A restorative self-care project.

We’re big fans of getting crafty, and we especially love a DIY that benefits our health and wellness. So today we’re sharing our favorite self-care project, perfect for nights in when you need to really unwind. If you love a good bath, this is the perfect way to maximize your self-care time with health benefits while you soak in the tub. What’s the difference between a regular old bath soak and a bath tea? A bath tea is kept in a muslin or cloth tea bag so there is no messy clean up after your relaxing bath time. As anyone who has taken an herbal bath can attest, they are notorious for leaving little piles of sticks, flower petals, and leaves around your tub. That’s why simply placing your bath salt mixture into little tea bags is such a great hack—you get all of the benefits without the frustrating cleanup!

Bath Soak Benefits

This DIY uses Epsom salts which contain magnesium and other minerals for your body to absorb, and therefore can offer health benefits, such as:

• Promotes relaxation and sleep quality

• Reduces fatigue and anxiety

• Relief from muscle tension and muscle spasms

• Improves circulation

• Boosts Magnesium mineral absorption

• Relieves headaches

• Improves skin hydration and conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne

• Joint pain relief

Using lavender essential oil adds aromatherapy benefits to this bath tea as well. Lavender essential oil contains chemical components such as linalool which can act as an anxiety reliever and sedative. This is why smelling lavender helps you relax and can make drifting off to sleep easier.

What You’ll Need

• 2 cups Epsom salt

• 25 drops of lavender essential oil (feel free to swap for a different scent or aromatherapy benefit)

• Handful of dried lavender or rose petals

• 4-5 muslin cloth tea bags

Directions

Combine the Epsom salt and dried petals in a bowl. Then add the essential oil drops and stir until there are no clumps in the mixture. Fill your tea bags with the mixture and store them in an airtight container. Make more as needed!

When you’re ready to use, simply throw a teabag or two into your hot bath water to steep as you run the bath. The botanicals will continue to infuse the water while you soak. Soak for at least 20 minutes to maximize mineral absorption. When you are done bathing, remove the teabags and compost or dispose of the herbs inside. To reuse the cloth bags, I like to turn them inside out, place them inside a delicates bag, and wash them in my next load of laundry.