3 Ways to Prepare an Herbal Bath - Spiritual Shower, Easy Clean, and Traditional!

Bathing in water infused with the power of herbs and flowers can help purify, relax, and soothe you. Traditionally, herbal baths were often done by pouring fresh or dried herbs and flowers into a warm bath. The soaker used the infused water and floating herbs to cleanse themselves.

Today, there are less...messy ways to take advantage of the botanicals in your bath without cleaning up herbs out of your drain. Whether you make your own bath blend or purchase a pre-made herbal bath blend, like the Self Love Herbal Bath Blend, the three methods I like for modern day herbal baths are STEEPED, EASY CLEAN-UP, and SHOWER method.

Steeped Spiritual Bath

STEEPED method for an herbal bath

• Add herbs (dried or fresh) to 4-6 cups of boiling hot water
• Allow herbs to infuse with water for at least 20 minutes
• Strain steeped bath tea into a drawn bath
• Add any additional additives like essential oils or salts to the bath
• Soak and enjoy your herbal bath!

EASY CLEANUP Spiritual Bath 

• Add herbs to a muslin bag like this one (you could also use a cheesecloth or clean pantyhose)
• Tie bag to the bath faucet and allow warm water to pass through the herbs
• As the water passes through the herbs, the water will infuse while it fills the bath 
• Add any additional additives like essential oils or salts to the bath
• Soak and enjoy your herbal bath!

Spiritual SHOWER method

• Add herbs (dried or fresh) to 4-6 cups of boiling hot water
• Allow herbs to infuse with water for at least 20 minutes
• Strain the infused water into a shatterproof container and take it into the bathroom
• Take your shower as normal
• After cleansing, test the infused bath tea to ensure it is not too cool and not too hot 
• Pour the bath all over yourself slowly

If you want any inspiration for making your own herbal bath at home, here is a simple one with sweet, delicious fresh basil.

Basil Protection Bath Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 parts basil
1 part marjoram
Frankincense or lavender essential oil (or any other essential oil of choice)

1. Steep basil and marjoram in hot water and strain
2. Pour tea into bath with frankincense oil
3. Soak for 20 minutes

Oh, and #BookOfBaths is still available on the website for a small donation and it is filled with bath recipes designed to lift, cleanse, and purify. Most ingredients in these recipes can be found at a botanica (online or offline), your local World market, and even Amazon! Don't be afraid to research the ingredients included, and learn something new about an unfamiliar plant or ingredient. 

With that being said, I come from the school of "use what you got." Just as the Lukumi people used coconut instead of the traditional kola nut for divination, use the tools you have access to. Herbal baths are powered by intention first, and plant magic second. If you can only find 2 of the 5 ingredients, let those 2 ingredients love on you! And improvise where you need to. 

Pre-made baths are also available in the shop if you don’t want to improvise - like our Milk & Honey Spiritual Baths! 

If you try one of these methods, which do you think is the most practical for you to do?