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| Home > Personal Care with Aromatherapy > Aromatherapy Bath
| | | Aromatherapy Bath
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 An aromatherapy bath can never be short of pleasurable experience to quick therapy. The supple skin from exposure to water along with warm ambience of the room makes the oils effectively absorbed and even faster to work. If we incorporate few minutes of aromatic experience in our daily routine, it will give the effects throughout the day and in the long run. Not to mention that lying relaxed in an envelop of fragrance in the bath tub is simply divine.
Even if the facility of spa is but a distant one, you can always benefit from the strong aromas dissolved in warm water for total upliftment of body and mind. One can mix essential oils and match it with the body requirements to get the unique kind of experience of one`s desires.
 To get the best from an aromatherapy bath, make sure that everything is as comfortable and cozy as possible before you get undressed. And choose the right aroma oil for right effect. They are particularly good to energize or relax, to soothe itchy, dry or sun burnt skin, relieve muscular aches, PMT or cramps, or treat a cold, hangover or headache. In summer, floral or citrus baths are very refreshing. In winter, green, spicy or woody ones are the most warming and relaxing.
Ten Best Aromatherapy baths:
If you want to add single oil to your bath the best all-rounder at any time of the year are:
· For sedative and relaxing effects use Frankincense.
· For melancholy and depression, try Bergamot.
· For insomnia or itchy skin try Chamomile.
· For relaxing but uplifting effects try Geranium.
· Try Jasmine when you are stressed out or tired.
· Try Lavender for relaxing and soothing effect.
· Use Neroli as anti depressant.
· Patchouli is for energizing effects.
· Rose induces romantic and happy feelings.
· Sandalwood invokes intimate sensuality.
How to proceed
Make sure that the phone is off the hook, the door is closed and no one is to distract you from mid bath. Soft lighting and warm (a bit steamy) ambience will add to the effect.
When the above requisites are fulfilled then add few drops of essential oil to the water. Close the window to retain the aroma in the room. The quantity may vary from 3-4 drops to 7-8 drops.
The nose will register the fragrance only for few minutes before getting habituated. Even if you are tempted to add more after a while, you should refrain from doing so. Much extra oil may actually irritate the skin. The best way is to take soak oneself in a bathtub, with the neck resting on a rolled towel. You can also use soothing eye pads to relax while having the experience.
In general, add up to ten drops of essential oil for one bath, but some of the stronger-smelling oils such as eucalyptus, peppermint, bay, basil, lime, lemon,
Thyme and rosemary need only five drops per bath to be effective. Use a single oil alone, or mix up to three different ones per bath, but don`t put any more than
this for they will only cancel one another`s benefits out.
When choosing oils, use ones with similar or complementary effects. They fall into three main categories - stimulating, relaxing, or therapeutic oils may be added to either of the other two types, but mixing relaxing and stimulating oils together may cancel out any good they do on their own.
To inspire you to experiment further on your own, here is a selection of tried and tested bath time recipes that soothe body, mind and soul in one go.
RELAXING BATHS
In summer or hot weather
· 4 drops lavender, 4 drops Neroli and 2 drops geranium.
· 4 drops mandarin, 4 drops geranium and 2 drops pine.
In winter or cold weather
· 3 drops sandalwood, 3 drops Ylang-ylang and 2 drops pine.
· 4 drops patchouli, 2 drops ginger and 2 drops frankincense.
After a hard day
· 5 drops rose and 5 drops lavender.
· 3 drops chamomile, 3 drops geranium and 2 drops patchouli.
For her
· 3 drops rose, 3 drops jasmine and 4 drops Neroli.
· 3 drops ylang-ylang, 3 drops sandalwood and 3 drops jasmine.
For him
· 3 drops pine, 2 drops Charnomile and 2 drops of lemon.
· 4 drops frankincense, 2 drops basil or 3 drops sandalwood.
ENERGISING BATHS
In summer or hot weather
· 2 drops each Basil, Patchouli and Juniper.
· 3 drops Rosemary, 3 drops Mint and 3 drops Lemon.
In winter or cold weather
· 3 drops Eucalyptus, 3 drops Clary sage and 2 drops Mint.
· 3 drops Petitgrain, 3 drops Bergamot and 2 drops of Lemon.
After a hard day
· 5 drops patchouli and 4 drops mint.
· 4 drops rosemary, 4 drops thyme and 2 drops mint.
