Everything You Need to Have the Ultimate Relaxing Bath

We recommend starting with a good dry brushing of your bod before you sink into the tub, and this palm-sized brush is a good one to use for the deed. Apparently dry brushing can help with circulation, but honestly, it just feels good and helps slough off dead, dry skin.

Ready to set a mood? We recommend this candle from Paddywax to make it happen, offered in a ceramic vessel inspired by the Japanese tradition of tea and sake. The candle itself smells amazing, with top notes including bergamot and fig, middle notes of rose and vetiver, and base notes of cedar, musk and patchoul.

But if you have a scent sensitivity or live in a candle-free household, you can alter the mood lighting in other ways, like with these smart lightbulbs. These are dimmable and full color changing, so you can alter the tone of the room according to your aura if that’s your jam. They also communicate with Alexa or Google Home via Bluetooth.

May we recommend some music? As tempting as it is to just pop in your Air Pods while you soak, you wouldn’t want them to slide out of your ears and into the tub. Instead, get this cost-effective Bluetooth speaker that’s perfect for bathroom use, connect your phone, and play whatever tunes (or meditations) get you in the zone.

Whether you want to do a conditioning treatment while you soak or just want to get your hair out of the way, this hair turban is a great addition to your haircare routine. True, it’s meant to wick water away and reduce breakage and frizz when you’re done washing, but it also works for holding your hair in place during deep treatments or tub time.

Last but not least for your pre-bath prep, a beverage does nicely to soothe the nerves. True, you could go with wine or champers, if you’re feeling extra, but in our experience, soaking in hot water plus drinking alcohol doesn’t do good things for your body. Instead, this tea from Juniper Ridge is a delightful experience from start to finish, with earthy sage mixing with fresh, bright peppermint to soothe your stomach, and your soul.

Let’s get into your bath additives. We like to layer ours, both for relaxation and for skincare benefits. This CBD bath salt from Lord Jones covers both bases, with a mixture f epsom and Himalayan pink salts along with 240mg of CBD. And it only takes one little scoop in the tub to help your stress melt away.

Then, we add in a couple cups of these magnesium flakes. Think of them as super-powered epsom salts, but better. Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate, but these flakes are magnesium chloride, which is better suited for topical use and works more efficiently in releasing muscle tension and reducing stress. 

While you’re layering salts in your bath, how about a little dash of these from Bath Culture? Inspired by the mineral-rich hot springs that line California’s fault, this blend of salts, green clay, and jojoba oil will help you detoxify, unwind, and nourish your skin while you soak.

We also swear by this power-packed elixir from Pursoma. Dump the entire bag into your bath, and marvel at how the ingredients co-mingle to give your stress a knockout punch. Sea salt aids in stimulating circulation and blood flow, Montmorillonite clay helps to attract unhealthy, positively charged radiation that accumulates in the body and assists in absorbing toxic build-up, while Spirulina and Laminaria help nourish the skin to restore hydration and vitality. Yes, please.

If salts aren’t your thing, how about a milk bath? They say Cleopatra used to bathe in milk to keep her skin soft and supple, but her milk of choice supposedly came from donkeys. This one from Herbivore is a better choice, if you ask us. It softens and hydrates your skin using organic coconut milk, and it smells amazing.

You could even toss in a bath bomb to amplify the experience, like this delicious bath bomb from Bathorium. It’s made with organic virgin coconut oil, creamy coconut milk, lavender essential oils and hibiscus to soothe dry skin and make you smell fantastic when you step out of the tub.

Sometimes, a classic bubble bath is all you need to melt your cares away. These bubbles from Kai feature a blend of natural oils and sugar-derived ingredients to help soften skin, while argan oil hydrates and invigorates. Plus, it smells like sweet gardenias.

Or, you could go the oil route and try this sampler of miniature bath and shower oils from Aromatherapy Associates. Featuring a range of scents designed to address your wellbeing needs, like “Deep Relax” or “Support” among others, all you need to do is rub the oil on your bod, deeply inhale what’s left on your hands, then step into the tub and soak.

Another option if you’re into the layering thing? This soothing bath tea. It’s made with oats, roses, flowers, and epsom salt to nourish your skin and slough off the dead stuff. But even better: each bath “serving” comes in a little tea sachet, which means no messy clean-up at the end of your soak. Score!

Of course, doing a mask is a bath time must, but most of them will melt off your face, especially if you get the sweats in hot water. This mask from 100% Pure will stay put where you place it. Plus, it’s formulated to be ultra-hydrating and anti-aging, with ginseng to promote collagen production, and 95% aloe hydrogel material to soothe tired, stressed skin.

Before you exit the tub, it’s a good idea to give your bod a good scrub, especially if you didn’t dry brush before hand. This nylon and cotton mitt was made for exfoliation. Just lather it up with soap and make circular scrubs to soften your skin. 

All that soaking and scrubbing and buffing and whatnot has primed your skin for lotion. We don’t mean to sound overly dramatic, but this lotion from 100% Pure changed our lives… or maybe more accurately, our skin. It has a light scent of eucalyptus in the form of a thick, rich cream that melts into your skin without a trace, and leaves it feeling soft and hydrated right up to your next shower or bath.

What better way to close out your bath than with a comfy, cozy, snuggly robe? This one is full-length with a loose design and long sleeves, made of plush materials that’ll make you feel like you’re wrapping yourself into a hug. It’s available in size up to an XL and comes with a hood or without, depending on your preference.