Weleda
Arnica Muscle Soak, £15.75
If you’ve overdone it with the online workouts in the New Year, Weleda’s Arnica muscle soak is a brilliant remedy to ease tension and soothe inflammation with essential oils of lavender and rosemary, all blended with birch leaf extract, to help dispel stresses and aid relaxation. You may not be booking a sports massage any time soon, but this is the next best thing.
Odacite
Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak, £22
In a funk? Odacite’s ‘mood cleansing’ bath soak does exactly what it promises on the tin. After Valerie Gradury received a cancer diagnosis in 2004, she went on to retrain as a health and wellness coach. And so popular did her private blends for clients prove that she decided to make them available to all, courtesy of her own organic skincare range: Odacite. The Himalayan crystal salts are infused with grapefruit and lemongrass to uplift the soul. Meanwhile, a mix of turmeric, holy basil, neem and aloe vera detox and nourish the skin simultaneously. We’re stocking up for the season.
Fur
Bath Drops, £34
Remember the slimy bath pearls from the nineties? Well they’ve had an eco-conscious 2021-style overhaul courtesy of Fur. Made from sustainable red algae (with zero slime-factor), the delicate orbs dissolve in warm water to release a skin-softening blend of oils – including clary sage to help reduce in-grown hairs and shaving irritation; jojoba to moisturise and grapeseed rich in vitamins E, D and C to hydrate. Retro and really rather effective.
Uma
Pure Calm Wellness Bath Oil, £67
Pure Calm Wellness Bath Oil was designed specifically to imbue calm and wellness – surely, then, the tonic everyone needs on their bath-side in 2021. The beautiful stoppered bottle of Uma’s tincture was created by founder Shrankhla in celebration of her aunt – the titular Uma – using home-grown recipes and harnessing the botanicals and principles of Ayurveda. With a blend of essential oils including chamomile, vetiver, jasmine and lavender, there are jojoba and rosehip oils too filled with antioxidants and conditioning vitamin E to soothe and moisturise. If you want to be transported through the power of scent, this is the drop for you.
Better You
Magnesium Flakes, £9.95
Not remotely glamorous, or particularly sensory, these unfragranced Magnesium Flakes from Better You are a bathroom cabinet must-have for anyone upping their fitness regime this month. Couch to 5k? New Peletonian? Magnesium has been shown to help aid muscle repair and relaxation but it can also help with another lockdown side-effect – draw a bath laced with these mineral rich salts before bed and insomnia be gone. Expect a longer, deeper sleep to ensue. What’s not to love?
Alvarez Gomez
Bath and Shower Gel, £14
There’s nothing quite like the zip of citrus to restore an ailing spirit. The family-owned Alvarez Gomez has been making this punchy shower and bath concentrate from their Madrid base since 1912, so they should know. Combining extracts of lemon, Spanish lavender, geranium and eucalyptus with essential oils of rosemary, thyme, English lavender and bergamot, it’s the perfect wash to cleanse away the stresses of the day, month or, indeed, year.
Elemis
Milk Bath, £46
A hug in a bottle, Elemis’ Milk Bath is gentle enough to use on newborns, but just as brilliant for repairing and nourishing grown-up dry winter skin too. Formulated with a blend of milk protein, Japanese camellia oil and oat extract it can be applied topically to the body before you sink into your bath for an extra hit of hydration, and even used as a protein-rich hair mask if your tresses need some winter TLC, too.
By Lydia Mansi
January 2021
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