Cleopatra used rose petals in her bath, and Ancient Romans sprinkled the spa’s waters with herbs. Since then people have been using aromatherapy and plants to enhance their bathing experiences.
Now the trend has been given a new lease of life with the rise of bath — or shower — bouquets.
It is what it sounds like — bunches of herbs, flowers and greenery suspended so the water can flow over them, releasing health-boosting essential oils and fragrances. Etsy.com has a variety of pre-made shower bouquets, or you can create your own.
‘Herbs and flowers can be beneficial from a health perspective,’ says Catherine Nix of My Scented Home (myscentedhome.co.uk), a florist who works with fresh and dried flowers. ‘Some, such as lavender which aids sleep, or rosemary which can clear the mind, are readily available fresh.
Catherine Nix, My Scented Home, shared her top shower bouquets. Image: Radiant Skin
‘But others, such as camomile, which reduces stress, are harder to come by in anything other than dried form. So while I’d always suggest using fresh, there’s nothing wrong with adding a muslin bag with some dried herbs or flowers to the mix.’
For inspiration, have a look at the book The Bath Project by Dr Barbara Kubicka (£24.99, thebathproject.com), which suggests plants and herbs to help with various ailments — from using marjoram, cardamom and basil for a hangover, to fennel and juniper for water retention.
Oder, you can try one the bouquets we asked Catherine for.
‘To get the most out of your shower or bath bouquet, put it in a plastic bag and hammer it with a rolling pin before you use it,’ she advises. ‘This will help release the fragrance.’
Here, Catherine presents her favourite shower bouquets…
FOR RADIANTSKIN
Oatmeal (in bags), lemon verbena. aloe, eucalyptus, rosemary, and Sage
Because of its skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, Aloe vera can be found in many after-sun lotions. Creams for sensitive and dry skin will frequently contain oats.
‘Sage and oregano both have antibacterial properties,’ says Catherine. ‘And oregano is also high in antioxidants, while lemon verbena tones the skin.’
PMS SOOTHER
Basil, lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus are some of the ingredients
Catherina said basil reduces menstrual cramps, while peppermint, ‘reduces headaches and nausea. Photo: PMS Soother
Although I love the combination of peppermint, basil, and mint is something that I had never heard about for my PMS. Basil is said to reduce menstrual cramps because a chemical it contains has pain-killing properties, while peppermint, ‘reduces headaches and nausea’, says Catherine.
Sleep Aid
Camomile, lavender, lemon balm and camomile are all good options.
Catherine claimed that she fell asleep for seven hours when using the sleep aid bouquet with lemon balm and lavender.
Because it contains an active ingredient known to bind to brain receptors that can be thought to reduce anxiety and induce sleep, camomile is often associated with sleeping. Lemon balm is said to help insomniacs and relax the body.
Catherine then adds some dried mugwort and eucalyptus.
‘This has sedative properties and gives wonderful dreams,’ she says. It was a great sleep aid that I found to be very relaxing for seven hours.
EASY BREATHE
Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Oregano
Catherine paired eucalyptus with peppermint and oregano to ease breathing (pictured)
Eucalyptus can help you to breathe easier. Catherine has paired it with peppermint — ‘good for un-clogging sinuses’ — and oregano, the oil of which has long been used to treat fevers and respiratory symptoms.
ANXIETY BUSTER
Eucalyptus, bay and lavender
Catherine combined bay leaves, eucalyptus, and lavender to create an anxiety buster bouquet (pictured).
Although bay leaves may be associated with stews and other dishes, it turned out that they have been used as a natural remedy for anxiety.
They may contain Linalool (the same chemical found in the lavender bouquet), which has been shown to reduce stress.
THE ANTI-AGER
Oregano, basil, eucalyptus, and sage are all good options.
Catherine stated that sage and basil are good for slowing down the ageing process. Pictured: The Anti-Aging.
Catherine says oregano and basil can all slow down skin aging.
This is partly because they’re high in antioxidants which counteract some of the unstable compounds associated with accelerating the ageing process. Because of its stress-reducing abilities, eucalyptus has been a perennial favourite.
MORNING REVIVER
Rosemary and fennel, camomile, eucalyptus and fennel
Catherine used rosemary, eucalyptus and fennel (pictured) to give her a great start to her day.
Eucalyptus oil’s cooling effect is invigorating first thing, but Catherine explains that, like the camomile she’s included, it also reduces stress.
She pairs it with rosemary which, she says, ‘clears the mind’. Apparently fennel’s scent is good for clearing the respiratory system. It’s perfect to kickstart your day.