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How to Draw the Perfect Bath
source:flickr by:Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort
Tips on Getting the Perfect Bath for the Ultimate At Home Spa Experience
How many times a year would you say you’ve treated yourself to a hot, candle-lit, soothing bath? We so easily get caught up in the daily grind that we forget the very thought of such a simple indulgence. And once you do remember, you wonder how you let yourself go for so long without it. After all, it’s such an easy and affordable reward after a hard day’s work or for taking care of the family.
Here are some tips on getting the perfect bath for the ultimate at home spa experience:
1. Make sure to set aside some time to clean the tub, the tiles and whatever possible grime you don’t want to be fixated on while you’re enjoying your bath. After all, a clean, tidy bathroom enhances your at home spa experience and helps lift your mood and calm your senses. Allow some time for the cleaning solvents to air out, and light a few scented candles to help speed up the process.
2. Next, create a playlist or bring out your favorite CDs to listen to for the perfect spa-like ambience. Some people prefer the recorded sounds of nature (running stream, waves crashing, birds chirping, etc.), while others like to listen to chill personal faves (whether it’s ambient electronic, indie rock or some soothing reggae or island beats). A laptop is the best way to listen to both your digital music and your CDs, and it’s obviously easier to transport into the bathroom. And if silence is a rarity, you may want to relish the sounds of nothingness instead.
3. Bring out your best towels, bath slippers and bath robe (if you have them). Enveloping yourself in them after a long, hot bath is like icing on the cake. It enhances your at home spa experience by adding a touch of elegance and luxury–making you feel like you’re actually away on vacation at some remote resort (remember, the key to these at home spa treatments is to remove yourself from the ordinary using your imagination).
4. And if you’re the type to get restless if you’re not doing anything, grab a book or a magazine to keep you busy as you sit and stew.
5. Fill the tub with water hot enough that you can tolerate, and slowly pour in bath crystals (like lavender for its soothing aroma, chamomile to calm and de-stress) and aromatherapy essential oils like rosemary and peppermint for their stimulating and invigorating effects, or vanilla for its anti-anxiety and sedative properties for a sound slumber. And finally, nothing tops off a bath like bubbles–and lots of them! To get a bath filled with bubblies, add liquid glycerin soap–a natural humectant that attracts moisture, which is a better alternative to commercial soaps that can dry out your skin.
6. Now you’re ready to slip into a hot bath and steep in it for however long it takes to calm the nerves, the senses and dissolve your worries until you can no longer stand wrinkled, pruny skin.
So there you have it. You don’t need to break the bank to spoil yourself with a spa day. After all, your home is your sanctuary, your personal space. It’s only right that you should be able to relax and unwind more ways than one in the comfort of your own home.