Having a warm bath is one of the best things to do before bedtime. And detox baths go beyond just soothing and boosting our wellbeing by strengthening our immune system and preventing disease. What’s more, they help remove toxins from your body, leaving your skin feeling soft.

Holistic health coach, Holly Zoccolan shares her favourite natural detox recipes – try one out and notice how you feel afterwards…

*If you are pregnant always check with your health professional before taking a detox bath.* 

It’s time to get your soak on!

1. Clay bath

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Bentonite clay
1/2 cup Epsom salts

Prepare your bath:

First, mix the clay with a small amount of water to make a paste. Rub the clay all over your body and leave to dry for a couple of minutes before sitting in the bath. This will enable the clay to work its way into the skin giving it the most effective way of nourishing the skin as it is in direct contact with your skin and will be more effective at drawing out toxins and impurities.Pour the Epsom salts into your bath and then get in with your clay body mask on. Relax for around 15-20 minutes and let the natural salts and clay powder do their magic.

Benefits:

Bentonite clay has been used for centuries as a body mask and really does leave your skin feeling soft and cleansed. Epsom salts are rich in magnesium and help to level out your magnesium levels which so many of us are deficient in. Epsom salts are also a natural exfoliant and have anti-inflammatory properties which assist with relieving muscle soreness and dry skin. Epsom salts have also been shown to reduce stress levels by relaxing not only your body but your mind too. Epsom salts also have the ability to flush out toxins from the body giving you a heavy metal detox. By adding minerals such as magnesium and sulphate to your bath water in Epsom salts, it begins a process known as osmosis which draws salt out of your body (goodbye water retention!) and dangerous toxins at the same time.

2. Salt bath

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Epsom salts
1/4 cup Himalayan salt
1/4 baking soda
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Prepare your bath:

Fill the bath with warm/hot water and add the apple cider vinegar. Then, dissolve the Himalayan and Epsom salts and the baking soda in hot water. Pour the salts into the bath. Next, get in the bath and relax! Soak for up to 30 minutes. This detox bath is excellent at boosting your magnesium levels, removing toxins and detoxing your body.

Benefits:

Adding baking soda and Himalayan salt to this bath will give a deeper replenishing effect as the minerals contained in the Himalayan salts will seep into your skin much deeper when combined with the natural exfoliant within the baking soda. Baking soda is also antibacterial so it can prevent your skin from breaking out as well as easing skin rashes such as eczema and dermatitis.

Apple cider vinegar is antibacterial and antifungal which helps to really cleanse your skin, leaving it soft and super clean. The combination of the Epsom salts, Himalayan salt, baking soda and apple cider vinegar will detox your skin, reduce water retention, replenish your skin with essential minerals and leave your skin feeling youthful, soft and fresh.

3. Green tea bath

Ingredients:
8-10 bags organic Green Tea

Prepare your bath:

Start to run your bath. Add in 8 green tea bags (minimum) once the water is halfway full. Add the other 2 bags if you desire. Let the bags soak in the bath for around 10 minutes when you notice the bath change colour. Remove the teabags and then get in the bath. Soak for around 20 minutes and let the antioxidants and minerals from the green tea soak into your skin and relax your whole body.

Benefits:

Green tea is full of antioxidants, is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory and has been used to reduce breakouts and the appearance of pores for centuries! Green tea assists with cleaning the skin and keeping it fresh and youthful looking. This is a great bath to really refresh your body and your mind.

4. Ginger Sauna bath

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Organic Ginger Powder

Prepare your bath:

Fill your bath with warm water. Once your bathtub is full, pour in your ginger powder and mix into your bath water. Get in your bath and relax for 15-20 minutes. This bath will heat your body up and enable you to sweat. This bath is excellent at reducing flu symptoms and releasing toxins from your body. This bath improves immunity and is a great detoxifying bath.

Benefits:

Ginger speeds up circulation within the body which creates heat and causes your whole body to sweat. Ginger baths have been used to alleviate flu symptoms or to simply detox the body and sweat out the toxins; particularly after a boozy night out! They are also beneficial in calming digestive issues, increasing blood circulation, reducing inflammation and boosting your metabolism.

