Baths are one of the few joys that are to be had in winter (apart from, say Christmas, glitter and opaque tights). Long, hot, steamy baths can ameliorate the general ennui elicited by winter’s shorter days, sub-zero temperatures, colds and dry skin. They are the perfect opportunity to take 30 minutes to yourself, treat your skin to a good scrub and relax in the scent of a good-quality candle. Enjoy with wine, a mug of tea or a podcast. We’ve come up with six equations, replete with all manner of products, to truly (re)solve all manner of bathing needs.
Wake up and go
Baths aren’t just for evenings and coffee isn’t just for drinking in the morning. For this wake-up morning bath, scrub the skin with this fantastic Aussi coffee bean scrub by Frank Body Original Scrub, £11.95, for the ultimate exfoliation and to get the circulation going. Followed by a soak in tub with a few drops of the luxurious This Works Energy Bank Bath Oil, £80, which is enriched with tension-relieving ylang-ylang and stimulating bergamot to get you up and and awake and moving. And get the senses working with the divine and sleek Rodin Olio Lusso Pilar Candle, £95, with its signature blend of refreshing and awakening jasmine and neroli which will have you dreaming of the Med in the midst of winter. Then lather on some Zingy Ginger Body Butter, £11, by new brand on the block Soaper Duper for ultimate moisturisation with 93% natural ingredients. This is a bath to restore energy, and keep you awake with skin that’s perfectly moisturised for a day of working, shopping or (more) relaxing.
Get Well Soon
A warm bath can be the ultimate cure for winter-time sniffles, the perfect way to take the edge of a chill and ease congestion. This new, limited edition Dr Hauschka Spruce Warming Bath Essence, £9.50, contains Norwegian spruce essential oils that when added to the bath warm the body and help you breathe. Light this divine Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Candle, £38, to calm and support recovery with its blend of cardamom and frankincense. After you’ve left the heat of the bath, to maintain its warming effect rub some Therapie – developed by top aromatherapist Michelle Roques O’Neil – Comfort Warming Rub, £24, onto the chest and let the arnica, camphor and peppermint get to work.
Detoxify
It’s rare that a real detox can actually equate to an enjoyable experience, but far from a mung-bean-only diet, brew yourself a cup of Dr Jackson’s Detox Tea, from £15. This fennel, liquorice, aniseed and senna fruit concoction is digestion boosting and rich in free radicals and antioxidants. Drink while soaking in this Espa Detoxifying Seaweed Bath Tonic, £29, which contains laminaria digitata seaweed to help clear toxins and get the lymphs working at full capacity. And it smells good too, with the added mandarin and orange oils. The Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask, £47, is a detox for the skin containing umbrian clay known for its high mineral content and deep cleansing properties. And finally, the Susanne Kaufmann Detox Oil Scrub, £101, from the Austria’s Bregenz Forest Mountains, is a luxurious scrub treatment to slew of dead skin using physical exfoliants like apricot kernels and fine-grained poppy seeds. It smells good enough to eat, but probably don’t.
Winter Warming
Cosy, warm and soothing, we’ve picked the best warming products to help you feel seasonal without the tinsel and clove-scented madness that shall quickly ensue. Inspired by altar candles, Byredo’s three new holiday candles form the Saints Collection and they are the perfect accompaniment to a long evening’s soak. Not only does the glass make us crave low-lighting and dramatic weather, the evocative smell of the Incense candle, £88, – incense, eucalyptus, labdanum and amber – is perfect for relaxation. Laura Mercier knows how to do bath products and the cult favourite Crème Brûlée Honey Bath, £33, cleanses the skin while vitamins A and E keep skin moisturised and smelling divine. Fire and water are not so incompatible as they come together in this Lush Fireside soap, £4.25/100g.
Indulge
A bath is nothing if it’s not indulgent. So why not take indulgence to the extreme by burning this beautifully designed Fornasetti Profumi Golden Burlesque Scented Candle, from £125. The illustration of the opera singer Linda Cavalieri's famous visage adorns the candle with a golden voile, and the Otto fragrance wax is wonderfully woody and fragrant with notes of lavender, incense and cedar wood. For more gold, scrub the skin with luxury Hungarian spa brand Omoroviczva’s Gold Sugar Scrub, £57, which will leave the skin smooth and flecked, ever so subtly, with golden shimmer. Post shampooing, slick the hair in a thick coating of cult-brand Ouai’s Hair Treatment Masque, £25 for 8, to leave hair smooth, shiny and smelling of lilies and jasmine. Finish up by moisturising with the crème de la crème of body products. The new Chanel N°5 Body Oil, £62, is a dry oil with the signature floral scent of the classic N°5 that provides supreme hydration without leaving you sticky.
Skin Smoothing
To combat dry winter scales, changing your bathing routine can radically improve skin texture and dryness. If anyone knows about winter skincare it’s the Scandinavian expert Ole Henriksen, this spa-strength Rub N’Buff Salt Scrub, £25.20, smells of lavender and lemon grass and provides an exfoliation that is rigorous without leaving you sore. Treat your skin to the new Origins RitualiTea Feeling Rosy Body Mask, £25, to cleanse the whole body and gently exfoliate into a lather. Inspired by the dietary properties of tea, Origins have created this divine smelling skin softener that gently buffs and polishes. To combat post-bath skin tightness and the ultimate moisturisation, pump a couple of blobs of the iconic Aesop Rejuvenate Intensive Body Balm, £25-£67, with vanilla, sandalwood and tangerine to nourish and hydrate. Dead and dry skin can often cause ingrown hairs so dab Malin + Goetz Ingrown Hair Cream, £26, onto areas prone to irritation caused by hair removal. This oil-free formula with glycolic and salicylic acid to gently dissolve away skin and exfoliate.