Herbal Bath & Shower Bags

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Herbal bath sachets (also known as bath tea bags) make a lovely, luxurious soak that can be beneficial to your skin, ease stress and help soothe aches and pains.

They’re similar to the Shower Spa Bags (details at bottom of page) except these steep in the tub with you, making the bath a luxurious tea spa. If you just need some tender foot therapy to ease sore feet, these can be added to foot spas–or you can try these foot soak recipes.

Basic Instructions:

Make drawstring bags out of cheesecloth, organza or muslin, enough to hold anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of your favorite herbal mix. Tie them tightly shut so the loose herbs won’t float out into the water. After use the contents can be emptied, the bags rinsed out then washed to be refilled and reused.

Preparation:

• Two ways you can enjoy these, either hang them on the tap while the hot water is running to fill the tub, making sure the water is running through them. Once the tub is filled, let the bag float in it with you.
• Infusion Method: Boil a quart of water, turn off heat, add bag to water, cover, then steep (for at least 20 minutes for best results). Add all of this piping hot infused water (and the bag) to the tub full of water, being careful as you pour so you don’t burn yourself.

  Note: Do not steep the herbs in an aluminum pot.

Herbal Bath Tea

These amounts will make a batch at a time to be stored in an airtight container until you use them. For convenience, fill up your drawstring bags then store.

Basic Milk Bath Starter:

1 1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1/8 cup baking soda
2 TBS cornstarch

• Use this as the base and add whatever dried flowers and herbs you like.

Lavender Soak:

• 1/2 cup dried lavender
• 1 cup Epsom Salts

Lavender Oatmeal:

• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup dried lavender

Lavender Oatmeal Milk:

• 1/2 cup powdered milk (or the milk bath starter recipe above)
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup dried lavender

Rosemary Oatmeal Tea:

• 1/2 cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Rosemary (dried)
• 1/4 cup Chamomile (tea is fine)

Lavender Chamomile Soak:

• 1/2 cup each: Epsom salt, lavender, chamomile

Herbal Splendor:

• 1/2 cup each: thyme, sage, lavender, mint, bay leaves, rosemary

Soother Soak:

• 1/2 cup each: Lavender, Rose Petals, Sage, Rosemary

Rosemary Basil Soak:

• 1/2 cup rosemary
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1 cup oatmeal

Bonus Idea: You can also add 1/2 cup of honey to the tub while the water is running. Or you could use the milk starter recipe with the honey for a homemade milk and honey bath.

For The Shower

*First published March 19, 2007 and moved to this page for better organization

Start the day with a pampered feeling by using shower spa bags. Fill a cloth bag with the ingredients below and use to scrub in the shower for a nice skin treatment.

Details:

• The fabric can be muslin, handkerchiefs, cheesecloth, or even strips of nylon pantyhose cut to size then knotted at both ends (good use for ruined nylons).
• Tie the end securely closed with a rubber band.
• Size them to fit the palm of your hand. You can fill as full or as loosely as you like.

Ingredients:

2 parts coarse oatmeal
2 parts mixed dried herbs
1 part grated soap

Tip:

• You can make a tub of the shower scrub ingredients ahead of time, just make sure to store in an airtight container.