With the stress of the holidays behind us and a brand new year ahead, if you haven't realized the benefits of regular self-care now is the perfect time to get started! Begin by creating a list of all the things that bring you calmness, clarity, and/or enjoyment, then simply make a commitment to schedule a few of these things every week. If you're not taking time to regularly care for yourself, you may not be the only one being deprived! Moms who practice regular self-care are physically, emotionally and socially healthier, and better equipped meet the needs of their family. Keeping this in mind, practicing self-care should never be thought of as a selfish act, or considered a last priority- and if you needed a good excuse to indulge a little, now you have one!
One of my favorite ways to practice self-care is with a nice long soak in the tub- it's relaxing, and with this easy homemade milk bath recipe, can be extremely skin-soothing and therapeutic as well!
Easy Homemade Milk Bath Recipe
Ingredients:
• 2 Cups Whole Powdered Milk
• 1/2 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 Cup Baking Soda
• 10 Drops Essential Oil Of Choice (For an excellent list of essential oils, and their benefits and uses click here.)
Directions:
• Combine the milk powder, cornstarch and baking soda in a large glass jar. Put the lid on and shake the jar until the powders are completely mixed.
• Remove the cap and add essential oil(s), placing each drop in its own spot on the mixture. Re-cap the jar and shake to combine.
• Let sit for 24 hours before using, to let the aromatherapy bath recipe "cure". Store in a cool, dark place.
• To use, pour 1 to 2 cups of your milk bath under hot running water. Swish around to remove any lumps (there shouldn't be any) lie back and relax!
Benefits
Of A Milk Bath
Milk baths are soothing, relaxing, and offer great benefits to the skin making it softer and more resilient. In addition, the lactic acid found in milk is very exfoliating. Milk baths aren't just some new beauty fad either- ever heard of Cleopatra? Cleopatra's great beauty was often attributed to her love of milk baths, and many other women have been using milk baths for centuries to improve the quality and condition of their skin as well.
To further enhance your milk bath and target specific skin conditions, you can add additional ingredients including oats, honey, various salts, green tea, therapeutic plants, and the list goes on! Start with the simple milk bath recipe above, and experiment with additional ingredients to see what works best for you. Rose petals always make me feel extra special, and I love adding a bit of honey too!
Do you practice regular self-care? Please leave a comment and share how you plan to practice regular self-care in the new year!
~Terri, Eco Crazy Mom
This post was written by Terri Babin, an eco-crazy blogging mom of four dedicated to helping moms go green, without going crazy! For more eco-awesome blog posts like this one please visit Terri at www.EcoCrazyMom.com.
Read other blog posts from Terri, Eco Crazy Mom.