Before you take a ginger bath it’s important to check your skin for any irritation; particularly if you have sensitive skin. Place some ground ginger powder or freshly grated ginger on your arm and leave for 3-5 minutes. Remove the ginger immediately if irritation occurs. If no irritation occurs you are good to go!

Selfcare and looking after yourself mentally and physically is essential, particularly right now. Taking time to yourself and making a homemade body scrub is an excellent way to do this! Not only does it make your body feel good physically as you shed the dead skin cells, but it also allows you to take the time to yourself for some all-important self-care.

Exfoliating your body is essential in order to shed dead skin cells and allow your healthy skin to shine through. Exfoliation also assists with getting your lymphatic system moving which helps the body to release toxins which have been built up over time. Exfoliating allows the skin to open up to extract more moisture, therefore it is important you moisturise afterwards to feed your skin the hydration and moisture it needs.

GRAINS

Grains have been used in skincare products for years and have been hailed as helping your skin look radiant and giving you a glow. All you need is to combine your grain with some water and a few other natural ingredients found in your kitchen and you’ve got the most natural and easy to use skin exfoliator.

Oats are an excellent natural skin exfoliator as they are anti-inflammatory, contain antifungal and antiviral properties and are packed with antioxidants! They really help to hydrate and moisturise dry and sensitive skin. Plus they are all-natural and inexpensive compared to store-bought exfoliators.

If you are wanting a more moisturising exfoliator you can add some olive oil into your oats and water mixture to hydrate your skin whilst it is being exfoliated. Olive oil also leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and helps to repair your skin.

Honey is a great addition to your oats and water mixture if your skin tends to be on the oily side and you would rather steer clear of olive oil. Add a tablespoon of honey to your oats and water and rub over your skin for beautiful natural skin exfoliation.

Before applying either scrub, ensure your skin is clean and freshly washed so you are starting on a blank canvas. Then, choose which exfoliator you would like to use:

Hydrating:

• 1/2 cup of Rolled Oats
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup water (you can add more if you want your mixture a little less thick)

Non-Oily:

• 1/2 cup of Rolled Oats
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 cup water (you can add more if you want your mixture a little less sticky!)

Ensure you have blended your oats so they are broken up into smaller pieces before adding the other ingredients. Then mix all ingredients together and rub over your face/body for a couple of minutes before rinsing with warm water.

COFFEE

Using coffee granules as a way to exfoliate your body is an inexpensive, effective and natural way to get rid of dead skin cells, feed your skin and leave it silky smooth. It has also been suggested that due to the caffeine content found in coffee, using coffee as a body scrub can reduce the appearance of cellulite. How accurate this actually is can be debatable but coffee does contain a level of antioxidants which are beneficial for your skin and it does leave your skin incredibly fresh and soft.

Coffee scrubs have become a huge trend at the moment with companies selling their coffee scrubs for over £20. Make yours for under £2.50 by only using ground coffee granules (not instant as it will just dissolve!) and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Start at your feet and massage the scrub into your feet, legs, and all over your body up to your face. Keep on your skin for a few minutes then wash it off. Notice how youthful and soft your skin feels after.

A Himalayan Salt Scrub is also a brilliant homemade body scrub and is so easy to make. You simply need some Himalayan salt and coconut oil mixed together. Himalayan salt is rich in minerals and is excellent at supporting circulation, skin nourishment and feeding your skin with essential trace minerals!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Himalayan salt
• ½ cup melted coconut oil

Keep the scrub in an airtight mason jar and use around 1 tablespoon each time.

Finally, using raw cane sugar as a body exfoliator is a great way to smooth out your skin in a natural and inexpensive way.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• ½ cup olive oil
• Few drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)

Making your own body scrub is fun, inexpensive and all-natural so you know exactly what is being put in the products you are lathering all over your skin! I recommend exfoliating around two times per week to keep your skin rejuvenating and fresh. Follow an exfoliation by moisturising your body with either raw coconut oil or olive oil to really hydrate your body after scrubbing off the dead skin cells.