DIY Snowy Day Spa Soaks

It's been cold here in central Massachusetts the past few months.  It seems like we've had about 12-18 inches of snow just about every 3 or 4 days, school is always being canceled, and people have had enough.  In fact, I just looked out the window, and it has just started snowing again.  True story.  Well, everyone deserves a respite, and for me, it comes in the form of a nice, warm bath.  Luckily, a comforting, pampering bath is one of the easiest DIY spa experiences to create at home.

To start, all you need is a nice, warm tub of water.  Not too hot -- that would be drying to your skin -- but warm enough that you can sit comfortably for 15-20 minutes.  (It's okay to replenish the heat with short bursts of hot water while you're in there, too.)

And now, the best part:  Bath Additives.  You have a whole kitchen filled with possibilities!  The basics are milks, grains, oils and botanicals.   Here's a breakdown for each category.  Mix and match depending on your mood.

Milks:  It's said that Cleopatra bathed in milk.  I'm not sure if that's true or not (I wasn't there!), but either way, added to a bath, milk is mildly exfoliating, cleansing and moisturizing.  Use Cow's milk (skim, whole, buttermilk...), Goat's milk, and even Coconut milk, which creates a super-silky bath and smells like a tropical paradise (can be found in the Asian aisle at your local market).  Add 1-4 cups per bath.

Grains:  My go to bath grain is Old-Fashioned Oats. It's naturally moisturizing and can alleviate dry, itchy winter skin. You can buy cosmetic-grade colloidal oatmeal at the drug store, or you can simply grind up some whole oats in a coffee grinder until they reach a powdered consistency.  Add them while filling the bath.  If you have some cheesecloth, even better.  Fill it with whole or coarsely ground oats (and some botanicals, if you wish), tie up with string, and hang it under the faucet while filling the tub.  Then, just let it float in the water while you soak. 

Oils:  Boost the moisture in your bath by adding oils.  Unless you happen to have an emulsifier on hand (such as one of the Polysorbates), the oil will simply float on top of the water.  But it will leave you feeling soft and moisturized.  Try adding a small amount (a teaspoon or so is all you'll need) of jojoba, hazelnut, extra light olive, rice bran, flax oil, or any other liquid oil you have on hand.  Just be forewarned that these will make your tub slick, so take caution when stepping out of your bath.

Botanicals:  Here's where you can get really creative.  Do you have a kitchen stock-pile of herbal teas?  These work great in the tub, and if you keep them in the tea bag, you don't have to worry about cleaning up messy buds, barks and leaves afterward.  The obvious choices for botanicals are calendula, chamomile, lavender and rose (all are soothing, and smell nice).  But do you have a cold?  Teas with peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary or fennel will help with congestion, and even sore muscles.  Looking for an antioxidant boost for your skin?  Try Roobios or Green Tea.  A nice chai blend can help to stimulate circulation.  With teas, or any botanicals you choose, keep in mind that in high concentration (like in a cup of tea) they can cause staining... both on you and your tub.  One bag, perhaps two, should do the trick in the bath.  [Caution: if you suffer from hayfever or other seasonal allergies, certain botanicals, such as chamomile or lavender, can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Be sure to read labels!  Also, some herbs, such as Chamomile may lighten hair.]

You'll want to limit your soak to about 15-20 minutes as anything more can be dehydrating and can sap energy.  

When you're all done and the water's drained, a quick sprinkle of household baking soda and a wipe with a damp cloth will clean the tub and get rid of any residues.

Easter Craft - Soap Jelly

The kids were so excited yesterday that Spring had officially arrived, so I thought I'd surprise them with some Easter Soap Jellies. Soap Jelly is an interesting concoction of gelatin and soap, and the end result is something like a Jello Jiggler or Knox Blox with some sudsing action. I've never made Soap Jellies before, but a friend gave me a recipe (thanks, Ann Cornell!), so I thought I'd give them a try.

For this soap craft you'll need:

--One small and one medium glass bowl or pitcher

--A stainless steel mixing spooon

--1 pkg plain, unflavored gelatin, such as Knox (not Jello)

--3/4 cup water (preferably distilled)

--1 tsp salt

--1/2 cup liquid soap or body wash (I used a handmade, sulfate-free shower gel)

--color, as desired (I used a blue ultramarine powder, but a liquid FD&C dye would work, too. Just be careful to use dyes sparingly -- too much will dye skin and tub!)

--skin safe fragrance

--molds

--rubbing alcohol (optional)

Step One: Heat the water to boiling in the small mixing bowl. I zapped mine in the microwave for 1 minute, 50 seconds. Then add the salt.

Step Two: Sprinkle the gelatin powder in the medium bowl, and Pour the salted water on top, stirring to dissolve.

Step Three: Add your liquid soap to the gelatin/water mixture and stir to combine. Then add your color and fragrance, and mix well, but slowly, so you don't overfoam.

Step Four: Pour into molds -- I used the Jello Jiggler molds you get for Free at the grocery store and a small Bunny mold designed to make ice cubes -- and refrigerate for at least two hours.


(I'm pouring with one hand, and taking the photo with the other!)

Step Five: Your Soap Jellies will likely have a bit of foam on top after the pour, and if that bothers you, you can spritz with some rubbing alcohol to pop the bubbles, but it's not necessary. Then place the molds in the fridge for at least a few hours to set up.



They're ready! I unmolded after two hours, but I think they could have used at least another hour or two. The small Bunny cavities were a bit of a disaster.

But the Jello Jiggler Molds worked out pretty well! Here's Ava with the "Easter Basket."

The Shower Verdict: I've got to say, these feel pretty cool -- just like Jello, but with suds! The kids were pretty excited to use them in the tub. Ava said, "These are so cool! They're so smooth and soft on your skin. I loooooove Soap Jelly!" William's kept slipping out of his little hand, which he thought was pretty great. He spent most of his shower cracking up. But between laughing, he said, "This is awesome soap, Mom. I like taking a shower with this stuff."

One thing is for sure though: They dissolve fast! I had to run back down to the fridge to get each of the kids another one to finish their shower. The Easter shapes were cute, but if I were to make these again, I think I'd just pour them in a slab mold and cut bigger squares so they'd last a little longer, or you could even pour into clean, recycled fruit or yogurt cups. I think I'd also reduce the water a little bit so they'd be firmer and possibly longer-lasting.

If you're going to make these at home, keep in mind that the recipe contains water and lacks a preservative (even if you're using a commercial, preserved liquid soap, it may not have enough to handle the extra water), so it's best to keep these in the fridge until use and use them up within a few days.