Escape from the stresses of life, and relax in a wonderful bath. With
the right salts or other quality treatments, your own bath can give
you the luxury of a day spa.
It doesn't have to be Mother's Day for us to schedule time to soak in lavender or rose scented bath oils, but it sure is a good excuse! True, the concept of bath salts as a Mother's Day gift is as cliched as a bouquet of flowers. However, bath salts and other spa-like bath treatments have advanced greatly since the 1980's and Jean Nate's heyday. Today, high-end luxury stores offer many quality bath salts, bath oils, and other more recent innovations. The gift of time alone, and the quiet sense of peace gained from bathing in what feels like a home spa, would surely be appreciated long after flowers have withered and been tossed out.
Many of us, mothers of young children or not, don't often find the time to indulge in the things we really love. Time off from "real life," for many busy people, is truly the ultimate luxury. If we can't, or don't want to, take a day or a weekend away at a spa, there is always the potential of peace and tranquility in our own baths. I love the escape of a long soak. Door shut, quiet music on, lights dimmed, and soaking in an understated lavender scent in the bath, add up to give me a sensation of peace and serenity that lasts long after the water's cooled. There are always at least four jars of bath treatments lining my bath that help it feel like a home spa. While I like to try new oils, salts and soaps, there are several that I find to be superlative in their ability to soften my skin and my mood. Any one of these would make for a special gift, Mother's Day or otherwise.
Some of my favorites are here:
L'Occitane Lavender Harvest bath salts. This is ultimately relaxing. It emits a subtle fragrance and can be enhanced by L'Occitaine's long-lasting lavender candle.
Vanilla Shimmering Bath, also from L'Occitaine. As with their Lavender Harvest collection, this bath product is not overpowering, and the bubbles make a smooth foam. Your skin will be lightly perfumed for hours after your bath ends.
Crabtree and Evelyn's "La Source" Spa Box with moisturizing soap, body wash, body lotion, shampoo and a nail buffer. The bathing products smell lovely, like lavender and peppermint. This is a great gift idea, since it comes in an attractive blue keepsake box.
Sephora has several items in its Creme Brulee Body & Bath Collection, by make-up artist Laura Mercier. These include the amazing Souffle body creme, and exfoliating Sugar Scrub. Used together, these products make you smell absolutely edible!
Another bit of luxury from Sephora is the Fresh product Rice Sake Bath, intended for using in very hot baths. It really makes me feel like I'm at a Japanese style day spa, with the extra heat, and subtle scent of sake sweetened by peach. Because the smell is so authentic, you may end this bath experience with a distinct craving for sushi. Consider yourself warned.
I also really like the Soothing Sea Salts, from Origins. As the name implies, stirring a teaspoonful of these sea salts into your bath water will relax your senses. The scent is much more potent than those at L'Occitane, so be careful not to put too much into your bath. The aroma of these sea salts comes from a blend of orange, tangerine, vanilla, and cardemom.
These are my current preferred luxury bath treatments, but they are always subject to change! If you have a favorite you'd like to share, please feel free to join in the discussion below.
Copyright Jennifer Miner and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
The copyright of the article Home Bath Treatments in Luxury Travel is owned by Jennifer W. Miner. Permission to republish Home Bath Treatments in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Hi Jennifer- there's a holistic spa here in Toronto called Pure + Simple.
Their signature products are a treat- natural, herbal, and often floral in
nautre without heavy preservatives or chemicals (and very reasonably priced
for the quality). I'm a fan of their body lotion (leaves your skin dewy and
fresh like a spring morning), their body washes and face creams. They also
have hydrosols- floral water sprays (lavender and melissa are two
faves)that leave the skin toned and hydrated- a treat ANYTIME. Check them
out at: www.pureandsimple.ca. Enjoy!
May 7, 2006 4:07 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
That sounds great, Mary. I especially prefer lotions and sprays that
aren't artifical-smelling and chemical-y. Sounds like your favorite local
spa really is a great one. Jen Miner
May 8, 2006 8:46 PM
Mary Luz Mejia :
Indeed- I highly recommend them. Thanks for the link. I shall reciprocate
on my Chili+Soy piece asap! :-) Next up- the virtues of Vere chocolate from
YOUR home town- NYC. They are TOO Good and True (it is possible). Hope you
pop by for another visit soon and I'll travel vicariously through you!
(SIGH)!
