Warm baths are not just ideal on chilly cold winter days; they also deliver an abundance of skin and health benefits too. Those include; loosening tension after a hectic day, alleviating muscle pains from a hard fitness workout, promoting detox and self-care. If you already have a bath ritual we're going to show you how to make your own bubble bath and maximize the benefits of having a good soak after a stressful day.

Best Tips for Having a Relaxing Bubble Bath or Bath Soak:

1. Add Epsom salt

What is Epsom salt? Epsom salt is crystallized magnesium sulfate.

What are the benefits? According to the National Institutes of Health, magnesium promotes health and muscle function, regulates insulin levels, supports normal blood pressure and is used to treat migraine headaches.

How to use Epsom salts:

• Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to your bathtub.
• Fill your bathtub with warm water.
• Soak for 10 to 20 minutes to reap the benefits. Studies have shown that 10 minutes in a warm bath improves cardiovascular health, and 30 minutes helps with blood sugar levels in diabetics.
• Repeat 2 to 3 times a week.

Can help with sleep:

Do you have trouble sleeping? This quick and easy DIY lavender rose bath soak turns a regular bath into a relaxing, spa-like experience. Make a batch and treat yourself to an indulgent soak or package the mix into cute jars to give as gifts. Valentine's Day is coming up!

DIY Rose + Lavender Soothing Bath Salts

Ingredients:

• 5 cups epsom salts
• 10 drops rose absolute oil
• 20 drops lavender oil
• 1/4 cup dried lavender
• ½ cup dried rose petals

Instructions:

• Pour Epsom salts into a glass bowl. Break up any chunks with your clean fingers.
• Add all your oils and stir well with a spoon.
• Add in dried flowers and stir.
• Place in a glass storage or Mason jar with a ribbon and a tag for gifts.

2. Get a bath caddy

When was the last time you took a bath and all your bathing accessories fell into the water? Ahhh! A bath caddy is a must have for all your bathing essentials. It's one of the best tools to promote a relaxing and enjoyable bathing experience. With a caddy you can easily reach your accessories like; candles, books, reading glasses, and of course your spa water.

3. Make sure the temperature is right

According to Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr. Melissa as quoted in The Wall Street Journal the right temperature for soaking in the bathtub is 112∞ F or lower if it is just to wash away dirt. If it's too much of a hassle for you to run a thermometer under the faucet, just make sure it's warm but not stinging hot.

4. Set the ambiance

There's nothing worse than having someone interrupt your bath time. Make sure you turn your cell phone off and if you live with others hang a ""do not disturb"" sign on your door. Elevate the ambiance with soothing music and enjoy exotic island breezes with Pure Fiji's delightful coconut wax candle in coconut, pineapple, or starfruit.

Why you'll love this coconut wax candle:

Made from the Islands of Fiji, this candle will burn brighter for longer without adding any toxins to the air and leave nothing behind beyond a yearning for a hammock in the sunset and the feel of sand beneath your feet. Soot-free, toxin-free and featuring more than 50% more burning time... feel free to fall in love with candlelight once again. Approximate 34 hour burn time.

5. Add essential oils

What are essential oils?

According to Dr. Axe essential oils are organic compounds extracted from plants that contain tremendous healing properties. Using essential oils for healing purposes is often called aromatherapy, which is a holistic treatment seeking to improve physical, mental and emotional health.

For over 5,000 years people have used these healing plant oils to promote a variety of health conditions such as relaxation, beauty care, home cleaning and they are often used as a natural remedy.

Essential oils can be used in three ways:

1. Aromatherapy
2. Ingestion
3. Topically

Here are the top essential oils for anxiety reduction that you can add to your bath:

1. Lavender
2. Rose
3. Vetiver
4. Ylang Ylang
5. Bergamot
6. Chamomile
7. Frankincense

Relaxing Bath Recipe with Lavender Oil & Epsom Salt (Serves: 3-4 baths)

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups Epsom salt
• º cup bentonite clay
• 8-10 drops lavender
• 8-10 drops frankincense
• 8-10 drops myrrh
• 8-10 drops bergamot
• 8-10 drops chamomile

Supplies:

• Glass bowl
• Non-metal spoon

Instructions:

• Add Epsom salt and bentonite clay to the bowl.
• Mix using a non-metal spoon.
• Add the essential oils and blend well.
• Pour ingredients into a mason jar or glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
• When you're ready to use it, add ½-3/4 of a cup into a warm to hot bath.
• Relax in the bath for 15-20 minutes.
• Rinse using the shower.

