11 Best Herbs for Bath Soaks

The best herbal bath soaks are made with the best ingredients. Here are 11 of our favorites herbs to use when preparing an herbal bath!

11 Best Herbs for Bath Soaks

Sometimes, it feels like life is pulling us in every direction. With work, family, and other responsibilities making more and more demands on our time, self-care becomes an essential priority. You can’t take care of everyone else if you don’t take care of yourself!

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But where do you find the time? When are you ever alone?

My friends, I present to you the perfect mini-escape: The Herbal Bath.

How to Make a DIY Herbal Bath

Making an herbal bath is surprisingly simple! All you need are the herbs, a cloth bag, and water. Easy!

Start by scooping 2-4 Tablespoons of dried herbs into a cloth bag. If you’re using fresh herbs, add around three times as much and bruise them first to let their medicines out.

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It is acceptable to use spent herbs, such as those you have already used to make a pre-bath tea or other application. However, you’ll want to increase the amount again.

Don’t get hung up calculating exact amounts. The “dose” isn’t critical with an herbal bath. It’s fine to eyeball it.

Our Organic Herbal Bath Soak Makes a Great Gift—for Yourself or Someone Else! Click Here for Details!

Place the bag of herbs in the tub and fill it with water. Then, get in and soak. It’s that simple. Just lie back and let the aroma carry you away while the herbs get to work on your body, your mind, and your spirit.

Award yourself bonus points if you set the mood first. Maybe dim the lights and put on some soothing music or your favorite podcast.

The Best Ingredients for Rejuvenating Herbal Baths

The best bath soaks are made with the best ingredients. You can craft your own personalized blend, but these are a few of our favorites!

Sea Salt contains trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc, that can be absorbed through skin. This helps to relieve stress, ease sore/cramping muscles, soothe stiff joints, stimulate circulation, and soften skin. It also helps to soothe irritated skin, especially from dry skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.^[1]Lindberg, S. (2019, October 30). Benefits of a sea salt bath: Types, best practices, precautions. Healthline. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/sea-salt-bath#benefits

Organic Orange Peel helps to reduce free radicals, which can reduce wrinkles and dark spots. It’s also antimicrobial, and it smells so good!^[2]Neera Nathan, M. D., & Payal Patel, M. D. (2021, November 10). Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Harvard Health. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-topical-vitamin-c-important-for-skin-health-202111102635^[3]Geraci A;Di Stefano V;Di Martino E;Schillaci D;Schicchi R; (n.d.). Essential oil components of Orange Peels and antimicrobial activity. Natural product research. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27535797/

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Organic Chamomile is a pain soother and skin healer that’s used to smooth the complexion, clear up infections, and generally keep skin looking young. It also has anti-inflammatory and mild astringent properties to help tone skin and shrink the appearance of pores.^[4]The Grow Network. (2022, May 4). 18 health benefits of chamomile + how to use it. The Grow Network. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://thegrownetwork.com/health-benefits-of-chamomile/ ^[5]Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010, November 1). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular medicine reports. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

Organic Lavender can promote a healthy night’s sleep by improving melatonin levels and calming the nervous system. It’s a mood lifter that helps to reduce anxiety and depression. Did I mention that it’s another wound healer? And lavender’s antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties also make it an overall boon to skin health. Lavender has also been shown to ease menstrual pain.^[6]Zaleska. (2021, December 17). Lavender: Health benefits and how to use it. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-benefits-of-lavender/ ^[7]MediLexicon International. (n.d.). Lavender: Health benefits and uses. Medical News Today. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265922#interactions

Organic Rosemary was used by ancient Romans to clear the mind and improve memory. Modern science has finally caught up to the ancient world, confirming that this aromatic herb is neuroprotective, supporting memory retention and alertness. It elevates the mood and decreases the stress hormone, cortisol.^[8]Levy, J. (2021, September 6). Rosemary benefits + how to use it. Dr. Axe. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://draxe.com/nutrition/rosemary-benefits/

Organic Raspberry Leaf has a protective effect on the skin. It’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and a mild astringent that is rich in minerals.^[9]Wang, P.-W., Cheng, Y.-C., Hung, Y.-C., Lee, C.-H., Fang, J.-Y., Li, W.-T., Wu, Y.-R., & Pan, T.-L. (2019, January 6). Red raspberry extract protects the skin against UVB-induced damage with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339709/ ^[10]The Grow Network. (2021, November 12). Red Raspberry Leaf: Its benefits and uses. The Grow Network. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://thegrownetwork.com/red-raspberry-leaf/

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Organic Peppermint helps to calm the mind and emotions, and soothe an upset digestive system. It’s also a pain reliever, helping with skin, muscle, and joint discomfort. Peppermint is antioxidant and energy boosting, and its pleasant fragrance supports the respiratory system and sinuses.^[11]Axe, D. J. (2021, December 28). Top 15 peppermint oil uses and benefits for gut health, headaches & more. Dr. Axe. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://draxe.com/essential-oils/peppermint-oil-uses-benefits/

Organic Sage is a highly antioxidant and antimicrobial herb that supports memory and brain function.^[12]Raman, R. (2018, December 14). 12 health benefits and uses of sage. Healthline. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sage#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4

Organic Lemongrass is a mood lifter. It’s also a natural astringent and antimicrobial that supports smooth, healthy skin by keeping pores clean. It also helps to reduce body odor.^[13]Deckard, A. (2017, April 3). 13 benefits of lemongrass. Healthy Focus. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://healthyfocus.org/benefits-of-lemongrass/

Organic Rose Hips, Buds, and Petals are all gentle astringents and beauty aids. They work on the inner self, as well, reducing anxiety and depression while elevating the spirit.^[14]Rose benefits. HerbalRemediesAdvice.org. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/rose-benefits.html

Organic Bay Leaf calms inflammation and supports the wound-healing process. Its antibacterial properties can inhibit the growth of the bacteria that causes staph infections (Staphylococcus aureus).^[15]Contributors, W. M. D. E. (n.d.). Health benefits of Bay Leaves. WebMD. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bay-leaves ^[16]Person. (2016, December 17). 5 possible uses for the Bay Leaf. Healthline. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/5-possible-uses-for-bay-leaf#3.-Can-it-treat-your-wounds?-

Bay leaf has traditionally been used to improve memory.

Organic Cloves are excellent at soothing respiratory issues. They’re antimicrobial, highly antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and have healing properties. Plus, they really round out the aroma of the other herbs.^[17]Link, R. (2020, March 12). 8 surprising health benefits of Cloves. Healthline. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cloves#The-bottom-line ^[18]Seladi-Schulman, J. (2019, September 9). Clove essential oil: Benefits and how to use. Healthline. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/clove-essential-oil#benefits 

Individually or in your own preferred combinations, these herbs make the perfect herbal bath—so you can create the perfect mini-escape!

Conclusion

Do you have your own favorite herbal bath soak? Do you make it or buy it? Share your recipes and best tips below!

Scott Sexton

Scott Sexton is a TGN Trailblazer, a highly experimental gardener, an unrelenting weed-eater, and a largely non-profit herbalist (much to his wife’s chagrin). When Scott is not teaching foraging classes, testing out theories in the garden, or grazing in the forest, he can be found at his Facebook page, “A Forager’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.”