The At-Home Spa + Detox Experience: Epsom Salt Baths
The Epsom Salt solution
It used to be that no bath time was complete without a rubber ducky and loads of bubbles. The grown up bath is not a bath at all, but a quick shower with little time to decompress and soak it all in. Enter Epsom salt and essential oils. The combination of the two in a warm bath, with the lights turned low and the echo of spa music in the background is incredible—and there are several health benefits!
Epsom salt, aka magnesium sulfate, is actually named after the natural occurring bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. It is not actually a salt, but a naturally occurring source of magnesium and sulfate. Salt baths have been used by many cultures for many years as a means of cleansing and detoxification.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and is very porous, allowing it to easily remove toxins and absorb minerals. Through a process called reverse osmosis, an Epsom salt bath removes salt and toxins from the body and takes in magnesium and sulfate. I find that a long soak is the most beneficial when you feel like your body needs a reset.
“Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, helping muscle and nerve function and helping to prevent artery hardening. Sulfates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins and help ease migraine headaches.”
IT'S TIME FOR A RESET:
when your muscles are tired and sore, or after a long workout
to get back on track after a vacation
when you're feeling a lot of stress or anxiety
if you've been eating a lot of unhealthy foods
if you have hypertension or are lacking magnesium in your diet
EPSOM SALT BATH BENEFITS:
Detoxify the organs
Replenish the body's magnesium levels
Open pores + purify skin
Relax muscles
Reduce stress + anxiety
Get the digestive system moving
Clear sinuses
the Total Spa Experience
What you'll need:
Epsom Salt (1.5 to 2 cups in a standard-size bathtub) - you can find it at almost any store in the pharmaceutical section or garden center, in a pretty good-size bag—just make sure you get Plain!
Essential Oils of choice (lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint)
Spa tunes (I love this album on iTunes)
Cucumber slices for eyes
Chilled towel for eyes
Dimmed lights
Soak It All in
Fill the bathtub with comfortably warm water and pour in the Epsom salt. Allow it to dissolve and mix in about 15-20 drops of each essential oil that you choose. I also like to keep a small mason jar of extra Epsom salt on the ledge of the tub to scrub my face and massage into my arms and legs, targeting any sore areas. I also like to wet a hand towel and throw it in the freezer for a few minutes and cut up a couple of cucumber slices to rest on my eyes with the towel on top—don't forget to set these on the ledge, too! For the total spa experience, turn on some spa music, and if you use your phone, don't forget to put it on Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode. This is key! Now you're ready to get in and just relax. While a good 20 minute soak is just fine, around 40 minutes is optimal. It takes at least 20 minutes for the salts to detoxify the body, and then about another 20 minutes for your skin to absorb the minerals and experience the full benefit.
For more information on health benefits, check out SaltWorks.us, and for more on practical application, visit WikiHow.com.
* Bonus: You can add in some cayenne or ginger to turn up the heat and really detoxify the body or add some olive oil to moisturize your skin.
* Important: Similar to getting a massage, after a salt bath it is important to re-hydrate the body with a tall glass of water. This will aid in flushing out the rest of the toxins from the body. You can also apply some coconut oil and massage it into your body as a moisturizer. The massaging will stimulate your lymphatic system, and also help flush out extra waste.
Let me know how it works out, and if there are any other things that you like to do to enhance your at-home spa experience! Self-care is so important—treat yourself!
Designed For Your Lifestyle,
Erin