May 10, 2006 7:44 PM
Mary Luz Mejia :
Jen- I found out where you can get the Chili +Soy shampoo and other fine
Secrets of Tulum products in NYC if you're so inclined:
www.mothersnature.com Mailing Address Mother Nature, Inc. 322 7th Avenue, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10001 1-800-439-5506
Cheers and be well, Mary Luz
May 13, 2006 8:51 AM
Jennifer W. Miner :
How funny; I was just in Lush yesterday! I bought a bunny-shaped soap that
smells like Peeps, for my daughters. You can never start 'em too early!
:) http://luxuryresorttravel.suite101.com
May 18, 2006 11:02 AM
Dan Florio :
Jill just dragged my butt into Lush. I swear she may as well move in there
since I can't get her out, once in. I think the peeps soap is cute (she
made me smell it after you mentioned them). I like the Lush concept. I like
how it's like an upscale deli, where they cut you blocks of cheese-like
things (soaps) and baked goods (bubble bath bars), etc. The women who work
there love talking to men and gave me free things to try. Like the slice of
deodorant, which is like rubbing parmesan cheese on my pits. I like it.
But if I was single, I would hang around there just to pick up chicks!
Women seem drawn to men who wander into that store.
Anyway, I
am NOT a spa guy but I do like natural products that aren't stinky and
greasy (and who don't do animal testing), so Lush has my consumer
dollar!
Dan Florio <a
href="http://businesstravel.suite101.com/">Business
Travel</a> at Suite101
May 18, 2006 5:28 PM
Dan Florio :
My arm has been twisted sufficiently - I blogged about Lush. Here:
Oh, you are mentioning some of my favorite stores! L'Occitane, Origins,
Sephora, Lush are all great. Lush is especially cool with their funky
stuff. I've only seen Lush in Canada. Is it in the States too?
I'd also be curious to see an article on which hotels (or hotel chains)
offer high-end toiletries. I know in my travels, I've seen some really cool
ones even at smaller inns, and then gotten crappy
shampoo-and-conditioner-in-one junk at some of the alleged high-end hotel
chains.
May 20, 2006 12:50 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
You betcha Lush is in the States! And France, and Italy, and England... I
was just in Lush last night (my poor husband!), and got a new Karma soap.
I was planning to do an article about hotel shampoos, because
our guest bathroom has dozens of those little bottles we've swiped, But, I
don't remember which shampoos came from which hotels (they're not all
labelled). I aim to please, however, and I'll try at some future date to
supply you with some in-depth hotel-soap research! :)
May 22, 2006 9:15 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
I've written an article (and blog) about Lush. Check it out!
Ladies, those sound wonderful. I'm a toiletries <i>fiend</i>. I
have always been a fan of natural body treatments and love the stuff from
The Body Shop, C.O. Bigelow (recipes purchased by Bath and Bodyworks), and
<a
href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art39819.asp">Burt's
Bees</a>. But I am really mainly a Lushie, like Dan said. I love that
the stuff is presented and packaged like food. Really neat concept
Like all these companies, the products are pretty expensive, but I
like that they are concentrated (so they last a year or more), made with
fair trade, no animal testing and fresh natural products.
I
also like to <a
href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art11397.asp">make
my own stuff</a>, but haven't had the time lately.
BTW.
Great article, Jen. Give us more! :)
<i>PS - Oh, here is a
link to a friend of mine who makes natural body products by hand at home -
<a href="http://www.eclecticlady.com/wsb.php">Eclectic
Lady</a>. That link goes to the Whipped Shea Butter products which
are my favorites.</i>
Jun 1, 2006 12:10 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
Since you like Lush so much, I thought you might appreciate a brief
run-down on several of their <a
href="http://luxuryresorttravel.suite101.com/article.cfm/lush__bath_bo
mbs">bath bombs</a>. A fellow shopper by the cash register
also told me that she likes to mix bath melts with bath bombs, in certain
specific combos...but I haven't tried this yet.
Jun 14, 2006 9:41 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
Today's my birthday, and it looks like <b>somebody's</b> been
paying attention: Along with a few other small birthday presents, my
spouse gave me a Lush cocoa butter soap, a Primal Elements' Strawberry
Swirl Sugar Whip, and a Mom's Feet Pedicure Package by Gifted by JG. Whee!
Let the softening begin! :)
Jun 21, 2006 1:19 PM
Jill Florio :
Squee! Yummy. Nice husband, yes, my precioussss. So, which soap from Lush?
Did you use any of those gifts yet?
Jun 28, 2006 12:50 PM
Jennifer W. Miner :
Oh, those thigns are long gone, by now. The Ma Bar actually went to my
kids, and I used the cocoa butter soap within a few hours of getting it. I
still have the foot pumice, though. Any takers?
