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Once a week, Mr Tiara Tribe watches me glide into the bathroom, close the door, and hang an imaginary ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door. He knows that in an hour’s time I will reappear glowing and relaxed after taking the best detox bath.
My detox baths give me time to recharge and are a mini maintenance ritual in wonderful wellness. I like to help my body detox because toxins can build up, especially when I’m stressed out or not eating well and my body has a lot to deal with.
Your skin is designed to detox
Your body is actually a detox machine. It gets rid of toxins in many ways, one of which is through your largest detox organ – the skin!
Just keep in mind that your skin will sweat out toxins during the bath, but it will also absorb through the skin what you put into your bath.
The benefits of a detox bath
In a nutshell, the benefits of a detox bath can be:
- An awesome night’s sleep (my favorite perk)
- Reduced overall inflammation / swelling in the body
- Less toxins
- Reduced stress levels and increased happiness
- Improved overall nutrient absorption, especially magnesium
- Reduced muscle stiffness after exercise
- Alleviated cold and flu symptoms
- Reduced itchy skin
- Constipation relief
- Regulated blood sugar
- Soothed headaches
Those sound like some pretty good reasons to soak in a hot tub and forget about the world for an hour.
Download the free printable here:
Carry on reading here for the full article on how to take the best detox bath:
Get a pretty bowl ready to mix your ingredients together…
1: Mix the main ingredients for your detox bath
All detox baths start with a salty base, to replenish magnesium in the body and relax the muscles. You can use 2 cups of Epsom salts or 2 cups of sea salt for this.
Now add 1 cup of baking soda. This neutralizes any chemicals in the water and exfoliates the skin.
Voila! Your base is ready.
2: Add the extra ingredients to the detox bath base
Now you can choose what you want to add to your base, depending on what you need that night.
Here are some wonderful extras you can try and what they do for you:
-
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar – to soothe dry skin and relieve sunburn
- 1/4 cup of freshly grated ginger – to open pores and facilitate detoxification; also fights colds and flu
- 1 cup of milk powder or coconut milk powder – to moisturize and hydrate the skin
- 1/3 cup of coconut oil – to reduce wrinkles
- 1 cup of oats – to relieve skin irritations
- 2-3 sliced lemons – to make you happier and pull out toxins
- 10 drops of your favorite high-quality essential oils –
Tea tree oil for healing
Ylang ylang for a soothing bath
Lavender or jojoba oil to relax
Lemon or orange for an invigorating experience
-
- 0.5 cup of food-grade Bentonite clay – to cleanse the skin
If you are using Bentonite clay for your detox, you can use it in one of two ways:
- Mix the clay with a little water to form a paste. Spread the paste directly onto your skin while the water is running and leave it to dry for at least five minutes. Then climb into the bath and start your soak. You can wash off any clay that is left on your skin with a washcloth before getting out of the bath.
- Or you can mix the clay with a little water and add the paste directly to the bath water. Use a plastic bowl and spoon to mix the paste – never use metal to mix the clay.
Play around with these ingredients and use more or less of them, as you prefer, but keep the base the same.
The more baths you take, the more you will learn what you like and what serves you best.
3: Mix with a fork
Mix all your detox ingredients together with a fork, to avoid clumping.
4: Run a very hot bath and add your detox mixture
♥ Start running the bath water and make it as hot as you can stand it. Throw in your detox mixture and shake the water with your hand to help the ingredients dissolve.
♥ Keep the bathroom door closed to keep in the heat and make a steam room.
♥ Put on relaxing music and light some candles for a soothing spa-like effect.
♥ Drink a big glass of water.
5: Now get in and soak away your troubles
Climb into the bath and submerge yourself in the hot water, up to your neck. The first 10 minutes or so will feel like any normal bath. Then the detoxing seems to kick in, and you will feel very warm and should start sweating.
Try to keep all of your body under the water during this time, to really let it work.
Once in the bath, take some deep breaths and really let yourself relax into the warmth.
Drink lots of water during and after your detox bath, otherwise you risk becoming dehydrated. I drink cold water while in the bath as it really quenches my thirst.
If you can stay under the water for 30 to 45 minutes then that’s great – but don’t get out before 20 minutes are up or you won’t fully benefit from the soak.
6: Get out and rinse off
Get out of the bath slowly and carefully, as you might feel light-headed.
Take a quick shower to wash off any sweat or ingredients from the detox mixture. I like to rinse my hair and face as well.
7: Climb into bed
Put on some comfortable pj’s and climb straight into bed.
I never put any creams or lotions on after a detox bath as I want to let my skin breathe.
Now enjoy those sweet dreams that follow!
♥ ♥ ♥
FAQs
Here are some questions that you might have about detox baths, with answers:
Can detox bath ingredients be used for a detox foot bath?
Absolutely, just use less of the ingredients if you are only soaking your feet.
Generally, a mix of 0.5 cup of Epsom salts or sea salt and 0.5 cup of apple cider vinegar will detox and make your tootsies smooth again.
If your feet need a little freshening up, you can add a peppermint tea bag to the water to kill any bad smells.
Are detox baths safe?
Please take care to drink lots of water and listen to your body when taking a detox bath.
If you feel ill or weak, please carefully get out of the bath and lie down until you have recovered.
Do not take a hot bath if you have low blood pressure or suffer from any medical condition – consult a trained medical professional for advice if you have any doubts.
In my experience, detox baths are safe and relaxing. Please be your own judge and always look after yourself.
Are detox baths safe while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Magnesium sulphate (epsom salts) can cross into the placenta, so speak to a health care practitioner before taking a detox bath while pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you have any doubts, then don’t do it. Wait until you are no longer pregnant or breastfeeding before taking a detox bath.
Can I replace grated ginger with ginger powder in a detox bath?
Yes. If you don’t have fresh ginger handy then you can use a full teaspoon of ginger powder instead.
Ginger powder has the same detoxifying effect and does not make clumps in the bath. I just love fresh ginger – I even drink it in hot water with slices of fresh lemon.
Do detox baths cure the common cold?
No, but they may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of colds and flu.
As I said earlier, a detox bath can relax you and alleviate pain in the muscles and general body aches. But when you have the flu you might not feel up to sweating in a hot bath. Please listen to your body and do what you feel is right for you.
You might prefer to take a mini detox bath with a little sea salt and other ingredients in warm (not hot) water.
Just remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
Will I lose weight if I take a detox bath?
You might be a little lighter on the scale from losing water after a detox bath. But detoxing helps the body to flush out toxins and can make it more efficient at breaking down fats in future.
