieve BATHLEISURE
Makeup artist Jamie Genevieve has expanded her eponymous brand into the realms of body and the collection is spearheading a revolution. BATHLEISURE, as the collection has been dubbed, is all about elevating our daily ablutions and this is made possible through the offering that includes a Bath & Body Soak, Bath, Body & Massage Oil, Bath Salts and the sumptuous VIEVE Robe. To round it off, a candle to set the ambience for your tub time featuring the notes that you’ll catch a whiff of throughout; amber and santal.
Buy now £25.00, Vieve
Best bath oil and soaks for ultimate relaxation
ESPA Fortifying Bath Oil
If you’re a fan of a good spa day, ESPA’s Fortifying Bath Oil will probably smell a little familiar the first time you use it. A popular choice in spas across the UK, this beautiful oil adds an extra touch of luxe to your Sunday evening bath time and deserves to be paired with your favourite tea and a good face mask.
Fusing together purifying tea tree and eucalyptus to help strengthen and invigorate your body, it’s a naturally nourishing bath oil that harnesses the potency of aromatherapy one soak at a time.
Buy now £36.00, lookfantastic
Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath Oil
Created as a “coping mechanism in a bottle”, Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath Oil is immersion therapy at its finest, with anxiety-quelling clary sage and geranium to balance scattered emotions.
Buy now £58.00, Space NK
Susanne Kaufmann Bath Oil For The Senses
Whoever said bath stuff made for a boring birthday or Christmas present had clearly never been gifted a bottle of Susanne Kaufmann’s Bath Oil For The Senses.
This premium bath oil smells delicious from the moment its first drop hits the water. A soothing, sensory experience that utilises ylang-ylang, patchouli and lavender, it promises a relaxing and calming experience that stimulates the body and leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated.
Buy now £30.00, Cult Beauty
This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak
The clue’s in the name with This Works’ Deep Sleep Bath Soak. A top choice after a stressful day when you really just need to switch off and get an early night, this soothing bath soak promises to wash away the energy of the day and replaces it with its therapeutic bath salts.
A pre-bedtime soak using this bottle helps to ease away any lingering tension from your day and leave skin lightly fragranced with its gorgeous blend of lavender, vetiver and chamomile. Just add a spoonful and let it dissolve before hopping in.
Buy now £26.00, Boots
Bamford B Silent Night Time Bath Concentrate
When your schedule is out of whack, Bamford’s B Silent Night Time Bath Concentrate is a powerful natural sedative with a potent blend of chamomile, lavender flower and vetiver root essential oils. To treat the skin, the addition of apricot kernel oil leaves it silky soft.
Buy now £76.00, Harvey Nichols
REN Clean Skincare Atlantic Kelp and Microalgae Anti-Fatigue Bath Oil
Ren’s Atlantic Kelp and Microalgae Anti-Fatigue Bath Oil is liquid pep. To ease racing minds and weary limbs, the combination of the named Atlantic kelp and plankton extracts with omega-rich microalgae oil nourishes the skin, while the brand’s own anti-fatigue essential oils provides destressing aromatherapy.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Aromatherapy Associates Relax Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil
Aromatherapy Associates knows what’s what in the world of bath soaks and this is a top hit if you’re looking to really switch off in a long, hot bath. Made using all of the most relaxing ingredients for an unbeatably chill experience, this bath oil incorporates patchouli, chamomile and sandalwood in a bottle that you’ll adore using each time.
If you need to slow down, instil peace and tranquillity, have a worry free mind and a restful night’s sleep, this bath soak from Aromatherapy Associates is the one for you.
Buy now £58.00, lookfantastic
ilapothecary Magnesium and Amethyst Deep Relax Bath Soak
The use of magnesium in this bath soak makes it a perfect choice for aching muscles or anyone who’s spent a little too long at the gym. The ilapothecary Magnesium and Amethyst Deep Relax Bath Soak includes a luxurious mixture of oils, including juniper berry and petitgrain, as well as nourishing mineral salts and magnesium.
The result? Everything you need to calm your body down just before bed. Its added benzoin targets your adrenal functions and washes away anxiety while precious amethyst encourages a reduction in inflammation and an increase in collagen.
Buy now £59.01, lookfantastic
