From manic Mondays to fried Fridays, these 7 DIY bath ideas can help you bust out of whatever funk you’re in: Your mood: “My hormones are going crazy and so am I!“Your bath fix: Dying to curl up on the couch with a sob-inducing Nicholas Sparks novel while you devour a pint of ice cream? Been there, ate that. “You need a bath with uplifting ingredients to counteract the hormonal lows you’re experiencing,” says Geraldine Howard, scientist and co-founder behind the luxury bathing product company Aromatherapy Associates. “Geranium is great for neutralizing out-of-control emotions, pink grapefruit can provide mental clarity, and rose is renowned for its skin-enhancing properties.” So you’ll get out of the bath feeling and looking like a new woman. Get a quick pick-me-up with Jo Malone’s best-selling Grapefruit Bath Oil ($65, jomalone.com). Your mood: “I’m exhausted but my brain is still wired… and it’s 2:15 a.m.” Photo by ImageSource/Getty Images Your bath fix: You’ve probably heard that a nice warm bath can help you doze off (your core body temperature drops immediately afterwards, accelerating a natural cooling process that takes place as we sleep, says Jennifer Pressimone, a holistic health coach at the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy). But you can turn it into a guaranteed good night’s sleep by mixing in chamomile (10 drops) to relieve tension, mandarin (10 drops) to reduce blood pressure, lavender (14 drops) to tackle insomnia-induced physical symptoms like headaches, and Frankincense (8 drops) to deepen your breathing and induce a drowsier, must-sleep-now state, says Pressimone. MORE: 8 Things Your Sleep Habits Say About You Your mood: “Isn’t the workday supposed to end once you get home? Because mine definitely doesn’t.“Your bath fix: Checking work emails after hours is the new, unfortunate norm. And it can quickly escalate from a few scattered late-night requests from your boss to never actually being off the clock. Laura Benge, the national spa director for luxury spa Exhale, recommends incorporating the essential oils used in the chain’s Restore Bath Oil into your bath for an at-home, stress-reducing soak. “We use one teaspoon of bergamot to counteract high blood pressure while stimulating feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin,” she says, “plus one teaspoon each of vetiver to boost your immune system, and clary sage to bring you peace of mind when you’re feeling mentally agitated.” Your mood: “Yesterday’s bootcamp is still kicking my butt today. Ouch!“Your bath fix: You felt the burn yesterday, and you’re feeling it today whenever you try to get out of your chair. Physiotherapists know how to work out that soreness, and the experts at UK-based Spa & Massage recommend this double-lavender bath recipe when their clients are so stiff they can’t even drag themselves in for a rub-down: Combine 10 drops of lavender oil with a handful of dried lavender pieces to boost the soothing properties of this restorative plant (bonus: the lavender pieces act as an exfoliant when massaged into the skin). Complete the bath with 5 drops of rosemary oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties ideal for treating muscle pains, headaches, rheumatism, and even arthritis. (Just make sure your essential oils aren’t fake; here’s what to look for.) Your mood: “Libido? What libido?“Your bath fix: It’s date night; your partner is definitely in the mood, and you are definitely not. At least not yet. Dial up your sex drive with these essential oil recommendations from meditation coach turned marriage therapist Ashley Turner, who’s spent time researching the world’s most intimacy-enhancing ingredients. Her top picks: sandalwood, celebrated in India as a powerful aphrodisiac; rose, linked with the romance-oriented heart chakra; and ylang ylang, known for elevating sexual energy. Skip straight to the passion by using SoulKu’s Gem Essential Oil in Va Va Voom ($15, etsy.com), which conveniently blends all three with hormone-balancing clary sage, in your next bath. (These 9 surprising treatments for low libido can also help.) Your mood: “If I drink any more caffeine, my heart might explode—but I’m still tired.” Photo by Michele Westmorland/Getty Images Your bath fix: Sad to say, there is such a thing as too much coffee for one day. So when you find yourself past the threshold of healthy caffeine consumption but still totally craving a shot of espresso, take a trip to the tub. Bulgarian rose otto oil has a zesty, fresh smell that wakes up the senses while also drawing impurities out of the skin to leave you feeling physically lighter and livelier, says Georgie Smith, head therapist at Dormy House, a popular UK spa destination. Meanwhile, jojoba oil is packed with energizing B vitamins. Add a few drops of each to your bath water and get ready to wake up. Your mood: “I can’t remember the last time I did something for myself.“Your bath fix: Putting work, family, and friends first is a recipe for exhaustion and anxiety. So mix in a couple drops of eucalyptus oil, a stimulant that combats sluggishness and relaxes over-worked blood vessels throughout the body, says Nicole Yih, assistant director at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental in New York City. And because tending to everyone else’s needs probably means you’re not pampering yourself like you should, leaving skin looking dull and neglected, she also recommends applying this head to toe body scrub before you settle in for a soak: “Mix equal parts of olive or coconut oil with honey and sugar. Rub it all over, then sink into the bath and let it melt away in its own time.” MORE: 10 Little Ways To Indulge Yourself With Absolutely Zero Guilt
