Sometimes a good soak in the bath is just what you need to unwind from a busy and stressful day. Especially around the holidays, it can be hard to find time to take care of ourselves and prioritize our health and happiness. Try carving out just 20 minutes in your evening to relax with a bath and see how you feel! To totally bliss out and enhance your experience, consider these eight bathtime essentials.

If you’ve never used a bath bomb, it’s a sensory experience you shouldn’t miss! Bath bombs are a mix of citric acid, salts, and oils. When added to water, it will fizz and break apart — disintegrating into the bathwater. With the addition of colorants and fragrances, they can turn your bath water into a pretty swirl of colors and scents. The oils and salts add a soft and moisturizing touch.

Just be sure to use organic and non-toxic bath bombs. They should be free from parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances and dyes, and glitter. Symbols for cruelty-free, gluten-free, and vegan are always a good idea! To get the most out of your bath bombs, look for ingredients like coconut oil, sweet almond oil, Epsom salts, and shea butter to soften and hydrate your skin.

Candles add soft mood lighting that can help you relax. There’s something about the flickering flame of a candle we absolutely love! Choose non-toxic candles that are made in the USA and have lead-free wicks.

Turn on your favorite tunes or search Spotify for soothing sounds and relaxing music. You may even discover a new artist or two when you try out new bathtime chill playlists. There really is no better way to let your worries from the day drift away!

Reading is a great way to relax. Whether you love a murder mystery or compelling biography, slipping into the bath is the perfect time to catch up on your reading. Invest in a bathtub caddy for your Kindle e-reader or paper book to avoid any drips or drops in the tub!

The heat from the bathwater might make you sweat, so be sure to stay hydrated. Bring a large glass of water or steeped herbal tea to keep you refreshed while you relax. For a real spa-like experience, add some slices of lemon or cucumber to your water.

Here’s a great life hack. Before getting into the bath, throw your towel into the dryer to heat it up. When you’re finished with your bath, you’ll have an extra warm and fluffy towel to dry you off. Bonus points if you have freshly laundered PJs to slip into after!

Post-bath is ideal to moisturize your skin! Your pores are open and the oil helps to trap the moisture on your skin to keep you feeling soft, smooth and ultra-moisturized. While you’re still damp, use Viva Naturals Organic Massage Oil or any beauty oil all-over to nourish your skin. For some extra self-care, pay special attention to areas like tight calves and sore feet. There’s nothing like massaging sore muscles to help you relax before bed!

To end your bath on a high note, make sure you have clean bedding to climb into. Ideally, you should aim to wash your sheets once a week. But sometimes our weekly washes fall behind — and that’s okay. Adulting can be hard. Between washes, use a linen spray to freshen your sheets and help you drift off to dreamland. And no need to break the bank! A linen spray is easy to DIY if you have a few key essential oils on hand. Try this recipe below.

DIY Lavender Linen Spray
Lavender has a lovely relaxing aroma and fresh scent perfect to freshen your linens between washes.  

Ingredients
1 oz witch hazel
3 oz distilled water
10 drops lavender essential oil

Directions

1. Add witch hazel and lavender oil to a glass jar. Seal lid & shake well.
2. Open the lid and add the water, then replace the lid and shake again to combine.
3. Pour the mixture from the jar into a glass or aluminum spray bottle.
4. To use, shake the bottle then spray pillowcases and sheets.

When it comes to your self-care, if bath time isn’t part of your routine, it should be! Adding mood lighting, relaxing bath salts, a bathtime playlist, and more can help you bliss out completely before bed. And remember that when it comes to sleep, lavender is your friend! It’s relaxing aroma works great in massage oils, carrier oils like almond oil and fractionated coconut oil and even linen sprays. Which of these bathtime essentials can’t you live without?