6. Make bubbles without the chemicals

Those bubbles may look fun but unfortunately many of the store bought products have tons of dyes, sulphates, and fragrances in them which can be very irritating and drying to the skin.

Here's a homemade recipe you can easily use that is safe and natural.

Natural Homemade Bubble Bath

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm distilled water
• ½ cup unscented liquid castile soap
• º cup organic vegetable glycerin
• Your favorite essential oil

Instructions:

• Pour ingredients in a bottle.
• When you're ready to use your homemade bubble bath gently shake the bottle.

If you don't have the time to make your own sulfate free bath soak then you'll love Pure Fiji's Coconut Milk Bath Soak. Luxuriously smooth and creamy, this hydrating coconut milk soak contains a bounty of nutrients essential for the support and good health of your skin. Fresh coconut milk with a blend of exotic nut oils rejuvenate, nourish and rehydrate dry skin leaving it supple smooth and revitalized. Add 1/4 cup to running water and relax on a wave of island magic.

7. Breathe

Reap the benefits of your essentials oils with a simple, time tested relaxation technique.

• Lie back in a comfortable position.
• Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
• Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
• Feel your stomach expand while your chest stays still.
• Hold the breath for several seconds.
• Exhale slowly and forcefully through your mouth.

8. Sip on cucumber spa water

If you decide to bath for more than 20 minutes you may find you get a little dehydrated. Forget those expensive flavored waters. Instead, here's a homemade cucumber mint water drink formula you can make at home that is commonly served in health spas. Cucumber has many benefits such as:

• Helps you with weight loss
• Keeps you hydrated
• Delivers antioxidants
• May help prevent cancer
• Lowers your blood pressure
• Supports healthy skin
• Boosts bone health

Here are the health benefits of mint:

• Good source of Vitamin A
• Potent source of antioxidants
• Improves Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Helps relieve indigestion
• Could improve brain function
• May decrease breastfeeding pain
• Improves cold symptoms
• May mask bad breath

DIY Cucumber Mint Spa Water

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, thinly sliced
• 5 inch cucumber, sliced into rings
• 5 mint leaves
• 2 cups of ice
• Water

Instructions:

• Add the lime and cucumbers in a large pitcher.
• Squeeze and slightly twist the mint and add it to the pitcher. Do not tear apart the leaves as you only want to gently release the oils.
• Add ice and water.
• Place pitcher in the fridge for 1 hour.
• When the water is down to 1/4 full in the pitcher, refill with water and place back in the fridge.
• Consume within 24 hours.

9. Moisturize right away

According to The Mayo Clinic applying moisturizer immediately after a bath (pat or blot the skin first, so it's just barely dry) can trap water in the surface cells. So moisturize right away with a body lotion or if your skin is super dry a great choice is to go with a natural body butter like Pure Fiji's Body Butter.

Why you'll love this body butter:

This super moisturizing cream will instantly revive dry skin. A unique blend of cold pressed coconut, dilo, macadamia and sikeci oils rapidly hydrate your skin and lock in the moisture to keep your skin perfectly hydrated and nourished. Milk proteins provide an added benefit, setting in motion firming processes to reduce the appearance of fine lines - while soy and passionflower gently soothe and calm stressed skin. Scents available in:

• Coconut
• Coconut lime blossom
• Coconut milk & honey
• Guava
• Mango
• Noni
• Orange blossom
• Pineapple
• Starfruit
• White ginger lily

Having a great bath soak on a weekly basis should be a no-brainer and an important part of your self-care routine. After you've moisturized your body with natural skincare products from Pure Fiji put on your cozy pajamas, have a soothing herbal tea and you'll be sleeping like a baby in no time. Sweet dreams.