For her
· 4 drops Ylang-Ylang and 4 drops Petitgrain.
· 2 drops each mint, Clary sage and Basil.
For him
· 3 drops rosemary, 3 drops mint and 2 drops juniper.
· 4 drops each thyme and basil.
THERAPEUTIC BATHS
Bath for cough and cold
· 3 drops pine, 2 drops lemon and 2 drops tea-tree.
· 3 drops eucalyptus, 3 drops lavender and 2 drops mint.
Bath for dry or itchy skin.
· 5 drops lavender and 5 drops Chamomile.
· 4 drops rose, 4 drops chamomile and 2 drops jasmine.
Bath for aches and pains
· 4 drops eucalyptus, 3 drops Clary sage and 3 drops of thyme.
· 3 drops marjoram, 2 drops ginger and 4 drops rosemary.
Bath for sleeplessness
· 2 drops each ylang-ylang, rose, lavender and Neroli.
· 3 drops chamomile, 2 drops camphor, 2 drops juniper.
Bath for headache or hangover
· 5 drops each rose and lavender (plus some ice folded in a towel as a neck pillow)
· 2 drops mint, 2 drops lemon and 4 drops marjoram.
AQUATHERAPY TREATMENT
 Having a good form of aqua therapy just before essential oil massage or moisturizer application is also a good booster to the body. Water having different temperatures have different effects on the body.
A cold shower (65-75F/18-24C) will invigorate you, while a warm one (85-95F/30-35C) will relax you and soothes the ache.
If a lukewarm water (75-85F/24-30C) will leave you sleepy, then a hot shower (95F/35C or more) will leave you feel weak.
Pregnant ladies, high BP people, should avoid hot shower along with people having vein related or heart problems.
A thorough water treatment to your body will leave your body and mind more receptive to the aromatic boons of the essential oil application.
It depends upon what you want to do after the bath that you have to choose the aquatic temperature. For example, a warm water bath is suffice for relaxing. But suppose you are stressed out and want to go somewhere, then a warm water bath, followed by mixing a cold one will relax and energize you simultaneously.
Best Cold Bath Oils
· 10 drops geranium.
· 5 drops peppermint.
· 5 drops lemon.
· 8 drops violet.
· 8 drops mimosa.
Best Hot Bath Oil
· 6 drops chamomile.
· 8 drops Neroli.
· 8 drops frankincense.
· 6 drops Ylang-ylang.
· 10 drops lavender.
THE AROMATIC SHOWER
Using essential oils under the shower is not quite as therapeutic as using them in the bath. Since the water is always running, a lot of the oil and its aroma go down the plughole. It is best to use aromatic showers as a way to wake up your mind and body, because it is quite difficult to relax deeply when you`re standing up!
The best way to avoid wasting essential oils in the shower is to mix them first with a carrier oil, then massage them in before you get under the spray. Or you can dip a sponge into the mixture and rub it over your body while you shower. If you have a deep base to your shower, you can make it more aromatic by locking up the plug so the oils vaporize in the warm water at the bottom.
Best Shower Oils
· Basil.
· Mandarin.
· Bergamot.
· Orange.
· Lemongrass .
· Peppermint.
· Lime.
· Pine.
THE ESSENTIAL FOOTBATH
All you need is a large basin or square bucket, hot water, a warm towel, a comfortable seat at the most relaxing height and the right essential oils. Just add them, drop by drop, to the water before you slip your feet in. Then you can inhale the most chosen treat for you aromatic senses, and let the most tired organ of the body to relax as well. The footbath warms and relaxes all the tiny support muscles, releases trapped nerves, improves the blood circulation and soothes aches and pains.
STIMULATING FOOTBATHS
· 2 drops bay and 4 drops of ginger.
· 4 drops citronella and 4 drops angelica.
RELAXING FOOTBATHS
· 5 drops basil.
· 3 drops lavender and 3 drops geranium.
THERAPEUTIC FOOTBATHS
For aching feet
· 4 drops thyme and 4 drops chamomile
· 4 drops eucalyptus and 3 drops pine.
For athlete`s foot
· 3 drops birch and 6 drops geranium.
· 8 drops tea-tree.
Excessive sweating
· 6 drops lemongrass.
· 4 drops bergamot and 4 drops citronella.
Footbaths and hand baths are especially helpful if you are elderly or want to target one specific organ rather than the full aromatic bath experience.
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